Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns

Course: Breakfast / Brunch

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 30

Proof (Rising) Time: 1 10

Total Time: 2

Servings:

Calories: 570kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

Soft, cinnamon-swirled sticky buns bake in a cast-iron skillet over gooey caramel and pecans, then flip out beautifully for a warm, irresistible treat.

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Equipment

Stand mixer (see NOTES about making the dough without a mixer)
12-inch cast-iron skillet or 9x13 baking pan

Ingredients

For the Dough

¾ cup whole milk warm, 105 to 115°F
2¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
¼ cup sugar
2 large eggs room temperature
6 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
4-4½ cups all-purpose flour
cooking spray

For the Cinnamon Filling

¾ cup brown sugar light
1½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt

For the Caramel Pecan Topping

½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick, plus extra for greasing the pan
¾ cup brown sugar light
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ cup honey
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup pecans roughly chopped, add more if desired

For Assembly

½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick, room temperature

Instructions

In the bowl of your stand mixer, stir the warm milk, yeast, and a pinch of the sugar together. Let stand for 5–10 minutes, until foamy. If it doesn’t foam, the yeast may be inactive, or the milk may have been too hot.
¾ cup whole milk, 2¼ tsp active dry yeast, ¼ cup sugar
Whisk in the remaining sugar, eggs, melted butter, and salt. Add 4 cups of flour and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Add the dough attachment and mix for 5–7 minutes on medium, adding flour a tablespoon at a time only if the dough is very sticky. It should be soft and slightly tacky. If kneading by hand, knead for 8 to 10 minutes.
2 large eggs, 6 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 tsp fine sea salt, 4-4½ cups all-purpose flour
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl (greased with cooking spray) or proofing container, turn to coat, and cover. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1–1½ hours.
cooking spray
While the dough is rising, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt for the filling in a medium bowl. Set aside.
¾ cup brown sugar, 1½ tbsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp salt
During the final 15 minutes of proofing, melt the butter (1 stick) in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, cream, honey, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour into a greased 12-inch cast-iron skillet or 9-by-13-inch baking dish and scatter the pecans evenly over the caramel.
½ cup unsalted butter, ¾ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup heavy cream, ¼ cup honey, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla extract, ½ cup pecans
Roll the risen dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 16 by 12 inches. Spread with the soft butter, then sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon-sugar mixture and chopped pecans.
½ cup unsalted butter
Starting from the long side, roll the dough into a snug log. Pinch the seam closed. Cut into 12 rolls with a sharp knife, then arrange them over the caramel topping. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until puffy and nearly doubled, about 30–45 minutes. Toward the end of the rise, heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 25–30 minutes, until the rolls are golden and the centers are cooked through. If they brown too quickly, loosely tent the pan with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes.
Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan. Place a large serving platter over the dish and, using oven mitts, flip the pan over so the caramel and pecans coat the rolls. Lift off the baking dish. Serve warm.

Video

Notes

NOTE: Watch the video in the recipe card for visual guidance.

If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, use a greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
If you don't have a stand mixer, stir the dough together in a large bowl, then knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes, until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. Add flour sparingly to keep the buns soft.
Set the skillet on a foil-lined baking sheet in case the caramel bubbles over.
For overnight prep, cover the shaped buns and refrigerate; let them sit at room temperature until puffy before baking.
Invert the buns onto a platter after a brief rest, while the caramel is still warm and fluid. Use oven mitts—the skillet and caramel will be very hot.

Nutrition