() – This week on Your Hometown Kitchen, Rakiyah Lenon shares her special recipe for her signature homemade honey buns, using local honey.

Rakiyah Lenon, a Digital Producer at NewsChannel 6 and Augusta, Ga. native, has been in the kitchen creating new recipes for as long as she can remember.

“The idea for this recipe came about when my sister and I were reminiscing about road trip snacks we’d enjoy when we were younger. Fast forwarding a few years, I thought it’d be fun
to create a version with less preservatives while highlighting the star of the show, honey, in
its purest and natural form. Surprisingly, honey buns as we know them are somewhat of a
cross between a cinnamon roll and a donut, with of course, honey. This recipe also
provides an opportunity to experiment, explore and embrace the variety of flavors and
types of honey! It’s a delicious take and a new is a spin on the popular convenience store
treat, fresh from the kitchen.” – Rakiyah Lenon

Items you will need:

• Mixing bowls and spoons or a stand mixer
• Measuring cups
• Rolling pin
• Knife
• Baking sheet and cooling rack
• Dutch oven or similar deep pot for frying
• Metal spider/strainer
• Saucepan
• Whisk
• Serving platter

Ingredients: (makes 6 Honey Buns)

• DOUGH
  • 2 ¾ – 3 cups of flour
  • 1 package of rapid rise yeast (2 teaspoons)
  • 1 pinch (¼ teaspoon) of salt
  • ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup of water
  • ¾ cup of milk
  • ¼ of vegetable shortening or butter
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup of granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• FILLING
  • 1/4 cup of sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons of cinnamon
  • Pinch (¼ teaspoon) of salt
• FRYING:
  • Approximately 1 1/2 quarts of vegetable oil
• GLAZE
  • 3 cups of confectioner’s sugar
  • Pinch (¼ teaspoon) of salt
  • ¼ cup of milk
  • Raw pure honey (desired amount)

Instructions:

1. Allow the yeast to bloom in warm water for approximately 5 minutes or until
   foamed.
2. Heat the milk and vegetable shortening or butter in a pot until it is melted and warm.
   It should not be too hot, or the yeast will not rise properly.
3. Add the yeast to a bowl with an egg, vanilla extract, sugar, and melted vegetable
   shortening with milk and gently whisk to combine. Then add one cup of flour at a
   time in addition to the salt and cinnamon. Knead the dough until it is combined for
   approximately 5 minutes.
4. Allow the dough to rise in a gently greased and covered bowl for 1-2 hours in a warm
   space or until it has doubled in size.
5. Roll out the dough into a 12-inch by 10-inch rectangle onto a floured surface.
   Combine the filling ingredients consisting of sugar, cinnamon and salt into a small
   bowl and evenly sprinkle on the surface of the dough.
6. Roll the dough tightly into a log. Cut a small portion of the ends on each side of the
   dough and set it aside to use to test the oil. Cut 6 evenly oval shaped buns, slicing
   the log at an angle and shaping the buns onto a floured baking sheet. Lightly flour
   the buns as well. Let them rise for approximately 25-30 minutes.
7. Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or deep skillet to approximately 325F – 350F. Test
   a small piece of dough to see if it floats and bubbles to the top. Once the oil is
   ready, fry the honey buns for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown,
   using a metal spider/strainer to turn the honey buns. Place the fried honey buns on
   a cooling rack to drain and cool.
8. In a saucepan, combine the glaze ingredients, consisting of confectioner’s sugar,
   salt and milk, and bring it to a warm temperature (not boiling).
9. Drizzle the warmed glaze over the honey buns while warm. Then, drizzle the desired
   amount of honey on the top.
   10.Allow the honey buns to cool 10-15 minutes before serving. These can be stored in
   small plastic bags or an airtight container for 2-3 days. Enjoy!