Sticky Buns are a sweet and delicious breakfast that the whole family will enjoy! This caramel pecan sticky bun recipe is a classic, and it’s sure to bring everyone together around the breakfast table. They are perfect for Christmas morning, or as a special weekend treat!
Pecan Sticky Buns
These sticky buns are the best breakfast! They’re filled with cinnamon and baked with a tasty caramel pecan topping. They come out gooey, sweet, and absolutely delicious!
Everyone will be jumping out of bed to eat these pecan sticky buns. I love making them for Christmas morning, Easter breakfast, or just for a special little treat on the weekend. They make a great dessert too, so keep any leftovers for later!
Why You’ll Love this Sticky Buns Recipe:
- SWEET AND DELICIOUS: The pecan caramel glaze is super sweet, and it adds the perfect touch to these rolls.
- FAMILY FAVORITE: These sticky buns are always a hit! They will quickly become a family favorite in your home, just like they are here.
- OVERNIGHT BREAKFAST: You can prep this recipe the day before, and keep them refrigerated until ready to bake. This will make breakfast so much easier!
These upside-down sticky buns are basically the stickier cousin to cinnamon rolls. The brown sugar caramel glaze makes them extra tasty, but also a little messier. Grab some forks and napkins, then chow down!
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How to Make Sticky Buns
You can jump to the recipe card for full ingredients & instructions!
- Dough: Start by activating the yeast, then make the dough. Place it in a bowl, cover, and let it rise. Then refrigerate it until ready to move to the next step.
- Pecan Topping: While the dough rests on the counter, make the topping on the stove. Then pour the topping into the prepared baking pans.
- Rolls: Make the cinnamon filling. Then roll out the dough, and cover it with the filling. Roll it into a cylinder, then cut them into individual rolls.
- Second Rise: Place the rolls into the baking pans. Cover and let them rise.
- Bake: Bake sticky buns for 30-35 minutes, at 350F.
- Serve: Let them cool slightly, then turn the pan upside down to release the rolls. Give them a few more minutes to cool before serving. Enjoy!
Ingredient & Recipe Notes
- Pans: Use two, round 9-inch baking pans for best results.
- Yeast: Be sure to use active dry yeast here, not instant. The water needs to be between 110-115°F to properly activate the yeast.
- Pie Spice: Use apple pie spice for best results, or use a mix of cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg.
- Dough: When rolling out the dough to prepare for the cinnamon filling, you want it to be ⅓ in thick. The overall size of the rectangle is not as important as the thickness.
Christmas Morning Faves
34+ Christmas Morning Recipes
Nothing better than waking up to an amazing (and easy) breakfast bright and early on Christmas.
Sticky buns are denser, contain nuts (pecans), and use a glazed topping rather than frosting. They’re also made “upside down”, so you’ll need to invert them after baking. Cinnamon rolls, on the other hand, are much lighter and fluffier, are mainly all about the cinnamon, and use a frosting or icing to top them off.
These sticky buns have a syrupy caramel pecan topping instead of a frosting like you’d expect from cinnamon rolls. So no, they are not typically frosted.
Since these are so sticky, the easiest way to store leftovers is to cover the plate of buns with aluminum foil, then keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.
The flavor here is similar, but the sticky buns are baked with a syrupy topping, and the texture is a bit different. The pecan caramel rolls are more like traditional cinnamon rolls, just with added pecans!
The pecans here are great, but you can certainly use a different type of nut if you prefer. Try walnuts, or skip the nuts entirely if you like.
Serving Suggestions
Cinnamon pecan sticky buns are quite dense and rich, so they will be pretty filling on their own. But I like having some lighter additions to the table, like fruit and yogurt, to help balance out the meal. More importantly, I like having a delicious coffee drink by my side to complement this sweet breakfast!
Christmas Morning Faves
34+ Christmas Morning Recipes
Nothing better than waking up to an amazing (and easy) breakfast bright and early on Christmas.
