Caramel pecan sticky buns are the kind of dessert that demands you stop everything and enjoy the moment.
Every bite is an experience worth savoring.
Each soft cinnamon bun is soaked with a luscious caramel sauce, and pecans add a lovely, nutty crunch.
Plus, they make your house smell heavenly and taste just as fantastic.
Here’s to sticky fingers and sweet indulgence!
Why You’ll Love These Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns
Gooey Caramel Goodness: The combination of the sticky caramel topping and soft, pillowy dough creates a delightful texture that melts in your mouth.
Customizable: This versatile recipe allows for easy modifications, such as adding different nuts, spices, or even fruits. Use what you like to fit your dietary needs.
Perfect for Gatherings: Ideal for brunches or family events, their impressive presentation and aroma make them a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
- Active Dry Yeast: The leavening agent that helps the dough rise and creates a fluffy texture. It needs to be “activated” in warm milk before mixing.
- Granulated & Brown Sugar: White sugar adds sweetness to the dough and helps activate the yeast. The brown sugar is in the filling and caramel sauce.
- Milk: Provides moisture and richness to the dough, resulting in a tender crumb. Warm it to about 80-90°F.
- Unsalted Butter: Enhances flavor and creates a soft, pliable dough. It’s also in the filling.
- Large Egg: Acts as a binding agent and contributes to the dough structure and texture.
- Bread Flour: The foundation of the dough, providing structure and strength. Bread flour creates softer rolls than all-purpose, so it’s worth getting!
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor of the sticky buns.
- Caramel Topping: A luscious combination of butter, sugar, corn syrup, heavy cream, and vanilla.
- Filling: Combine light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and unsalted butter into a super soft paste. This forms a sweet, spiced spiral within the sticky buns.
How to Make Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns
This is the kind of treat that has everyone sneaking into the kitchen to grab just one more.
Seriously, I almost couldn’t wait for them to cool before diving in!
Here are the steps:
1. WARM: Heat the milk to 80-90°F and pour into the mixer bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and the yeast, then let bloom for 5-10 minutes.
2. MIX: Add the remaining sugar, butter, salt, egg, and 4 cups of flour. Mix on low, then medium, until a soft dough forms. Knead for 3-5 minutes.
3. PROOF: Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled, about 2 hours. Meanwhile, generously grease two 9-inch cake pans.
4. MAKE CARAMEL: Melt the butter, dark brown sugar, and corn syrup in a saucepan. Remove from heat, then whisk in cream and vanilla. Pour into the pans and sprinkle with pecans.
5. MAKE FILLING: Beat the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until well combined.
6. ROLL: Punch down the dough, divide in half, and roll each half into a 14×6-inch rectangle. Spread the cinnamon butter over each, roll tightly, and cut into 8-9 pieces.
7. PROOF & BAKE: Place the rolls in the prepared pans, cover, and let rise for 30 minutes. Then bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
8. INVERT: Carefully flip the pans onto plates right after baking. Serve warm and enjoy!
Tips For the Best Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns
Baking these sticky caramel cinnamon rolls is an experience of its own—from watching the yeast work its magic to rolling up the dough filled with cinnamon goodness.
And let’s be honest, flipping those pans over to reveal the gooey caramel and pecans on top is always a thrill.
But if you’re new to the world of yeast-based doughs, don’t be nervous. I have these tips to help along the way!
- Bloom the yeast properly. The (active dry) yeast mixture should be foamy before proceeding with the recipe. If it’s not bubbly, the yeast is dead, and you’ll need to start over.
- Using instant yeast. If you use instant yeast, you can dump everything into the mixer and knead with the dough hook. There’s no need to bloom it.
- Don’t overmix the dough. Mix the dough until it is soft and elastic. If you’re unsure, knead it by hand after it comes together.
- Prepare pans properly. Generously grease the pans with cooking spray to prevent the sticky buns from sticking and to make removal easier.
- Rolling technique. Roll the dough tightly, starting from one of the long sides. It should look like a long log.
- Why corn syrup? It helps stabilize the caramel and prevents chunks of crystals from forming as it bakes.
- Variations. Try different nuts like walnuts or almonds or incorporate dried fruits such as raisins or cranberries into the filling. You can also try drizzling a cream cheese glaze over the top for an even more decadent treat.
How to Store
Biting into one of these sticky buns is pure bliss – the combination of flavors and textures is simply irresistible.
And the way the caramel sauce soaks into the buns? Oh man, it’s to die for.
When I make these, I never have to worry about leftovers. And to be honest, they’re best enjoyed the day you make them.
But if you have some left, here’s what to do:
To Make Ahead: Prep the sauce and rolls through step 9. Cover and refrigerate overnight, then let sit at room temp for 1-2 hours in the morning to proof before baking.
To Store: Place the cooled sticky buns in an airtight container, in a single layer. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To Reheat: Microwave single portions for 15-20 seconds. For a whole batch, cover with foil and heat in a 300°Fahrenheit oven for 10-15 minutes until warmed through.
Note: I don’t recommend freezing these, as the sauce and rolls just won’t have the same texture after thawing.
More Cinnamon Roll Recipes You Have to Try
Cinnamon Roll Bites
Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls
Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls
TikTok Cinnamon Rolls
Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns
18
servings25
minutes2
hours30
minutes467
kcalEach one of these soft caramel pecan sticky buns is soaked with a luscious sauce and topped with crunchy nuts. They look amazing and taste even better!
Ingredients
- For the Dough
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 (1/4 ounce) packs active dry yeast (see notes)
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
4-4 1/2 bread flour
- For the Caramel Topping
1/2 cup salted butter
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup light corn syrup
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups pecans, roughly chopped
- For the Filling
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a small saucepan, warm the milk to about 80-90°F over low heat. It should be warm to the touch but not hot. Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer and add 1 tablespoon of sugar and the yeast. Stir well, then leave to bloom for 5-10 minutes.
- When the yeast is foamy, add the rest of the sugar, along with the butter, salt, egg, and 4 cups of flour. Mix on LOW with a dough hook until most of the liquid is absorbed. Turn the speed to medium and mix until the dough forms a soft ball that pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Mix for 3-5 minutes until soft and elastic, adding more flour, as needed. Then, transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover, and leave to proof until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
- Prep: Generously grease two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray or butter.
- Make the caramel topping: Melt the butter, dark brown sugar, and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and whisk in the heavy cream and vanilla until smooth.
- Divide the caramel sauce evenly between the prepared cake pans. Sprinkle chopped pecans over the caramel sauce and set aside.
- Make the filling: Beat the soft butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until very well combined. Set aside.
- Form the rolls: Punch the air out of the dough and divide it into two equal portions. Roll out each portion into a 14×6-inch rectangle (about 1/4 inch thick) on a lightly floured surface.
- Spread the cinnamon butter evenly over the surface, leaving a slight border on all sides. Roll up each rectangle tightly into a long log, starting from the long side. Cut each roll into 8-9 equal pieces (depending on the height of your pans).
- Arrange the rolls in the prepared cake pans, cover them, and leave to rise again for about 30 minutes or until they double in size.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°Fahrenheit. Bake the sticky buns for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Immediately after removing the pans from the oven, carefully invert them onto serving plates. Be cautious, as the caramel sauce will be scalding. Add extra pecans, if desired, then serve warm. Enjoy!
Notes
- The (active dry) yeast mixture should be foamy before proceeding with the recipe. If it’s not bubbly, the yeast is dead, and you’ll need to start over.
- If using instant yeast, simply add everything to the mixer. There is no need to bloom it in the warm milk.
