Ina Garten Uses This Store-Bought Ingredient For Her Easiest-Ever Sticky Buns (They Rival Any Bakery!)

I’ve watched Ina Garten on television ever since I was a kid. I’d tune in to Barefoot Contessa on Saturday mornings and watch in awe as she seamlessly put together beautiful spreads with apps, mains, and showstopping desserts — plus stunning tablescapes to match. Whenever I’ve tried my hand at making one of her recipes, it’s always come out delicious. 

Recently, I saw that she updated her famous sticky bun recipe and thought I’d give it a go. I’d never made sticky buns before, but based on the ones I’d had from bakeries, I assumed they’d take a lot of work to make. Naturally the queen of entertaining says she likes to have them on hand whenever she has houseguests for the weekend. (Invite me over, please?!) But with a sneaky store-bought hack, Ina cuts the recipe time in half so you don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen laminating dough. 

“The buns come together so quickly because I use store-bought puff pastry dough,” Ina wrote on Instagram. “I also updated the recipe to include a simple maple drizzle. Your friends and family will love you, and the kitchen will smell amazing!!” Who could say no to that? Luckily, I already had puff pastry dough in my fridge, so I gathered the other ingredients and got to baking. 

To make the sticky buns, first preheat your oven to 400°F. Then, take a standard muffin tin and place it onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Next, mix softened butter and brown sugar together in a stand mixer (or hand mixer if you don’t have one) until it’s fully combined. Place a tablespoon of the butter and brown sugar mixture in the bottom of each of the muffin cups, and sprinkle with pecans. 

Next, take one sheet of your puff pastry dough and unroll it onto a lightly floured surface. Brush the surface with melted butter, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Then, sprinkle the dough with brown sugar, cinnamon, and raisins. Roll the dough into a log, (like you would a cinnamon roll), and trim the edges. Cut the log into six equal pieces and place each piece spiral side up into the muffin cups. Repeat the entire process with the second sheet of puff pastry dough. (You should have 12 total spirals — one in each cup.) 

Bake the buns for 25 to 30 minutes until they’re nice and golden brown. When they’re done, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan for 5 minutes only. Then, invert the buns onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet and allow them to cool completely. 

While the buns are cooling, make the glaze by mixing together confectioners sugar with maple syrup, adding a few drops of water if necessary. (You want the glaze to be thick but runny.) Once the buns are completely cool, drizzle the glaze over each one, and dig in! 

Following all the steps was relatively easy. As the sticky buns cooked, a lot of butter pooled out the sides of the pan, so I quickly saw why that lined baking sheet was necessary. Once I inverted them, I couldn’t even believe my eyes. They looked fresh out of a French patisserie (even without the glaze!), and they taste like it, too. 

The sticky buns are super buttery with a rich caramel flavor. Some of the butter and sugar mixture had run onto the sides of the bun and cooled, creating an outer toffee-like crust. The inner layers of the dough are chewy and packed with cinnamon and brown sugar. The raisins add a bit of tartness, while the pecans add a nutty flavor and nice bite. The maple syrup in the glaze provides an extra hint of sweetness, but I’d be perfectly happy without it since these are on the sweet side.

To spread the love, my mom took some of the sticky buns to her office, and her coworkers raved over how good they were. One said, “These are delicious!” while another said, “I was getting a hint of saltiness along with the sweetness, and I liked how the bun itself was almost flakey on the outside and soft on the inside. The raisins and nuts added some nice texture too.” They got the seal of approval from us all, and I’d definitely make them again.

• Thaw your dough: If you buy frozen puff pastry dough, be sure to fully thaw it before you start the recipe. Ideally overnight is best!
• Swap in other dried fruits: If raisins aren’t your jam, feel free to swap in any other dried fruit you like.