Super soft, slightly gooey, and perfectly sweet Sticky Pecan Cinnamon Rolls! These are best to enjoy while warm and dripping with sticky caramel-y bottoms. Perfect for brunch or a cozy weekend breakfast.
Let’s talk about these Sticky Pecan Cinnamon Rolls right here. Omg THESE babies! Get ready to indulge, because these rolls are a must-try!
They’re so soft, slightly gooey, sticky, and perfectly sweet! The combination of brown sugar, pecans, and cinnamon makes these buns irresistible and the smells are so inviting and cozy. Trust me when I say you need these Sticky Pecan Cinnamon Rolls in your life! Make these for your next weekend brunch at home and these are also a must make for thanksgiving!
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) >
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THESE STICKY PECAN CINNAMON ROLLS
- These will make your mornings extra special.
- You’ll love these sticky pecan cinnamon rolls for their soft, fluffy texture, gooey, and sticky glaze that caramelizes the pecans beautifully.
- They’re great for special occasions or whenever you want to treat yourself and your loved ones to something special.
- Bakery-worthy flavor! I have tested and improved this recipe to achieve the perfect balance of sweetness and richness to taste.
- You can easily modify this recipe, like using walnuts or almonds instead of pecans.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED & NOTES TO MAKE THESE STICKY PECAN CINNAMON ROLLS
Pecans – Grab the roasted pecans. They have a deeper, richer flavor and a crisper texture compared to raw nuts
Sugar – You’ll need brown sugar and confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar). I use light brown sugar to make the brioche dough and also the filling, but dark brown sugar works too. Confectioners’ sugar is also needed to make the cream cheese icing.
Salt – This helps to balance all the flavors.
Vanilla – A little bit of vanilla extract to enhance the flavor.
Cinnamon – For the flavor! It’s not cinnamon rolls without cinnamon!
Yeast – This recipe uses active dry yeast, but you can also use instant yeast and skip the rehydration process.
Flour – This recipe uses 2 types of flour, all-purpose flour, and bread flour. The higher gluten content in bread flour results in a more chewy texture, which is key to the best cinnamon rolls. If you only have all-purpose flour, you can replace the bread flour with all-purpose flour. If you are finding the dough will not pull away from the bowl, add 1 tablespoon up to 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour until the dough pulls away from the mixer bowl and is smooth.
Egg – This helps to emulsify the dough. The dough rises better with egg, creating large soft crumbs.
Butter – You can use either salted or unsalted butter. I prefer unsalted butter because I don’t want my buns to taste too salty. If you use salted butter, I recommend skipping the salt.
Heavy Cream – To make the a caramel gooey sauce to hold together the pecans and make the dough soft and fluffy.
Milk – Any kind of milk will work in this recipe, but for a super soft and fluffy dough, I recommend using whole milk!
BAKING TOOLS & EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED
(Check my favorite baking tools and equipment here!)
- 9 Inch square baking dish
- Parchment paper
- Stand mixer
- Mixing bowl
- Medium saucepan
- Rolling pin
- Sharp knife or dental floss
- Offset spatula
- Rubber spatula
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE THESE STICKY PECAN CINNAMON ROLLS
(Be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions)
STEP 1 – Make The Dough
Cut cold butter into cubes and heat the milk until warm, not hot. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine active dry yeast, 1 tablespoon of light brown sugar, and warm milk. Stir to combine and leave it for 10 to 15 minutes, or until foamy.
Add the bread flour, all-purpose flour, vanilla extract, salt, egg, and the remaining brown sugar to the yeast mixture, then mix with the dough hook attachment on low speed until just combined and a shaggy dough forms. Then add the butter cubes one piece at a time, and wait until incorporated before adding the next piece. After all of the butter has been added, turn the mixer speed to medium speed and knead the dough for about 10 minutes until the dough pulls away from the bowl, smooth, and elastic.
Flour your hands, remove the dough from the mixing bowl, and form the dough into a ball. Lightly grease a medium bowl with butter or cooking spray, and place the dough in it. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot for about 1,5 hour or until it doubled in size.
You can also cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot for about 20 minutes then put it in the fridge to rise slowly overnight. Continue the next step in the morning.
