Food Recipes Kabocha Squash Sticky Buns 5.0 (1) Add your rating & review Turn canned crescent roll dough into a festive unique brunch dish that leans to the savory side. By Grace Elkus Grace Elkus Grace Elkus is a food writer and editor with over a decade of experience in culinary media. Highlights: * Associate food editor at Real Simple, where she developed recipes, wrote food stories, and assisted with styling * Deputy food director at Kitchn, where she and her team were responsible for 100 recipes a month * Currently the content lead for JOKR Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 11, 2022 Rate PRINT Share Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Brie Passano Hands On Time: 20 mins Bake Time: 25 mins Cool Time: 10 mins Total Time: 55 mins Yield: 16 buns While there's absolutely nothing wrong with a traditional sticky bun, we ventured to make a version more savory than sweet. We started by conjuring a buttery brown sugar glaze (studded with salty pepitas), which ultimately coats the buns when you invert the dish before serving. Then, we added a layer of kabocha squash, which becomes tender and silky in the oven. The savory buns nestled on top are made from crescent roll dough brushed with olive oil and fresh thyme. Everything bakes together, resulting in pull-apart sticky squash buns that are utterly addictive. 2 Hacks for Peeling Winter Squash or Pumpkins Ingredients ½ kabocha squash, peeled, seeds removed, and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (about 4 cups) Freshly ground black pepper 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided ⅓ cup pepitas 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup 1 tablespoon thyme leaves (from about 8 sprigs), plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme 2 8 oz cans crescent rolls flaky salt Directions Preheat oven to 375°F. In a medium bowl, toss the squash with several grinds black pepper, 2 tablespoons oil, and ½ teaspoon salt. Combine pepitas, butter, sugar, maple syrup, and ½ teaspoon salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until butter melts, and then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until glossy and thickened (about 1 minute). Pour mixture into the bottom of 8-inch square or other 2-quart baking dish and swirl to cover sides. Top with 1 tablespoon thyme leaves and then squash. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil, and then place in the freezer while preparing buns. Unroll one can of crescent roll dough on a lightly-floured surface. Pinch together any seams so that you have a smooth rectangle with no holes. Flip the dough over and repeat. Brush dough with 1 tablespoon oil and top with several grinds black pepper, 1 teaspoon chopped thyme, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Starting with the short end nearest to you, roll the dough into a log, seam-side down. Slice crosswise into 8 rounds and place on top of squash in baking dish. Repeat with second can of crescent rolls, olive oil, pepper, thyme, and salt, arranging the rolls on top of the squash so they are evenly spaced. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto a large serving platter. Top with flaky salt and serve warm. Rate It Print