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Warm, gooey, and loaded with caramelized pecans, these Pecan Sticky Buns are everything you want in a sweet breakfast treat. Perfect for holiday mornings or a cozy weekend bake, these soft cinnamon rolls are filled with a brown sugar cinnamon filling and baked on top of a sticky pecan glaze that seeps into every bite.
They're sweet, nutty, and completely irresistible. It's time to get baking!
Cinnamon rolls with caramel pecans
During the holidays, I love making homemade cinnamon rolls. But sometimes I want something a little more special, and that's when these pecan sticky buns come into play. I took my basic cinnamon roll dough and dressed it up with a few extras, making an incredible treat.
The sticky caramel topping and the toasted pecans turn a simple cinnamon roll into something rich, decadent, and just a bit indulgent
These rolls do take a bit of time, but the results are worth it. The dough is soft and fluffy, the filling is sweet and spiced, and the gooey pecan filling brings everything together.
My husband isn't much on sweets, and he can often bypass most of my baked goods, but not these sticky buns. He kept coming back to them and ate one (or two) for three days in a row!
Ingredients for sticky buns
- Toasted Pecans - Adds texture and flavor to the sweet rolls.
- Maple Syrup - Used in the caramel topping. Adds flavor and sweetness.
- Butter - Used in the caramel glaze and the dough. Use regular salted butter.
- Sugar - Two types of sugar is used in this recipe. Granulated sugar is used in the dough, and brown sugar is used for the glaze.
- Flour - I use regular, all-purpose flour.
- Milk - Whole milk or 2% is best to use. Skim milk can be used if you don't have the other.
- Eggs - Make a rich dough that's light and fluffy.
- Vanilla - Flavors the caramel.
- Yeast - I use active dry yeast.
- Cinnamon - A must-have for these rolls!
Step-by-step directions for maple pecan sticky buns
- Combine warm milk, sugar, and yeast together. Let rest for 5 minutes until the yeast is bubbly.
- Place in a large mixing bowl along with eggs, butter, salt, and 1 cup of flour. Mix to combine.
- Add remaining flour ½ cup at a time until the dough forms a ball. (You might not need all the flour.)
- Knead for 5-7 minutes until the dough is soft and pillowy.
- Form into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 - 1 ½ hours.
- While the dough is rising, make the pecan glaze. Place butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, and salt in a saute pan.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring often until it comes to a boil. Boil for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
- Pour into a buttered 9x13 inch baking dish.
- Sprinkle pecans evenly over the glaze.
- Make filling by combining melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
- Roll out the dough into a large 12x18 inch rectangle.
- Spread with filling.
- Roll up into a round log. Pinch seams.
- Slice into 12 pieces.
- Place sliced cinnamon rolls on top of pecans. Cover and let rise for 30-45 minutes.
- Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 28-35 minutes.
- Allow the buns to cool for 5 minutes. Then place a cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper over the top of the pan and carefully flip over.
- Cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Recipe tips
- To toast your pecans, check out this article - How to Toast Pecans.
- Rising time will vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
- Use caution when flipping the sticky buns. You need to flip while the caramel is still hot, but you don't want any to drip onto you. Place a cookie sheet over the top of the pan. Use hot pads to hold the baking pan firmly against the cookie sheet. Use a quick motion to flip.
- Store fully cooled sticky buns in an airtight container at room temperature.
Frequently asked questions
The caramel most likely cooled too much. Try rewarming the pan in the oven for 5-10 minutes. As soon as it comes out, flip it onto a tray. Be careful because it may be hot.
More sweet rolls to try
- Cinnamon Rolls - A classic sweet roll.
- Blueberry Sweet Rolls - Filled with fresh blueberries.
- Raspberry Sweet Rolls - An ooey gooey raspberry filling.
- Cranberry Sweet Rolls - Perfect for the holidays.
- Strawberry Sweet Rolls - Filled with fresh strawberries.
- Apricot Sweet Rolls - My original fruit-filled sweet rolls.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my delicious, sweet breakfast treats!
Pecan Sticky Buns
Equipment
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup milk (whole or 2% milk)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (or one packet)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup butter (salted butter, melted)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 ¾ - 5 ¼ cup flour
Pecan Glaze
- 1 ½ cups pecans (toasted and coarsely chopped)
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Filling
- 4 tablespoons butter (salted butter, melted)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
Dough
- Combine warm milk, sugar, and yeast together. Let rest for 5 minutes until the yeast is bubbly.1 cup milk, 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Place in a large mixing bowl along with eggs, butter, salt, and 1 cup of flour. Mix to combine.3 eggs, ½ cup butter, 1 teaspoon salt, 4 ¾ - 5 ¼ cup flour
- Add remaining flour ½ cup at a time until the dough forms a ball. (You might not need all the flour.)
- Knead for 5-7 minutes until the dough is soft and pillowy.
- Form into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 - 1 ½ hours.
Pecan Glaze
- While the dough is rising, make the pecan glaze. Place butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, and salt in a saute pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often until it comes to a boil. Boil for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.4 tablespoons butter, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup maple syrup, 2 teaspoons vanilla, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Pour into a buttered 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle pecans evenly over the glaze.1 ½ cups pecans
Filling
- Make filling by combining melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 4 tablespoons butter, ½ cup brown sugar
Assembling the Buns
- Roll out the dough into a large 12x18 inch rectangle. Spread with filling.
- Roll up into a round log. Pinch seams. Slice into 12 pieces.
- Place sliced cinnamon rolls on top of pecans. Cover and let rise for 30-45 minutes until puffy.
- Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 28-35 minutes.
- Allow the buns to cool for 5 minutes. Then place a cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper over the top of the pan and carefully flip over. Use caution when flipping, the caramel filling is very hot.
- Wait another 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- To toast your pecans, check out this article - How to Toast Pecans.
- Rising time will vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
- Use caution when flipping the sticky buns. You need to flip while the caramel is still hot, but you don't want any to drip onto you. Place a cookie sheet over the top of the pan. Use hot pads to hold the baking pan firmly against the cookie sheet. Use a quick motion to flip.
- Store fully cooled sticky buns in an airtight container at room temperature.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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