I always make a special breakfast for the holidays, and these feel like the start of a new tradition. Even on a regular day, these will make it feel like an extra special day!
Tips!
- Waxed dental floss is the best method to slice through the dough neatly and cleanly. Otherwise, use a serrated knife to cut.
- If the sticky buns are browning too fast in the oven, loosely cover them with foil that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.
- Be sure to spray the pans generously with non-stick spray to prevent sticking!
- You can make these in a square baking pan if needed. The round pans just create the best results, in my experience.
When you flip the pan upside down to release the sticky buns, you’ll get a glimpse of that delicious pecan topping! You want to eat them hot for the best flavor, but give them just a few minutes to cool before serving.
Where should dough rise?
The dough needs to rise two separate times. This should be done in a warm spot.
Choose a warm corner in your kitchen, or set it on top of the stove. You can also briefly warm the oven (just a couple of minutes at a low temp), turn it off, and let the dough rise in there. I find I only need to do this in the winter, when the kitchen is much cooler.
Can I make sticky buns ahead of time?
The dough needs to rise multiple times, so you will definitely need to prep this recipe ahead of time. After the first rise, you can simply keep the dough refrigerated overnight, or until ready to move on to the next step.
For another overnight option: Once you fully prep the sticky buns (with the topping and buns in the pan), cover the pans with plastic wrap, and keep those refrigerated overnight (or until ready to bake). Let them sit at room temperature in the morning while the oven preheats, then bake.
What can I use instead of corn syrup?
You can replace the corn syrup with other sweet syrupy ingredients, like maple syrup, agave, or honey.
More Homemade Bread Recipes We Love
- Apple Pie Monkey Bread
- Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Glazed Lemon Cranberry Bread
- Butterscotch Monkey Bread
This pecan sticky buns recipe has become a fast favorite. Everyone (kids, guests, me) loves these sweet, glazed, cinnamon-filled rolls. A breakfast favorite for holidays and beyond!
More Holiday Breakfast Recipes to Try:
- Orange Rolls
- Hot Cross Buns
- Biscuits and Gravy Casserole
- Blueberry Sheet Pan Pancakes
- Chocolate Donuts
- Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
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.
Sticky Buns (Caramel Pecan) Recipe
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Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast 9 grams
- 1¼ cups water 284 grams, warm (110°F-115°F) and divided
- 4½-5 cups all-purpose flour 540-600 grams, divided
- 3 large eggs 150 grams, room temperature and lightly beaten
- ½ cup vegetable shortening 92 grams, melted (½ stick)
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100 grams
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 grams
For the Cinnamon Sugar Filling
- 1½ cups unsalted butter 339 grams, melted (3 sticks)
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
- 1 cup dark brown sugar 213 grams
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon 27 grams
- 2 tablespoons apple pie spice 18 grams
For the Pecan Topping
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter 170 grams, melted (1½ sticks)
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar 160 grams
- ¾ cup granulated sugar 150 grams
- ½ cup dark corn syrup 156 grams
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 grams
- ¼ cup water 57 grams
- 2 cups chopped pecans 228 grams, toasted
Recommended Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Instructions
- Lightly whisk the yeast and ¼ cup warm water in a liquid measuring cup. Let stand for 5 minutes.1 tablespoon active dry yeast, 1¼ cups water
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the yeast mixture, remaining 1 cup warm water, 2 cups of flour, eggs, melted shortening, sugar, and salt together. Beat for 2 minutes, or until the mixture starts to form a soft dough.4½-5 cups all-purpose flour, 3 large eggs, ½ cup vegetable shortening, ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Slowly add enough of the remaining flour (usually about 2½-3 cups more) and mix just until it is incorporated.
- Spray (or butter) the inside of a glass bowl with nonstick spray, then place the dough inside, flipping to coat the ball. Cover the bowl, place it in a proofing oven or warm place, and allow the dough to rise (it should double in size) for about 1-1½ hours.
