Pecan Rolls

5 from 3 ratings

These homemade pecan rolls pair pillowy soft dough with spirals of buttery cinnamon brown sugar filling, then top it all off with a sticky, nutty glaze. Spoil your family with these butterscotch sticky buns.

Prep Time25

Cook Time28

Rising time2

Total Time2 53

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Sarah Cook

Equipment

Ingredients

Dough

1 cup milk {warmed, to 110˚F}
1/4 cup honey {or sugar}
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
2 eggs {room temperature}
1/3 cup butter {melted, slightly cooled}
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
4 1/2 cups bread flour

Filling

1/2 cup butter {softened}
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Pecan Glaze

1/3 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cups pecans {left whole or roughly chopped}

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Proof the dough

Whisk together warm milk, honey, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let it sit until foamy and doubled in size. Looks Like: the top of a super creamy root beer! If you have instant yeast, skip this step and combine all the dough ingredients together and follow directions in step 2.
1 cup milk, 1/4 cup honey, 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

Make the dough

Add flour, sugar, eggs, salt, and butter. Using the bread hook attachment on the stand mixer, mix the dough until it is a solid mass and the sides of the bowl are clean (about 2 minutes). If the dough is still super sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until it is no longer sticking to the sides.
2 eggs, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tsp salt, 4 1/2 cups bread flour, 1/3 cup butter
Gather the dough in one hand and quickly grease the bowl (I use a drizzle of olive oil). Place the dough back in and cover bowl with a clean damp kitchen towel. Let it sit until the dough has doubled in size (about 1 hour). Looks Like: a puffed up mass of dough with the top sides pulling away from the bowl.
You can also proof your dough in an Instant Pot using the yogurt setting and a glass lid. Drizzle a bit of olive oil into the instant pot insert and add the dough. Cover with the glass lid and press "yogurt" and set the timer for 30 minutes. Check after 15. It will take 15-40 minutes to double in size.

Assembling the Pecan Rolls

Sprinkle a bit of flour onto a clean surface. Make a ball out of the dough and gently press it with your hands to create a rectangle.
Roll out the dough to make a large rectangle (about 18x22 inches).
Spread softened butter over the dough, leaving a small butter-less perimeter around the outside. Cover with brown sugar, pecans, and top with cinnamon.
1/2 cup butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp cinnamon, 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
Starting with the long edge of the dough furthest from you, tightly roll the dough towards you until you have a solid "roll".
Cut into 12 (~1.5-2 inches wide) rolls. Pro tip: using a bread knife (aka serrated knife) will create the cleanest cuts.
Grease a deep 9x13 baking dish. Place the pecan rolls into the dish. Set aside in a warm place until the rolls have doubled in size (about 1 hour). Looks Like: the rolls will have "fluffed" up and are likely touching each other in the dish.
Once the rolls have risen, preheat the oven to 350˚F.
While the oven is preheating, combine butter, brown sugar, heavy cream, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the brown sugar dissolves.
1/3 cup unsalted butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup heavy cream, 2 tsp cinnamon
Bring to a simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly so the mixture does not burn.
Stir in vanilla extract and pecans. Cook for 1-2 more minutes.
1 tsp pure vanilla extract, 3/4 cups pecans
Pour the buttered pecan mixture over the tops of the rolls.
Bake, uncovered, for 28 minutes or until the tops are lightly golden brown.

Notes

Use a DEEP cake pan or baking dish so that the pecan glaze does not overflow in the oven.
No stand mixer? You can technically mix the dough by hand but be prepared for it to take about 10 minutes.
Types of milk - I would recommend 2%, whole, or buttermilk. Results with 1% or lower are generally poor. I have not tested this recipe with non-dairy milk.

To freeze: press a piece of plastic wrap over the pecan rolls after the second rise. Tightly wrap the pan in foil and freeze unbaked rolls for up to two months. To thaw: place in the fridge overnight. Bake as normal.

Nutrition