Cinnamon rolls are great, but maple pecan sticky buns are even better…
This beauty is essentially a fluffy cinnamon roll baked over a rich maple caramel sauce filled with pecans and once they are baked, they are flipped over onto a plate so all of that gooey maple pecan goodness is on top.
They are perfection and technically can be enjoyed as breakfast, brunch, an afternoon snack or dessert.
Let’s get started…
Begin by making my favorite cinnamon roll dough. You can see a full walk through of this process in my cinnamon roll recipe and of course I have step-by-step instructions below, but here is a quick version…
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- Step #1 – bloom the yeast by whisking a big pinch of granulated sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons of active dry yeast into 1/2 cup of warm whole milk and set it aside until it is frothy
- Step #2 – once the yeast has bloomed, add a cup of bread flour, a large egg, 3 tablespoons of melted butter, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, a pinch of salt and mix until smooth
- Step #3 – add the remaining cup of bread flour, knead the dough until it is smooth and a little tacky
- Step #4 – transfer the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl and let the dough rest in a warm place until it has double in volume
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While the dough is proofing, place a 10″ oven safe skillet over medium heat. Add 6 tablespoons of butter, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1/4 cup of pure maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of heavy cream, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and a pinch of salt and bring everything to a simmer.
Once simmering, let it cook for about 2 minutes while whisking occasionally to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom or sides of the skillet. Transfer the skillet off of the heat.
Spread 1 1/4 cups of chopped pecans over the mixture and let it cool until the dough is ready for the next step.
Once the dough has doubled in volume, transfer it onto a floured surface and roll into a rectangle around 10″ wide and 12″ long.
Spread 3 tablespoons of softened butter over the dough and then sprinkle a mixture of 1/3 cup of brown sugar and a teaspoon of ground cinnamon over the butter.
Roll the dough tightly starting on the longer end and use a sharp knife or dental floss to divide the roll into 6 equal portions.
Place the 6 rolls over the maple pecan topping, cover the skillet with plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm place for about 45 minutes.
Once they have puffed back up, bake the rolls in a 350 degree oven for 24-26 minutes or until they are all puffy and golden brown.
Let the rolls rest for about 10 minutes and then carefully invert the skillet over a serving plate.
Note: Be sure that the plate is larger than the skillet, because all of that maple pecan topping will flow over the edges of the rolls as soon as they are inverted and it will be sort of like lava and we don’t need maple lava on our countertop, floor or fingers.
Would you look at these beautiful buns? They are so tender and that maple caramel topping is absolutely perfect with all of the crunchy pecan pieces in there… total sweet perfection.
These rolls are just wonderful. Fluffy, sweet, sticky and so very satisfying.
They are the perfect way to start a day, end a day, celebrate a day or welcome guests, so keep this recipe on hand, because you are going to love them…
Maple Pecan Sticky Buns
Ingredients
The Dough...
- 1/2 cup of whole milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup of granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons of butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 cups of bread flour
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
The Filling...
- 3 tablespoons of butter, softened
- 1/3 cup of brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
The Maple Pecan Topping...
- 1 1/4 cups of pecans, chopped
- 6 tablespoons of butter
- 1/2 cup of brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup of pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon of heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
- a pinch of salt
Instructions
Make the dough...
- In a small dish, whisk 1 1/2 teaspoons of active dry yeast and about 1/2 teaspoon of granulated sugar into 1/2 cup of warm whole milk. Set aside for about 5 minutes or until frothy
- In a large bowl, add 1 cup of the bread flour along with 1 large egg, 3 tablespoons of melted butter, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and the yeast mixture and mix until smooth
- Add the remaining cup of bread flour and mix until a soft dough forms
- Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until soft, smooth and elastic
- Transfer the dough into a lightly oiled bowl and roll it over a few times to ensure that the outer surface is lightly coated
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rest in a warm place for 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size
Prep the maple pecan topping...
- Place a 10" oven safe saucepan over medium heat and bring 6 tablespoons of butter, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, packed, 1/4 cup of pure maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of heavy cream, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and a pinch of salt up to a low simmer
- Simmer for 2 minutes and transfer off of the heat
- Spread 1 1/4 cups of chopped pecans over the mixture and set aside to cool for now
Prep the rolls...
- Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently roll into an evenly thick rectangle about 10” wide and 12” long
- Spread 3 tablespoons of softened butter over the surface
- Combine 1/3 cup of brown sugar and a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and sprinkle with evenly over the butter
- Roll the dough tightly from the longer end
- Use a sharp knife or unscented dental floss to divide the roll into 6 even portions
- Place the rolls over the maple pecan mixture
- Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and let the rolls rest in a warm place for about 45 minutes
Bake & serve...
- Preheat your oven to 350°
- Once the rolls are nice and puffy, uncover and bake in a 350° oven for 24-26 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown
- Transfer the rolls out of the oven and let them rest for 5-10 minutes
- Carefully invert the rolls onto a serving dish and enjoy warm
