Small Batch Sticky Buns Recipe

A small batch of sticky buns on a white cake stand.

5 from 2 votes

Gooey, soft, and loaded with pecans, this Small Batch Sticky Buns recipe is sure to satisfy your brunch cravings! Adapted from my larger batch version that has been tested and perfected over years, these small batch caramel pecan rolls are just right for 4-6 people.

Prep Time30

Cook Time22

Rising Time1 30

Total Time2 22

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings: sticky buns

Calories: 626kcal

Author: Amy Nash

Ingredients

Dough

¼ cup warm water (105°F to 110°F)
¼ cup warm milk
1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar + 1 teaspoon for the yeast
1 large egg
½ teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 to 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (250g to 281g) + extra for rolling

Filling

3 Tablespoons salted butter
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Topping

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
¼ cup salted butter, melted
⅓ cup brown sugar
3 Tablespoons light corn syrup
3 Tablespoons heavy cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Dough

Start by combining the warm water in a large mixing bowl with 1 teaspoon of sugar and the yeast. Give it a little stir, then let it sit for 5-10 minutes until the yeast gets foamy. If the yeast doesn't foam up and bubble a bit, it's probably old and you should get some new yeast and start over.
Once the yeast is foamy, go ahead and add the rest of the sugar, warm milk, egg, salt, melted butter, vanilla extract, and about half of the flour. Stir or mix together well to combine. You can make this in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment for this part before switching to the dough hook to knead, but you can also do this by hand.
Dump the rest of the flour into the dough and continue to mix together until it forms a ball. Knead the ball with a dough hook for 3-5 minutes or turn it out onto a floured surface and knead by hand for 5-8 minutes until pretty smooth and not too sticky. You may need to add a little extra flour if kneading by hand to keep it from sticking too much to the surface you are kneading the dough on.
Shape the dough into a ball then place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise for 1 to 1 ½ hours until doubled in size.

Topping

Whisk or stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, heavy cream, vanilla extract and salt in a bowl until combined. Add chopped pecans to an 8-inch round baking pan that has been sprayed with baking spray. Pour the caramel topping over the pecans. Set aside.

Filling & Assembly

In another bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon and cornstarch. Stir with a fork until evenly distributed and the texture of wet sand.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out into a large rectangle that is roughly 9x12 inches.
Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar filling over the dough. Slice into six even strips, then roll each strip up to make a sticky bun. You could also roll the whole thing into a log and then slice into 6 sticky buns using a sharp serrated knife, unflavored dental floss, or a thread, but lately I have been enjoying this strip approach. Both work well.
Transfer to shaped sweet rolls to the pan with the caramel pecan topping, spacing them evenly around the pan with one in the center. (This is the point to cover the buns with plastic wrap and stick them in the fridge overnight if you want to make them ahead.) Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 45-60 minutes until puffy. Preheat the oven to 375°F while the rolls are rising.
Remove the plastic wrap and bake the sticky buns for 22 to 26 minutes until golden brown. You may want to place a baking sheet lined with foil until the pan to catch any caramel filling that could bubble out the edges while the sticky buns bake.
After about 4-5 minutes, cover the pan of sticky buns with a serving plate, then invert both the plate and the pan to turn the rolls out. Carefully lift the pan off the rolls, letting the caramel and pecans ooze over the rolls. Serve warm.

Notes

Storage: If you have leftover sticky buns, let them cool completely then store in an airtight container on the counter for 2-3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Warm them in the microwave for a few seconds before enjoying to refresh them a bit.
Freezing: You can freeze leftover sticky buns for up to 2 months. Let thaw on the counter and warm in the microwave before enjoying.
Freezing Dough: You can also prepare the dough all the way through shaping the buns, then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for 3-4 hours. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months. To bake, prepare the topping and pecans, then place the frozen rolls into the pan and let thaw and rise covered loosely with plastic wrap for 4-6 hours until puffy before baking like normal.
Make-Ahead: You can make this recipe through shaping the sticky buns into rolls, then stick them in the fridge for a slow rise overnight. Pull them out in the morning and let them sit on the counter for about an hour to come up to temperature and get puffy before baking like normal.
Substitutions: Replace the corn syrup with an equal amount of honey or maple syrup if you don't have corn syrup on hand or prefer not to use it. You can use chopped walnuts, almonds, pistachios, or macadamia nuts instead of pecans.
One-Hour Sticky Buns: If you want to speed up the process, you can increase the yeast to 1 Tablespoon. More yeast will mean a faster rise time and you can knead, then let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes while prepping the filling. It won't rise a ton in that time, but it gives the dough enough time to rest that you can roll it out and shape the rolls pretty well. Let the shaped rolls rise for another 15-20 minutes while preheating the oven, then bake like normal. They might not be quite as light and fluffy, but you'll have sticky buns in a lot less time!

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