Description
These Easy Sticky Pecan Cinnamon Buns are soft, fluffy, and generously filled with buttery cinnamon sugar. Topped with a rich caramel pecan sauce, they make a perfect indulgent breakfast or dessert treat that’s straightforward to prepare at home.
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.
- Mix 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: Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Let Dough 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 doubled 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 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 is smooth and slightly thickened (about 3-4 minutes).
- Add Vanilla: Remove 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.
- Roll the Dough: Once the dough has risen, punch it down and turn it out onto a floured surface.
- Shape the Dough: Roll the dough into a rectangle, about 12×9 inches.
- Spread Cinnamon Filling: Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
- Cut Rolls: Roll the dough tightly from the longer side and cut it into 9-12 equal pieces.
- 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.
- 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 the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake Rolls: Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. If the top is browning too quickly, cover with foil during the last 5 minutes of baking.
- Cool and Invert: Let the buns cool for about 5 minutes before inverting the pan onto a serving platter to release the sticky pecan topping. Be careful, as the caramel will be hot.
- Serve: Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Ensure the milk is warm but not hot to properly activate the yeast.
- You can adjust the amount of cinnamon in the filling to your taste preference.
- For easier slicing, use a sharp knife or dental floss to cut the rolls.
- Cover the rolls with foil during baking if they brown too quickly to prevent burning.
- Let the rolls cool slightly before inverting to avoid burning from the hot caramel.