STEP 2 – Make the Sticky Pecans
Line a 9-inch baking dish with parchment paper and roughly chopped the roasted pecans. Set aside.
In a medium light-colored saucepan, cook the unsalted butter on medium heat. Stir the butter the entire time to keep it moving. Once melted, the butter will begin to crackle, foam, and sizzle around the edges. Make sure you keep stirring during this process, about 5 minutes.
After a couple of minutes, the butter will begin to brown and turn a nice light golden amber color on the bottom of the saucepan. It will smell intensely buttery and nutty. Immediately, add in light brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, heavy cream and salt. Cook over medium-low heat and bring to a gentle boil then reduce the heat to low. Whisk on low until the sugar has dissolved, just a few minutes.
Pour the hot brown butter caramel sauce into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with chopped pecans.
STEP 3 – Assemble the Rolls and bake
In a medium bowl, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
Punch the dough down and turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough into a 12×16-inch rectangle by using a rolling pin. Make sure the dough is smooth and evenly thick.
Use an offset spatula to spread the melted unsalted butter over the surface of the dough and evenly sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture on top. Starting with the long side, tightly roll up the dough to form a 16-inch long log. Using a sharp knife or dental floss, cut it into 9 even rolls.
Arrange them in the prepared pie dish, then cover and allow the rolls to rise for about 45 minutes or until nearly doubled in size. The dough will spring back lightly and a small indentation is left when poked gently with your finger.
Once the rolls have risen, preheat the oven to 350F then bake the Sticky Pecan Cinnamon Rolls in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until golden brown on top, then remove the rolls from the oven and allow them to slightly cool, about 7 minutes. Invert the rolls onto a serving plate while they’re still warm to let the glaze coat them beautifully. Enjoy warm!
TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST STICKY PECAN CINNAMON ROLLS
- Make sure your yeast is still active. Don’t skip the rehydration process, If the mixture bubbles and develops a yeasty aroma, the yeast is still good.
- Rise the dough overnight in the fridge, it makes the dough so much easier to roll into shape.
- Roughly chopped the pecans and make sure you’re using roasted pecans.
- When you brown the butter, use a light colored saucepan.
- Instead of slicing these rolls with a sharp knife, I prefer to use dental floss. Dental floss makes super clean cuts without squishing all the filling out.
- Measure flour correctly. When measuring the flour with cups, make sure to spoon and level the flour into your measuring cup. Do not scoop and pack the flour. By doing this, you will yield too much flour and make the dough dry. A kitchen scale is the best option, it’s so much more accurate than cup measurements, that’s why I always write the recipe with grams. 1 cup flour = 125 grams.
HOW TO SERVE AND STORE THESE STICKY PECAN CINNAMON ROLLS
I highly recommend enjoying these Sticky Pecan Cinnamon Rolls warm, fresh from the oven, or at least on the same day you bake them. It has the best texture and flavor on the first day.
If you want to keep them for later, place the rolls in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.
You can also freeze these sticky pecan cinnamon rolls. Wrap the leftover rolls in a layer of plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer-safe container or a zip-top bag. It will last for up to 2 months in the freezer.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
At which stage should I refrigerate the unbaked dough?
If you want the dough easier to work with, I recommend letting the dough chill in the fridge before rolling. After kneading your dough, let it rise for 20 to 30 minutes, then cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 5 hours. Then assemble and continue the process.
If you want to have freshly baked cinnamon rolls for breakfast fast. You can refrigerate the assembled rolls overnight. Assemble the rolls in the prepared baking pan, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, remove the rolls from the fridge, let them rise at room temperature, and continue the process.
How to tell when the dough is well-kneaded?
Take a small ball of the dough and stretch it into a thin sheet between your fingers. The dough will stretch into a thin film without breaking, and it must be thin enough to pass light through it.
If the dough quickly tears – you guessed it, keep kneading!
Can I make these Sticky Pecan Cinnamon Rolls all in one day?
You can make these Sticky Pecan Cinnamon Rolls in one day if you like, the dough needs to rise for about 1,5 hours at room temperature until it has doubled in size. But I recommend giving the dough a fridge rise overnight. It’s so much easier to roll it up into a tight log when the dough is cold.
