Pecan Caramel Cinnamon Rolls

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These pecan caramel cinnamon rolls is one of my favourite recipes to bake during the festive season. You really don’t need an excuse to dig into these soft, gooey & delicious rolls. They are made with big & fluffy cinnamon pecan rolls as the base topped with a homemade maple caramel sauce and halved pecans. Since baking them is a long process, I recommend dividing it into two days. You can bake them as a thanksgiving dessert or early in the morning on Christmas. No matter when you decide to bake them, I promise it’s going to leave you and your friends & family drooling over them!

Maple Caramel Pecan cinnamon rolls inverted on a wire rack to cool

What are sticky buns?

Some people also know these as maple caramel pecan sticky buns. All of these recipes are the same thing. They are basically fluffy cinnamon rolls with a sticky maple caramel filling and pecans on top. To bake these up we will first prepare our maple flavoured caramel, pour the filling at the bottom of our pan and place the cinnamon rolls on top of it to proof and bake. Once baked and slightly cooled, we invert the pan on a wire rack and let the excess filling slide off these rolls.

Ingredients required to make this recipe:

Warm Milk: You will need warm whole (full-fat) milk. Warm temperatures are also required to activate the yeast. Temperatures required are between 110ºF to 115ºF ideally. Anything hotter than this can kill your yeast. You will need 3/4th cup warm milk to make this recipe.
Yeast: Once the yeast is added, you should wait for it to be activated before proceeding. In case of instant yeast, it will activate immediately and you will have a foamy & bubbly mixture. However if using active dry yeast, you will need to let the mixture rest for around 15-20 minutes before the yeast is active.
Granulated Sugar: A small amount of sugar is added to the dough. This not only helps to add sweetness but also acts as food for the yeast which helps to activate it and become foamy & bubbly.
Egg and Egg Yolk: Use large eggs and bring them to room temperature before mixing in. Eggs strengthen the binding of your dough and also add moisture. Having your eggs at room temperature makes it easier to incorporate them and allow them to mix thoroughly in your dough. A good way of doing this is by letting them sit in a bowl filled with room temperature water for around 10 minutes or until they come down to room temperature.
Unsalted Butter: You will need a total of half cup butter: melted butter to make the dough but softened butter to make the cinnamon sugar filling and caramel. It is very important to have your butter at room temperature. You can ensure this by lightly pressing your finger on the block of butter. It should slightly leave an imprint. I also prefer to use unsalted butter because salted butters have varying amounts of salt content in them and it is always a good idea to add it on your own and avoid your bakes from being too salty.
All-purpose Flour: I highly recommend weighing all your ingredients using a kitchen scale for accurate recipe results. If you’re using cups, don’t scoop your cup into the flour. Spoon the flour into your cup and level it off with the back of a knife.
Brown Sugar: Brown sugar helps to add moisture and softness to these rolls and the caramel. Using dark brown sugar gives them their distinct and rich flavour. This is because dark brown sugar has a higher content of molasses in them. If you’re in a fix you can swap this for light brown sugar.
Ground Cinnamon: You will need ground cinnamon to make the cinnamon sugar and spread it on the dough evenly.
Vanilla: You must use a high quality pure vanilla extract in your recipes. This helps to add a rich flavor to your baked goods especially when they contain chocolate. Pure vanilla extracts are typically dark brown in color. This enhances the flavour of all ingredients and you should never leave this out.
Maple Syrup: You will need around 2 tablespoons of maple syrup to make the caramel for cinnamon rolls.
Heavy Cream: You will need high-fat heavy cream or heavy whipping cream to make a smooth and shiny caramel. If you’re using low-fat cream, make sure to drain out the water content from it before starting.
Pecans: You will need halved pecans to make this recipe. You can also add chopped ones or a mix of halved and chopped ones, depending on what you like.

Three Maple Caramel Pecan cinnamon rolls in a plate on a white marble

Two Maple Caramel Pecan cinnamon rolls on a plate

FAQ

Which yeast should I use?

