Description
Delight in these irresistible Caramel Sticky Buns, featuring a soft, cinnamon-spiced dough rolled with buttery sweetness and topped with a rich caramel glaze and crunchy pecans. Perfect for breakfast or dessert, these gooey buns offer a comforting homemade treat that’s sure to impress.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 1 cup warm whole milk
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
Filling & Caramel
- 1 cup packed brown sugar (divided)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (divided)
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a large bowl, combine warm milk, active dry yeast, and granulated sugar. Let stand for five minutes until the mixture becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is activated.
- Make Dough: Whisk in the eggs and melted butter into the foamy yeast mixture. Gradually add flour and salt, stirring to form a soft dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
- First Rise: Place the kneaded dough into a greased bowl, cover it with a clean towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Prepare Caramel Base: While the dough is rising, combine brown sugar, softened butter, heavy cream, corn syrup, and vanilla extract in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously until the mixture is smooth and slightly thickened. Pour the caramel into a greased baking dish and evenly sprinkle with chopped pecans.
- Shape Dough: Roll the risen dough into a large rectangle. Spread the remaining softened butter evenly over the surface, then sprinkle with cinnamon and a little brown sugar for the filling.
- Roll and Slice: Tightly roll the dough into a log shape. Slice the log into equal-sized pieces and arrange the cut sides down on top of the caramel and pecan mixture in the baking dish.
- Second Rise: Cover the arranged buns and let them rise again for 30 minutes to puff up before baking.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the sticky buns for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Serve: Allow the buns to rest for 5 minutes after baking, then invert the baking dish onto a serving platter so that the caramel sauce coats the tops of the sticky buns beautifully.
Notes
- For extra gooey buns, pour warm cream over the rolls just before baking to intensify the caramelized texture.
- Walnuts can be substituted for pecans to suit your taste preferences or for a different nutty flavor.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
