Sticky Buns

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Gooey pecan sticky buns are a classic breakfast treat! They’re a great breakfast for brunch or special mornings with the whole family.

Making something special for breakfast is one of my favorite things. Granted, my kids usually sleep past breakfast on their days off now, but they still welcome a plate of something delicious when they finally roll out.

A few years ago I shared a recipe for sticky bun muffins, but I realized I’ve never shared actual sticky buns! 

Sticky buns can seem intimidating to make, but they’re very similar to making cinnamon rolls, with a couple of extra steps. Enriched dough is filled, rolled, and nestled into a bed of caramel sauce and pecans. Flip it out after baking and you have perfectly gooey, nutty buns ready to impress the table!

Plus, this recipe can be made ahead to save time in the morning. Prep it up to the second rise, then pop into the fridge. When you wake up, let it rise while you preheat the oven (and make a cup of coffee), then bake. 

What are you waiting for? The perfect breakfast treat is here!

Ingredients for sticky buns

Full list of ingredients including quantities is located in the recipe card.

You’ll need:

• All-purpose flour
• Granulated sugar
• Brown sugar
• Unsalted butter, softened
• Eggs (use room temperature eggs!)
• Instant yeast
• Whole milk, warmed to 110°F
• Cinnamon
• Maple syrup
• Pecans
• Salt

Measure the flour by spooning into the measuring cup, then leveling. Do not scoop directly into the flour, which will pack it in more tightly. If you can, use a scale to measure.

Using dark brown sugar will give a deeper flavor thanks to the extra molasses, but regular/light brown sugar works as well.

Whole milk will give the best result for this dough. If all you have is 2%, that is OK—the dough will be slightly less rich.

When warming the milk, make sure it is not too hot, or it will kill the yeast. It should be just 110°-115°F, which will feel warm to the touch but not hot. An instant-read thermometer is helpful for getting the right temperature, especially if you’re new to making bread doughs. You can warm the milk in a saucepan over low heat, or use the microwave in 30-second increments until it’s at the right temperature.

Equipment

I highly recommend using a stand mixer with a dough hook for this recipe. This will make kneading the dough much easier. If you are doing it by hand, note that this dough will be quite wet at first, but resist the temptation to add too much flour.

You will also need a round 9-inch cake pan for baking the buns. A deep-dish pie plate with straighter sides can also work, but keep in mind ceramic pans are a little harder to flip out the buns than a lightweight cake pan.

Don’t use a regular pie plate; it is likely too shallow and the dough could spill out the sides during rising or baking.

How to make this recipe

Gather the ingredients. Make sure your butter is softened and your milk is warmed to 110°-115°F.

In a large liquid measuring cup or a mixing bowl, whisk together the milk and yeast, then whisk in the eggs. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together all of the flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Attach the dough hook and turn mixer to Low. While mixing, pour in the milk mixture.

Let it mix for 1 minute, then add the butter, a few pieces at a time, until it is full incorporated into the dough.

The dough will be very wet at this point! Increase the speed on the mixer to medium and let it mix for 10 minutes.

If the dough still seems too wet, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time, up to 1/4 cup. You want the dough to be soft, but not too sticky to handle. Note that the brand of flour you use, the humidity in your kitchen, and other factors can all affect the dough, so be patient and do not add too much flour at once.

Lightly grease a bowl with a neutral oil like vegetable or avocado and transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and allow to rise in a draft-free place until doubled in size. This can take anywhere from 1 to 2 hours.

While the dough is rising, make the topping for the buns. 

Lightly grease a 9-inch cake pan, then cover the bottom with a layer of roughly chopped pecans.

Combine the butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, and salt in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Stir occasionally until it comes to a boil. Let it boil for just 1-2 minutes, until the bubbles get larger and look thicker, then remove from the heat and pour evenly over the pecans in the cake pan. Set aside.

When the dough has risen enough, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl for the filling.

Lightly flour a clean countertop and knead the dough for just a few minutes. Roll into a 10-inch square and spread the softened butter evenly on top, reaching all the way to the edges. Sprinkle on the brown sugar cinnamon.

