Sourdough Baklava Sticky Buns

Name: Sourdough Baklava Sticky Buns
Prep time: 1 h 37 min
Cook time: 33 min
Total time: 2 h 10 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3¾ cups (450 g) bread flour, spooned into the cup and leveled, or weighed; ½ cup (100 g) active sourdough starter (100% hydration), fed 4–8 hours ago, bubbly and doubled; 0.88 cup (215 ml) whole milk, lukewarm, about 90°F (32°C); 1 large (50 g) large egg, at room temperature; 1 large (18 g) large egg yolk, at room temperature; ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar; 1¼ tsp (8 g) fine sea salt; 1 tsp (2 g) ground cardamom; 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, softened to cool room temperature, cut into 6 pieces; 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces; ½ cup (110 g) light brown sugar, packed; ½ cup (170 g) honey; ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine sea salt; 1 tsp (5 ml) orange blossom water (optional); ⅓ cup (50 g) shelled unsalted pistachios, toasted, coarsely chopped; ½ cup (50 g) walnut halves, toasted, coarsely chopped; ¾ cup (100 g) shelled unsalted pistachios, toasted and cooled, pulsed to a coarse crumb; 1 cup (100 g) walnut halves, toasted and cooled, pulsed to a coarse crumb; 4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled; ⅓ cup (75 g) light brown sugar, packed; 2 tbsp (42 g) honey; 1 tsp (2½ g) ground cinnamon; 1½ tsp (3 g) ground cardamom; 1 medium orange, zest only, finely grated (about 2 teaspoons); save the fruit for another use; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine sea salt; 2 tbsp (42 g) honey, warmed for 10 seconds in the microwave so it is runny; flaky sea salt, a small pinch, to taste (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Soft, tangy sourdough buns are rolled around a cardamom-spiced pistachio and walnut filling, then baked over a sticky honey-brown sugar caramel with orange blossom. They taste like baklava in cinnamon-roll form. The dough proofs overnight in the fridge, so you bake them fresh in the morning.

Prep: 1 hr 37 min
Cook: 33 min
Wait: 16 hr 25 min
Total: 18 hr 35 min
Makes: 12 sticky buns (one 9×13-inch pan)

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the dough
3¾ cups (450 g) bread flour, spooned into the cup and leveled, or weighed
½ cup (100 g) active sourdough starter (100% hydration), fed 4–8 hours ago, bubbly and doubled
1 cup (215 ml) whole milk, lukewarm, about 90°F (32°C)
1 large (50 g) large egg, at room temperature
1 large (18 g) large egg yolk, at room temperature
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
1¼ tsp (8 g) fine sea salt
1 tsp (2 g) ground cardamom
6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, softened to cool room temperature, cut into 6 pieces
For the honey caramel topping
6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
½ cup (110 g) light brown sugar, packed
½ cup (170 g) honey
¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream
¼ tsp (1.5 g) fine sea salt
1 tsp (5 ml) orange blossom water (optional)
⅓ cup (50 g) shelled unsalted pistachios, toasted, coarsely chopped
½ cup (50 g) walnut halves, toasted, coarsely chopped
For the baklava filling
¾ cup (100 g) shelled unsalted pistachios, toasted and cooled, pulsed to a coarse crumb
1 cup (100 g) walnut halves, toasted and cooled, pulsed to a coarse crumb
4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
⅓ cup (75 g) light brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp (42 g) honey
1 tsp (2.5 g) ground cinnamon
1½ tsp (3 g) ground cardamom
1 medium orange, zest only, finely grated (about 2 teaspoons); save the fruit for another use
¼ tsp (1.5 g) fine sea salt
To finish
2 tbsp (42 g) honey, warmed for 10 seconds in the microwave so it is runny
flaky sea salt, a small pinch, to taste (optional)

Equipment (10)

Large mixing bowl (4–5 quart / 4–5 L) or stand mixer with dough hook
9×13-inch (23×33 cm) metal or ceramic baking pan
Rimmed baking sheet for toasting nuts
Food processor or sharp knife and cutting board
Rolling pin and bench scraper
Unflavored dental floss or a sharp serrated knife for cutting the log
Small saucepan (2 quart / 2 L)
Instant-read thermometer
Aluminum foil and plastic wrap or a large reusable cover
Rimmed serving platter or baking sheet larger than the pan, for inverting

Steps

Before you start

Feed your starter 4–8 hours before mixing. It should be bubbly and at least doubled in volume, and a spoonful should float in water.
Plan the timeline: mix in the morning, bulk ferment about 5 hours, shape in the afternoon, chill overnight, then proof 45 minutes and bake the next day. Total time is about 18½ hours, and only about 1¾ hours of that is hands-on.
Take the 6 tablespoons (85 g) of dough butter out of the fridge 1 hour before kneading so it is soft but not greasy.
Toast the walnuts and pistachios first (instructions are in the filling step) and let them cool. Lightly butter a 9×13-inch pan before you start the topping.