You can use either active dry or instant yeast (also known as quick-rise yeast) to make these pecan caramel cinnamon rolls. If you’re using instant yeast, it should get activated almost instantly once you add it in. However, if you’re using active dry yeast, you need to let it rest for 15-20 minutes before the yeast is activated.

How to know if your yeast has been activated?

Once your yeast is activated it will become foamy and you will notice some bubbles forming on the surface of your mixture. This process might take 15-20 minutes if you’re using active-dry yeast. You should observe it almost immediately in the case of instant or quick-rise yeast.

The two rising steps to make these rolls:

The first rise is known as bulk fermentation and the second one is known as proofing. Bulk fermenting is the process of allowing the dough to double in size in a large bowl while proofing is allowing the shaped dough to become puffy just before baking. At a minimum, both steps require an hour to two in a warm place.

How can I make these rolls overnight?

You can do any one of the rising steps overnight by letting the dough chill in the refrigerator for 8-16 hours. Keeping your dough in the refrigerator slows down the rise, however exceeding 16 hours of proofing time will cause it to be over proofed. There is no time limit to bulk ferment your dough however I don’t recommend exceeding 24 hours. I don’t recommend proofing for more than 16 hours in the refrigerator. The next morning, remove the rolls from the refrigerator and allow them to rise on the counter for 1-2 hours before baking. If bulk fermenting or proofing for longer durations or overnight, I recommend doing it in the refrigerator and make sure to cover it with a plastic wrap so the dough doesn’t dry out.

How to knead dough by hand?

If you don’t have a stand mixer or a hand mixer fitted with dough attachments, you can knead the dough by hand. Firstly start with stirring your mixture with a spatula until it is crumbly in texture and has started to come together. At this point, flour your work surface and hands. Transfer the dough on the surface. Start by bringing all the bits of the dough together until they stick and you form a ball. If it’s too sticky, now is the time to add in 1-2 tablespoons of flour more. Once your dough has come together, set a timer of 10 minutes and start kneading. To knead, lift a part of the dough and bring it to the center. Then press your palm on the center and push it outwards. Start slow till you gain some momentum. Continue this for around 10 minutes.

How to know if your dough is kneaded properly?

To check if your dough is kneaded properly, poke a finger in your dough. If the dent formed springs right out then your dough is done and you can proceed with bulk fermentation.

How to freeze caramel sauce cinnamon rolls?

To freeze before baking: the dough should be frozen after the first rise (once they are rolled up with the filling in and cut). Place into a pan and cover well, then place in freezer. When you are ready to bake, let the dough thaw in the fridge — preferably overnight, then put in a warm spot for 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking to activate the second rise. Bake cinnamon rolls as directed.
To freeze after baking: allow the cinnamon pecan rolls to come to room temperature after baking, then you can choose to either freeze the entire pan, making sure they are well wrapped or covered in an airtight container, or you can choose to freeze individual cinnamon rolls. When ready to eat, defrost the cinnamon rolls at room temperature, then warm in the oven at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes or you can warm them up individually in the microwave for 20-30 seconds (once defrosted).

Pro tip: If freezing these cinnamon rolls with caramel sauce, be sure to add a date so you don’t forget!

Recipe Substitutions:

There are a few things you can substitute in this caramel cinnamon roll recipe:
Milk: If you’re in a pinch, you can replace this with equal quantities of buttermilk.
All-purpose flour: Swap this out with equal quantities of bread flour to give your rolls a more crisp exterior.
Maple Syrup: Although this adds a very unique flavor to these buns, you can leave it out if you don’t have it at hand.
Rolling Pin: You can use a wine bottle alternatively to roll out the dough for this pecan cinnamon roll recipe.

NOTE: You may drop any additional questions about this recipe in the comments below and I’ll make sure to get back to you as soon as I can!

