The Fluffiest Caramel Pecan Rolls Recipe for Sweet Morning Joy

Sweet aromas of buttery caramel pecan rolls waft through kitchens, promising pure comfort.

Warm layers of soft dough invite cozy morning celebrations.

Sticky caramel glistens between delicate pastry folds, beckoning hungry souls.

Nutty pecans add delightful crunch to each tender bite.

Crafting these rolls becomes a delicious morning ritual.

Bakers discover unexpected joy in kneading, rolling, and drizzling golden caramel.

You’ll fall in love with every decadent, mouthwatering morsel.

Why Caramel Pecan Rolls Are Sticky Sweet Perfection

• Savor Homemade Comfort: Experience the ultimate satisfaction of creating bakery-quality rolls right in your own kitchen, filling your home with irresistible aromas and warmth.
• Master Impressive Baking Skills: Tackle this recipe to boost your baking confidence, learning professional techniques like working with yeast dough and creating perfect caramel sauce.
• Create Crowd-Pleasing Breakfast Treat: Delight family and friends with a showstopping breakfast or brunch dish that looks and tastes like it came from a gourmet bakery, guaranteed to earn rave reviews.
• Customize with Delicious Variations: Easily swap pecans for walnuts, add different spices, or experiment with flavor combinations to make this recipe uniquely yours while maintaining its delicious core.

Ingredients for Soft Caramel Pecan Rolls

• Whole Milk: A warm liquid that helps activate the yeast and create a soft, rich texture.
• Active Dry Yeast: A leavening agent that helps the dough rise and develop a light, airy structure.
• Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps feed the yeast during the rising process.
• Eggs: Add richness, structure, and help bind the ingredients together.
• All-Purpose Flour: The primary base that creates the structure of the sweet rolls.
• Salt: Enhances the overall flavor of the dough.

• Butter: Creates a rich, smooth caramel sauce and adds moisture to the rolls.
• Brown Sugar: Provides deep, caramel-like sweetness to the sauce.
• Honey: Adds additional sweetness and helps create a smooth caramel consistency.
• Heavy Cream: Contributes to the creamy texture of the caramel sauce.
• Water: Helps dissolve the sugars and create the right sauce consistency.
• Pecans: Adds a nutty crunch and complements the sweet caramel flavor.

• Granulated Sugar, Brown Sugar: Create a sweet, spiced filling for the rolls.
• Cinnamon, Nutmeg: Provide warm, aromatic spices that enhance the overall flavor profile.

How to Make Sticky Caramel Pecan Rolls Easily

Step 1: Wake Up the Yeast

Gently warm milk in the microwave until it feels like a cozy bath. Sprinkle yeast and sugar into the warm milk.

Let it sit and bubble for a few minutes. Crack eggs into the mixture and whisk until everything looks smooth and happy.

Step 2: Create the Magical Dough

Blend flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Pour in the bubbly wet ingredients and mix until just combined.

Switch to a dough hook and slowly add softened butter. Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until it becomes silky and elastic.

Transfer to a greased bowl and let it rest in a warm spot until it doubles in size.

Step 3: Craft the Luscious Caramel

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.

• Brown sugar
• Honey
• Heavy cream
• Water
• Salt

Simmer the mixture until it becomes a smooth, glossy sauce. Pour the caramel into a baking dish and sprinkle toasted pecans across the bottom.

Step 4: Shape the Dreamy Rolls

• Granulated sugar
• Brown sugar
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg

Scatter the sugar mixture evenly over the dough.

Roll the dough tightly from the long side and slice into 12 beautiful rolls.

Step 5: Final Rise and Bake

Arrange the rolls over the caramel and pecan layer.

Let them puff up for 30-45 minutes. Heat the oven to 350F.

Bake until the rolls turn a gorgeous golden brown, about 30-35 minutes.

Step 6: Reveal the Delicious Treasure

Wait 5 minutes after baking.

Carefully flip the pan onto a serving platter, allowing the caramel to cascade over the rolls. Serve these heavenly rolls while they’re warm and watch everyone’s eyes light up with joy!

Tips to Get Perfectly Soft Pecan Sticky Rolls

• Warm milk precisely between 105-110°F to activate yeast perfectly without killing it, ensuring soft, fluffy dough rise.
• Knead dough until smooth and elastic, which develops gluten for tender, stretchy texture that holds caramel beautifully.
• Simmer caramel sauce for exactly 3-4 minutes to achieve perfect thickness without burning, creating rich, glossy coating.
• Allow dough to rise in warm, draft-free spot until doubled, which develops complex flavor and ensures pillowy soft rolls.
• Flip pan immediately after baking to let caramel drip evenly, creating stunning presentation and maximum flavor absorption.

