Vietnamese Cinnamon Date Sticky Buns (Printable)
Soft, pillowy buns with fragrant Vietnamese cinnamon, sweet dates, and luscious sticky glaze for breakfast or dessert.
# What You Need:
→ Dough
01 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
04 - 1 tsp fine sea salt
05 - 3/4 cup whole milk, warmed
06 - 1/4 cup water, warmed
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
→ Filling
09 - 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
10 - 2 tbsp Vietnamese cinnamon
11 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
12 - 1 cup pitted Medjool dates, finely chopped
13 - 1/2 cup toasted pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional)
→ Sticky Glaze
14 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter
15 - 1 cup packed brown sugar
16 - 1/4 cup heavy cream
17 - 1/4 cup honey
18 - 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
# How To Make It:
01 - Combine warm milk and water in stand mixer bowl. Sprinkle yeast over surface and let stand 5 minutes until foamy. Add sugar, eggs, and melted butter. Mix until blended.
02 - Add flour and salt gradually. Mix with dough hook on low speed until incorporated, then knead on medium speed 6-8 minutes until smooth, elastic, and pulling away from bowl sides.
03 - Transfer dough to lightly greased bowl, turning to coat all surfaces. Cover with plastic wrap or damp towel. Place in warm, draft-free area 1-1.5 hours until doubled in bulk.
04 - Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar, cream, honey, and salt. Stir constantly 2-3 minutes until smooth and bubbling. Pour evenly into greased 9x13-inch baking dish.
05 - Combine dark brown sugar and Vietnamese cinnamon in small bowl. Mix until evenly blended.
06 - Punch down risen dough and turn onto floured surface. Roll into 16x12-inch rectangle. Spread softened butter evenly over surface. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture, dates, and nuts if using.
07 - Starting from long edge, roll dough tightly into log. Pinch seam to seal. Cut into 12 equal slices using sharp knife or unflavored dental floss.
08 - Arrange buns cut-side up over glaze in baking dish, leaving space for expansion. Cover loosely and let rise 30-40 minutes until puffy and nearly doubled.
09 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake 25-30 minutes until golden brown and center buns spring back when touched. Internal temperature should reach 190°F.
10 - Let buns rest 5 minutes in pan. Place serving platter over pan and quickly invert to release buns, allowing glaze to coat tops. Cool 10-15 minutes before serving warm.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Vietnamese cinnamon has this incredible depth that makes ordinary cinnamon taste one note, like someone whispered the secret to baking happiness
- The sticky glaze gets into every crevice while these bake, so even the edge pieces are impossibly tender and caramel soaked
- Dates add this natural honey like sweetness that means you can actually dial back the sugar without anyone noticing
02 -
- I once forgot to invert these within that 5 minute window and the glaze hardened to the pan, creating a tragic sticky situation that required actual chiseling to rescue
- If your kitchen runs cold, the dough might take longer to rise, so find the warmest spot or create a little proofing box with your oven and just the light on
- Vietnamese cinnamon is stronger than regular cinnamon, so if you're substituting, you might need to increase the amount slightly
03 -
- Use unflavored dental floss to cut your buns, it creates the cleanest slices and doesn't compress the dough like a knife does
- If your dates are too soft to chop neatly, toss them in the freezer for 15 minutes and they'll become much more manageable