These sticky buns solve my biggest problem with the classic recipe: the caramel sauce baking into the rolls instead of staying thick and gooey. My version uses pillowy-soft milk bread dough (the same as my bakery-style cinnamon rolls), a buttery cinnamon-sugar pecan filling, and gets smothered in butter pecan sauce after baking. You get more gooey caramel, plenty of toasted pecans, and no stressful pan flip!
Anyone else hate the dreaded pan flip? 😅 That was my biggest pain point when recreating this recipe, so I did away with it completely.
Making the caramel separately not only made these so much easier; it actually made them stickier and gooier than the original… huge win!
The butter pecan sauce is thicker and more buttery than the one on my salted caramel cinnamon rolls, and once you add the toasted pecans, it has this nutty, almost toffee-like flavor.
I can’t wait for you to try them! 💛
How To Make Them
1
Boil the caramel sauce until golden brown and 228°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Make it well in advance so it has time to cool and thicken!
2
Once it has cooled completely, you can stir in the roasted chopped pecans.
3
For the dough, start by cooking the tanzghong. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s pasty and thick enough to fill the whisk when stirred.
Let it cool to warm or room temperature so you don’t kill the yeast.
4
The kneaded dough will look smooth and feel soft and tacky when finished.
5
Roll out the dough and spread the cinnamon sugar filling on top.
I decided to sprinkle extra roasted pecans into the filling for even more pecan flavor.
6
Place the pecan rolls into a parchment-lined 9×13 baking pan and cover the top with plastic wrap.
Set it in a warm spot to rise, just not in direct sunlight, or it will melt the filling.
7
You’ll know the rolls are ready to bake when they are noticeably puffy, barely touching, and, when gently pressed, the dough feels like it has tiny air bubbles underneath the surface.
8
After baking, let the rolls cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes, then you can spread the pecan caramel sauce on top. I found this keeps the sauce more gooey than if the rolls are super hot; otherwise, it just melts to the bottom of the pan.
Even with the 30-minute cool-down, the sticky buns will still be plenty warm, the milk bread will be extra soft, and the butter pecan sauce will be thick and gooey. This is when you want to eat them! But of course, reheating them is always a great option.
Whatever you do, don’t skip the toasted pecans! It’s a small detail, but like with my salted caramel pecan bars, it really brings out that extra toasty flavor.
— Enjoy! Cambrea 🫶🏻
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Pecan Sticky Buns
Ingredients
For the Pecan Caramel Sauce
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons agave, honey, or corn syrup
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup finely chopped roasted unsalted pecans
For the Tangzhong
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup bread flour
For the Cinnamon Roll Dough
- 3 2/3 cups bread flour, *See notes below for measuring*
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/3 cup heavy cream, room temperature
- 1/3 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- Tangzhong from above
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
For the Cinnamon Sugar Pecan Filling
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2/3 cup finely chopped roasted unsalted pecans
Instructions
Make the Pecan Caramel Sauce
- Note: You can make the pecan caramel sauce a day ahead and store it at room temperature until ready to use. If making it the day of, I like to start it early in the morning and let it cool all day until the rolls are done baking.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and agave and whisk vigorously until smooth and emulsified.12 tablespoons (169 g) unsalted butter, 1 1/4 cups (250 g) dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons (30 g) agave, honey, or corn syrup
- Slowly whisk in the heavy cream. Cook, with no whisking, until the sauce reaches 228°F (109°C).1/2 cup (120 g) heavy cream
- Remove from the heat, pour it into a heatproof measuring cup or bowl, then stir in the vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Let cool completely, about 3–4 hours. Once cooled, stir in the chopped pecans.2 teaspoons (3 g) vanilla bean paste, 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 cup (130 g) finely chopped roasted unsalted pecans
Make the Cinnamon Rolls
- In a small saucepan, whisk together the water and flour. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for 4–5 minutes, or until thickened into a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl and let cool until warm, not hot.2/3 cup (155 g) water, 1/4 cup (32 g) bread flour
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the bread flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.3 2/3 cups (485 g) bread flour, 1/3 cup (66 g) granulated sugar , 2 teaspoons (6 g) instant yeast, 1 teaspoon (4 g) fine sea salt
- Add the heavy cream, milk, egg, and tangzhong. Knead on low speed for 2 minutes, or until a rough dough forms.1/3 cup (78 g) heavy cream, 1/3 cup (78 g) whole milk, 1 (55 g) large egg, Tangzhong from above
- With the mixer running on low speed, add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, allowing each addition to fully incorporate before adding more. Continue kneading for 10–12 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest while you prepare the filling.
- In a medium bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until smooth and spreadable.12 tablespoons (168 g) unsalted butter, 3/4 cup (150 g) light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon (8 g) ground cinnamon
- Line a 9×13-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough into a 21×15-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface.
- Spread the cinnamon sugar filling evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the filling and gently press them into the surface so they stay in place while rolling.2/3 cup (86 g) finely chopped roasted unsalted pecans
- Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into twelve 1 3/4-inch strips. Roll each strip away from you and place it into the prepared pan.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1–2 hours, or until doubled in size. The rolls should look noticeably puffy, with the sides just touching. When gently pressed, the dough should feel light and airy, with tiny bubbles beneath the surface.
- Near the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 325°F (162°C).
- Bake for 30–40 minutes, or until the center roll reaches 185°F (85°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
- Let the rolls cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes until the rolls are still slightly warm but not hot. Spoon the pecan caramel sauce generously over the warm rolls and serve.
