Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns
Ingredients
- 1 cups whole milk
- 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter – melted and cooled (for dough)
- 2 large eggs
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (480g)
- 1 1/4 tsp fine salt
- all-purpose flour – for dusting
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter – softened (for filling)
- 3/4 cups light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter – for topping
- 1 cups dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cups light corn syrup
- 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups pecans – roughly chopped
Instructions
- 1.
Warm the whole milk to 105–115°F in a small saucepan or microwave. Whisk in the granulated sugar and active dry yeast and let stand until foamy, 5–10 minutes.
- 2.
Melt 6 tbsp unsalted butter for dough, then let it cool until just warm. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and fine salt. Stir in the foamy yeast mixture and the melted butter. Add 3.5 cups of the all-purpose flour and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- 3.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding the remaining flour as needed, until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky, 8–10 minutes. Place in a clean bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, 60–90 minutes.
- 4.
Make the topping while the dough rises: In a medium saucepan, combine 8 tbsp unsalted butter for topping, dark brown sugar, light corn syrup, heavy cream, and 0.25 tsp fine salt. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring, and cook until glossy and slightly thickened, 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour the caramel into a 9×13-inch metal baking pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the caramel.
- 5.
Make the filling: In a bowl, mix the light brown sugar and ground cinnamon until uniform; set aside.
- 6.
Punch down the risen dough. Dust the work surface with a little all-purpose flour for dusting. Roll the dough into a 12×18-inch rectangle, long side facing you. Spread the softened 4 tbsp unsalted butter for filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 0.5-inch border on the long far edge. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar filling evenly over the buttered dough.
- 7.
Starting from the long edge nearest you, roll the dough up tightly into a log and pinch the seam to seal. Trim ragged ends if needed, then cut into 12 equal pieces.
- 8.
Arrange the slices cut-side down in the prepared pan over the caramel and pecans, spacing evenly. Cover and let rise until puffy and nearly touching, 45–60 minutes.
- 9.
Heat the oven to 350°F. Bake the buns until deep golden brown and the centers register about 195°F or feel set and spring back lightly when pressed, 25–30 minutes.
- 10.
Cool the pan on a rack for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, then invert a large rimmed platter or board over the pan and flip to release the buns and caramel. Spoon any caramel left in the pan over the buns. Let stand 10 minutes, then serve warm.
Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns are soft spiraled rolls of enriched dough baked over a layer of buttery caramel and toasted pecans. As they bake, the brown sugar syrup bubbles up, coating the buns so that a glossy, sticky layer forms when the pan is inverted. The result is plush, tender interiors contrasted with a lacquered, nutty topping and warm notes of cinnamon and butter. They are indulgent, aromatic, and built for sharing with coffee or as a festive breakfast centerpiece.
These buns trace their roots to American baking traditions influenced by German immigrants, particularly the Pennsylvania Dutch, whose schnecken and sticky buns became regional staples. Over the 19th and 20th centuries, bakeries popularized the technique of baking rolls atop nuts and syrup, then turning them out so the topping becomes the glaze. American pantry ingredients like corn syrup and dark brown sugar shaped the modern caramel’s sheen and stability. Today, caramel pecan sticky buns remain a beloved brunch classic across diners, bakeries, and home kitchens alike.