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Warm, gooey rolls infused with cinnamon and topped with a luscious caramel glaze, all generously sprinkled with crunchy pecans. These pecan sticky buns are pure decadence and full of indulgence!

sticky buns and glaze on top of a metal baking sheet with a linen towel and a bowl of chopped pecans next to the baking sheet
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I recently had sticky buns at a new restaurant in town for brunch and I forgot how delicious they were. Sinking my teeth into one of those buns was an instant reminder that I had to make it at home myself. They’re kind of like cinnamon rolls but elevated with even more sugary cinnamon goodness and they’re just as light and fluffy!

These irresistible rolls are made with a sweet and buttery dough, generously filled with a mixture of cinnamon, sugar, and pecans. The way I make my sticky buns is to bake the buns on the buttery pecan glaze so it is extra nutty and caramelized at the bottom AND also topping with the sticky and gooey caramel glaze. Seriously, by doing it both ways, it seeps into every crevice, creating a heavenly combination of flavors and textures.

drizzling caramel on top of a sticky bun

Why You’ll Love This

  • Indulgent and best way to start the day. Start your day off on a high note by treating yourself to these indulgent pecan sticky buns. The warm, gooey texture, combined with the fragrant cinnamon and sweet caramel glaze, will elevate your brunch to a whole new level of deliciousness.
  • Not intimidating. I know that the idea of making homemade sticky buns can be intimidating but don’t let that stop you! There’s no growth where you don’t try. With my recipe and step-by-step instructions, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to whip up these decadent treats. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a beginner in the kitchen, this recipe is designed to simplify the process without compromising on flavor. It is well worth it in the end!
  • Customizable and versatile. These buns can be customized to suit your taste preferences. Feel free to experiment with different nuts, or add a touch of your favorite spices, to the filling, or even adding a different type of extract. You can even make them extra indulgent by adding a drizzle of cream cheese icing on top to make it like a hybrid cinnamon roll. The possibilities are endless, so get creative and make these sticky buns truly your own!
ingredients for pecan sticky buns

Ingredients You’ll Need

Don’t let this ingredient list for sticky buns intimidate you. It’s honestly a lot of the same ingredients just used in various ways! Make sure to scroll down to view the full recipe for exact measurements.

For the dough:

  • Milk
  • Sugar
  • Yeast
  • Eggs
  • Flour
  • Salt
  • Butter

For the glaze:

  • Pecans
  • Butter
  • Brown sugar
  • Heavy cream
  • Honey
  • Salt

For the buns:

  • Butter
  • Brown sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • Nutmeg
  • Salt
  • Flour
  • Egg

How To Make Pecan Sticky Buns

Here is a general overview of the steps involved to make sticky buns. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this post for the full recipe.

Make the dough. Heat milk in a small saucepan until 110 °F-115 °F. Transfer the milk to a measuring cup and stir in sugar. Sprinkle yeast over milk and whisk to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes, or until yeast gets foamy. Add eggs and whisk until smooth. Combine the remaining sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook along with flour and salt. Add the milk mixture and with the mixer on, add the butter, 1 cube at a time. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute then knead on medium-high speed for 5 minutes.

Allow dough to rise. Place the dough in a well-greased or buttered bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Set in a draft-free, warm area of the house for 1 hour then put it in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Prepare the glaze. In the meantime, toast pecans in the oven. Then, melt butter in a small saucepan then add dark brown sugar, cream, honey, and salt. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until glaze is a golden brown. Pour about 1 cup of the glaze into the baking pan and sprinkle 1/2 cup of the toasted pecans on the glaze.

Make the rolls. Once the dough is ready, punch it down and transfer it to a lightly floured surface and roll it out with a rolling pin to about 12×16″ and about 1/4″ thick. Spread the cinnamon sugar mixture onto the dough with an offset spatula, leaving a 1″ border around the edges. Sprinkle 3/4 cups of the chopped pecans on top of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Beginning with the longest edge closest to you, start rolling the dough into a log, tightening as you roll. Pinch together the ends to seal. Arrange the log seam side down. Use floss or a sharp knife to cut the dough into about 9 rolls and place them into the prepared baking pan with the glaze.

Allow dough to rise again. Cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for 45 minutes – 1 hour in a warm, draft-free area.

Bake the sticky buns. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Whisk an egg in a small bowl then before putting the buns in the oven, brush the tops of the buns with the egg wash. Bake for 50 minutes then spoon remaining glaze and pecans on top.

stick buns and caramel glaze on top of a metal baking sheet and parchment paper

Recipe Tips, Substitutions, and Variations

  • Elevation, humidity, and temperature matter. The amount of flour you need will vastly vary depending on your elevation, humidity, and temperature. The amount of flour in the recipe card is the base amount – if you find that your dough is too sticky and not coming together into a ball, you may need to add more flour, but do so 1 tablespoon at a time so you don’t end up with a dry ball.
  • Place on the middle rack. Due to the glaze being at the bottom of the pan, you don’t want to put the baking pan on the bottom rack in case your heating element is at the bottom. It would potentially burn the glaze. You also don’t want to place the baking pan at the top of the oven since heat rises and the tops of the buns may get browned too quickly.
  • Use a light-colored baking pan. Again, since there is a sugary glaze at the bottom of the pan, it is highly recommended to use a light-colored baking pan as opposed to a dark colored one. Light colored baking pans will have more even baking and dark colored ones tend to burn things a lot faster.
  • Tent with foil, if needed. All ovens are different so if you notice that your buns are getting dark too quickly, tent the top of the baking pan with foil to avoid burning.
inside of a sticky bun on a white plate next to a metal fork

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Allow sticky buns to cool to room temperature before storing. You may store in the same baking pan and tightly wrap with tin foil and leave on the counter for up to three days. Alternatively, you may store in the refrigerator for up to six days.

