These gooey pecan sticky buns are made with soft dough filled with cinnamon filling, and topped with sticky caramel pecan topping.
Made by rolling yeast dough around a filling of brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped pecans, these buns are baked until golden and flipped which reveals a sticky caramel sauce and pecan topping.
This results in a sweet, gooey treat with a satisfying crunch from the pecans.
The combination of the soft, fluffy dough with the sweet, sticky caramel and crunchy pecans is truly heavenly, making these buns an irresistible indulgence for any sweet-toothed enthusiast.
For more cinnamon roll recipes, check out our homemade cinnamon rolls, pumpkin cinnamon rolls, and apple cinnamon rolls with apple pie filling.
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Why this recipe works
- Texture- these buns are made with pillowy soft dough that is filled with buttery cinnamon filling, and topped with caramel pecan topping that adds gooey texture and crunch for the most delicious bite.
- Flavor- these buns are loaded with warm cinnamon and caramel flavor from the cinnamon filling and pecan topping.
- Pecan topping- the pecan topping transforms these rolls and adds a caramel, gooey and soft texture with an added crunch. And the best part? Its so beautiful that you don't need to decorate them
- Perfect for any occasion- even though these buns are perfect for the holiday season, thanksgiving and Christmas, these are perfect for brunch, breakfast, or dessert for any time of the year and for any occasion.
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
For the dough
Flour– we used all-purpose flour for this recipe, bread flour is even better.
Yeast- we used instant yeast for this recipe. make sure that your yeast isn't expired.
Sugar- we used granulated sugar for this recipe. You can use caster sugar as well.
Eggs- you will need 2 large eggs for this recipe. Make sure that you use room-temperature eggs in this recipe.
Melted butter- we used unsalted butter for this recipe. If you want to use salted butter, skip the salt in this recipe. Melt the butter over the stovetop or in the microwave and let it cool to room temperature.
Kosher salt- you will need 1 teaspoon of kosher salt for this recipe.
Vanilla extract- Vanilla extract adds extra flavor. For extra vanilla flavor, use vanilla bean extract or an actual vanilla bean!
Milk- use whole milk in this recipe.
For the cinnamon filling
Soften butter– leave the butter in room temperate for 1 hour, or until it softens.
Brown sugar– we like using light brown sugar for the filling.
Cinnamon– You will need 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon for the filling.
For the pecan topping
Pecan- you will need to roughly chop your pecan. We like to use toasted pecan, it has more flavor to it.
Honey- Use your favorite brand of honey for this and the best quality honey you can get your hands on.
Nutmeg- I love adding a pinch of nutmeg to cinnamon flavored desserts. You can use ground nutmeg or fresh nutmeg!
Instructions
In a bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, dry yeast, and granulated sugar. Mix with a spoon until combined. Add the salt, and mix until combined.
Add the eggs, room-temperature milk, vanilla extract, and cooled melted butter. Start mixing on low until the dough forms.
Increase the speed to medium and mix for at least 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and silky.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours or until it’s doubled in size (or even tripled in size).
Meanwhile, make the pecan topping: in a small mixing bowl, add the melted butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, honey, and brown sugar, and mix with a spoon until well combined.
Transfer the mixture to a saucepan, and over medium heat cook the mixture until the sugar completely dissolves mixing constantly with a wooden spoon.
Make the cinnamon filling: in a small mixing bowl, add the softened butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar, and mix until well combined and creamy.
Punch the dough down and transfer it to a clean floured surface. Sprinkle flour generously on the dough and roll it into a ¼-inch thick rectangle, making sure that the bottom of the dough doesn’t stick to the surface.
Spread an even layer of the cinnamon filling and spread it using an offset spatula.
Roll the dough tightly into a log and pinch the edges of the dough to keep the roll sealed tightly. Use a serrated knife or unflavored dental floss and cut the rolls into 12 even rolls.
Pour the caramel topping mixture onto a parchment paper lined 13 by 9 baking pan, and top it with the pecans. Then place the rolls on the pecan topping, cover with a towel, and let the rolls rise until doubled in size.
Remove the towel, and bake the rolls in a 180c (350f) oven for 20-25 minutes or until the tops of the rolls are a bit browned. Don't overbake these so they won't dry out.
Allow the rolls to cool for at least 20 minutes, then flip them on a large plate or pan to reveal the beautifully delicious pecan topping. Serve and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and milk. This step ensures that your dough mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with the back of a knife.
- Toast your pecans before adding them to the pan! Toasting nuts and pecans releases more flavor which takes these to the next level.
- Don't overheat your milk! Overheating your milk is one of the most common mistakes in making cinnamon rolls. If you heat your milk over 110f, it might kill your yeast and stop your dough from rising.
- Make sure that your ingredients are fresh! Make sure that your flour and yeast are fresh and not expired. This step ensures that you will have great dough to work with.
- Be patient! Let the dough rise at least until it doubles its size. The more the dough rises, the more fluffy the cinnamon rolls will be.
- Make sure that your yeast isn’t expired. You can check if your yeast is expired by mixing a teaspoon of dry yeast with ¼ cup of room temperature water, waiting 10 minutes, and if the yeast has bubbles in it and it puffed a bit, your yeast is alive and good, if there are no bubbles in your yeast mixture, your yeast is probably expired.
Faq's
Pecan Sticky Buns are made by rolling a soft yeast dough around a filling of brown sugar, and cinnamon, baked over caramel and pecan topping.
Their sweet and sticky texture along with the crunchy contrast make pecan sticky buns a beloved treat for those with a sweet tooth.
