Where I come from, nothing says fall more than bourbon and pecans. So today we’re making bourbon pecan sticky buns y’all! Cinnamon rolls from scratch are definitely a labor of love, but worth every single step. The layers come out soft in a way no canned roll can touch, and that bourbon pecan glaze with a little cream cheese icing on top makes them downright dangerous. Get into it.
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PRO TIP: Warm your milk to 105-110°F so it wakes up the yeast without killing it. If you don’t have a thermometer, aim for the temperature of a baby’s bath or bottle.
Bourbon Pecan Sticky Buns
These decadent Sticky Buns start with a fluffy dough that is filled with cinnamon sugar pecans then drizzled with both with a sticky bourbon pecan glaze and rich cream cheese icing!
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Servings: 12 rolls
Ingredients
For the Bourbon-Pecan Marinade
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 3/4 cup bourbon up to 1 cup
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp honey
For the Dough
- 1/4 oz active dry yeast 2 1/4 teaspoons
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar plus 1 teaspoon, divided
- 1/4 cup warm water about 115F in temperature
- 4 cups all-purpose flour divided, plus more for rolling
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup whole milk room temperature
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk room temperature
For the Filling
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 4 tbsp salted butter room temperature, completely soft
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1/2 cup bourbon marinated pecans toasted and chopped (from the recipe above)
For the Bourbon Pecan Glaze
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- Remaining bourbon marinade from above
- 1/4 cup water
For the Cream Cheese Icing
- 6 tbsp cream cheese room temperature
- 2 tbsp milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
For the Bourbon-Pecan Marinade
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Place chopped pecans on a sheet pan and toast for about 10 minutes, checking and stirring every couple minutes. Stay vigilant so they don’t burn. Pecans should be fragrant and slightly browner than before. Turn oven off.
- Store pecans in an airtight container with tight-fitting lid (i.e. mason jar, deli container, etc.). Pour over just enough bourbon to cover the pecans (up to 1 cup).
- Add brown sugar and honey, then shake until sugar dissolves and set aside. Let marinate overnight, or at a minimum throughout the prep and baking process. (The longer you let the pecans marinate, the more flavorful they’ll be.)
For the Dough
- In a small bowl, combine active dry yeast and 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar. Stir in warm water. Let sit for 10 minutes and 2-inch head of foam should appear on the top. (This is a good sign that your yeast is active and ready to be used.)
- Meanwhile in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add 2 cups flour, remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, and salt. Mix on low for 30 seconds until evenly combined.
- Add in milk, melted butter, yeast mixture, and eggs and mix on low until ingredients start to come together, about 1 minute.
- Add in remaining 2 cups flour and mix on medium until all the flour is absorbed and a dough begins to form, about 2 minutes. Turn up mixer to medium high and mix for 7-8 minutes. A taut ball should form and the sides and bottom of the bowl should be empty.
- Remove dough from the mixer, shape into a ball, then place into a glass or metal bowl sprayed with nonstick spray. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and leave in a warm spot for 1 hour. The dough should double in size.
For the Filling
- Prepare a 13×9 rectangular baking pan by spraying the bottom and sides generously with nonstick baking spray.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- In another small bowl, mix softened butter with honey.
- On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll dough into an 18×12-inch rectangle.
- Gently spread the softened honey butter evenly over the surface of the dough, leaving a half-inch border uncovered at the top. Sprinkle the cinnamon brown sugar mixture over the honey butter.
- Strain and separate half of the pecans from the marinade and sprinkle over top the cinnamon mixture. Reserve the liquid and remaining pecans for glaze.
- Starting from the long edge of the dough, roll the dough into a log, then brush the uncovered edge of the dough with a little water to seal, then press edges of the dough together.
- Using a sharp, serrated knife, cut the roll into 12 equal slices. Some people use unflavored floss to cut through the dough. Use a kitchen ruler to help get the measurements equal.
- Lastly, arrange the slices in a single layer in the prepared pan, cut side up. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise un a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45-50 minutes.
- Meanwhile preheat oven to 350F. Bake rolls on middle rack until light golden brown and firm to the tough, about 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven, and rest in pan on wire rack.
For the Bourbon Pecan Glaze
- Start by browning the butter. Heat butter in a small skillet over medium heat until caramel in color and fragrant.
- Add remaining pecans and liquid from the marinade, along with water and cook until thickened, about 10-12 minutes.
- Pour glaze over rolls.
For the Cream Cheese Icing
- In a medium bowl, whisk together ingredients until creamy and smooth.
- Drizzle over glaze. Serve sticky buns warm and enjoy!
Notes
How to Store & Reheat Bourbon Pecan Sticky Buns
- Fridge: Let the buns cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Wrap each bun tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. They’ll keep well for about 2 months.
- Reheating: Warm in a 300°F oven for 8-10 minutes (best texture), or microwave for 15-20 seconds if you want a sweet treat ASAP.
Nutrition
Calories: 591kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 282mg | Potassium: 200mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 714IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 117mg | Iron: 3mg
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Recipe Tips
- Use instant yeast. It cuts down on the wait time and keeps this pecan sticky buns recipe moving along.
- Everything that touches the yeast should be room temp. That’s what helps the dough rise the way it should.
- Let your butter sit out overnight. That way, it spreads easily when rolling the dough. You can also bring your eggs to room temperature fast by dropping them in a cup of warm water before mixing.
- Keep an eye on the oven, boos. With these easy sticky buns it’s better to pull them a little underdone than overbake. They’ll finish cooking as they cool, so start checking around the 30-minute mark.
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Recipe Help
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes! You can mix the dough the night before, let it rise in the fridge overnight, and then shape and bake the buns in the morning. Just let the dough come to room temp for 20-30 minutes before rolling it out.
Why did my dough not rise enough?
Could be a few reasons, boo. Old yeast, water that’s too hot or too cold, or letting it rise in a spot that’s too cold.
More Cinnamon Roll Recipes
- Strawberry Shortcake Cinnamon Rolls
- Orange Cinnamon Rolls
- Lemon Cinnamon Roll Biscuits
- Classic Cinnamon Rolls
- Easy Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls
- Peach Cobbler Cinnamon Rolls
- Easy Cinnamon Rolls
- Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls
Thank you Charneice McKenzie from GloBelle Kitchen for guest posting this recipe!
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Excelente receta, muchas gracias
You’re very welcome!
I made these and they were Fabulous !!! I can’t wait to make them again ~ they were just as good the next day when we warmed them up again. I did put a little more cream cheese in the glaze just for our taste but wow I would tell everyone to try this recipe because it was so good and easy !
Sticky Buns in all their forms are an addiction of mine. Of course, I don’t make them often (time constraints, but also I can’t handle eating so many carbs on a regular basis). When I do make them, I want them to be the very best; better than anything that can be purchased anywhere! This recipe meets all my criterion for an excellent sticky bun, one worth the effort and the carbs!
I don’t have a mixer with dough hook. Would you please give directions for hand kneading? I assume that I can use regular mixer or wooden spoon for adding all ingredients together to form elastic ball.
Thank you
Oh these look epic. Anything with pecan is good with me!
Wow, these sticky buns look so good! I’m definitely adding these to my menu for Thanksgiving morning.
This is really ahh-mazing!! I love it! Such an amazing treat!
Love how easy this recipe is. It’s perfect for our family!
These are gooey delicious! The pecan topping and sugar glaze is perfect! This would make a wonderful dish for a special brunch or Christmas morning!