Description
Delicious homemade pecan praline sticky buns featuring a rich pecan praline topping, soft cinnamon-sugar filled dough, and a gooey caramel sauce that bakes into irresistible sticky buns perfect for breakfast or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Pecan Praline Topping
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/3 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon dark corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/4 cup pecan pieces
Dough
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast or instant yeast
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup whole milk (whole milk preferred but 2% works, too!)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and lightly cooled
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Filling
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Prepare the pecan praline topping: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla bean paste or extract, salt, and heavy cream. Stir to combine and simmer for 7-10 minutes until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in pecan pieces. Transfer to an airtight container and keep at room temperature if using same day or refrigerate and reheat before next step.
- Prepare the baking pan: Pour the pecan praline sauce into a 9×9 inch baking pan or similar oven-safe dish. Spread evenly with a spoon or offset spatula then set aside.
- Activate the yeast: Warm milk to 110°F, sprinkle yeast and sugar into the milk in a stand mixer bowl. Let sit 7-10 minutes to activate if using active dry yeast. If using instant yeast, skip the wait.
- Make the dough: Add melted butter, egg, flour, and salt to the yeast mixture. Knead with dough hook on medium speed for 6-8 minutes until smooth; or knead by hand for 10 minutes on lightly floured surface.
- First rise: Shape dough into a ball, place in greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and kitchen towel. Let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1-2 hours.
- Roll out dough: Punch dough down, turn out onto floured surface, roll into 10x12 inch rectangle.
- Apply filling: Spread softened butter evenly over dough, leaving margins. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over the butter. Pat gently to adhere.
- Shape rolls: Roll dough tightly from longest side with seam down, pinch seam to seal. Trim ends. Cut the log into 9 equal pieces using a sharp knife or dental floss.
- Second rise: Place rolls on pecan praline sauce in baking dish, press gently so they touch the sauce. Cover and let rise 1-2 hours until puffy. Preheat oven to 350°F during last 30 minutes of rising.
- Bake: Remove cover and bake rolls for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
- Invert and cool: Using oven mitts, invert pan onto large plate immediately after removing from oven so sticky topping coats buns. Scrape any remaining topping from pan onto buns. Let cool 10-15 minutes before serving as topping will be hot.
Notes
- Ensure milk is warmed to 110°F for optimal yeast activation but not too hot to kill the yeast.
- Use disposable gloves when spreading the butter filling for easier and less sticky handling.
- Reheat pecan praline topping gently if refrigerated before pouring into baking pan.
- Trim the ends of the rolled dough log to ensure uniformly sized buns.
- For precise slices, mark the dough log before cutting.
- Allow buns to cool enough to avoid burning from hot sticky topping.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and gently reheat.
- Recipe yields 9 buns, perfect for sharing or family breakfast.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bun
- Calories: 410 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
