Sticky Pecan Rolls

Each year around the holidays our grandma made a large batch of her famous sticky pecan rolls. She pulled out the largest bowl in her kitchen and swiftly mixed together the ingredients for the dough. The dough then rose for a few hours and we watched in marvel as she pulled back the towel covering the dough. The dough grew by almost 2x, nearly spilling out of the largest bowl we ever saw. Then the moment happened where she punched down the dough, only for it to shrink back to a smaller size. 

We watched the same process happen many times where the dough rose again, but the last time she uncovered the bowl to unveil the dough, it was time to roll them. Grandma spilled the dough onto the counter and divided it into sections. She then rolled it into rectangles and poured over the melted butter and cinnamon sugar topping. Each roll then got carefully tucked into a round baking pan with sticky caramel and pecans and baked until they were golden and puffy. 

Grandma made the best sticky pecan rolls. To this day we still make her famous recipe each year. The topping is sticky, sweet, and filled with pecans. Beneath the caramel topping, there are the perfect, fluffy cinnamon rolls. The rolls are soft and each bite is filled with cinnamon and sugar rolled throughout. These pecan rolls are one of our favorite traditions all year. 

To make the pecan rolls:

Step 1: Activating the yeast – To make the dough begin by combining the yeast and warm water (under 120 degrees). The water must be under 120 degrees, but close to it as anything higher will kill the yeast but anything lower will not allow the yeast to bubble and grow. Add the yeast into the warm water and stir gently. After it has been gently stirred, let the mixture sit for 5 minutes. The yeast should be fragrant and bubbly.

Step 2: Combining the dough – In a saucepan on low, warm milk on the stove – do not scald or let steam (under 120 degrees). The milk, like the water should be hot but not too hot as it will kill the yeast. Once it is warmed, remove and set aside. In a large bowl, mix eggs, butter, sugar, and salt. Combine with a whisk until incorporated. The mixture will look slightly curdled. 

Once the mixture is combined, add in the yeast and stir together very gently to ensure not to kill the yeast. After stirring, pour in the warm milk and combine. Then use your hands to start mixing in the flour cup by cup until the mixture is well incorporated. After all the flour is added, the dough will not yet be smooth. Continue to knead the dough scooping dough up from the bottom to the top until the mixture is smooth (this will take about 3-5 minutes of kneading)

Step 3: Raising the dough – Once the mixture is smooth, scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula so no dough remains on the sides. Coat the exposed sides of the bowl with butter to prevent sticking. Top the bowl with a cloth and let rise for 2 hours. 

Step 4: Punching down the dough – After 2 hours (or until it has almost doubled in size), punch down the dough and then turn over the dough by pulling the bottom of the dough to the top. Repeat this movement several times. Cover with a cloth again and let rise for 2 more hours (or until it has nearly doubled in size). 

Optional: Making the caramel pecan topping – Top make the pecan topping: Boil together sea salt, vanilla bean, brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup. Pour in an even layer in the bottom of the pan and top with pecans before placing the rolls inside. 

Step 5: Rolling out the dough into rolls – Punch down the dough and roll out a rectangle that is around 12” x 24”. Melt 1 stick of butter and spread over the dough. Sprinkle each half with ½ cup sugar and 4 tablespoons cinnamon. Cut off the uneven ends and cut ~12 long pieces (~1.5″ thick each) Roll each strip upwards into swirls and place into the caramel pecan filled pan. 

Step 6: The final rise – Take the filled pan and cover with a towel and let rise for 1-1 ½ hours or until puffy but not overflowing. 

Step 7: Bake – Bake at 350 for 45 minutes until golden on top and cooked through the center.

Step 8: Flip and serve – Flip onto a plate while they are right out of the oven. If they are left in the pan too long, the sticky topping will get stuck to the pan. 

Ingredient notes:

1. Butter: We use butter in each part of the roll. From the dough to the filling to the caramel, we prefer the taste of butter.
2. Sea salt and vanilla bean: The caramel just tastes that much better with a little sea salt and vanilla! 
3. Pecans: We like to leave the pecans whole but they can also be chopped.

Print

Sticky Pecan Rolls

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Rising Time 5 hours hours

Total Time 6 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Equipment

• 1 9 x 13" pan

Ingredients

Dough

• 2 packages dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 3/4 cups whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup salted butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 if morton
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• Butter for lining the pan

Cinnamon center

• 4 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 stick butter softened

Sticky pecan topping

• 1 stick salted butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup karo syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt if using morton use 1/4 teaspoon
• 3 cups pecan roughly chopped

Instructions

Dough

• Combine yeast and warm water (under 120 degrees). Stir gently and let sit for 5 minutes. The yeast should be fragrant and bubbly
• In a saucepan on low, warm milk on the stove – do not scald or let steam (under 120 degrees). Remove and set aside
• In a large bowl, mix eggs, butter, sugar, and salt. Combine with a whisk until incorporated. The mixture will look slightly curdled
• Add in the yeast to the egg mixture and whisk together very gently to ensure not to kill the yeast
• Add in the warm milk and stir until combined
• Using your hands, start mixing in the flour cup by cup until the mixture is well incorporated. After all the flour is added, the dough will not yet be smooth. Continue to need the dough scooping dough up from the bottom to the top until the mixture is smooth (this will take about 3-5 minutes of kneading)
• Once the mixture is smooth, scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula so no dough remains on the side. Coat the exposed sides of the bowl with butter to prevent sticking
• Top the bowl with a cloth and let rise for 2 hours. After 2 hours (or until it has almost doubled in size), punch down the dough and then turn over the dough by pulling the bottom of the dough to the top. Cover with a cloth again and let rise for 2 more hours (or has risen again)
• Right before rolling out the dough, place the pecans in the base of a 9×13" pan. Top with the caramel topping mixture (below)
• Punch down the dough and roll out a rectangle that is around 12” x 24”
• Melt 1 stick of butter and spread over the dough. Sprinkle each piece of rolled dough with ½ cup sugar and 4 tablespoons cinnamon
• Cut off the edges and cut into 12 long pieces (~1.5" each). Roll each strip upwards into swirls and place into the caramel pecan filled cake pans
• Cover the pans with a towel and let them rise for 1-1 ½ hours until puffy but not overflowing
• Bake at 350 for ~45 minutes until golden on top and cooked through the center
• While they are still hot, place a piece of foil over the cinnamon rolls and flip them over onto a plate (be careful they are hot so use oven mitts!)

Top make the pecan topping:

• Boil together sea salt, vanilla bean, brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup and place in the bottom of the cake pans (over the pecans) before adding the cinnamon rolls

Notes

Note this was updated from 2021 to make 1 9×13″ pan of pecan rolls.

Entertainer’s Note:

We bake these, let them cool, and freeze them for the perfect holiday meal anytime.