Okay, I have made SO many sweet versions of my crumble buns at this point that I honestly lost count somewhere around the blueberry custard ones. And every single time I made another sweet one, this little voice in the back of my head kept saying “Mallory, you HAVE to do a savory version.” Well friends, I finally did it. And oh my gosh. OH MY GOSH. This is so good that I stood in my kitchen and made a genuinely embarrassing noise.
Here is what we’re working with. A soft, pillowy honey brioche bun, pressed down in the middle and filled with the dreamiest whipped honey lemon ricotta. Then it gets topped with cherry tomatoes that I roasted until they were jammy and blistered and sweet (straight from my garden, which makes me feel VERY accomplished), plus a generous handful of crushed pistachios all around the edges. Out of the oven it gets a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, and that sweet and salty combination is truly INSANE. It’s creamy, it’s tangy, it’s a little sweet, it’s crunchy, it’s savory. Every single bite has something going on.
These are the buns I want to make when friends are coming over. They look absolutely gorgeous sitting on a board, they feel a little bit fancy without being fussy, and they are the PERFECT use for all those cherry tomatoes that are so ridiculously good right now in the summertime. If your garden is currently exploding with tomatoes like mine is, or you keep grabbing pints at the farmers market and then wondering what to do with them, this is your answer. Appetizer, brunch, snack board, dinner side, they work for all of it. So that’s a win.
P.S. Roast your tomatoes and whip your ricotta while the dough is rising! That hour goes by so much faster when you use it, and by the time your dough is puffy and ready, everything else is sitting there waiting for you. Assembly takes about five minutes when you prep this way, I promise.
Ingredients Needed
- Whole Milk: This is what wakes up our yeast and gives the brioche its soft, rich, tender crumb. You want it warmed to between 100 and 110 degrees F, which is warm to the touch but never hot. Too hot and you will kill the yeast, too cool and it won’t activate properly. I use a thermometer every single time because it takes the guesswork right out of it.
- Active Dry Yeast: Our rise and all of that beautiful pillowy texture comes from here. You’ll bloom it in the warm milk for five to ten minutes until it’s foamy and bubbly on top. That foam is how you know your yeast is alive and ready to work. If nothing happens after ten minutes, start over with fresh yeast, it’s worth it.
- Honey: Honey shows up THREE times in this recipe and it’s the thread that ties everything together. In the dough it feeds the yeast and adds a soft floral sweetness, in the ricotta it balances the tang, and drizzled on top at the end it makes everything glossy and gorgeous. Use a honey you actually like the taste of here. It really does come through.
- Egg: One egg goes right into the dough to add richness, structure, and that gorgeous golden brioche color. It’s what makes these taste plush and bakery style instead of like plain bread. You’ll want a second egg for the egg wash around the edges too. That’s what gives you those shiny, deeply golden sides.
- Bread Flour: Bread flour is my must here because that extra protein builds the chew and structure these buns need. It gives you that satisfying pull when you tear one open, which all purpose just can’t quite match. It also helps the buns hold their shape around all that filling. Measure by spooning and leveling so you don’t pack in too much.
- Salt: Just one teaspoon in the dough, but it does so much work. It balances the honey, strengthens the gluten, and keeps the yeast from running wild. Without it the whole bun tastes flat and a little sweet in a weird way. Never skip it, even in a slightly sweet dough.
- Unsalted Butter: Cubed and added AFTER the first five minutes of kneading, which is the classic brioche move. Adding it later lets the gluten develop first, then the butter works its way in for that rich, tender, melt in your mouth crumb. It’ll look like a shaggy mess at first, but keep kneading and it comes together beautifully. Trust the process here.
- Cherry Tomatoes: The star of the whole savory show. Roasting them concentrates all that sugar and turns them jammy, blistered, and unbelievably sweet. Garden tomatoes are magic here if you have them, but any good pint from the store works too. They collapse into these little bursts of flavor against the creamy ricotta.
- Olive Oil: Just a drizzle over the tomatoes before they go into the oven. It helps them blister and caramelize instead of drying out, and it adds a lovely savory richness. A good quality olive oil really shines here since there’s so little of it. About a tablespoon is all you need.
