These buns take me back to my adolescence when Sundays were for church and after, something sweet. On lucky Sundays, it was Dunkin’ Donuts Munchkins, and on even luckier Sundays, it was mom’s banana sticky buns or monkey bread.
It is still hard for me to believe that most treats can now be made gluten-free. I feel like I’m committing a sin when I bite into a baked good containing the forbidden protein. Rest assured, these are just as delicious as they were during my childhood.
This recipe is a lovely alternative to basic banana bread for those speckled black bananas stuck in the corner on the kitchen counter, and they are ready in a flash when morning hunger strikes.
Banana Sticky Buns
Makes 12 buns
2 plus ¼ cup Pamela’s Baking & Pancake Mix*, divided
2 large very ripe bananas, mashed
3 Tbsp. plus 12 tsp. butter, divided
¼ cup plus 12 Tbsp. brown sugar, divided
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 cup chopped pecans or slivered almonds, divided
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with butter or oil.
• Stir 2 cups baking mix and mashed bananas in medium bowl until thoroughly mixed and a dough forms.
• Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup baking mix on a large cutting board, baking sheet or counter surface. Press dough onto the floured surface into a rectangle about 1/3-inch thick and 12-inches wide.
• Melt 3 tablespoons butter and pour over surface of dough, gently spreading the butter to cover the dough evenly. Sprinkle ¼ cup brown sugar over the melted butter, then spread the cinnamon over the brown sugar. Roll the dough into a log longwise.
• Place 1 teaspoon butter and 1 tablespoon brown sugar in the bottom of each muffin tin. Place the chopped pecans in the bottom of each muffin tin to cover the butter and brown sugar.
• Place the muffin tin in theoven for 3 minutes to melt the butter. Meanwhile, slice the dough log into 12 even rounds.
• Remove the muffin tin from the oven and place the slices in the pan. Return it to the oven and bake 10 to 12 minutes, until buns are lightly brown.
*Pamela’s Baking & Pancake Mix is available at most major grocery stores.
This article appears in Guide to Beer 2014.