If you are looking for a breakfast to feed a crowd, then look no further! These delicious pecan caramel rolls are a real crowd pleaser and perfect for Christmas morning! Sticky and sweet, these rolls are made from scratch and are hands down delicious!
Pecan Sticky Buns
Get ready for one delicious breakfast treat! Made from scratch, these sweet rolls are sure to disappear quickly!
These pecan caramel rolls are great any time of the year, but they make for one tasty bite to serve up on Christmas morning. They are sure to keep hungry bellies feeling full until the main feast!
Be sure to try my Cinnamon Rolls and Homemade Crescent Rolls too!
Why You’ll Love this Sweet Rolls Recipe:
- KID-FRIENDLY: These pecan caramel rolls are sure to please even the pickiest of eaters, especially those with a sweet tooth!
- EASY: These rolls do take a little time to make as they are made from scratch, but the methods to make them are simple. It’s worth that little bit of extra effort, I promise!
- MAKE AHEAD: You can easily prepare these rolls the night before and bake them in the morning for a delicious bite.
If you’re looking to impress friends and family, these pecan caramel rolls tick all the right boxes!
How to Make Pecan Caramel Rolls
You can jump to the recipe card for full ingredients & instructions!
- Combine the milk, sugar, and butter.
- Whisk in the yeast and eggs.
- Knead the dough whilst slowly adding leftover melted butter.
- Place the dough into an oiled bowl and allow to rise.
- Make the caramel filling.
- Once risen, roll out the dough.
- Spread the filling over the dough with a knife and roll it into a log.
- Cut the log into rolls and place in a prepared pan and rest.
- Bake until golden brown.
These make a great change to the traditional cinnamon rolls you usually make. They are more sticky and the pecans add a great crunch!
We use instant yeast in this recipe. Instant yeast can be mixed straight into the other ingredients without being activated first.
While sweet enough on their own, frosting is always a good idea! If you serve them top-side up (like they come out of the oven), a thick slather of frosting would be delicious. If you serve them bottom side up, the sticky caramel on the bottom acts like an icing.
You can easily make up these rolls the night before ready to bake the next morning. Cut the rolls and place in a baking dish and cover. They will then be ready to bake from fresh the next day.
These pecan cinnamon rolls are one delicious homemade recipe. I love that you can prep them the day before, so all you have to do in the morning is pop them into the oven.
Tips!
- If you decide to frost these rolls, I recommend a homemade maple frosting or a traditional cream cheese icing.
- The dough should be soft and elastic when you have finished kneading it.
- Don’t skip on the rising times, this is key to serving up light and fluffy breakfast rolls.
This is one crowd-pleasing breakfast! Skip the canned rolls, because these are so much better!
Can I use walnuts instead of pecans?
Absolutley! Other chopped nuts like almonds would also work great if you prefer!
Can I use bread flour?
While you can make these with bread flour, it’s best not to. Bread flour has more protein in it which can cause the rolls to be heavy and dense rather than light and fluffy.
What is the best way to reheat these rolls?
Leftovers can be stored at room temperature of in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat them in the oven at 360F for 5 to 10 minutes to heat them through to serve.
More Holiday Breakfast Recipes We Love
- Sausage Breakfast Casserole
- Morning Glory Muffins
- Cheesy Baked Breakfast Sliders
- Crockpot Breakfast Casserole
These pecan caramel rolls are a must-have breakfast recipe for those of us with a sweet tooth! Perfectly sticky, it’s hard to stop at one!
More Sweet Roll Recipes to Try:
- Orange Rolls
- Classic Sticky Buns
- Cinnamon Roll Bread
- Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
- Cinnamon Roll Cake
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy! You can also jump to recipe.
Pecan Caramel Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 cup milk 227 grams, warm (105-115°F)
- ½ cup unsalted butter 113 grams, room temperature and divided (1 stick)
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100 grams
- 2½ teaspoons instant yeast 7 grams (1 envelope)
- 2 large eggs 100 grams, room temperature
- 4½ cups all-purpose flour 540 grams, plus more as needed
For the Topping/Filling
- ¾ cup brown sugar 160 grams
- ¾ cup unsalted butter 170 grams, melted and warm (1½ sticks)
- 1 cup chopped pecans 114 grams
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 9 grams
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Recommended Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a large bowl, combine the warm milk with the sugar and ¼ cup of the butter. Stir to combine. The butter should melt while combining.1 cup milk, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup unsalted butter
- Add the yeast and eggs and whisk together. Add 4½ cups of flour. Use a wooden spoon to incorporate. The dough should be thick.2½ teaspoons instant yeast, 2 large eggs, 4½ cups all-purpose flour
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface and add the remaining ¼ cup of butter, 1 tablespoon at a time (4 tablespoons total), kneading well after each addition. Knead the dough for 8 minutes, or until the it is elastic and soft. If it’s too sticky, add a little extra flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Spray the inside of a glass bowl with cooking oil spray, then place the dough inside, flipping to coat the ball. Cover the bowl, place it in a warm place, and allow the dough to rise (it should double in size) for about 2 hours.
- While the dough rises, make the filling: Mix the melted butter, brown sugar, spices, and chopped pecans in a small bowl. The mixture should resemble a thick caramel.¾ cup brown sugar, ¾ cup unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 cup chopped pecans
- Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a 20×16-inch rectangle.
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan. Spread ⅓ of the filling into the bottom of the prepared pan. Set aside.
- Spread the remaining filling over the rolled-out dough, leaving a 1-inch gap at one long edge. Roll up the dough, jelly-roll style, starting at the long end. Use a knife to cut the dough log into 12 large rolls and place them side-by-side on top of the filling coating the bottom of the prepared pan. Cover the baking pan and allow the rolls to rise for 40-60 minutes.
- While the rolls are rising, preheat oven to 400°F.
- Once the rolls have doubled in size, bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before serving. Drizzle with icing (store bought or homemade) if desired.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- If you decide to frost these rolls, I recommend a homemade maple frosting or a traditional cream cheese icing.
- The dough should be soft and elastic when you have finished kneading it.
- Don’t skip on the rising times, this is key to serving up light and fluffy breakfast rolls.
Nutrition Information
So…if I wanted to give these as gifts for employees, would you bake them first then have the rolls reheated or would you give them as unbaked with instructions or how to bake?
Bake first!