Roll up the dough tightly, then cut into 8 equal pieces. Set into the prepared cake pan, cut-side up. Loosely cover with plastic or a kitchen towel and let rise until very puffy and almost doubled (about 1 hour). While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.

When ready to bake, set the cake pan on a rimmed baking sheet (to catch any spilled topping) and bake for 45-50 minutes. The center roll should feel firm, and if you’re using a digital thermometer it should reach 190°F in the center.

Let the rolls cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then run a thin knife around the edge and carefully flip the whole pan onto a serving platter. Any topping that sticks to the pan can be scraped off and spooned back onto the buns.

Serve immediately; these are at their best when warm and gooey!

To make ahead

If you want to prep these sticky buns the night before, make the recipe up to the point of the second rise (after filling and placing in the pan). 

Cover with plastic wrap and place the pan in the refrigerator. Chill overnight.

When ready to bake, remove from the fridge. Let rise on the counter until the dough has reached the top of the pan (about 1 hour), then remove the plastic wrap and bake as directed.

Serve these sticky buns with a bacon, egg, and cheese tater tot casserole and you’ve got the best holiday breakfast ever!

Sticky Buns

With a maple brown sugar topping, these sticky buns are a crowd-pleasing breakfast for any special day!

Author : Megan Myers

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Prep Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Servings 8

Calories 814 kcal

Ingredients

 

US Customary – Metric

 

1/2x1x2x3x

For the dough:

• 3/4 cup whole milk, warmed (110-115°F)
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast, 1 packet
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 19 ounces, plus more if needed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed and softened

For the topping:

• 1 cup pecans, very coarsely chopped
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

For the filling:

• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Directions

Prepare the dough:

• In a large liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk and yeast, followed by the eggs.
  3/4 cup whole milk, 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast, 3 large eggs
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Attach the dough hook, turn the mixer on low speed and add the warm milk mixture. Allow the ingredients to combine for 60 seconds, then add the butter in pieces until it’s fully incorporated. The dough will be very wet; increase the speed to medium and continue mixing for 10 minutes.
  4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• If the dough still seems wet, add up to another 1/4 cup of flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. The dough should be soft and delicate but not too sticky to handle. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled large bowl (use a neutral oil such as vegetable or avocado) and cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to double in size, 1-2 hours.

Prepare the topping:

• While the dough is rising, prepare the topping. Lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan and top evenly with the pecans. Heat the butter, brown sugar, maple syrup and salt in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil.
  1 cup pecans, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• Cook for 1-2 minutes (until the bubbles start getting larger and thicker), then remove from then heat and immediately pour the mixture evenly into the prepared cake pan.

Assemble and bake the rolls:

• Make the filling: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
  1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• Once the dough has risen, knead briefly on a lightly floured surface and roll into a 10-inch square. Spread the softened butter on top of the dough and sprinkle evenly with the filling.
  3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Roll the dough up tightly and then cut into 8 even slices. Place them in the pan, cut side up. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, and let rise until almost doubled, about 1 hour. To make ahead: place in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours or overnight. When you’re ready to bake, remove the pan from the refrigerator and let rise on the counter until the dough has reached the top of the pan, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment (in case the topping bubbles over) and bake until the center roll is lightly browned and feels firm, and a digital thermometer inserted into the center reads 190 degrees F, 45-50 minutes.
• Remove the rolls from the oven and cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the outside. Turn the buns out onto a serving platter. If any of the topping remains in the pan, use a spoon or spatula to transfer it onto the sticky buns.

Notes

• Prep time includes rising.

Nutrition

Calories: 814 kcalCarbohydrates: 99 gProtein: 13 gFat: 42 gSaturated Fat: 21 gCholesterol: 144 mgSodium: 628 mgPotassium: 283 mgFiber: 5 gSugar: 40 gIron: 4 mg

Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate based on online calculators. Any nutritional information found on Stetted should be used as a general guideline only.

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