Pecan Sticky Buns
These Pecan Caramel Sticky Buns are the perfect holiday morning breakfast! Prep them the day before and bake off fresh the next morning. The dough and the filling are essentially the same as cinnamon rolls but we’re making a caramel sauce with pecans for the topping!
OVERVIEW
- Skill Level: Intermediate
- Components Used: Basic Sweet Dough Master Recipe, Caramel Sauce
I love to make new variations from popular recipes! For these sticky buns, I’m using my basic sweet dough recipe, adding a cinnamon sugar filling, and topping with rich caramel and crunchy pecans.
The dough is made and shaped the same way as cinnamon rolls but it’s the caramel pecan topping that sets these buns apart. They’re soft, warm, and incredibly gooey! They’re easy to make in advance so you can bake off fresh for a stress-free holiday or weekend morning.
Why Pecan Sticky Buns are the perfect holiday breakfast
- They’re like cinnamon rolls but kicked up a notch with homemade caramel sauce and crunchy pecans.
- The flavor of these buns can’t be beat! They’re filled with warm cinnamon spice, toasty nuts, and rich, buttery caramel.
- There’s a reason they’re called “sticky”. These caramel topped buns are ooey, gooey delicious.
- Make in advance! It’s an easy way to have a homemade breakfast without the stress of adding another item to your holiday baking list.
- Pecan sticky buns are a crowd favorite for holiday breakfasts like Christmas, Easter, or New Year’s Day.
How to make Pecan Caramel Sticky Buns
I developed my sticky buns recipe based off my classic cinnamon roll recipe. The yeast dough and the filling are basically the same for both but it’s the pecan caramel topping that sets it apart. The topping makes these rolls extra gooey and sticky.
Make the Dough
Sweet rolls are made with an enriched dough (also known as a sweet dough). This master recipe for enriched dough is used to make not only sticky buns and cinnamon rolls but also soft dinner rolls, donuts, sweet loaf breads, and more.
Proof the Yeast
Warm the milk to about 110-115°F/43-46°C. Add the yeast and a pinch of sugar to the warmed milk and stir to combine. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until you see some bubbles and foaming.
This step is called “proofing the yeast”. It’s optional but it’s a good way to test your yeast to make sure that it’s active before using. If you do not see any bubbles or activity then either your yeast is dead or your milk is too hot.
Combine Ingredients
Add all of the dough ingredients into a large mixing bowl including the milk/yeast mixture. The order in which everything is combined doesn’t make a difference. Just weigh everything in the bowl and mix with a spoon, your hands, or in a stand mixer until everything starts to come together.
Knead the Dough
The dough can then be kneaded by hand or in a stand mixer with the dough hook. Knead for 8-10 minutes by hand or 6-8 minutes with a mixer until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Add more flour as needed while kneading the dough. When the dough is finished being kneaded it will still be slightly sticky to the touch, but should feel smooth and elastic and stand tall when rounded into a ball.
Bulk Ferment
Move the kneaded dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, and cover with a piece of plastic wrap, a damp cloth, or a shower cap (my preference) to bulk ferment until doubled in size: about 1 hour for instant yeast and 2 hours for active dry yeast.
Make the filling and topping
For the filling, combine the brown sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.
Make the topping by making a caramel sauce using the wet method. Add sugar and water into a heavy gauge saucepan and turn on medium heat. The sugar will start to dissolve in the water and will come to a boil.
As the mixture boils, the sugar will start caramelizing. Stay close by because the caramelization process moves very quickly. Do not stir during this process or you risk re-crystallizing the sugar resulting in a gritty texture. If the sugar is caramelizing unevenly, gently swirl the pan to even out the color.
Once the sugar smells nutty and is golden brown, carefully pour all of the heavy cream into the pan and stir vigorously with a silicone spatula. The mixture will bubble up quite a bit so be careful not to get too close. Add the salt and continue cooking for about 1-2 more minutes until smooth.
Pour the caramel sauce into a baking pan and sprinkle the chopped pecans on top. You can choose to toast the pecans before adding them to the pan. They’ll toast slightly in the oven while the buns bake, but not as much as if you pre-toast them. Set the pan aside while you shape the buns.
