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Soft and Sticky Caramel Pecan Rolls Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4 from 83 reviews
  • Author: Maria
  • Prep Time: 40 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes + 2 hours chilling and 45 minutes rising
  • Yield: 12 caramel pecan rolls
  • Category: Breakfast, Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Description

These Soft and Sticky Caramel Pecan Rolls are the ultimate indulgence with a luscious caramel glaze, toasted pecans, and a tender, buttery dough. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a sweet treat, these rolls combine a rich caramel sauce with a delicate cinnamon-pecan filling for a mouthwatering pastry that melts in your mouth. The recipe includes a unique rising method using a steam water bath for a quicker, fluffier rise and a beautifully shiny dough enriched with butter and eggs.

Ingredients

Scale

Sweet Dough

  • 1 cup whole milk (warm)
  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 & 1/4 cups all purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup salted butter (very soft, divided, 1 stick)

Caramel Sauce

  • 3/4 cup salted butter (1 and 1/2 sticks)
  • 1 & 1/2 cups brown sugar (firmly packed)
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 & 3/4 cups pecans (about 8 oz, toasted)

Roll Filling

  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar (packed)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Dash nutmeg (optional)
  • About half of the toasted pecans (from the 1 & 3/4 cups total)

Instructions

  1. Make the sweet dough: Warm 1 cup whole milk to 105-110°F and stir in 1 tablespoon active dry yeast with 5 tablespoons granulated sugar. Let it sit for 5 minutes until bubbly to activate yeast.
  2. Add eggs: Whisk in 2 large eggs into the activated yeast mixture until smooth.
  3. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
  4. Combine wet and dry: Add the wet yeast-egg mixture to the flour. Beat on low-medium using paddle attachment, scraping bowl sides and bottom.
  5. Add butter: With mixer running low-medium, add 1 tablespoon very soft salted butter at a time until 1/2 cup is fully incorporated, taking a few minutes.
  6. Knead dough: Beat on medium-low speed for 5 minutes until dough is silky, smooth, shiny, and forms a loose, wet ball but not workable.
  7. Chill dough: Grease a large bowl, scrape dough into it, cover and refrigerate 2 hours up to 2 days to firm up dough for handling.
  8. Make caramel sauce: Melt 3/4 cup butter in saucepan over medium heat. Stir in 1 1/2 cups brown sugar. Remove from heat, whisk in 1/3 cup honey, 1/3 cup heavy cream, 1/3 cup water, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt until smooth. Cool to room temperature, refrigerate if needed.
  9. Toast pecans: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread 1 3/4 cups chopped pecans on a dry rimmed pan. Bake 5-7 minutes, tossing once, until fragrant. Cool.
  10. Make roll filling: In bowl, mix 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and a dash of nutmeg if desired. Add half the toasted pecans and mix well.
  11. Prepare oven for rising: Boil water in pot. Place an empty 9×13-inch pan on bottom rack of oven, another rack above. Turn oven on 350°F for 3 minutes then off to create a warm, steamy spot for rising rolls.
  12. Prepare pan with caramel and pecans: Pour cooled caramel sauce into a 9×13-inch pan, spreading to coat sides. Sprinkle remaining pecans evenly on top.
  13. Roll out dough: Dust work surface with flour. Scrape chilled dough onto surface, knead lightly, then press and roll into a rectangle approximately 12 x 16-18 inches and about 1/4 inch thick.
  14. Add filling: Sprinkle the sugar-pecan mixture evenly over the dough rectangle.
  15. Roll dough into log: Starting from the long edge, roll dough tightly, smoothing with hands to even thickness across the roll, and pinch edges to seal.
  16. Slice rolls: Use a long, serrated knife to cut the roll into 12 slices about 1 1/2 inches thick, flouring the knife between cuts to manage stickiness. If dough is too soft, chill for 20 minutes before slicing.
  17. Arrange rolls in caramel pan: Place each roll cut-side up into the caramel sauce pan, spacing evenly.
  18. Cover and rise rolls: Spray plastic wrap with nonstick spray and cover the rolls without letting the wrap stick. Pour boiling water into the lower pan in the oven to create steam. Place rolls in warm oven, turned off, letting rise for 30 minutes until puffy without opening oven door.
  19. Finish rising: Remove rolls and water pan. Preheat oven to 350°F. Let rolls rise out of oven in a warm spot for an additional 15 minutes, reaching about double size total.
  20. Bake rolls: Bake rolls at 350°F for 35-45 minutes. Cover with foil for the last 15-20 minutes to prevent over-browning.
  21. Check doneness: Rolls are done when golden brown and internal temperature reaches 190°F.
  22. Cool and serve: Let rolls cool in the pan 20 minutes. Invert the pan onto a platter or remove rolls individually. Serve caramel pecan rolls bottom-side-up with milk.
  23. Storage: Store covered at room temperature up to 2 days, best eaten fresh on day one.

Notes

  • Use whole milk warmed to about 105-110°F to activate yeast properly without killing it.
  • Chilling the dough is essential as it is very wet and sticky, making it workable.
  • Be careful to toast pecans just until fragrant to avoid burning.
  • The steam-rise method shortens rising time significantly while keeping rolls fluffy.
  • Spray plastic wrap to prevent it sticking to sticky dough during rising.
  • If the dough is too soft to cut, chilling briefly in the freezer helps firm it up.
  • Use a sharp serrated knife and a sawing motion for clean slices.
  • Covering rolls with foil during baking prevents excessive browning.
  • Flip rolls onto a platter so the caramel pecan side is on top for serving.

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Find it online: https://sweetindulgencescakes.com/soft-and-sticky-caramel-pecan-rolls-recipe/