Pecans for Breakfast

Extra Sticky Maple Pecan Sticky Buns

Submitted by:

American Pecan Council | Tieghan Gerard, Half Baked Harvest

1 hour 4 mins

Celebrate one of the season’s best pairs with this dish – maple and pecans. Decadent and flavorful, these extra sticky maple pecan sticky buns are made with a soft and fluffy homemade bread dough, swirled with cinnamon sugar, and baked with a maple pecan “sticky” sauce that’s impossible to resist.

Ingredients

Dough:
1 cup warm whole milk
1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant dry yeast
2 large eggs, beaten
4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
Maple Pecan Sticky Sauce
2 cups raw pecan pieces
1/2 cup whole milk or heavy cream
2/3 cup real maple syrup
1/4 cup + 1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
12 tablespoons salted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature

Instructions

For the dough:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the milk, yeast, brown sugar, eggs, butter, 3 1/2 cups flour, and salt. Using the dough hook, mix until the flour is completely incorporated, about 4 to 5 minutes. If the dough seems sticky, add an additional 1/2 cup of flour.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

For the sticky sauce:

Meanwhile, line a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment, and spread the raw pecan pieces in the bottom of the baking dish. In a medium sauce pot, combine the milk, maple syrup, brown sugar and 12 tablespoons of butter. Cook over medium heat until the butter is melted and the sauce bubbling, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour the sauce over the pecans.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, mix together the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar and the cinnamon.

To combine:

Lightly dust a surface with flour. Roll the dough into a rectangle (about 9×24 inches). Spread 4 tablespoons softened butter evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the butter and lightly push the mixture into the butter. Starting with the long edge closest to you, carefully roll the dough into a log, keeping it fairly tight as you go. When you reach the edge, pinch along the edge to seal. Using a sharp knife, cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in the prepared baking dish, cut side down into the sticky pecan sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 20 to 30 minutes or transfer to the fridge to rise overnight.
Transfer to the oven and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown on top. If the rolls are browning too quickly on top, cover with foil halfway through cooking.
Let the rolls sit 5 minutes and then carefully invert the rolls onto a serving plate. Serve warm and enjoy!