Homemade Honey Bun Recipe (Baked or Fried) Recipe

Get ready to fall in love with these warm, gooey, and perfectly sweet Homemade Honey Bun Recipe (Baked or Fried)! Imagine pillowy-soft dough swirled with a cinnamon sugar ribbon, irresistibly sticky with honey and finished with a creamy glaze that melts in your mouth. Whether you bake them for a lighter treat or fry them for the unbeatable classic texture, these honey buns taste exactly like your favorite from the corner store but way better because they’re made from scratch in your own kitchen.

Ingredients You’ll Need

The magic of this Homemade Honey Bun Recipe (Baked or Fried) is how a handful of kitchen staples create such an indulgent treat. Each ingredient brings its own unique touch, from the golden color of honey to the rich softness of the dough, ensuring you get the most delicious payoff for minimal effort!

• All-purpose flour: The backbone of the dough, offering a tender crumb while still giving each honey bun its pillowy structure.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the dough and the cinnamon swirl, adding just the right pop of sweetness without overpowering the honey.
• Instant yeast: Guarantees a gorgeous, fluffy rise for that signature honey bun softness.
• Salt: Don’t skip it! Just a touch sharpens all the other flavors and brings out the sweetness.
• Warm water (105°F-115°F): The perfect temperature jump-starts the yeast for a light, airy dough.
• Honey: This is the hero! It delivers shine, softness, and of course, a delicious floral sweetness throughout the buns and in the glaze.
• Large egg: Adds richness and helps bind the dough for easier rolling and shaping.
• Vanilla extract: Sneaks in a deep, warming aroma that lingers in every bite.
• Shortening, melted: Keeps the dough super soft and dreamy — don’t worry, you won’t taste it!
• Vegetable or peanut oil (for frying): For those going the fried route, pick a neutral oil with a high smoke point for golden, crisp buns.
• Cinnamon: The duo with sugar for that iconic swirl, bringing sweetness and a hint of spice.
• Powdered sugar: Forms the base of the luscious, pourable glaze.
• Melted butter: Enriches the glaze for a glossy, decadent finish.
• Warm water (as needed for glaze): Adjusts the glaze consistency so it hugs every swirl just right.
• Parchment paper: Essential for baking, so nothing sticks and you get picture-perfect buns every time.

How to Make Homemade Honey Bun Recipe (Baked or Fried)

Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients

Start by whisking together your flour, sugar, instant yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Combining these dry ingredients first ensures the yeast is evenly distributed, which helps the buns rise evenly and bake up just right.

Step 2: Prep the Wet Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together warm water, honey, egg, and vanilla extract until the honey has melted into everything and the egg is fully incorporated. Pour in the melted shortening and give it a good mix. This blend brings richness and a subtle honey flavor that shines in every bite.

Step 3: Bring the Dough Together

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and use your stand mixer’s dough hook to mix on low speed until a dough forms. Let it knead on medium speed for about 8 minutes. The dough will be a bit sticky, but that’s exactly what you want for super soft honey buns. Shape it into a ball and nestle it in an oiled bowl, spinning the dough around so it’s coated in oil and ready to rise.

Step 4: Let the Dough Rise

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and leave it in a draft-free, slightly warm spot. Let it rise for 1 to 2 hours until it’s almost doubled in size. This long rise is what gives the Homemade Honey Bun Recipe (Baked or Fried) its signature airy texture.

Step 5: Prepare the Cinnamon Sugar

While your dough grows, whisk together the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. This will be your magic filling, so set it nearby and get excited!

Step 6: Roll and Fill the Dough

Turn your risen dough onto a floured counter and roll out to a 12-inch by 8-inch rectangle. Sprinkle the entire surface (except a small border) with the cinnamon sugar, gently pressing it in so it sticks. This creates the irresistible swirl you expect in a honey bun.

