Description
These Easy Sticky Pecan Cinnamon Buns are soft, fluffy rolls filled with a sweet cinnamon-sugar butter and topped with a decadent sticky caramel pecan glaze. Perfect for a cozy breakfast or special brunch, they combine tender dough, a rich cinnamon filling, and a gooey, nutty topping that bakes to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 packet active dry yeast (2 ¼ tsp)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup warm milk (about 110°F/43°C)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
Cinnamon Filling
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
Sticky Pecan Topping
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large bowl, combine the warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Stir gently and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until the yeast becomes foamy, indicating it is active.
- Mix Dough Ingredients: Add the melted butter, egg, and salt into the yeast mixture. Gradually stir in the flour, a little at a time, until a dough begins to form.
- Knead the Dough: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 5-7 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
- First Rise: Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise for about 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
- Prepare the Cinnamon Filling: In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until smooth and set aside.
- Make the Sticky Pecan Topping: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter for the topping. Add the brown sugar and heavy cream, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes smooth and slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add Vanilla: Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Assemble Caramel Base: Pour the sticky caramel mixture into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Evenly spread the chopped pecans over the caramel, creating the sticky pecan layer.
- Roll Out the Dough: Once the dough has risen, punch it down and turn it out onto a floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 12×9 inches in size.
- Spread Filling: Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges to avoid spillage.
- Form Rolls: Tightly roll the dough from the longer side into a log shape, then cut it into 9-12 equal pieces depending on preferred size.
- Arrange Rolls: Place the cinnamon rolls into the baking dish on top of the caramel-pecan mixture. Leave a bit of space between each roll for rising.
- Second Rise: Cover the baking dish with a towel and let the rolls rise for 30-45 minutes, or until puffed up.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake the Rolls: Bake the cinnamon buns for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. If the tops brown too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the last 5 minutes.
- Cool and Invert: Let the buns cool for about 5 minutes, then carefully invert the pan onto a serving platter to release the sticky pecan topping. Be cautious as the caramel will still be hot.
- Serve: Serve the cinnamon buns warm and enjoy their gooey, nutty sweetness.
Notes
- Make sure the milk is warm (not hot) to activate the yeast properly.
- For softer rolls, avoid adding too much flour when rolling out the dough.
- You can use light or dark brown sugar for variations in flavor.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and reheat gently before serving.
- Optional: Add raisins or chopped apples into the cinnamon filling for extra texture and flavor.