Mixing Ingredients for cinnamon roll dough

Cinnamon roll dough in a smooth shaped ball in a greased large bowl.

Bulk fermented Cinnamon roll dough doubled in size in a large bowl.

Ingredients to make cinnamon sugar to stuff inside cinnamon roll dough

Cinnamon sugar being spread on rolled out cinnamon roll dough on top of softened butter

Cutting out cinnamon rolls into equal portions from a tightly rolled log using a thread or floss.

Ingredients to make maple caramel sauce for rolls.

maple caramel sauce for rolls in a prepared and greased pan with halved pecans

Proofed maple caramel pecan cinnamon rolls in a baking dish

Baked maple caramel pecan cinnamon rolls in a baking dish

Maple Caramel Pecan cinnamon roll on a plate

Troubleshooting Cinnamon Caramel Rolls:

My yeast is not getting activated: If your yeast is not getting activated it maybe because either it is too old or your milk is not at the right temperature. If your yeast is too old or your milk is too hot it will cause your yeast to die. I recommend starting over with a fresh packet of yeast if this happens. If your milk is too cold, your yeast will still not get activated properly.
I forgot to add eggs in my cinnamon rolls dough: If you remembered to add eggs to the dough while it is bulk fermenting or after completely fermented, you’re definitely in luck. You can add in the eggs at any point before rolling the dough out. Allow it to ferment for 1-2 hours until doubled after adding in the eggs. After shaping the rolls there is not much scope of adding in the eggs, you can still bake the rolls if you want. They will definitely be a lot tougher.
My caramel pecan rolls did not double during fermentation: This is possible if either your yeast was not properly activated or if you did not knead your dough properly. Your yeast should be bubbly and foamy and your dough should bounce back when you poke a finger in it. Over kneading your dough can also cause the gluten strands to break and not rise properly.
My pecan cinnamon rolls did not rise during proofing: A major reason of this happening is because you did not ferment or proof the dough in the correct environment. The ideal temperature to proof the dough is 85ºF – 95ºF with 70 – 75% humidity.
My rolls are already puffed before proofing: If your rolls are already puffed up and tightly fitting your pan, then I suggest you immediately put them in the oven. If you proof them at this point, they will be over proofed.
My caramel cinnamon rolls came out to be dry: Adding too much flour or over baking your rolls can cause them to turn out dry and tough. Oven temperatures also play an important role here. A high oven temperature can dry out the cinnamon roll if baked to the recommended time. A low oven temperature will require an increased baked time, which can dry out the roll.

Maple Caramel Pecan cinnamon rolls on a plate and wire rack

Tips to make the best caramel cinnamon rolls ever:

These rolls are extremely delicious and very straightforward to make. However, if you want them to turn out absolutely perfect, here are some tips that you should keep in mind!