Step 7: Roll and Slice

Starting from the long side, roll the dough up tightly into a log, then dampen the clean edge with water and pinch it closed. Use a sharp serrated knife to trim the ends, then slice the roll into about 1-inch thick pieces. Space them out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Give each one a quick press to flatten a bit, then let them rest and puff up for another 45 minutes.

Step 8: Fry or Bake

For fried honey buns, heat 3 inches of oil to 365°F in a deep pan. Gently flatten and fry each bun for about 90 seconds per side until golden brown, working in small batches. For baked honey buns, preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the risen buns for 18 minutes on the lower rack until lightly golden.

Step 9: Glaze and Cool

While the buns cook, whisk together the glaze ingredients until smooth, adding warm water as needed. Dip each bun into the glaze while still warm, allowing excess to drip off before letting them cool on a wire rack. This step is pure magic — the glaze sets into a thin, crackly shell that keeps these buns irresistibly sticky and sweet.

How to Serve Homemade Honey Bun Recipe (Baked or Fried)

Garnishes

A light drizzle of extra honey over the glaze will strike a beautiful, glossy finish. For a touch of elegance, sprinkle with a few flakes of sea salt or a dusting of powdered sugar just before serving. If you love a bit of warmth, try a tiny pinch of ground cinnamon on top.

Side Dishes

Serve your honey buns with a tall glass of cold milk or a mug of piping hot coffee for a throwback bakery breakfast at home. Fresh berries, sliced oranges, or a simple yogurt parfait turn these buns into a core part of a celebratory brunch spread.

Creative Ways to Present

For a show-stopping effect, stack warm honey buns on a rustic wooden board in the center of the table. You can even use a skewer to make honey bun “pops,” or serve with a decadent dip like vanilla bean whipped cream. If you’re feeling playful, cut warm buns into bite-sized pieces and toss them with extra glaze for a “honey bun pull-apart” treat!

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Keep leftover honey buns soft and tender by storing them in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature. They’ll stay fresh for up to 5 days, and often taste even better on the second day as the sweetness settles into every swirl.

Freezing

Homemade Honey Bun Recipe (Baked or Fried) freezes beautifully! Let them cool completely, then wrap individually in plastic wrap and freeze in a zip-top bag for up to three months. To enjoy, thaw overnight on the counter, or microwave directly from the freezer in short bursts.

Reheating

Warm up your leftover honey buns in the microwave for 5 to 10 seconds for that fresh-from-the-oven softness. If you prefer a crispier exterior, try reheating in a 300°F oven for about 5 minutes. Either method will revive the glaze and make these buns taste bakery-fresh.

FAQs

Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast?

Absolutely! Simply dissolve the active dry yeast in the warm water and a pinch of sugar, and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy before mixing with the rest of the wet ingredients. Continue as directed — your honey buns will puff up perfectly.

What’s the difference between baked and fried honey buns?

Fried buns have that classic golden, slightly crispy exterior (think bakery-style!), while baked buns turn out lighter and a tad less rich but still just as indulgent. Both versions bring out the magic in this Homemade Honey Bun Recipe (Baked or Fried).

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Definitely. You can prepare the dough and let it rise in the refrigerator overnight for even deeper flavor. Let it come to room temperature before continuing to roll and shape the buns the next day.

Why do my honey buns lose their shape while frying?

If the dough is overly warm or not chilled enough before frying, the buns can spread out. To keep those gorgeous swirls, try chilling your shaped buns for 15–20 minutes in the fridge before hitting the hot oil.

Can I make this recipe without a stand mixer?

Of course! Simply mix the dough by hand until it comes together, then knead on a lightly floured countertop for about 10 minutes until soft and slightly sticky. A little muscle power yields beautifully soft honey buns.

Final Thoughts

There’s something magical about pulling a pan of golden, honey-glazed buns from the oven (or oil) and basking in the aroma that fills your kitchen. Try this Homemade Honey Bun Recipe (Baked or Fried) the next time you want to treat yourself — I think you’ll agree, nothing from a package can match the joy of homemade!

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