Sprinkle chopped or whole pecans or walnuts over the surface. The slurry will caramelize during baking, turning a beautiful, translucent, golden brown. Wait 5 minutes before you flip the pan and be careful, as the slurry is very hot. You can jazz this up by adding a few drops of lemon, orange, vanilla, or almond extract. You can al so make a thinner sugar glaze that can be brushed on by adding a little corn syrup and a few drops of milk.
Some people like to drizzle the glaze from a fork in streaky little lines.
Others prefer to brush it on with a pastry brush to coat the whole piece. Pastry bags are a way to control the design patterns, but few home bakers are comfortable with them. With a little practice, though, you can make designer buns with signature glaze patterns.