Caramel pecan sticky buns are an ooey gooey cinnamon roll with all the good stuff baked on. They are a perfect special occasion breakfast.
These yummy caramel pecan sticky buns feature soft dough, yummy cinnamon filling, gooey caramel, and pecans. This recipe has been a favorite in our family for decades and is sure to become a favorite of yours as well.
Whether you are looking for a show stopping holiday breakfast or a way to make any weekend more special, this caramel roll recipe is sure to do it. They are worth every bit of effort.
MiMi used to make a recipe that is double this size. She would be pecans in one pan and not the other, so people who don’t like nuts could have plain sticky buns.
You can do the same thing. They are so good, having 2 pans shouldn’t be a problem!
Or you can just put pecans in half the pan or leave them out entirely.
That is the beauty of making your own food. You can do it however you like it!
Make Them Extra Sticky
MiMi loves to double the caramel recipe. It makes the sticky buns extra gooey and delicious. If you like more ooey gooey than these pictures show, I would suggest you do the same!
How to Turn Out Homemade Pecan Caramel Rolls
The key to the success of these rolls is getting them out of the pan at the right time. You want the caramel to be just the right consistency.
If you turn them out too soon, the caramel will be too thin and will try to run off your platter.
If you wait too long, the caramel will be too thick, and the sticky buns will live up to their name and stick to the pan.
Let these beauties cool for about 5 minutes before inverting them. That should give the caramel a chance to set a bit without making them stick.
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If you have a large platter, you can go ahead and put it on top of your pan and flip it over. They should fall right out of the pan and onto the platter.
Otherwise, line a sheet pan with some parchment paper and invert the caramel rolls onto that. The nice thing about using a pan is that you can give it a tap on the counter if you need to help coax your rolls out.
Scrape any caramel that remained in the pan onto the rolls. You want to enjoy every last drop!
How do you reheat caramel pecan rolls?
Of course these buns are best enjoyed while they are warm and fresh. That way, the caramel is gooey and delicious.
They are also really tasty at room temperature. But, if you want to revive that gooey warm goodness, just put a roll in the microwave for about 12 seconds, and you would be right back to peak goodness.
How do you store homemade cinnamon rolls?
You can store any extra caramel pecan rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the baked rolls for up to 3 months.
Technically, you can refrigerate them for up to a week, but refrigerating baked goods like this is generally not recommended. The cold air dries them out and makes them taste stale more quickly.
More Decadent Breakfast Recipes
If you are in the mood for sticky buns but don’t have the time to make them from scratch, easy maple sticky buns may be for you. They use canned cinnamon roll dough and a sticky maple caramel sauce to give you something spectacular in a fraction of the time.
Or try my potato dough cinnamon rolls for the softest cinnamon rolls you’ve ever had. They taste a lot like Cinnabon with their almost doughy center.
Check out my collection of cinnamon roll recipes for more inspiration or take a look at my breakfast ideas to round out the meal.
Caramel Pecan Rolls
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 3 Tablespoons cornmeal
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3½ – 4 cups all-purpose flour divided
- 2½ teaspoons active dry yeast 1 package
- 1 large egg
Carmel Topping
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ½ cup chopped pecans optional
Cinnamon Filling
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Dough
- In a medium saucepan, combine milk, water, sugar, butter, cornmeal, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and let cool to about 120℉.1 cup whole milk, ¼ cup water, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 3 Tablespoons cornmeal, ¼ cup butter, 1 teaspoon salt
- In your mixer bowl, combined 1 cup of flour and yeast.2½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- Add cooled wet ingredients from the saucepan. Mix on low until smooth.
- Add egg and ½ cup more flour. Mix on low speed for 1 minute.1 large egg
- Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough, about 2 more cups.
- Knead for 6-8 minutes.
- Place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
Caramel Topping
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Melt the butter, milk, and sugar together in a medium saucepan over medium heat.1 cup light brown sugar, ¼ cup butter, ¼ cup whole milk
- Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once the mixture comes to a full boil, remove from the heat and pour into greased 9×13-inch pan. Sprinkle with pecans and set aside.½ cup chopped pecans
Assembly
- Once the dough has proofed, punch down. Then roll or pat into a 12×15-inch rectangle.
- Melt butter in small bowl. Stir in the sugar and cinnamon. Spread over the dough.2 Tablespoons butter, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Roll the dough from the long side. Pinch the seam together then cut into 12 equal pieces.
- Place over the caramel in the pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375℉.
- Remove cover and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let cool for about 5 minutes before inverting onto a serving platter or sheet pan. Best enjoyed warm.
Notes
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I’m making these for Easter brunch! Love your suggestion for doubling the caramel topping. Yummy!!!
You can never have too much gooey goodness on top!
Superb, outstanding, so tempting and that caramel is (not words can describe it).
My mouth just dropped open with an “I must have these!” That caramel topping!
That topping definitely takes them to the next level!
That caramel/butterscotch sounds so decadent! Thanks for the great tips for turning out the rolls at the right time!
That’s the most finnicky part of the whole recipe, and it really isn’t that bad. They are so worth it!