To reheat, it is best to reheat this in a toaster oven or a quick zap in the microwave.

What to Serve with Pecan Sticky Buns

These classic buns are the perfect addition for your brunch spread! Serve them as a side option or a main, but definitely complement them with the following dishes:

5 from 1 vote

Pecan Sticky Buns

Warm, gooey rolls infused with cinnamon and topped with a luscious caramel glaze, all generously sprinkled with crunchy pecans.
Prep Time: 5 hours
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 9 buns

Ingredients 

For the dough:

  • cup (163 g) whole milk
  • 5 tablespoons (5 tablespoon) sugar, divided
  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 ¾ cup (344 g) all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup (114 g) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, room temperature, plus 1/2 tablespoon (7g) unsalted butter, melted

For the glaze:

  • 1 ¾ cup (173 g) pecans, chopped
  • ½ cup (114 g) unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup (165 g) packed dark brown sugar
  • ¾ cup (179 g) heavy cream
  • cup (113 g) honey
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

For the buns:

  • ½ cup (114 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup (110 g) packed dark brown sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • teaspoon kosher salt
  • All purpose flour, for dusting
  • 1 large egg
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Instructions 

  • To make the dough, heat milk in a small saucepan until 110 °F (43 °C)115 °F (46 °C). Transfer the milk to a measuring cup and stir in 1 tbsp. of sugar. Sprinkle yeast over milk and whisk to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes, or until yeast gets foamy. Add eggs and whisk until smooth. Combine the remaining 4 tbsp. of sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook along with flour and salt. Add the milk mixture and with the mixer on, add the butter, 1 cube at a time. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute then knead on medium-high speed for 5 minutes.
  • Place dough in a (lightly greased bowl, using 1/2 tablespoon (7g) of melted butter) and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Place in a warm, draft-free, area and let rise for 1 hour. After it has doubled in size, you're going to chill the dough in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
  • In the meantime, preheat oven to 350 °F (177 °C) and toast the pecans until fragrant, about 10-15 minutes. Set aside 1 1/4 cups of the chopped pecans for the buns.
  • Melt butter in a small saucepan then add dark brown sugar, cream, honey, and salt. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until glaze is a golden brown. Pour 1 cup of the glaze into a 8x8x2 baking pan. Tilt the pan back and forth to coat the entire bottom. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of chopped pecans over top of the glaze. Set pan aside.
  • For the filling for the buns, in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
  • When dough is ready, punch it down then transfer it to a lightly floured work surface. Roll out the dough into a 12×16″ rectangle and about 1/4″ thick. Spread the cinnamon sugar mixture onto the dough with an offset spatula, leaving a 1″ border around the edges.
  • Sprinkle 3/4 cups of the chopped pecans on top of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
  • Beginning with the longest edge closest to you, start rolling the dough into a log, tightening as you roll. Pinch together the ends to seal. Arrange the log seam side down.
  • Using floss or a sharp knife, cut the log into 9 equal pieces. Turn the bun cut side up and reshapen, if need be.
  • Place the buns, cut side up, in the prepared pan, spacing them evenly apart. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for 45 minutes – 1 hour in a warm, draft-free area.
  • Preheat oven to 350 °F (177 °C) and whisk an egg in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the buns with the egg wash.
  • Bake buns for 50 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly. If they're browning too quickly, you can tent them with foil.
  • Spoon remaining glaze on top and sprinkle with extra pecans. Serve buns warm or at room temperature.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bun, Calories: 826kcal, Carbohydrates: 81g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 54g, Saturated Fat: 26g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 18g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 160mg, Sodium: 403mg, Potassium: 250mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 49g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.

The default measuring system for this website is US Customary. Unit conversions are provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. While we strive to provide accurate unit conversions, please be aware that there may be some discrepancies.

Photographs by Eat Love Eat

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37 Comments

  1. ambrosia says:

    My husband requested cinnamon rolls for this Saturday…this recipe might be the winner!

  2. Villy @ For the love of Feeding says:

    I’ve never tried sticky buns. That’s right. But they look SO delicious and I always forget to bake them! I think I’ll try your recipe..

  3. Erin @ Texanerin Baking says:

    I wish I had colleagues I could give away my stuff to! I have to eat it all. Boo! And I normally don’t like sticky buns (I prefer cinnamon buns :)) but these are so fluffy looking I’m sure I’d have no problem downing several of these.

  4. Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says:

    Dude, you’ve totally outdone yourself here! I don’t care how many calories this has, I am totally making this and devouring it! And I’m not really in the mood to share (that’s okay, right?).

  5. amanda @ fake ginger says:

    Sticky buns are my favorite favorite FAVORITE breakfast treat ever. Omg, I could eat them everyday. These look fantastic!

  6. Megan @ Country Cleaver says:

    Oh holy frijolah!! I need me a batch of these! And preach – I keep feeding everyone else to give myself the appearance of skinny. haha Lies I tell myself.

  7. Row says:

    Gah, must resist the pull of the sticky bun! They look so yummy!