Description
These Easy Sticky Pecan Cinnamon Buns are soft, fluffy, and packed with rich cinnamon filling and a luscious sticky pecan caramel topping. Perfect for a weekend breakfast or a special brunch treat, these buns combine classic cinnamon roll flavors with the delightful crunch of toasted pecans in a gooey caramel sauce.
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 activated and ready.
- 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: Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 5-7 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic, developing the gluten for structure.
- First Rise: Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.
- Prepare Cinnamon Filling: In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt. Stir until smooth and set aside for later use.
- 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 becomes smooth and slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add Vanilla: Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the vanilla extract for flavor depth.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Pour the sticky caramel mixture into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Evenly spread the chopped pecans over the caramel to create the sticky topping.
- Shape the Dough: Once the dough has risen, punch it down to release air. Turn out onto a floured surface and roll into a rectangle approximately 12×9 inches.
- Spread Filling: Evenly spread the prepared cinnamon filling over the rolled dough, leaving a small border around the edges to seal the rolls later.
- Roll and Cut: Roll the dough tightly from the longer side, then cut into 9-12 equal pieces depending on preferred bun size.
- Assemble the Buns: Place the cinnamon rolls upright into the prepared baking dish on top of the pecan caramel mixture, leaving a little space between each roll for expansion.
- Second Rise: Cover the baking dish with a towel and let the rolls rise again for 30-45 minutes until puffed up and nearly doubled.
- Preheat Oven: Set the oven to 350°F (175°C) to warm while the rolls finish rising.
- Bake the Buns: Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. If the tops brown too quickly, tent with foil during the last 5 minutes to prevent burning.
- Cool and Invert: Once baked, let the buns cool for about 5 minutes. Carefully invert the pan onto a serving platter to release the sticky pecan topping. Take caution as the caramel will be hot.
- Serve: Serve the sticky pecan cinnamon buns warm for the best gooey and flavorful experience. Enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure the milk is warm but not hot to activate the yeast properly without killing it.
- Kneading the dough until elastic is key for fluffy buns.
- If the caramel mixture thickens too much, you can warm it slightly before pouring into the pan.
- Allowing the rolls to rise twice ensures a soft and tender texture.
- Use foil to cover if the buns brown too quickly to avoid burnt tops.
- Let the caramel sit a few minutes after baking to thicken before inverting for neat topping release.
