Honey bun
A honey bun is a fried yeast pastry that contains honey and a swirl of cinnamon in the dough and is glazed with icing.[1] Unlike most sweet rolls, which are generally the product of bakeries, honey buns are common convenience store and vending machine fare made by companies like Little Debbie, Hostess and Duchess. Normally sold individually wrapped, alone, or in boxes, they are a snack or grab-and-go breakfast item which can be eaten at cold, hot, or ambient temperatures.[2]
 Commercially-prepared honey buns | |
| Type | Sweet roll |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | United States |
| Region or state | North Carolina |
| Created by | Howard Griffin |
| Main ingredients | Honey, yeast, cinnamon |
History
Honey buns were said to have originated around 1954 in Greensboro, North Carolina by Howard Griffin of the Griffin Pie Company.[3]
Culture
Honey buns are also used as currency in United States prisons, where they are sold from prison commissaries. In the state of Florida, 270,000 are sold per month as of 2010.[4] In a highly publicized instance, honey buns were used by guards in Miami to pay for the beating of a teenager in a youth detention center, resulting in the teen's death. Referring to the case, a public defender was quoted as saying, "In here, a honey bun is like a million dollars."[5]
References
- "Honey Buns | Little Debbie". littledebbie.com. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
- "State: Honey buns - N.C. history with a sweet, sugary glaze". The Stanly News & Press. 2021-03-15. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
- "Honey buns: N.C. History with a sweet, sugary glaze". 7 March 2021.
- Harwell, Drew (December 31, 2010). "Honey buns sweeten life for Florida prisoners". Tampa Bay Times. Florida. Archived from the original on 5 October 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
- Miller, Carol. "5 fired at Miami-Dade lockup where teen died in beat-down". Miami Herald. Miami, Florida. Retrieved 14 October 2015.