Do not overheat your milk: You want to measure your milk in a heatproof bowl and put it in the microwave for 30-45 seconds. The milk should be warm to touch but not too warm. The ideal temperature for the milk is between 110ºF – 115ºF. I highly recommend using a thermometer here. Anything hotter than this can kill your yeast, resulting in it not being activated.
Be careful while adding in flour: Too much flour and these giant homemade caramel pecan rolls will be dry and tough. Not enough flour and the rolls won’t have enough structure to rise and will be dense and soggy. Toward the end of mixing, gradually add a tablespoon at a time and check the texture of the dough after each addition.
Use room temperature eggs: Using cold eggs can affect the yeast in this cinnamon pecan rolls recipe can cause the melted butter to coagulate in the mixture. Having your eggs at room temperature makes it easier to incorporate them and allow them to mix thoroughly in your dough. A good way of doing this is by letting them sit in a bowl filled with room temperature water for around 10 minutes or until they come down to room temperature.
Set a timer to knead your dough: I highly recommend setting a timer to knead the dough for this caramel cinnamon roll recipe. To allow the dough to strongly develop gluten and form a smooth round ball, you must continuously knead it for a minimum 10 minutes.
Be sure to flour your work surface and rolling pin: It is very important to have a lightly floured surface and rolling pin before rolling out the dough as it might stick to them and tear otherwise. If you’re kneading the dough with your hand, I recommend you flour them as well.
Do not over-proof your dough: Over proofing the dough causes the air bubbles to escape and will therefore not allow your rolls to rise any further while baking. Never exceed 16 hours while proofing the dough overnight in the refrigerator and 45 minutes while proofing in warm temperature conditions.
Use softened butter in your filling: I highly recommend using softened butter to spread onto your rolled out dough. A lot of recipes call for melted butter instead but that will cause the filling to leak out while these rolls proof. You can spread the softened butter with the back of a spoon or using your finger tips.
Be sure to trim off the edges: When you tightly roll dough into a log, the edges are usually uneven and don’t have nearly as much filling as the other parts of the log. I always trim off around half a inch from both ends of the log to get the perfect rolls every single time.
Take time to grease your pan: There’s nothing worse than spending time and energy prepping, kneading, fermenting, proofing and baking your new favourite dessert only to find out that your topping is stuck to the bottom of the pan. Been there, done that and it’s not at all fun. The rolls almost always taste great but they’re obviously not as pretty. So for the best results, be sure to generously grease a non-stick pan with non-stick baking spray. I like to use sprays which also have flour in them to grease bundt cakes. If your spray doesn’t, then I’d suggest doing a second round of greasing with some amount of flour. Once thoroughly greased, prepare the caramel sauce for cinnamon rolls and pour into the prepared baking dish.
Do not burn the caramel topping for cinnamon rolls: Caramel glaze for cinnamon rolls is very easy to burn if you’re not careful. Make sure you always keep an eye on your mixture throughout the process and make it over medium heat. Bake in a light colored pan so you can always see the bottom. Caramel is very bubbly in nature and I recommend you keep away while the mixture bubbles. You can still keep stirring it vigourously. This bubbling happens due to a temperature difference between the ingredients so make sure all of them are at room temperature. You can find the caramel recipe for cinnamon rolls below. You may also add some corn syrup to it if it doesn’t thicken.
Do not over bake: You want to bake these cinnamon rolls with pecan topping for 20-25 minutes or until just slightly golden brown on the edges. You want to under bake them a little so they stay soft in the middle, that’s why we want them just slightly golden brown. Check around the 15 minute mark, if your rolls are browning too much on the top, lightly cover them with aluminium foil.
Store cinnamon rolls with pecans topping in an airtight container: These sweet rolls tend to become dry and tough if not stored properly. Make sure you store them in an airtight container or individual rolls in a ziploc bag in the refrigerator.

Maple Caramel Pecan cinnamon rolls on a plate

HOW TO GET THE BEST RESULTS FROM THIS RECIPE?

All of the recipes on the blog are thoroughly tested multiple times and carefully designed so that anyone can reproduce these delicious baked good in their own kitchen and enjoy them to the fullest. The only way to make this possible is when anyone can exactly replicate the measurements and temperatures.

In order to standardise the way ingredients are measured, I highly recommend that you weigh them in grams. Volume measurements are nearly not as accurate and have a lot of scope for errors. To precisely be able to replicate the recipes, all you will need is a kitchen scale!
Every oven heats up differently. Your oven might be over heating or under heating by around 50 degrees or more and you might not even know. In order to ensure that you are baking at the right temperatures, I highly recommend investing in an oven thermometer!

If you would still like to bake using volume measurements, I mentioned those below. However, I primarily test my recipes in grams and cannot promise the best results if you do so. Trust me, once you’ll start using these tools you’d never want to go back.

I hope you’ll enjoy a batch of my caramel pecan cinnamon rolls recipe this thanksgiving and don’t forget to bookmark this recipe for the holidays. These pretty & delicious rolls would make the perfect delight for your breakfast or Sunday family brunch!

Happy Festive Baking!