I know, I know: Honey is on the “absolutely not, you jerk” list for most vegans. And that’s fair enough. But what to do in such situations? Naturally I turn to agave nectar, my not-at-all secret weapon. EZ-PZ! The Honey Buns recipe is essentially a meddled-with Wonder Bun recipe that has been given the honey concoction and spruced up with vegan sugar for added texture. The extra sweetness we pick up from the honey-agave makes for a perfect day-starter for when you’re not feeling at all like paying attention to your alarm clock.

　　

Ingredients

makes 12

　　1 cup vegan sugar

　　4 tablespoons ground cinnamon

　　3/4 cup melted refined coconut oil or canola oil

　　1/4 cup plus 1/3 cup agave nectar

　　1 1/4 cups Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour

　　1/2 cup brown rice flour, plus 1/2 cup for dusting

　　1/4 cup arrowroot

　　1 tablespoon baking powder

　　1 3/4 teaspoons xanthan gum

　　3 tablespoons vanilla extract

　　3/4 cup warm water

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

　　

Step 2

In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and 3 tablespoons of the cinnamon and set aside. In another small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup of the coconut oil and the 1/4 cup agave nectar and set aside.

　　

Step 3

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose gluten-free flour and 1/2 cup rice flour, the arrowroot, baking powder, remaining 1 tablespoon cinnamon, and the xanthan gum. Add 1/4 cup of the coconut oil, the 1/3 cup agave nectar, and the vanilla and stir with a rubber spatula until a very thick dry dough forms. Gradually add the warm water until the dough is slightly tacky. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Turn the dough out onto the center of a surface dusted with 1/3 cup rice flour. Dust the top of the dough and a rolling pin with the remaining rice flour and roll out the dough into a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle with the short side facing you.

　　

Step 5

Using a pastry brush, apply a thick coat of coconut oil all over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture onto the dough, covering it entirely.

　　

Step 6

Beginning with the short side closest to you, gently roll the dough onto itself to form a log. Using a very sharp knife, cut the log into 1-inch-wide pieces to make 12 rolls. Place 6 rolls on each of the prepared baking sheets. Gently brush each bun with half of the coconut oil–agave nectar mixture, then sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture.

　　

Step 7

Bake for 12 minutes, remove from the oven, and gently brush the top and sides of each bun with the remaining coconut oil–agave nectar mixture. Bake for 10 minutes more, or until the edges are browned and the center is slightly soft. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

　　

Jelly Roll

Step 8

Replace the agave, cinnamon, and raisin mixture that the Wonder Buns call for with 3/4 cup of your favorite jam and spread it over the dough before rolling it. Here, in descending order, are my preferred jam flavors for this: raspberry, blackberry, strawberry.

　　

Pain au Chocolat

Step 9

What’s that you say? Is this the delightfully insubordinate cousin-in-law of the Madeleine (page 61)? Yep! The BabyCakes NYC pain au chocolat works best using the Honey Bun recipe: All you do is sprinkle 2/3 cup of chocolate chips generously over the surface of the pastry dough before you roll it up. Sprinkle the top of your dough with a bit of vegan sugar and bake as usual.

　　

Cinnamon Twists

Step 10

This one’s a tad more complicated, but do not be frightened. Take your Wonder Bun pastry dough and cut it into as many equal-width strips as you prefer (I generally go for 24). Twist and/or braid your pieces together and pinch on the ends. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon and vegan sugar and bake until golden brown. If you have kids, put them to work on this one.

　　Reprinted December 9, 2011, with permission from Babycakes Covers the Classics by Erin McKenna, © 2011 Clarkson Potter. Buy the full book at Penguin Random House, Amazon, or Bookshop.