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A plate with a caramel pecan sticky bun and a fork while resting on top of a blue and white striped towel in front of a plate full of caramel pecan sticky buns
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5 from 1 vote

Caramel Pecan Rolls

These Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns are made with lots of brown sugar, plenty of nuts, a hint of cinnamon, and a rich, gooey caramel sauce that coats each delicious roll. Everybody RAVES about them! If you are a fan of nuts, these are the breakfast pastries for you!
Prep Time2 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time2 hours 55 minutes
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 sticky buns
Calories: 624kcal
Author: Amy Nash

Ingredients

Dough

  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons active dry or instant yeast (2 packets)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • cup salted butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 ½ to 4 cups all-purpose flour

Topping

  • 2 cups pecans coarsely chopped
  • ¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup salted butter
  • cup corn syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Filling

  • 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ cup salted butter, melted

Instructions

  • Warm the milk to about 95°F by microwaving for 30-60 seconds or heating on the stove over medium-low heat. Add the milk to the bowl of a stand mixer, along with the yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Stir, and then let sit for 5-10 minutes until the yeast has proofed and the mixture is foamy on top.
  • Add the remaining sugar, eggs, softened butter, and salt, along with 1 cup of the flour. Mix well using the paddle attachment. Add another cup of flour and mix again.
  • Switch to the dough hook and add the remaining flour ½ cup at a time with the mixer on low speed until a soft, sticky dough comes together on the hook. I almost always stop at just 3 ½ total cups of flour but if the dough is extremely sticky, then use all 4 cups. Increase the speed to the medium setting and knead the dough for 5-6 minutes. This can be done by hand, but it's easier with a stand mixer.
  • Scrape the dough away from the sides of the bowl and transfer to a large, lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean cloth, and let rise for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.
  • While the dough is rising, spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Roughly chop the pecans and sprinkle evenly over the bottom of the pan.
  • In a saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt over medium heat, stirring frequently until the butter is melted. Bring to a boil for 1 minute, then remove the pan from the heat and quickly stir in the cream and vanilla. Pour over the chopped Fisher pecans and set aside while you shape the rolls.
  • When the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly-floured surface and roll out using a rolling pin into an approximately 12x18-inch rectangle.
  • Spread the melted butter over the dough. Then, sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon and brown sugar. Roll the dough up from the long edge into a tight log, pinching the seams together to seal the dough. Slice into 12 evenly-sized rolls using either a sharp knife or a piece of string (my preferred method). Slide the string underneath the roll, cross over top, then pull tight to make a clean slice.
  • Place the rolls on top of the caramel and pecans. Then, cover loosely with plastic wrap or a clean cloth and let rise for another 30-45 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake the sticky buns for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. You may want to cover the rolls with aluminum foil if they look like they are browning too quickly on top.
  • Remove from the oven and let them sit for 5 minutes. Then, cover the rolls with a large serving platter or baking sheet and invert the dish to release the rolls. The caramel and pecans will drip down the sides of the sticky buns! Serve warm.

Notes

  • Honey or maple syrup can be used in place of corn syrup. There are subtle flavor differences but otherwise no noticeable difference in the caramel sauce.
  • Walnuts can be used in place of pecans.
MAKE-AHEAD OPTION: These sticky buns can be made the night before. Prepare the recipe through step 9 where the shaped rolls are place on top of the caramel and pecans, except do not let them do the second rise. Instead, cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight. The next morning, remove the sticky buns from the fridge and let them come to room temperature and finish rising (about 1-2 hours). Bake as directed.
FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS: Baked rolls can be frozen for up to 3 months. Just thaw overnight in the fridge, and then warm in a 200 degree F oven for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1roll | Calories: 624kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 426mg | Potassium: 203mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 49g | Vitamin A: 692IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 3mg