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Want to start your morning off right? These Sticky Buns are tasty and crunchy, the perfect breakfast or brunch recipe whenever the craving calls.
I’ve always been a “roll” person, they are one of my favorite breakfasts and they are always so filling and delicious that just can’t say no. That’s why I had to try my hand at making Sticky Buns.
These Pecan Sticky Buns have been my signature go-to for many years, I love the contrast between your normal cinnamon roll and the sticky, sweet, and crunchy topping.
They are absolutely delicious, easy to put together and the hardest part is just waiting around for your dough to rise like with any cinnamon roll.
You have zero lack of flavor when it comes to these buns, with a butter, sugar, and cinnamon filling mixed with the topping, you have double the enjoyment.
They are soft on the inside and sticky and crunchy on the outside. The perfect texture combination that my family absolutely adores.
If you make these Sticky Buns you will find out and you will absolutely fall in love! These will become your new favorite breakfast recipe.
Some of our other favorite breakfast recipes that we have on our site include: Baked Chocolate Chip Donut Holes, Sour Cream Coffee Cake and Overnight French Toast.
Jump to:
- WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
- HOW TO MAKE STICKY BUNS:
- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
- CAN I MAKE THESE AHEAD OF TIME?
- DO I HAVE TO USE PECANS?
- WHAT IS THE BEST TYPE OF YEAST TO USE?
- ANY ADDITIONS?
- ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?
- HOW TO STORE:
- DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- From Scratch Pecan Sticky Buns Recipe
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- With various layers and textures, everything works together amazingly.
- You can cut your pecans as large or as small as you’d like.
- These are filling and serve a crowd, great for a family breakfast or gathering.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
- Warm milk
- Yeast
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Salt
- Unsalted butter
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Light brown sugar
- Honey
- Cornstarch
- Pecans
- Ground cinnamon
HOW TO MAKE STICKY BUNS:
- Place the milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stirring occasionally, bring the milk to around 100°F, but no more than 110°F. Take off the heat, whisk in the yeast and 1 teaspoon of the granulated sugar. Let sit for about 5 minutes, until bubbly.
- In the body of a stand mixer, add 4 cups of the flour, the rest of the sugar, and the salt. Using the dough attachment, stir it together until combined. Once the yeast has bloomed, add it to the mixing bowl along with the cooled butter, eggs, and vanilla.
- Start mixing everything together at low speed. Once combined, turn the mixer on to medium-high speed and knead the dough for 6 minutes. If your dough is sticking to the sides, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until the dough pulls away. If it is sticking to the bottom of the bowl, that is okay.
- Spray a separate large bowl with neutral flavored cooking spray. Place the dough in the bowl, and spray the top with cooking spray. Cover the whole thing with plastic wrap and set in a warm place in your house. Allow enough rise time for it to double in size, about an hour to an hour and a half.
- Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray, set aside. While the dough is rising, make the topping by placing the butter in a large bowl and whipping it until smooth with an electric hand mixer.
- Add the brown sugar and mix until smooth. Add the honey, cornstarch, and sea salt, mix until smooth.
- Spread this mixture into the bottom of the baking dish.
- Top with the pecans, set aside.
- Make the filling by placing the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl, stir to combine. Set aside.
- Generously flour a clean work surface. Punch down the dough and lay it out on the work surface. Knead it a few times to form it into a ball. Using a rolling pin, roll it out into an 18×12 inch rectangle.
- Top the dough with the soft butter all over, leaving about a ½ inch rim all around the edges. Sprinkle the sugar/cinnamon mixture over the butter.
- Tightly roll the long side over into a roll so you have an 18-inch long log. Cut it into 12 even pieces, about 1 & ½ inches thick.
- Lay the slices cut side up on top of the topping mixture in the prepared baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise again until doubled, about one hour to 1 and a half hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Once the rolls have doubled, bake for 27-32 minutes until lightly golden brown.
- Let the dish cool on the counter for about 10 minutes. Very carefully invert the pan onto a serving platter. Serve immediately.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
CAN I MAKE THESE AHEAD OF TIME?
These can be made the night before.
Prepare the rolls up to step 7, instead of letting the dough rise the second time, immediately place the covered dish into the fridge.
In the morning, take the dish out of the fridge and place it on the counter for 2-3 hours until the rolls have doubled in size and continue on with the additional steps.
DO I HAVE TO USE PECANS?
No, you do not have to use pecans; you can also use walnuts. We have done this before when we have been out of pecans, and they taste just as good!
If you are not a nut person, you can also make regular sticky buns without using nuts at all.
WHAT IS THE BEST TYPE OF YEAST TO USE?
We recommend using active dry yeast for this recipe, as we have not tested it with any other yeast.
It ensures that the yeast is alive and that the dough will rise instead of guessing because the yeast needs to proof, which shows that it is active.
ANY ADDITIONS?
You can’t go wrong with a little extra melted butter. Serve them alongside some cinnamon buns for contrast!
- Maple syrup: Enhance the gooey caramel topping by drizzling maple syrup over the hot buns for a rich, sweet finish.
- Cream cheese icing: Complement the caramel pecan topping by spreading a thick layer of cream cheese icing over the slightly cooled buns.