Shape the Dough
After the dough has gained in volume by at least 50%, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out into a rectangle. Spread the melted butter all over the dough leaving about ½-inch of the dough free from filling at the bottom long edge. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar filling over the top of the butter.
Starting on the long edge that does have filling, tightly roll the dough up into a log. Pinch the clean edge to the log to seal. Use a serrated knife to divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Now cut each quarter of the log into 3 equal pieces to get 12 rolls.
Transfer the cut rolls into the baking dish, setting them on top of the caramel/pecan topping, and cover with plastic wrap.
Proof
Once the buns are shaped they need to rise for a second time (proof) in a warm place or close to the heated oven. This will take about 45 minutes if using instant yeast and 75 minutes if using active dry yeast.
Bake & Flip
After proofing, bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
Within the first 5 minutes of taking them out of the oven, flip them out of the pan so that the caramel pecan bottom becomes the top. I like to use a large flat serving dish but you can also use a rimmed sheet pan. Scrape out any remaining topping from the bottom of the pan and spread it over the top of the rolls.
Prep & Storage
How to Prep Ahead: Sticky buns can easily be prepped ahead of time! After shaping the rolls and placing them on top of the caramel pecan sauce, wrap the pan in plastic wrap. Store them in your refrigerator or freezer until ready to bake.
How to store in the freezer: Freeze unbaked buns for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, move the pan to your refrigerator and let thaw overnight. About 2 hours before baking, take the buns out of the refrigerator and let come to room temperature and rise. You can place the pan next to a heating oven to speed up the process. When the buns are doubled in size, remove the plastic wrap and bake.
How to store in the refrigerator and make overnight sticky buns: Refrigerate the unbaked buns for up to 16 hours. If they sit in the fridge for too long, the filling will start to liquify and leak out of the rolls.
About 2 hours before baking, take the buns out of the refrigerator and let come to room temperature and rise. You can place the pan next to a heating oven to speed up the process. When the buns are doubled in size, remove the plastic wrap and bake.
FAQ
Can I use sourdough starter to make sticky buns?
Yes, you can! Follow my recipe to make sticky buns or cinnamon rolls with sourdough starter. If making sticky buns, use this recipe for the pecan caramel sauce instead of frosting.
What’s the difference between sticky buns and cinnamon rolls?
Both sticky buns and cinnamon rolls use the same dough and filling but there is a difference in the topping. Traditional sticky buns are topped with a sticky sauce (like caramel) and nuts. Cinnamon rolls are either not topped at all or most commonly, they’re topped with frosting.
MORE RECIPES FROM BAKER BETTIE!
If you enjoyed this recipe, you might like to try these other delicious sweet roll recipes.
Pecan Sticky Buns
These Pecan Caramel Sticky Buns are the perfect holiday morning breakfast! Prep them the day before and bake off fresh the next morning.
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 227 grams (1 cup, 240 milliliters) whole milk (lower fat or non-dairy can be substituted)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons (1 package) active dry or instant yeast
- 50 grams (¼ cup) granulated sugar
- 480-600 grams (4-5 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 85 grams (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
For the Filling
- 200 grams (1 cup) brown sugar, light or dark
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 56 grams (4 tablespoons, ¼ cup) unsalted butter, melted
For the Caramel Pecan Topping
- 200 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 120 grams (½ cup, 120 milliliters) water
- 235 grams (1 cup, 240 milliliters) heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 200 grams (2 cups) pecans, roughly chopped
Instructions
Make the dough
- Warm the milk (227 grams/ 1 cup) to about 110-115°F/43-46°C. In a large mixing bowl add the warm milk, yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons), and a large pinch of granulated sugar. Stir to combine. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until you see some bubbles and foaming.
- Add the smaller amount of all-purpose flour (480 grams/ 4 cups), the rest of the granulated sugar (50 grams/ ¼ cup), salt (1 ½ teaspoons), unsalted butter (85 grams/ 6 tablespoons), and eggs (2 large) to the mixing bowl. Use clean hands to mix together until a sticky dough forms.
