The Ultimate Sticky Buns

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spread out nuts on a rimmedbaking sheet. Toast until fragrantand slightly darkened, 10-12minutes.

Let cool completely. Set1 1/4 cups nuts aside for buns.

Melt butter in a small heavysaucepan over medium heat. Stirin brown sugar, cream, honey,salt, and orange zest, if using.Bring to a boil, reduce heat tomedium, and simmer until glazeis golden brown and glossy, 3-4minutes.

Pour 1 cup of glazeinto baking pan, tilting to coatbottom and sides. Set asideremaining glaze.

Sprinkle 1/2 cuptoasted pecans over bottom ofbaking pan and let cool.

Using an electric mixeron medium speed, beat butter,sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, andkosher salt in a medium bowluntil light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.Set filling aside.

Punch down dough; transferto a floured work surface. Lightlydust top with flour. Followinstructions in Cooks' Notes, for assembling bunswith filling and 3/4 cup pecans. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 dayahead. Cover and chill buns andremaining glaze separately.Store remaining pecans airtightat room temperature.

Loosely cover pan with plasticwrap or a kitchen towel.

Let bunsrise in a warm, draft-free areauntil doubled in size, 45 minutesto 1 hour, or 1 1/2-2 hours if doughhas been chilled overnight.

Arrange a rack in middle ofoven; preheat to 350°F.

Whiskegg with 1/2 teaspoon water in a smallbowl.

Brush tops of buns withegg wash.

Bake, rotating panhalfway through and tentingwith foil if browning too quickly,until buns are golden brown,filling is bubbling, and an instant-readthermometer inserted intocenter of buns registers 185°F,about 50 minutes.

Let cool for5 minutes. Spoon remainingglaze over.

Sprinkle 1/2 cuppecans over.

Let cool in pan ona wire rack.

Lightly sprinkle sea salt over.

Serve buns warm or at roomtemperature.

Roll out the doughon a lightly flouredsurface into a 12x16"rectangle about1/4" thick. Arrangethe dough on thework surface soone long side facesyou.

Spread thecinnamon-sugarmixture over dough,leaving a 1" plainborder on the sidefarthest from you.

Sprinkle 3/4 cupchopped pecansover the cinnamon-sugarmixture. Beginning with thelong edge closest toyou, roll dough intoa log, tightening asyou roll, and pattingin ends if they beginto taper. Pinchtogether the seamwhere the longside meets the rollto seal. Arrange thelog seam side downon the work surface.

Using a largeknife, cut the logcrosswise into 9equal pieces.Lightly flour the knife between slicesif the dough is toosticky. Turn the bunscut side up andgently pat the topto flatten slightly.If needed, reshapeto form round edgesby cupping lightlyfloured handsaround each bunand gently pushingand turning themin a circular motion.

Place the buns inprepared pan; spacethem evenly apart(buns should nottouch each other).