1
Mix and rest dough
- In a large bowl, whisk the lukewarm milk, starter, egg, egg yolk and sugar until the starter has mostly dissolved and the mixture looks uniform and slightly foamy.
- Add the bread flour, salt and cardamom.
- Stir with a sturdy spatula, then squeeze with wet hands, until no dry flour remains and you have a shaggy, sticky dough.
- Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes so the flour hydrates.
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Ready when: No dry flour remains and the dough looks like a shaggy, sticky mass
Tip: Measure the flour by weight if you can. Too much flour gives dense buns.
2
Knead in butter
- Add the softened butter, a piece at a time.
- Knead in the bowl with wet hands, or use a stand mixer on medium-low (speed 2–3), until each piece is absorbed before adding the next.
- Keep kneading for 8–10 minutes by machine or 12–15 minutes by hand.
- The dough is ready when it is smooth, tacky but not sticky, and passes the windowpane test: a small piece stretches thin enough to see light through without tearing.
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Ready when: Dough is smooth and elastic, and a stretched piece forms a thin translucent window
Tip: If the dough feels greasy and slides around, rest it for 5 minutes before continuing. The butter will absorb as the gluten relaxes.
3
Bulk ferment with folds
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled or buttered bowl and cover.
- Ferment at 75–78°F (24–26°C) for about 5 hours.
- In the first 2 hours, do 3 sets of stretch and folds, 30–45 minutes apart: lift one edge of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over the center.
- Turn the bowl and repeat 4 times.
- Leave the dough alone for the remaining time.
- It is ready when it has grown by about 50–75%, looks puffy and jiggly, and has a few bubbles at the edges.
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Ready when: Dough is puffy and jiggly, has risen 50–75%, and shows bubbles at the edges
Tip: Enriched sourdough ferments slowly. In a cool kitchen it can take 6–7 hours, so judge by the dough's volume, not the clock.
4
Toast nuts and make fillingOven 350°F / 175°C
- While the dough finishes fermenting, heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Spread all the pistachios and walnuts (filling and topping) on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Toast for 8–10 minutes until they smell nutty and the walnuts darken slightly.
- Cool completely.
- Pulse the filling nuts in a food processor in 1-second bursts to a coarse crumb with some pea-sized pieces (or chop finely by hand).
- Chop the topping nuts coarsely and set them aside.
- Stir the filling nuts with the melted butter, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons honey, cinnamon, cardamom, orange zest and salt into a thick, damp, sandy paste.
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Ready when: Nuts smell toasty and are fragrant; the filling holds together when pinched
Tip: Don't over-process. Nut butter will leak out of the filling and make the buns greasy.
5
Make honey caramel
- Butter the sides of a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) pan lightly.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the topping butter with the brown sugar, honey, cream and salt.
- Stir until smooth.
- Bring to a gentle bubble and simmer for 2 minutes without stirring.
- Take off the heat and stir in the orange blossom water, if using.
- Pour the caramel into the pan, tilt to coat the bottom evenly, and scatter the chopped topping nuts over it.
- Let it cool while you shape the buns.
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Ready when: Caramel is smooth, glossy and has simmered for 2 minutes
Tip: Honey scorches fast. Stay by the stove and take the pan off the heat the moment the 2 minutes are up.
6
Roll out and fill
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter.
- Gently press it into a rough rectangle, then roll to an even 12×18-inch (30×45 cm) rectangle about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick, with a long side facing you.
- Keep the corners square.
- Spread the filling evenly over the dough, leaving a ¾-inch (2 cm) clean border along the far long edge.
- Press the filling lightly into the dough.
- Starting from the long edge nearest you, roll up tightly into an 18-inch log.
- Pinch the seam closed.
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Ready when: Dough is an even 12×18-inch rectangle and the log is snug with a sealed seam
Tip: If the dough springs back while rolling, rest it for 5 minutes under a towel, then continue.
7
Cut and arrange buns
- Using the dental floss or a sharp serrated knife, trim the ends of the log if they are thin.
- Cut the log into 12 equal slices, each about 1½ inches (4 cm) thick.
- To use floss, slide it under the log, cross the ends over the top and pull.
- Arrange the buns cut side down in the pan in 3 rows of 4, over the cooled caramel.
- Leave small gaps between them, because they will grow to fill the pan.
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Ready when: 12 even buns sit cut side down in the pan
Tip: Floss cuts cleanly without squashing the swirls, which a dull knife can do.
8
Chill overnight
- Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap or a large reusable cover.
- Refrigerate for 8–12 hours.
- The cold proof builds the tangy sourdough flavor and lets the buns puff up slowly.
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Ready when: Buns look slightly puffy and have started to fill the gaps in the pan
Tip: You can leave them up to 14 hours. Beyond that, the dough can over-ferment and bake up flat.
9
Warm up and preheatOven 375°F / 190°C
- Take the pan out of the fridge.
- Remove the cover and replace it with a loose tent of plastic wrap sprayed with oil.
- Let the buns stand at room temperature for 45–60 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) with a rack in the center for the last 20 minutes.
- The buns are ready when they look puffy, fill the pan, and a gently poked bun springs back slowly and leaves a small dent.
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Ready when: Buns are puffy, touching each other, and spring back slowly when poked
Tip: If your kitchen is cold, give the buns up to 90 minutes. Underproofed buns bake up dense and tight.
10
Bake the bunsOven 375°F / 190°C
- Put the pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch drips.
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 28–32 minutes, until the tops are deep golden brown, the caramel is bubbling around the edges, and the center of a middle bun reads 190°F (88°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
- If the tops are browning too fast after about 18 minutes, tent loosely with foil.
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Ready when: Tops are deep golden brown and the center bun reads 190°F (88°C)
Tip: Don't pull them early because they look done on top. Underbaked centers stay doughy and gummy.
11
Rest and invert
- Let the buns rest in the pan for 10 minutes, no longer.
- The caramel should be thick but still fluid.
- Put a rimmed serving platter or baking sheet over the pan.
- Wearing oven mitts, flip them together in one confident motion.
- Lift the pan away slowly.
- Spoon any caramel and nuts left in the pan back over the buns.
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Ready when: Caramel is thick and glossy but still flows when the pan is tilted
Tip: If you wait too long, the caramel hardens and the buns will stick to the pan. If that happens, warm the pan on a burner on low for 1 minute and try again.
12
Drizzle and serve
- Drizzle the warmed honey over the buns, and add a tiny pinch of flaky salt if you like.
- Serve warm, pulling the buns apart by hand.
- They are best in the first 2 hours, while the caramel is soft.

