Sticky Buns for One

Some days, you want a little luxury with your coffee, especially the kind that reminds you happily of your childhood. Well, today’s that day! You can make these sweet little rolls the night before a dream cinnamon dreams, you can make them in time for breakfast or brunch, or they make a perfectly fine afternoon snack. No matter when you eat them, you’ll want to fit them into your day.

For the Dough:

3 TBLSP plus 1 teaspoon almond milk (or non-dairy milk of your choice)

1 teaspoon vegan butter

1 teaspoon rapid rise yeast (1/3 of the packet)

½ teaspoon granulated sugar

A pinch of salt

½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour (you might need a TBLSP or two more, so keep it handy)

Canola oil (for coating the rising bowl)

For the Sticky Glaze:

1 ½ TBLSP brown sugar

1 ½ TBLSP vegan butter

1 ½ TBLSP chopped pecans

For the Filling:

1 TBLSP vegan butter, melted

1 ½ TBLSP brown sugar

A sprinkle of cinnamon 

1. In saucepan or the microwave, heat the milk and butter until it’s warm and melted. Don’t let it boil! Let it cool until you can stick your finger in it. If it’s too hot, you’ll kill the yeast, if it’s too cold, you won’t excite the yeast. It’s like Goldilocks.
2. Sprinkle in the yeast. Let it activate for 10 minutes (it should be all bubbly if your yeast is healthy), and then add in the sugar and salt and give it a quick stir.
3. Add in the flour and stir it until it starts to form a ball. Then place it on a lightly floured surface and knead it for a minute or so, until it forms a smooth ball. You might add more flour while you’re kneading, if it seems to need it. (See what I did there?) You want a soft ball, but not sticky anymore, and not as firm as bread dough.
4. Clean out your mixing bowl and coat it with canola oil. Roll the dough ball around in the canola oil to coat the ball on all sides, and then cover with plastic wrap and set it in a warm place to rise for about an hour, or until doubled in size. If it’s a cold day, I like to turn the oven on for a few minutes, and then turn it off again, leaving the door open. I put the little dough ball right above that open door. Some people put the dough inside, but I find that I forget it’s in there…
5. While the dough is rising, prepare the Sticky Glaze by mixing together the butter and brown sugar and spreading it in the bottom of two ramekins or two muffin tin spaces. Top with the pecan pieces and set the prepared pans aside.
6. Once the dough has risen, roll it out into a thin rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Brush it with the Filling’s melted butter, and then top it first with brown sugar and then with the cinnamon.
7. Roll the dough into a tight log. Cut the dough into 2-inch segments (there will be two of rolls) with a very sharp knife. Roll the segments into little snails. I like to put the seam on the inside of that roll, but it doesn’t matter very much.
8. Snuggle the dough rolls into the Sticky Glaze in your prepared pan. I like to smoosh them a bit so that they fill the ramekin from side to side. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Tra-la-la.

1. Bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes, until slightly golden brown. Let them cool for a few minutes, and then invert and devour.