- After the dough has risen, punch it down, cover, and refrigerate it for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- When ready to make the rolls, remove the dough from the refrigerator, punch it down again, and divide it in half. Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap to keep it from drying out.
- Spray two 9-inch baking pans or cake pans with nonstick spray.
- Make the pecan topping while the dough rests on the countertop. In a small medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, salt, and water together until the mixture is smooth.12 tablespoons unsalted butter, ¾ cup dark brown sugar, ¾ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup dark corn syrup, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ cup water
- Pour an equal amount of the pecan topping into the prepared pans (about 348 grams per pan). Sprinkle half of the chopped pecans onto the pecan topping (1 cup in each pan).2 cups chopped pecans
- Make the cinnamon sugar filling before rolling out the dough. Melt 1½ cups (3 sticks) of butter in a microwave safe bowl. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the sugars, cinnamon, and pie spice together. Set aside.1½ cups unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup dark brown sugar, 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 2 tablespoons apple pie spice
- Place half of the dough on a lightly floured work surface and knead it about 5 times to smooth it out. Roll the dough into a large rectangle, ⅓-inch thick, allowing it to rest periodically until it stops pulling back. Slightly stretch the corners to make an even rectangle about 18×15-inches in size. If the size of the rectangle is smaller, that’s okay – it’s more important the dough is ⅓ inch thick and in a rectangular shape.
- Brush 12 tablespoons of melted butter evenly over the dough. Sprinkle with half of the cinnamon-sugar filling, leaving a ½ inch border around the dough without cinnamon sugar.
- Beginning at the long edge nearest you, roll the dough (not too tightly) into a cylinder. Pinch the long seam to seal it and position the cylinder so the pinched seam is down. Trim off about ½ inch of dough on each end of the dough cylinder.
- Use waxed dental floss to cut the dough into rolls, about 1½ inches thick. To slice with floss, hold a 10-inch length of floss taut and slide it underneath the dough cylinder. Pull up the floss and cross the ends of it over each other and gently pull until the dough is cut through. Repeat. (If you don’t have floss, use a serrated knife and gently saw the dough into rolls.)
- Transfer the rolls, cut-side down, to the prepared pan with ½ inch between each roll.
- Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and let rise until rolls are puffy, about doubled in size, and touching each other, 45-90 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil and place it on the lowest rack in the oven to catch any drippings.
- Once the rolls have risen, remove the plastic wrap and place the rolls in the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the internal temperature registers 200°F on an instant-read thermometer. If the buns are browning too quickly, loosely cover with sprayed foil.
- Remove from the oven and let the rolls cool for 5 minutes.
- Very carefully invert the rolls onto a large serving plate (a plate larger than the baking pans). Be very careful when inverting the rolls – the glaze (at the bottom of each pan) is extremely hot and gooey at this point.
- Allow the rolls to cool for about 5-8 minutes before serving.
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
- Use two, round 9-inch baking pans for best results.
- Be sure to spray the pans generously with nonstick spray to prevent sticking!
- You can make these in a square baking pan if needed. The round pans just create the best results, in my experience.
- Be sure to use active dry yeast here, not instant. The water needs to be between 110-115°F to properly activate the yeast.
- Use apple pie spice for best results, or use a mix of cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg.
- When rolling out the dough to prepare for the cinnamon filling, you want it to be ⅓-inch thick. The overall size of the rectangle is not as important as the thickness.
- Waxed dental floss is the best method to slice through the dough neatly and cleanly. Otherwise, use a serrated knife to cut.
- If the sticky buns are browning too fast in the oven, loosely cover them with foil that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.
Nutrition Information
This is a wonderful recipe and would have a five-star review if it weren’t for a crazy typo – as written, the recipe calls for “5 t Salt” to be added to the dough. I believe it should read “1.5 t salt.” Thankfully, I know enough about baking to know NOT to add that much salt :)
Wow, good catch! I’m not sure how that one slipped by! We have updated the recipe!