Pennsylvania Dutch Sticky Buns
November 1, 2011 7:13 AM   Subscribe

Can someone point me to an authentic Pennsylvania Dutch sticky bun recipe?

My grandfather was from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, so, growing up, we frequently had Pennsylvania Dutch treats on the table: tomato-and-bacon gravy, baked apple “in a deep dish” (to hold the heavy cream that was poured over it), scrapple, and sticky buns. 
The kind of sticky buns we enjoyed are rapidly vanishing from stores distant from Lancaster. When you cut one of those buns, the bun-part was medium brown, suggesting that the dough contained molasses, brown sugar, or cinnamon. All the sticky bun recipes on the web look like they would produce a very light bun.
Lancaster is too far for me to go to get some of those buns. The best are from Michael’s Homestyle Bakery, but they don’t sell retail.
posted by RichardS to Food & Drink (8 answers total) 8 users marked this as a favorite
 
Are they perhaps based on the Low Countries Dutch Krentenbollen with a sugar wash?
posted by jannw at 7:56 AM on November 1, 2011


I can't help with a recipe but you mean the kind that look like the top picture in this wikipedia article? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sticky_bun
posted by interplanetjanet at 8:04 AM on November 1, 2011


Maybe this one? http://kitewrite.wordpress.com/2009/03/01/philadelphia-sticky-buns-bakers-warning-do-not-feed-these-to-guests-theyll-never-leave/

I have to confess I really don't like sticky buns. My mom loves them but she always buys them at a local bakery so I don't have a recipe.
posted by interplanetjanet at 8:18 AM on November 1, 2011


Best answer: How I miss Michael's! This site looks like it offers them via mail. I will see if I can hunt up a recipe for you in the next couple of days.
posted by MonkeyToes at 8:28 AM on November 1, 2011


(Quick fact: PA Dutch != Dutch from Holland. "Dutch," in this case is just a mutation of "Deutsch" -- "German.")

My grandmother's PA Dutch. I doubt I'd be able to get a sticky bun recipe in particular out of her anytime soon, but I should gather up some of her recipes and stick 'em online at some point.
posted by chasing at 9:51 AM on November 1, 2011


I'm chasing one down now. Mom's originally from Queens, but retired to York county and has a recipe for everything. She will probably wind up photocopying one and mailing it to me though. (Yes, I've tried to teach her how to use the scanner...)
posted by JoanArkham at 11:29 AM on November 1, 2011


Response by poster: MonkeyToes is spot-on for a source (an incredibly expensive source: about five times retail for one loaf, with shipping and handling). Thus my desire for a recipe. Like interplanetjanet, I don't like the sticky buns I can get at local bakeries. Thus my desire for a recipe. And my incredible wife picked up some sticky buns on a trip to Philadelphia about two weeks ago -- to be revealed as the “white bread” kind. Thus my desire ...
Really appreciate the help! Thank you!
posted by RichardS at 11:37 AM on November 1, 2011


Spotted in my quest for a recipe:

"Soon, the Hamilton Club, 54 N. Duke St., will embrace the sticky bun as well when it attempts to break a world record for creating the largest sticky bun. A private event, Nov. 4, is being planned to honor the club's pastry chef, Brad Miller, for having baked his one-millionth pastry at the club."

Hamilton Club contact info here. It can't hurt to ask for the recipe!

It also occurred to me that you might try adding an Amish friendship starter to the mix. Here's a recipe for cinnamon rolls that uses the starter.
posted by MonkeyToes at 6:02 PM on November 1, 2011 [1 favorite]


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