The Sweet, Sticky Search for a Legendary Cinnamon Bun Recipe

Bring potato and 2 cups cold water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer until potato is tender, 15–20 minutes. Drain potato, reserving cooking liquid (you should have about 1 cup). Transfer potato to a small bowl and mash with a fork (you should have about 1 cup).

Let potato cooking liquid cool so it’s warm but not hot (105˚–110˚). Whisk yeast and ¼ cup potato cooking liquid in a small bowl and let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat butter, sugar, and lemon zest in the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. With motor running, add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating between additions. Stop mixer and switch to dough hook. Add yeast mixture, mashed potato, flour, salt, and ¾ cup potato cooking liquid and mix on low speed until combined. Increase speed to medium and mix until dough is very soft and elastic, just a little bit sticky, and climbing up the hook while sticking to the bottom of the bowl, 8–10 minutes (if dough is very sticky, mix in 1–3 Tbsp. flour). Cover bowl with plastic and let sit in warm spot until doubled in volume, 60–70 minutes.

Do Ahead: Dough (before letting rise) can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Lightly coat three 12-cup muffin pans with nonstick spray. Chop 1 cup pecans; set aside. Mix 1 cup granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl to combine; set aside.

Cook brown sugar, corn syrup, salt, 1 cup butter, and remaining ½ cup granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often, until butter is melted and mixture is smooth. Pour about 1 Tbsp. caramel mixture into each muffin cup scatter remaining 1 cup pecan halves over. Set aside muffin pans.

Melt remaining ½ cup butter in a small saucepan. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 3 pieces. Roll out 1 piece of dough into a ½"-thick rectangle that’s about 13x8". Brush with melted butter and sprinkle one-third of cinnamon sugar over, then scatter one-third raisins and one-third reserved chopped pecans on top (it will look a little sparse, but that’s okay). Roll up like a jelly roll and pinch seams together to seal. Trim about ½" of dough off each end, then slice crosswise into 12 pieces. Transfer schnecken spiral-side up and place in prepared muffin cups. Working 1 piece of dough at a time, repeat with remaining dough, melted butter, cinnamon sugar, raisins, and chopped pecans, dividing evenly.

Cover muffin pans loosely with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm spot until nearly doubled in size, 40–50 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325°. Remove plastic and bake schnecken, rotating pans once top to bottom and front to back, until golden brown all over, 20–30 minutes. Immediately turn out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and let cool (scrape off any pecans that may have stuck to pan and place back on schnecken).

Do Ahead: Schnecken can be formed and placed in pans (do not let rise) 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.