- Salt and Pepper: These season both the roasted tomatoes and the ricotta filling. They’re what keep this firmly on the savory side and stop it from tasting like a dessert. Season to your own taste, especially in the ricotta. Taste as you blend and adjust from there.
- Whole Milk Ricotta: Blended until it’s completely silky, this becomes the creamiest, dreamiest filling. Whole milk ricotta gives you the richest texture, so please don’t go part skim on me here. Blending is what transforms it from grainy to absolutely luxurious. It’s the pillow that everything else sits on.
- Lemon Zest: One teaspoon and it changes EVERYTHING. It brightens the ricotta, cuts through the richness, and makes the whole bun taste fresh and alive. Zest it fresh right before you blend for the most flavor. This tiny ingredient punches so far above its weight.
- Pistachios: Chopped up and pressed around the edges, these give you the crunch that makes the whole thing sing. They’re buttery and a little sweet and they look so beautiful against the red tomatoes and white ricotta. Chop them yourself for the prettiest mix of big and small pieces. They toast up gorgeously in the oven too.
- Flaky Sea Salt: The finishing touch that takes these from great to unforgettable. Sprinkled over the honey drizzle right out of the oven, it makes every flavor pop. That sweet and salty contrast is the whole point of this recipe. Do not skip it, it’s the finale!
Substitutions and Modifications
- No bread flour? All purpose flour works, the buns will just be a little softer and less chewy.
- Swap the pistachios for chopped walnuts, almonds, or pine nuts. All delicious, all gorgeous.
- Instant yeast works too. Skip the blooming step and mix it right in with the flour, then reduce the rise time by about 15 minutes.
- Want a little heat? Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the ricotta or over the tomatoes before roasting.
- No ricotta on hand? Whipped goat cheese or a mix of cream cheese and ricotta is SO good here.
- Add fresh basil or thyme on top after baking for a beautiful herby finish.
- Dairy free? Use a plant based milk in the dough, vegan butter, and a dairy free ricotta style spread.
- Skipping the piping bag is totally fine, just spoon the ricotta right into the center.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s my FIRST savory crumble bun and it delivers the perfect sweet and salty combination in every single bite.
- It’s the most beautiful use for summer cherry tomatoes, especially if your garden is giving you way more than you know what to do with.
- They look absolutely STUNNING on a platter, which makes them the easiest impressive appetizer to hand your friends when they come over.
Equipment Needed
- Stand mixer with dough hook (or a big bowl and your hands)
- Instant read thermometer
- Sheet pan
- Parchment paper
- Blender or food processor
- Piping bag (optional, a spoon works great)
- Pastry brush
Honey Ricotta Tomato Buns with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Ingredients
For the Honey Brioche Dough:
- ¾ cup whole milk heated to 100 to 110 degrees F
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 large egg
- 2 ½ cups bread flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter cubed
- 1 large egg for egg wash
For the Roasted Tomatoes:
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Honey Lemon Ricotta:
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Salt and pepper to taste
For Topping:
- ½ cup pistachios chopped
- Honey for drizzling
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Start with your milk. Heat 3/4 cup of whole milk to between 100 and 110 degrees F. I really do use a thermometer here, because this is the one step where guessing can cost you your whole rise. It should feel warm on your wrist, never hot.
- Stir in the 2 teaspoons of active dry yeast and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. You’re looking for it to get foamy and bubbly on top, which means your yeast is alive and happy and ready to go.
- Mix in the honey and the egg until everything is combined, then add the bread flour and salt.
- Knead for 5 minutes. Now add your cubed butter and keep kneading for 5 more minutes. It will look like a greasy mess for a minute, I promise that’s normal! Just keep going and it will come together into a smooth, soft, slightly tacky dough.
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for 1 hour, until it’s doubled in size and beautifully puffy.
- While the dough is rising, let’s roast those tomatoes. Add a pint of cherry tomatoes to a sheet pan, drizzle with about a tablespoon of olive oil, season with a touch of salt and pepper, and roast at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes. They’ll come out blistered, jammy, and SO sweet.