The best flour for cinnamon rolls and for yeasted dough is bread flour. It contains a higher percentage of gluten which is the protein in the flour that makes the dough silky, stretchy, and smooth.
All-purpose flour works great for this recipe as well.
The milk should be warm to the touch. We suggest using whole milk for this recipe.
If you warm up your milk too much, it can kill the yeast, so either use room temperature milk or measure the temperature of the milk with a thermometer, it shouldn't go past 100f.
You can knead the dough by hand! Start by mixing the ingredients in a big mixing bowl, then transfer the dough to a clean floured surface and knead the dough for at least 10 minutes, or until the dough is super smooth and elastic.
Yes. You can make these without pecans if you don't like nuts. You will get delicious sticky buns.
Storing
It’s okay to store these rolls at room temperature for up to 3 days. Make sure that you store the rolls in an airtight container so they won’t dry out.
Reheating
Place the cinnamon rolls on a plate and reheat them in the microwave for 20 seconds, these warm-up great and taste amazing for 4 days.
Freezing
Freeze these after they cooled completely in an airtight freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months.
I suggest removing the rolls from the pan and placing them in an airtight container or wrapping them with a few layers of plastic wrap.
Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a few hours and reheat it in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for 5-10 minutes.
Make these in advance
After you roll and cut your rolls and place them into your baking pan, cover them with plastic wrap, and place them in the fridge.
The next day, remove them from the fridge and let them come to room temperature (for about an hour) before baking and bake them according to the instructions.
Substitutions
Dairy-free- you can make this dairy-free by replacing the milk with vegan milk, and the butter with vegan butter.
Maple syrup- swap the honey with natural maple syrup for the pecan topping.
Variations
Add-ins- make this recipe your own and add your favorite add-ins: white chocolate chips, chopped nuts, chopped fruit, chopped chocolate, etc.
Nuts- if you don't have pecans or are allergic to pecans, you can use other nuts like hazelnuts, walnuts, sliced almonds, etc.
Caramel filling- add caramel sauce to the filling for a delicious filling option.
Equipment
More pecan recipes
Caramel Pecan Cheesecake- This caramel pecan cheesecake is made with a cinnamon crust, creamy cinnamon cheesecake filling, and a caramel pecan topping.
Coconut Pecan Cookies- These coconut pecan cookies are made with shredded coconut and chopped pecans, resulting in a crunchy and chewy texture.
Pecan upside down cake- This pecan upside down cake is made with a moist and simple vanilla cake and topped with an easy caramel pecan topping.
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If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe
Most Amazing Pecan Sticky Buns
Ingredients
For the dough
- 5 ½ cups Flour AP or bread flour
- ⅓ cup Granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon Yeast use instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups Milk
- ¼ cup Butter melted and cooled, unsalted
- 2 Eggs
Cinnamon filling
- 2 tablespoon Cinnamon
- ½ cup Butter unsalted, room temp
- 1 cup Brown sugar
Pecan filling
- ¾ cup Butter unsalted, melted
- 1 ⅓ cups Brown sugar light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ cup Honey
- 2 cups Pecan
Instructions
- In a bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, dry yeast, and granulated sugar. Mix with a spoon until combined. Add the salt, and mix until combined.
- Add the eggs, room-temperature milk, vanilla extract, and cooled melted butter. Start mixing on low until the dough forms.
- Increase the speed to medium and mix for at least 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and silky.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours or until it’s doubled in size (or even tripled in size).
- Meanwhile, make the pecan topping: in a small mixing bowl, add the melted butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, honey, and brown sugar, and mix with a spoon until well combined.
- Transfer the mixture to a saucepan, and over medium heat cook the mixture until the sugar completely dissolves mixing constantly with a wooden spoon.
- Make the cinnamon filling: in a small mixing bowl, add the softened butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar, and mix until well combined and creamy.
- Punch the dough down and transfer it to a clean floured surface. Sprinkle flour generously on the dough and roll it into a ¼-inch thick rectangle, making sure that the bottom of the dough doesn’t stick to the surface.
- Spread an even layer of the cinnamon filling and spread it using an offset spatula.
- Roll the dough tightly into a log and pinch the edges of the dough to keep the roll sealed tightly. Use a serrated knife or unflavored dental floss and cut the rolls into 12 even rolls.
- Pour the caramel topping mixture onto a parchment paper lined 13 by 9 baking pan, and top it with the pecans. Then place the rolls on the pecan topping, cover with a towel, and let the rolls rise until doubled in size.
- Remove the towel, and bake the rolls in a 180c (350f) oven for 20-25 minutes or until the tops of the rolls are a bit browned. Don't overbake these so they won't dry out.
- Allow the rolls to cool for at least 20 minutes, then flip them on a large plate or pan to reveal the beautifully delicious pecan topping. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and milk. This step ensures that your dough mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with the back of a knife.
- Toast your pecans before adding them to the pan! Toasting nuts and pecans releases more flavor which takes these to the next level.
- Don't overheat your milk! Overheating your milk is one of the most common mistakes in making cinnamon rolls. If you heat your milk over 110f, it might kill your yeast and stop your dough from rising.
- Make sure that your ingredients are fresh! Make sure that your flour and yeast are fresh and not expired. This step ensures that you will have great dough to work with.
- Be patient! Let the dough rise at least until it doubles its size. The more the dough rises, the more fluffy the cinnamon rolls will be.
- Make sure that your yeast isn’t expired. You can check if your yeast is expired by mixing a teaspoon of dry yeast with ¼ cup of room temperature water, waiting 10 minutes, and if the yeast has bubbles in it and it puffed a bit, your yeast is alive and good, if there are no bubbles in your yeast mixture, your yeast is probably expired.
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