Delicious Variations of Caramel Pecan Breakfast Rolls

• Maple Walnut Wonder: Replace pecans with toasted walnuts and swap honey for pure maple syrup in the caramel sauce for a rich, woodsy flavor profile.
• Chocolate Hazelnut Dream: Sprinkle cocoa powder into the filling and use chopped hazelnuts instead of pecans, creating a decadent nutty chocolate experience.
• Tropical Coconut Escape: Mix shredded coconut into the filling, use coconut sugar in the caramel sauce, and top with toasted coconut flakes for a beach-inspired version.
• Apple Cinnamon Comfort: Finely dice fresh apples and fold them into the filling, adding extra ground cinnamon and a splash of apple cider to the caramel sauce for a cozy autumn feel.

What Goes Well With Sticky Caramel Pecan Rolls

Savor Complementary Flavors: Rich Espresso Pairing – A bold, dark espresso cuts through the sweetness of the caramel rolls, creating a perfect balance of intense coffee notes and sugary warmth.

Enhance Breakfast Experience: Vanilla Bean Yogurt – Creamy, tangy vanilla yogurt provides a cool, refreshing contrast to the warm, sticky caramel pecan rolls, adding a light and smooth counterpoint.

Elevate Morning Indulgence: Fresh Berry Compote – Tart, bright berry sauce brings a zesty freshness that lightens the rich, buttery rolls, offering a vibrant burst of flavor that cleanses the palate.

Best Way to Store Pecan Rolls Without Drying

Store rolls in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Wrap each roll individually in plastic wrap to maintain moisture and prevent drying out.

Place rolls in a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Separate layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking.

Preheat oven to 325F. Wrap rolls in aluminum foil to prevent burning. Warm for 10-15 minutes until heated through. Add a splash of water inside the foil to restore softness.

Reheat individual rolls for 20-30 seconds. Drizzle extra caramel sauce on top to refresh moisture and enhance flavor.

FAQs

• What makes the caramel sauce special in this recipe?

The caramel sauce combines butter, brown sugar, honey, heavy cream, water, and salt, creating a rich, complex flavor that perfectly coats the rolls and adds a luxurious sweetness.

• How do I know if my yeast is activated correctly?

When you mix warm milk, yeast, and sugar, the mixture should become bubbly and foamy within 5 minutes. If it doesn’t, your yeast might be old or the milk was too hot or cold.

• Can I prepare the dough ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the dough and let it rise overnight in the refrigerator. Just remove it 1-2 hours before baking to allow it to come to room temperature and complete its final rise.

• Why do I need to knead the dough for 8-10 minutes?

Soft And Sticky Caramel Pecan Rolls Recipe

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4.5 from 26 reviews

• Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
• Yield: 12 1x

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Description

Caramel pecan rolls deliver pure breakfast bliss with gooey layers of sweet indulgence and nutty crunch. Warm kitchen aromas and golden-brown pastry promise comfort that will draw everyone to the morning table.

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Ingredients

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Dough Ingredients:

• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk (warm)
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup salted butter (very soft)

Caramel Sauce Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup salted butter
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar (firmly packed)
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Filling Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups pecans (toasted, about 8 ounces)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Dash nutmeg (optional)

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Instructions

1. Activate the yeast by warming milk to 105-110F, mixing with yeast and sugar. Allow 5 minutes for mixture to become frothy and bubbly.
2. Whisk eggs into the yeast mixture until thoroughly incorporated and smooth.
3. Combine flour and salt in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer. Pour wet ingredients and blend using paddle attachment until just combined.
4. Switch to dough hook and gradually incorporate softened butter. Knead for 8-10 minutes until dough becomes silky and elastic.
5. Transfer dough to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm environment for 1-2 hours until volume doubles.
6. Create caramel sauce by melting butter over medium heat. Add brown sugar, honey, heavy cream, water, and salt. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until mixture becomes glossy and uniform.
7. Pour caramel sauce into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Distribute toasted pecans evenly across the bottom.
8. Roll risen dough into a rectangular shape approximately 12×18 inches.
9. Blend granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Sprinkle this mixture uniformly across the dough surface.
10. Tightly roll dough from the long side, creating a compact log. Slice into 12 equal portions.
11. Arrange rolls atop the caramel pecan layer. Cover and allow second rise for 30-45 minutes until rolls appear puffy.
12. Preheat oven to 350F. Bake for 30-35 minutes until rolls turn golden brown.
13. Rest rolls for 5 minutes after baking. Carefully invert pan onto serving platter, allowing caramel to cascade over rolls.
14. Serve immediately while warm, revealing luscious caramel-drenched pecan rolls.

Notes

• Ensure the milk is precisely warm (105-110F) to activate yeast without killing it, creating a perfect rise for soft, fluffy rolls.
• Develop gluten by kneading thoroughly, which creates a stretchy, tender dough with a rich, silky texture.
• Watch the caramel sauce carefully while simmering to prevent burning, aiming for a smooth, golden consistency that coats the rolls beautifully.
• Prepare the dough the night before and let it slow-rise in the refrigerator for deeper flavor and more convenient morning baking.

• Prep Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 12
• Calories: 376
• Sugar: 20 g
• Sodium: 145 mg
• Fat: 20 g
• Saturated Fat: 7 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
• Trans Fat: 0.2 g
• Carbohydrates: 43 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 5 g
• Cholesterol: 45 mg