- Now make the ricotta filling. In a blender or food processor, blend together the ricotta, honey, lemon zest, and salt and pepper until it is completely smooth and creamy. Transfer it to a piping bag if you have one, or just plan to scoop it on. Both work perfectly!
- Chop up your half cup of pistachios and set them aside so everything is ready for assembly.
- Once your dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into 12 equal balls, about 50 to 60 grams each. A kitchen scale makes this so easy, but eyeballing it is fine too. Place them on a parchment lined sheet pan with some room between them.
- Press down into the center of each ball with your fingers to create a little well, leaving a nice puffy border around the outside. Brush that border generously with egg wash.
- Fill each well with the honey lemon ricotta, then top with your roasted cherry tomatoes. Press the chopped pistachios all around the edges so they toast up right along with the buns.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes, until the buns are nice and GOLDEN and your kitchen smells unbelievable.
- Take them out of the oven, drizzle honey over the top, and finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. That’s the sweet and salty magic right there. Serve them warm and get ready for everyone to lose their minds!
Storage Instructions
- Counter: These are truly best the day they’re made, but you can keep them loosely covered on the counter for up to 1 day. After that the ricotta really needs the fridge.
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm them in a 350 degree F oven for 5 to 7 minutes before serving to bring the bun back to life.
- Freezer: Freeze assembled and baked buns in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes. The texture of the ricotta softens a bit, so fresh is still my favorite.
Tips and Tricks
- Use a thermometer for your milk! Between 100 and 110 degrees F is the sweet spot, and anything hotter will kill your yeast before you even start.
- Weigh your dough balls at 50 to 60 grams each so all 12 buns bake evenly and look bakery perfect.
- Roast the tomatoes and blend the ricotta during the rise. By the time the dough is ready, assembly takes about five minutes.
- Blend the ricotta longer than you think you need to. That extra 30 seconds is the difference between grainy and silky.
- Press the pistachios firmly into the egg washed edges so they stick and toast instead of rolling right off in the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these ahead of time?
You can absolutely prep ahead! Roast the tomatoes and blend the ricotta up to 2 days in advance and keep them in the fridge. I’d bake the buns the day you plan to serve them for the best texture, since fresh out of the oven is really where these shine.
Can I use all purpose flour instead of bread flour?
Yes! The buns will be a little softer and a touch less chewy, but they’ll still be delicious. Bread flour gives you that gorgeous bakery style pull, so use it if you have it.
My yeast never got foamy. What happened?
Your milk was probably too hot or your yeast is past its prime. Start fresh with milk between 100 and 110 degrees F and a new packet of yeast. It’s a small do over that saves the whole recipe!
Do I need a piping bag for the ricotta?
Not at all! A piping bag gives you a pretty swirl, but spooning the ricotta right into the well works just as well and tastes exactly the same. Do whatever is easiest for you.
Can I use regular tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes?
Cherry tomatoes are ideal because they roast down into those perfect jammy little bites. If you only have larger tomatoes, cut them into bite sized pieces and roast them a bit longer so the extra moisture cooks off.
Are these sweet or savory?
Both, and that’s exactly the point! The honey brioche and honey drizzle bring the sweetness, while the roasted tomatoes, salted ricotta, pistachios, and flaky sea salt keep it savory. It is the PERFECT sweet and salty combination.
Do you LOVE Summer Recipes?! Check Out MORE of my Favs:
Peach Crisp Pudding (My Summer Twist on Banana Pudding)
The Easiest Cherry Pie Bars (7-Ingredient Summer Dessert)
Easy Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake with Buttery Crumble Topping
Let’s Stay in Touch!
If you make these Honey Ricotta Tomato Buns, I NEED to see them! They are so gorgeous that they deserve a photo, so snap one and tag me @munchiesbymallory on Instagram and TikTok. It genuinely makes my whole day to see what you create in your kitchens. And if you have a pile of summer cherry tomatoes staring at you right now, this is your sign. Go make these for your friends, watch them lose it, and take all the credit. Happy baking, friends!
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