Skip to main content

Maple Pecan Sticky Buns

Susan Reid | February 16, 2021

Tender cinnamon rolls are baked over a luxurious mixture of butter, pecans, and maple syrup then inverted to make classic, decadent sticky buns.

Level
Intermediate
Prep Time
2.5-3 hours, 15 minutes
Cook Time
3-35 minutes
Serves
12
Cook it With Our
Maple Pecan Sticky Buns Recipe

Ingredients

Dough
  • 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2½ teaspoons instant yeast
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1¼ teaspoons salt
  • ¼ cup potato flour (or ¾ cup dried potato flakes)
  • 3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup milk, at room temperature
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
Topping
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1½ cups diced pecans
  • ½ cup maple sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
Filling
  • ¼ cup maple sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon unbleached all-purpose flour
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

Dough
  1. In a large bowl or the pan of a bread machine, combine the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and potato flour or flakes. Add the butter, milk, and egg. Mix until the dough comes together, then knead at medium-low speed with a mixer or by hand for 6 minutes, until smooth and supple.
  2. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, 60-90 minutes. If using a bread machine, set on the dough cycle and let it complete its course. 
Topping
  1. While the dough is rising, set up the pan and topping. Grease a 9 x 13 Casserole Pan
  2. Separately, combine the syrup, butter, and bourbon (if using). Heat until the butter is melted, then pour into the casserole pan and tilt to evenly coat the bottom.
  3. Sprinkle the pecans over the syrup mixture.
  4. Mix the sugars and salt together, and sprinkle evenly over the nuts. Set the pan aside.
Filling
  1. In a medium bowl whisk together the sugars, cinnamon, flour, and salt. Stir in the melted butter until the mixture looks like wet sand.
Assembly
  1. After the dough has risen, tip it out on a lightly greased work surface and gently press out to a 12 x 16-inch rectangle, with the long side facing you. Sprinkle the filling mixture over the dough, leaving a ½-inch space bare on each long side, but covering the dough all the way out to the short edges. 
  2. Roll the dough up from the long side without pulling or stretching it. Pinch the seam together to seal. 
  3. Use a sharp knife or a 16-inch length of unflavored dental floss to cut the dough into 12 equal pieces.
  4. Place the rolls, cut side up, on top of the filling in four rows three across. Cover the pan and let rise for 40-60 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. When ready to bake, the rolls will have expanded and be puffy-looking but not be quite doubled. A light touch should leave a dent in the dough that doesn’t bounce back. 
  5. Uncover the dough and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a center roll measures 190 degrees F when measured with a digital thermometer. 
  6. Remove from the oven and place a large tray over the top of the pan. Carefully flip the pan and tray over together. Let the pan sit for a minute, so gravity can put the topping on the rolls, before lifting the pan off the tray. Scrape any stray topping back over the tops of the rolls. Serve warm. 
Skillet and Egg Logo
Skillet and Egg Logo
Contributed By: Susan Reid

Chef Susan Reid is the food editor of Sift Magazine, a baking publication by King Arthur Baking Company. In her spare time, Susan shares some of her recipes on her blog, The Well Plated Life

Complete Your Kitchen

We recommend these must-have products to help with this recipe.

Ratings background image.

How would you rate this recipe?

Thanks for rating

Recommended recipes you might like