- White chocolate chips: Add into the cinnamon-sugar mixture for a luxurious melt-in-your-mouth experience.
- Toasted coconut: Sprinkle over the caramel glaze for added texture and a hint of tropical flavor.
- Orange zest: Infuse the dough with fresh orange zest to brighten the rich flavors.
- Dried cranberries: Mix into the filling for a chewy, tart contrast to the sweet dough.
- Espresso powder: Blend into the flour mixture to deepen the overall flavor profile with a subtle coffee hint.
- Almond slivers: Top the caramel sauce with crunchy almond slivers before baking for added texture.
- Heavy cream: Brush over the top of the dough before baking to create a golden, rich crust.
ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?
This homemade sticky buns recipe is easy to swap out. Let me know how these go for you!
- Almond milk for whole milk: A dairy-free alternative that maintains the creamy texture of the dough.
- Gluten-free flour for all-purpose flour: Ensures those with gluten sensitivities can enjoy this sticky bun recipe.
- Brown sugar for granulated sugar in the filling: Offers a deeper, more complex sweetness to the cinnamon-sugar filling.
- Bread flour for all-purpose flour: Use bread flour for a chewier texture that can hold up to the heavy toppings.
HOW TO STORE:
I think these are just as good the next day. They can be stored covered in the pan or airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, you can reheat in the microwave to rewarm them.
These can also be frozen, to do this let your Easy Sticky Buns cool completely. Place in a freezer container or in the pan and if in pan wrap with plastic wrap and foil.
These will keep frozen for up to 3 months, remove to the refrigerator overnight to defrost then again, rewarm in the microwave.
DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- This recipe can be halved for a smaller crowd, you can use a 9×9 or 8×8 pan.
- You can use walnuts in place of pecans or no nuts at all.
- These can be made ahead of time, see my tips above.
- The ideal liquid temperature to proof the yeast is between 100 degrees F and 110 degrees F.
- Make sure that these cool for about 10 minutes before flipping over so the topping can set up.
- These can be frozen, see my tips above.
Want that perfect sticky, sweet, and crunchy breakfast recipe that you will love?
You have to make my Sticky Buns!
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
If you’ve tried these STICKY BUNS, let me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!
From Scratch Pecan Sticky Buns Recipe
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 1 package active dry yeast
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 4 – 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 3 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the pecan topping:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 cups chopped pecans
For the Filling:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- ½ cup unsalted butter very soft
Instructions
- Place the milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stirring occasionally, bring the milk to around 100°F, but no more than 110°F. Take off the heat, whisk in the yeast and 1 teaspoon of the granulated sugar. Let sit for about 5 minutes, until bubbly.¾ cup whole milk, 1 package active dry yeast, ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- In the body of a stand mixer, add 4 cups of the flour, the rest of the sugar, and the salt. Using the dough attachment, stir it together until combined. Once the yeast has bloomed, add it to the mixing bowl along with the cooled butter, eggs, and vanilla.4 – 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour, Pinch of salt, ½ cup unsalted butter, 3 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Start mixing everything together at low speed. Once combined, turn the mixer on to medium-high speed and knead the dough for 6 minutes. If your dough is sticking to the sides, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until the dough pulls away. If it is sticking to the bottom of the bowl, that is okay.
- Spray a separate large bowl with neutral flavored cooking spray. Place the dough in the bowl, and spray the top with cooking spray. Cover the whole thing with plastic wrap and set in a warm place in your house. Allow the dough to rise to double the size, about an hour to an hour and a half.
- Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray, set aside. While the dough is rising, make the topping by placing the butter in a large bowl and whipping it until smooth with an electric hand mixer.1 cup unsalted butter
- Add the brown sugar and mix until smooth. Add the honey, cornstarch, and sea salt, mix until smooth.2 cups light brown sugar, ¼ cup honey, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Spread this mixture into the bottom of the baking dish.
- Top with the pecans, set aside.3 cups chopped pecans
- Make the filling by placing the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl, stir to combine. Set aside.½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- Generously flour a clean work surface. Punch down the dough and lay it out on the work surface. Knead it a few times to form it into a ball. Using a rolling pin, roll it out into an 18×12 inch rectangle.
- Top the dough with the soft butter all over, leaving about a ½ inch rim all around the edges. Sprinkle the sugar/cinnamon mixture over the butter.½ cup unsalted butter
- Tightly roll the long side over into a roll so you have an 18-inch long log. Cut it into 12 even pieces, about 1 & ½ inches thick.
- Lay the slices cut side up on top of the topping mixture in the prepared baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise again until doubled, about one hour to 1 and a half hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Once the rolls have doubled, bake for 27-32 minutes until lightly golden brown.
- Let the dish cool on the counter for about 10 minutes. Very carefully invert the pan onto a serving platter. Serve immediately.
Notes
- This recipe can be halved for a smaller crowd.
- You can use walnuts in place of pecans or no nuts at all.
- These can be made ahead of time, see my tips above.
- The ideal liquid temperature to proof the yeast is between 100 degrees F and 110 degrees F.
- Make sure that these cool for about 10 minutes before flipping over so the topping can set up.
- These can be frozen, see my tips above.
Nutrition
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