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! If you love these, you will also love these Orange Cinnamon Rolls, Lemon Cinnamon Roll Biscuits, Classic Cinnamon Rolls and Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls.
Thank you Charneice McKenzie from GloBelle Kitchen for guest posting this recipe!
Pumpkin spice might be Fall’s most popular flavor combo, but where I come from, nothing says Fall more than bourbon and pecans. Kentucky produces over 90 percent of the world’s bourbon supply. That’s why we cook with bourbon. We smoke our meats with it. We simmer it with our chili. It’s in our pies. It goes in our apple ciders. That’s why bourbon, paired with pecans, is my favorite combo for sticky buns.
I prefer a hearty, savory breakfast over sweets first thing in the morning. These sticky buns are the perfect, cozy accompaniment to a hot drink while curled up on the front porch with a good book and fuzzy socks watching the trees change colors.
Cinnamon rolls or sticky buns from scratch are definitely a time-consuming labor of love, requiring at least 3 hours on the fast end. But oh, are these sweet treats worth every minute! The soft, flakey layers just can’t be replicated by instant rolls from the can. I really hope these rolls become part of your fall baking menu.
How to Make Sticky Buns
Here are my best tips for making the best pecan sticky buns:
- Be sure to use instant yeast. It makes all the difference concerning time. Since cinnamon rolls are already a lengthy endeavor, instant yeast helps move the process along.
- Everything that interacts with the yeast needs to be room temperature or warmer. The heat activates the yeast in the dough to rise. We’re dealing with chemistry here!
- You want the milk to be about 105-110 degrees Fahrenheit to activate the yeast but not scalding because that will kill the yeast. If you don’t have a thermometer, just think, your milk should be as warm as a baby’s bath or bottle.
- You’ll also want to soften your butter so it mixes easily. The best way is just to keep it out overnight.
- To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, place them in a drinking cup of warm water before adding them to the mix.
- It’s better to underbake than overbake. Remember, your pastries will continue to bake a bit after being removed from the oven. To avoid over baking and thus, drying out the pastry, begin checking the oven every five minutes starting at the 30-minute mark.
Bourbon Pecan Sticky Buns
Ingredients
For the Bourbon-Pecan Marinade
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 3/4 cup bourbon up to 1 cup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp honey
For the Dough
- 4 cups all purpose flour plus more for rolling
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/3 tsp instant yeast packet 1 packet
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 cup whole milk warm (100-110F)
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter softened, cut in pats
- 4 large eggs room temperature
For the Filling
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 4 tbsp butter room temperature, completely soft
- 1/2 cup bourbon marinated pecans toasted and chopped (recipe below)
- 2 tbsp honey
For the Bourbon Pecan Glaze
- 1/2 cup butter (instructions on how to brown below)
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 3/4 cup bourbon I used Wild Turkey American Honey
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 tbsp honey
For the Cream Cheese Icing
- 3 tbsp cream cheese room temperature
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
For the Bourbon-Pecan Marinade
- Toast chopped pecans in a preheated oven for at least 10 minutes, checking and stirring the pan every 4 minutes. Be sure to stay vigilant, so they don't burn. Pecans should be fragrant and slightly browner than before.
- Store toasted pecans in a container. Using just enough bourbon to cover the pecans, soak the pecans. I use a 1-pint (2 cups/16 oz) mason jar.
- Add brown sugar and honey. Shake/stir and set aside. Let marinate overnight or at a minimum throughout the prep and baking process.
For the Dough
- Generously grease a large bowl and a rectangular baking dish and set aside.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, mix dry dough ingredients (flour, sugar, yeast, salt, baking soda) at slow speed. Add warm milk, soft butter, and eggs one at a time and mix until a ball of dough forms.
- Increase mixing speed until the ball of dough is smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes). Transfer ball of dough into the lightly greased bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel as set aside in a warm area for 45 minutes. The heated area could be an oven set on 200 or "warm" or near a sunny window.
- After 45 minutes, punch down dough. Mix and turn with your hands and let sit again in the warm space.
For the Filling
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix 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 a rectangle.
- Carefully spread the softened honey butter evenly over the dough, leaving a half-inch border. Cover the honey butter evenly with sprinkled cinnamon sugar mix.
- Separate ½ of the pecans from the bourbon marinade and sprinkle over top the cinnamon mix.
- Starting from the long edge of the dough, roll the dough into a cylinder. Then use water to press the edges of dough together to seal.
- Using a sharp, serrated knife, cut the roll into twelve equals slices. Some people use string/floss to cut through the dough. A kitchen ruler might be used to get the measurements equal.
- Lastly, arrange the slices in a single layer on the prepared pan. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot until double in size --- about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F or 180 C. Bake rolls until lightly golden brown and firm to the touch about 25 to 30 minutes. Rest pan to a cooling rack.
To Make Bourbon Pecan Glaze
- To make browned butter: In a small skillet, heat butter on medium heat until caramel in color and fragrant. Stirring occasionally to ensure it doesn't burn.
- Mix browned butter with pecans and bourbon, brown sugar, and honey until combined. Pour glaze over the rolls.
To Make Cream Cheese Icing
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine cream cheese, milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Whisk cheese is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Top with a drizzle of cream cheese frosting over the glaze. Serve warm and enjoy!
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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!