Description
Soft, pillowy sticky buns soaked in a rich maple pecan glaze. This forgiving, make-ahead recipe uses pantry staples to create a cozy weekend brunch treat that is kid-approved and budget-friendly.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 1 cup warm milk (whole or 2%)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 3 to 3½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (for filling)
- 1 cup packed brown sugar (dark preferred)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 cup pecan halves
- ½ cup real maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- Pinch of salt (for glaze)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine warm milk, yeast, and sugar. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
- Whisk in melted butter, egg, and salt.
- Add flour one cup at a time. Knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic (passing the windowpane test).
- Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 1-2 hours until doubled. For make-ahead, refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Butter a 9×13 inch baking dish generously. Pour remaining melted butter into the pan, sprinkle with toasted pecans, then brown sugar and cinnamon mixture.
- Roll dough into a 12×18 inch rectangle. Brush with butter and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Roll dough tightly into a log, pinch seam, and cut into 12 equal pieces.
- Place buns cut-side up in the prepared pan. Cover and let rise for 30-45 minutes until puffy.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Cover with foil if browning too fast.
- While baking, heat maple syrup and heavy cream in a saucepan until simmering. Remove from heat and whisk in confectioners’ sugar and pinch of salt until smooth.
- Pour warm glaze over hot buns immediately after removing from oven.
- Let cool in pan for 10-15 minutes. Run a knife around edges, place a platter upside down over the pan, and flip to release buns.
Notes
Toast pecans in a dry skillet for 2-3 minutes before adding to the pan for better flavor. Use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup, for the glaze. Butter the pan generously to prevent sticking. If using instant yeast, mix directly into dry ingredients. For make-ahead, shape buns and refrigerate overnight, adding 5-10 minutes to bake time.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bun
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 32
- Sodium: 220
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 52
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 6
Keywords: sticky buns, maple pecan buns, fall brunch, make-ahead breakfast, easy yeast dough, homemade sticky buns, weekend baking