Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns

5 from 3 votes

These Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns are soft, tender, and delicious! Filled with brown sugar and cinnamon, and topped with a rich caramel sauce and chopped pecans.

Prep Time45

Cook Time30

Dough Rising1 45

Total Time3

Course: Baked Goods, Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings: rolls

Calories: 670kcal

Author: Tania

Equipment

1 9x13 baking pan

Ingredients

For the dough

1 cup whole milk
1 ½ tablespoons active dry yeast 2 packets of 0.25 ounce each
⅔ cup granulated sugar, plus 1 teaspoon
½ cup unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 to 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed spooned and leveled
Vegetable oil for greasing the bowl

Caramel and Pecan Topping

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
1 cup dark or light brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
3 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream
2 cups chopped pecans

Filling

¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup dark brown sugar, plus more if desired
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Pour warm milk (110 to 115 degrees F) into the bowl of stand mixer. Stir in yeast and the 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar, and combine. Let it stand for 10 minutes until frothy.
Set up the dough hook attachment in the stand mixer. With the mixer on low speed, mix the ⅔ cup granulated sugar and softened butter until combined. Add eggs, salt, vanilla extract and mix. Note: you can do this with a handheld mixer.
With the mixer on medium speed, add 3 cups flour, 1 cup at a time. Add the remaining flour in ¼ cup increments as needed or until the dough pulls away from the bowl. I ended up using about 4 cups. Increase speed to medium high and mix/knead about 5 minutes. Note: you can also knead by hand.
Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead by hand a few more times, about 2 minutes. The dough should be moist, slightly sticky, and should spring back slowly when poked. Do not over-knead. Form dough into a ball and place on a lightly oiled bowl, making sure to coat the dough with oil as well. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm and draft-free environment for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Once the dough has risen, grease a 9x13 inch baking pan with butter and spread the chopped pecans in a uniform layer. Set aside. Make the caramel: in a saucepan, add the butter, dark brown sugar, salt, and heavy cream. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 3 minutes until thickened, stirring. Pour caramel over the pecans in a uniform layer. Set aside.
Make the filling: In a medium bowl, combine the 1 cup brown sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Set aside.
Punch the risen dough and roll out to a 12x18 rectangle on a clean surface. Brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture evenly. Roll the dough tightly starting from the longest side so that you have an 18-in roll, and pinch to seal the seams. Cut into 12 pieces, same size. Arranged them on top of pecans and caramel.
Cover and let rise for 30-45 minutes in a warm environment.
Meanwhile preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Once they have risen, bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes, and invert onto a large rectangular plate. Enjoy warm!

Notes

Special equipment: Kitchen thermometer, mixer, 9x13 baking dish, rolling pin, brush.
Yeast: Make sure the yeast foams up in warm milk (110-115 F). This indicates that it's good. If it does not, start over with fresh yeast.
Creating a warm environment for dough to rise: Microwave some water in a mug for 2 minutes to get the microwave warmed up. Then, place the bowl with the dough in the microwave oven, pushing the mug to a corner, and close the door.
Storing: Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.

Nutrition