Instant Yeast and Active Dry Yeast, What Is The Difference?
These two types of yeast can generally be used interchangeably, but Active Dry Yeast needs rehydration. Instant yeast can be mixed directly into dry ingredients, while active dry yeast must first be dissolved and rehydrated in warm water or milk until foamy.
Sticky Pecan Cinnamon Rolls
Super soft, slightly gooey, and perfectly sweet Sticky Pecan Cinnamon Rolls! These are best to enjoy while warm and dripping with sticky caramel-y bottom. Perfect for brunch or a cozy weekend breakfast.
Ingredients
Brioche Dough
- 120g (1/2 cup) whole milk, lukewarm
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 218g (1 + 3/4 cups, spoon and level method) all-purpose flour
- 125g (1 cup, spoon and level method) bread flour
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 85g (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
Sticky Pecans
- 187g (1+1/2 cups) roasted pecans, roughly chopped
- 113g (1 stick) unsalted butter, browned
- 220g (1 cup) light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- a pinch of salt
- 60g (1/4 cup) heavy cream
Cinnamon Sugar
- 56g (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 146g (2/3 cup) light brown sugar
- 50g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- a pinch of salt
Instructions
STEP 1 - Make The Dough
Cut cold butter into cubes and heat the milk until warm, not hot. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine active dry yeast, 1 tablespoon of light brown sugar, and warm milk. Stir to combine and leave it for 10 to 15 minutes, or until foamy.
Add the bread flour, all-purpose flour, vanilla extract, salt, egg, and the remaining brown sugar to the yeast mixture, then mix with the dough hook attachment on low speed until just combined and a shaggy dough forms. Then add the butter cubes one piece at a time, and wait until incorporated before adding the next piece. After all of the butter has been added, turn the mixer speed to medium speed and knead the dough for about 10 minutes until the dough pulls away from the bowl, smooth, and elastic.
Flour your hands, remove the dough from the mixing bowl, and form the dough into a ball. Lightly grease a medium bowl with butter or cooking spray, and place the dough in it. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot for about 1,5 hour or until it doubled in size.
You can also cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot for about 20 minutes then put it in the fridge to rise slowly overnight. Continue the next step in the morning.
STEP 2 - Make the Sticky Pecans
Line a 9-inch baking dish with parchment paper and roughly chopped the roasted pecans. Set aside.
In a medium light-colored saucepan, cook the unsalted butter on medium heat. Stir the butter the entire time to keep it moving. Once melted, the butter will begin to crackle, foam, and sizzle around the edges. Make sure you keep stirring during this process, about 5 minutes.
After a couple of minutes, the butter will begin to brown and turn a nice light golden amber color on the bottom of the saucepan. It will smell intensely buttery and nutty. Immediately, add in light brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, heavy cream and salt. Cook over medium-low heat and bring to a gentle boil then reduce the heat to low. Whisk on low until the sugar has dissolved, just a few minutes.
Pour the hot brown butter caramel sauce into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with chopped pecans.
STEP 3 - Assemble the Rolls and bake
In a medium bowl, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
Punch the dough down and turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough into a 12×16-inch rectangle by using a rolling pin. Make sure the dough is smooth and evenly thick.
Use an offset spatula to spread the melted unsalted butter over the surface of the dough and evenly sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture on top. Starting with the long side, tightly roll up the dough to form a 16-inch long log. Using a sharp knife or dental floss, cut it into 9 even rolls.
Arrange them in the prepared pie dish, then cover and allow the rolls to rise for about 45 minutes or until nearly doubled in size. The dough will spring back lightly and a small indentation is left when poked gently with your finger.
Once the rolls have risen, preheat the oven to 350F then bake the Sticky Pecan Cinnamon Rolls in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until golden brown on top, then remove the rolls from the oven and allow them to slightly cool, about 7 minutes. Invert the rolls onto a serving plate while they’re still warm to let the glaze coat them beautifully. Enjoy warm!
♡♡♡
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Send me a message or write a comment below.
Also, be sure to snap a picture and tag me on your social media posts with #thejobaker
Happy Baking!
Leave a Reply