Maple Cinnamon Walnut Sticky Buns

Here we are again with one of my favorite flavor combinations, maple and walnut. I found this recipe years ago in a Kraft Foods magazine and have changed it a bit over the years. Everyone will want this recipe. The salty, crunchy walnuts compliment the sweet, sticky maple topping so well. The ooey gooey center will keep you coming back for more. It is definitely sinfully delicious and it is so hard to just have one. It's simple to make and you can make it in less than an hour, start to finish. If you love cream cheese (who doesn't?!), you will love the centers of these; however, making these without the cream cheese center is really my favorite way to have them. My sister and I were talking about these and she had the great idea that they would be good with a little syrup inside, so I tried it. Unfortunately, I really didn't notice the syrup inside, so I will leave it out next time. I think I will be substituting blueberries for the walnuts next time and see how that goes. HOORAY!




Ingredients:

• 3/4 c chopped walnuts, divided
  
• 1/2 c butter, divided
  
• 1/3 c maple-flavored syrup, plus more for filling (I used light syrup to make myself feel a little better lol)
• 1/2 c white sugar
  
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  
• 2 cans of refrigerated 8 flaky big biscuits
• 1 pkg cream cheese, cut into 16 cubes

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle 1/2 c of the walnuts on the bottom of the prepared pan.
  
• Melt 2 tbsp of the butter. Stir in the syrup until well blended. Drizzle the syrup mixture over the walnuts; set aside.

• Melt the remaining 6 tbsp of butter. mix sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Separate the dough into 16 buiscuits. Press each biscuit into 1/4-inch thickness.
  Roll the cream cheese cubes in the cinnamon mixture, pressing down on the cream cheese to make them 1/4-inch thick.
• Use the remaining walnuts and place some in the center of each biscuit. Drizzle a little syrup (about 1/2 tsp) on top of each biscuit (be careful not to let the syrup touch the edges) and set a cream cheese cube on top.

• Gather up the sides of the dough, form into a ball and seal the edges.

• Dip the top of each ball into the remaining butter and then into the cinnamon.

• Arrange half of the balls, cinnamon sugar-sides face up, in the prepared pan.

• Repeat with the remaining half of the balls to form a second layer. Drizzle with any remaining butter and sprikle with any remaining cinnamon sugar.

• Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Invert onto a serving platter. Scrape any remaining walnuts left in the pan and spoon over the buns. Allow the sticky buns to rest for about 10 minutes before serving warm.

• ENJOY!