- If kneading by hand, turn the dough out onto a floured countertop. Dust flour over the top of the dough and knead the dough by hand for about 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. If kneading with a stand mixer, fit the mixer with a dough hook and knead at medium speed for 6-8 minutes. Add more flour, up to 1 additional cup (120 grams), as needed while kneading the dough. When the dough is finished being kneaded it will still be slightly sticky to the touch, but feels smooth and elastic and should stand tall when rounded into a ball.
- Move the kneaded dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, and cover with a piece of plastic wrap, a damp cloth, or a shower cap (my preference) to bulk ferment until doubled in size, about 1 hour for quick rise yeast and 2 hours for active dry yeast.
Make the Filling & Topping
When the dough is almost finished rising, make the filling and topping.
- For the Filling: Combine the brown sugar (200 grams/ 1 cup) and ground cinnamon (2 tablespoons) in a small bowl and set aside.
- For the Topping: In a saucepan at least 3 quarts in size, add the granulated sugar (200 grams/ 1 cup) and pour the water (120 grams/ ½ cup) over the sugar, being careful not to splash sugar granules up the side of the pan.
- Turn the heat on to medium. The sugar will start to dissolve in the water and will come to a boil. As the mixture boils, the sugar will start caramelizing. Stay close by because the caramelization process moves very quickly. Do not stir during this process or you risk re-crystallizing the sugar. resulting in a gritty texture. If the sugar is caramelizing unevenly, gently swirl the pan to even out the color.
- Once the sugar smells nutty and is golden brown, carefully pour all of the heavy cream (235 grams/ 1 cup) into the pan and stir vigorously with a silicone spatula. The mixture will bubble up quite a bit so be careful not to get too close.
- Add the salt (½ teaspoon) and continue cooking for about 1-2 more minutes until smooth.
- Pour the caramel sauce into a 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm) pan and sprinkle the chopped pecans (200 grams/ 2 cups) on top.
Assemble
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured countertop and roll it out into a rectangle about 18 x 12 inches (46 x 30 cm) in size.
- Brush the dough with the melted butter (56 grams/ 4 tablespoons) and sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar filling evenly over the dough leaving about ½ inch (1.2 cm) of the dough free from filling at the top long edge.
- Starting on the long edge that does have filling, tightly roll the dough up into a log. Pinch the clean edge to the log to seal.
- Use a serrated knife to divide the dough into 4 equal pieces.
- Now cut each quarter of the log into 3 equal pieces to get 12 rolls.
- Transfer the cut rolls into the baking dish, setting them on top of the caramel/pecan topping, and cover with plastic wrap.
- Proof the rolls for about 45 minutes if using quick rise yeast and about 75 minutes if using active dry yeast. Alternatively, if you want to bake them the next day, let them rise for about 30 minutes at room temperature then transfer them to the refrigerator for up to 16 hours. Take them out of the refrigerator about 1 hour before baking to allow the yeast time to wake up.
- Position an oven rack to the center position. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
- Within the first 5 minutes of taking them out of the oven, flip them out of the pan so that the caramel/pecan bottom becomes the top. I like to use a large flat serving dish but you can also use a rimmed sheet pan. Scrape out any remaining topping from the bottom of the pan and spread it over the top of the rolls.
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5 Comments on “Pecan Sticky Buns”
Have you tried this recipe with raisins mixed in with the nuts?
I haven’t but that sounds great!
Hi,
I want to try to make the pecan sticky rolls.
I was thinking of making a small batch. Say 6 rolls.
Would bake time and/ or temperature change if I attempt this?
Also, for a batch of 6 would you recommend rolling the dough from the short side?
Thanks so much for the help.
Cynthia
Hi, yes, you can make 6 rolls! Make the rolls exactly as written except use only half the ingredients. Roll the dough from the long side. The bake temperature is the same. Start checking the rolls after about 25 minutes until golden brown. Enjoy!
Can you freeze the dish instead of putting them in the refrigerator. I want to give them as a gift.