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Pecan Sticky Buns


Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Proof Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 12 people
Close up photo of a pecan sticky bun being pulled away from the rest on a serving spoon.

These Pecan Sticky Buns are an easy, classic, and cozy breakfast or dessert treat that's gooey, sweet, and super delicious!

Ingredients  

Dough

Topping

  • 8 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1 cup light brown sugar packed
  • cup chopped pecans
  • ½ cup molasses

Filling


Instructions

Dough

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt; set aside.
  • In a small saucepan, add the milk, water, and butter and cook over medium heat until the butter has melted and the mixture is between 120°F and 130°F, if it's too hot, allow it to cool until it reaches this zone.
  • Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture while mixing on low speed until fully combined. Increase speed and knead the dough for 5 minutes. The dough will be smooth and elastic but will still look as though it is sticking to the sizes but should pull away easily with a rubber spatula.
  • Transfer the dough to a large bowl greased with non-stick spray and flip it once so the side of the dough that first was on the bottom is now on the top and has cooking spray on it so it doesn't stick. Cover with plastic wrap and proof for 15 minutes, the dough should just about double in size in that time.
  • Plop the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll the dough into a large rectangle about 12x14-inches in size.

Topping

  • While the dough is proofing, add all of the topping ingredients to a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the butter has melted.
  • Pour the mixture into a greased 9x13-inch baking pan and set aside.

Filling

  • Melt 4 tablespoons of sugar and use a pastry brush to brush the butter onto the dough leaving a small border around the edge.
  • Sprinkle the butter with the cinnamon, nutmeg, and light brown sugar and start rolling the dough up as tightly as possible starting from one of the shorter ends.
  • Once fully rolled up, use dental floss to loop around the roll and cross the ends to slice through the dough. You can also use a very sharp chef's knife, but dental floss will give these rolls the best shape. I like to cut the ends of the dough off and cut 12 rolls that are about 1-inch thick.
  • Arrange the rolls on top of the pecan mixture and cover with plastic wrap and proof for an additional 15 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 375°F and bake the rolls for 25 to 30 minutes. The tops should be golden brown in color when done.
  • Allow the buns to cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes before running a paring knife around the edges of the pan and inverting onto a serving dish and enjoying. Then come back and leave a review and rating!

Notes

  • To use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast, multiply the amount of yeast by 1.25. In this case, you don’t need to be super exact and add 5.625 teaspoons of yeast, you can simply add 5.5 teaspoons and the results should be great. 
    Warm the milk, water, and sugar ONLY to 70 to 80 degrees F and let it bloom. Add it to the dry ingredients and then mix in the melted butter separately. You will also need to increase the initial proof time by about 15 minutes.
  • Punching down the dough after it rises is a pretty common step in making homemade bread, however, when making cinnamon rolls, I like to skip this step. I skip it because when the dough gets rolled out the rolling pin works out a lot of the larger air bubbles, but smaller ones get to remain and I think this is the true KEY to light, fluffy, pull-apart cinnamon rolls. And don't exert too much pressure when rolling out, just enough to spread it.
  • The baked buns can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature or up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
  • How To Freeze: Prepare the recipe in full and allow the rolls to cool to room temperature before wrapping up and freezing for up to 2 months. Thaw and warm up in the microwave.
  • Sticky Cinnamon Buns Variations
    • Pure maple syrup can be used instead of molasses if you prefer that flavor. The mixture won’t be quite as thick but will still be really sticky!
    • Caramel sauce also makes a lovely substitute for molasses and add a distinct flavor to the pecan rolls!
    • Honey is another lovely alternative to this recipe.
    • Walnuts also make for a delicious option, you can substitute them for the pecans or use both! You can find both pre-chopped in the baking aisle at Shaw’s!

Nutrition

Calories: 549kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 287mg | Potassium: 403mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 506IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 3mg

Find it online: www.sugarandsoul.co/pecan-sticky-buns/