Good to know

Tips

Use an active starter at its peak. A sluggish one will make the bulk ferment much longer and the buns dense.
Toast the nuts. Raw nuts taste flat and woody; toasted ones give the real baklava flavor.
Cool the caramel before laying the buns on it. Hot caramel starts to melt the dough and makes it bake unevenly.
Invert the pan within 10 minutes of leaving the oven. This is the biggest factor in clean release.

Make ahead

"Make the dough through step 8 and chill for 8–12 hours as written. You can also freeze the shaped, unbaked buns in the pan (wrapped tightly) for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then proof at room temperature for 1–1½ hours before baking."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: covered, up to 1 day. Refrigerator: up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freezer: wrap individual baked buns and freeze up to 2 months. To reheat, microwave one bun for 20–30 seconds, or warm covered with foil at 325°F (160°C) for 10–15 minutes until soft and the caramel is sticky again."

Substitutions

shelled unsalted pistachios → Almonds or hazelnuts. The flavor will be less like baklava but still good. Toast them the same way.
bread flour → All-purpose flour. The buns will be slightly softer and less chewy. Hold back 1–2 tablespoons of flour if the dough feels dry.
orange blossom water → Rose water or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Use 1/2 teaspoon of rose water because it is stronger. Or omit and add a little extra orange zest to the filling.
whole milk → Unsweetened oat milk. Works fine for a dairy-light dough, though the crumb is a little less rich. Use the same weight.