Vietnamese Cinnamon Date Sticky Buns (Printable)
Soft buns with Vietnamese cinnamon, sweet dates, and luscious sticky glaze
# 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
# Directions:
01 - In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine warm milk and warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the liquid and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy and activated.
02 - Add sugar, eggs, and melted butter to the yeast mixture. Mix until combined. Gradually add flour and salt, mixing with the dough hook until a soft, cohesive dough forms.
03 - Knead with the dough hook for 6–8 minutes until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. The dough should pass the windowpane test when stretched.
04 - Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1–1.5 hours until doubled in size.
05 - In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add brown sugar, heavy cream, honey, and salt. Stir constantly until smooth and bubbling, about 2–3 minutes. Pour the hot glaze into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish, spreading evenly.
06 - In a small bowl, combine dark brown sugar and Vietnamese cinnamon, mixing until evenly blended.
07 - Punch down the risen dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 16x12-inch rectangle, maintaining even thickness throughout.
08 - Spread softened butter evenly over the dough surface. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture, then scatter chopped dates and nuts (if using) across the buttered layer.
09 - Starting from one long side, roll the dough tightly into a log. Pinch the seam to seal and place seam-side down.
10 - Using a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss, cut the log into 12 equal slices, approximately 1 1/4 inches thick.
11 - Place the buns cut-side up directly onto the sticky glaze in the baking dish, spacing evenly. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30–40 minutes until puffy and nearly doubled.
12 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake the buns for 25–30 minutes until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
13 - Remove from oven and let rest for exactly 5 minutes. Carefully invert the baking dish onto a large serving platter so the sticky glaze coats the tops of the buns. Cool for 10–15 minutes before serving warm.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Vietnamese cinnamon brings this incredible depth that regular cinnamon just can't match, like someone turned up the volume on everything you love about spice
- The dates melt into the filling creating these little pockets of natural sweetness that balance the rich glaze perfectly
- That moment when you flip the pan and watch the caramel cascade over the buns is worth the entire morning
02 -
- I learned the hard way that cutting these too soon after they come out of the oven makes the glaze run right off the plate
- Vietnamese cinnamon is potent and using regular cinnamon will give you a completely different, milder result
- The dough should feel tacky but not sticky, so resist adding too much flour while kneading
03 -
- Chop your dates into small, uniform pieces so they distribute evenly throughout the filling
- Let your ingredients come to room temperature before starting for the best dough development