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A sticky pecan cinnamon roll, made from a classic sticky buns recipe, sits on a white plate topped with caramelized nuts. More rolls are visible in the background on a tray, next to a striped cloth.

Old Fashioned Pecan Sticky Buns Recipe

Melissa Griffiths
This Sticky Buns Recipe turns simple ingredients into bakery-worthy treats with soft yeast dough, cinnamon swirls, and buttery brown sugar pecan goo. The best part is flipping the pan to reveal that gorgeous caramelized topping.
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 15 buns
Calories 448 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
 
 

For the Buns

  • 4 cups flour (all purpose)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon yeast
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons butter (melted)
  • ¾ cup milk
  • 1 cup water

Filling for the Buns

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cinnamon
  • 1 pinch salt
  • ½ cup butter (softened)

Sticky Bun Goo and Topping

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 9 tablespoons butter
  • 4 tablespoons honey
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 2 tablespoons cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup pecans (chopped)

Instructions
 

For the Buns

  • Mix 3 cups of the flour with the rest of the dry ingredients together in large bowl and create a well in the center. 
    4 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon yeast, 2 teaspoons sugar
  • Add the egg, butter, milk, and water to the dry ingredients. Mix until combined. 
    1 egg, 2 tablespoons butter, ¾ cup milk, 1 cup water
  • Add the remaining cup of flour and mix until combined.
    4 cups flour
  • On a floured surface, turn out the dough and knead until it comes together and is smooth, about 6-8 minutes by hand or 4 minutes in a stand mixer. 
  • Cover and let the dough rise for 30 minutes.

For the Goo and Topping

  • Melt brown sugar, butter, honey, and salt together until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat.
    1 cup brown sugar, 1 pinch salt, 4 tablespoons honey, 9 tablespoons butter
  • Add cream and vanilla and stir to combine. Add the pecans and stir to combine.
    2 tablespoons cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup pecans
  • Pour the mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.

To Assemble the Buns

  • Make the filling for the sticky buns by combining the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
    2 tablespoons cinnamon, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 pinch salt
  • Roll out dough into a rectangle, about ¼ inch thick.
  • Spread softened butter evenly over the top of the dough.
    ½ cup butter
  • Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the dough and spread it out evenly. Press lightly to adhere to the cinnamon sugar mixture to the butter. 
  • Roll the rectangle up tightly (you will be rolling the long side) so that you have a long rolled log.
  • Cut the log into 15 even rolls. This is most easily done by dividing the dough into 3 pieces and then each of the 3 pieces into 5 pieces.
  • Place the cut buns in the 9x13 pan into the goo, evenly spaced in the pan. 
  • Cover rolls and let rest until doubled about 45 minutes.
  • Bake at 350ºF for 30-35 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown and cooked through. 
  • Remove from oven and turn out onto a cutting board. The pecans and sticky goo will now be on the top.
  • Top with the reserved sticky goo and pecans.
  • Allow the buns to cool for 5 minutes before serving warm.

Notes

Instant vs. Active Dry Yeast: I use instant yeast which is more potent than active dry yeast and doesn’t need to be bloomed in water first. If you’re using active dry, don’t worry, just put it in with your water for a few minutes instead of straight into the flour. If you forget which kind of yeast you have, it really won’t make too big of a difference in this recipe.
Stick with a 9x13 Pan: I highly recommend that you only attempt this recipe with a 9x13 baking dish. These rolls will rise and puff up as they bake so they need the larger pan to accommodate all of that.
The Easy Way to Cut Even Rolls: The easiest way to cut doughs like this into rolls is by dividing the dough into 3 pieces and then each of the 3 pieces into 5 pieces. You'll end up with a total of 15 close-to-evenly-sized pieces.
Save Some Goo for the Top: I like to add some of the pecans at the end with a bit more of the gooey mixture because they stay more crispy!

Nutrition

Calories: 448kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 5gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 307mgPotassium: 131mgFiber: 2gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 515IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 2.1mg
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