Originally Written 12/08/2020. Re-written 09/25/2024

I don’t know what it is about sticky buns, but I’m a sucker for them.

Even as a kid I preferred a sticky bun to a cinnamon roll. That warm, nutty, caramel stickiness just slowly dripping over the sides of delicious sweet bread…yep, I’m a fan!

On the last day of summer camp, the cook would make trays of them, but they never lasted long! I might have slept in and skipped breakfast on other days, but you best believe I got to the dining hall early so I wouldn’t miss out!

These Bourbon Pecan Sticky Buns use the same brioche dough from my Brioche Cinnamon Rolls recipe. It’s such an easy dough to work with, and even on its own, it’s delicious to eat.

These Bourbon Pecan Sticky Buns are simple to make and check every box for flavor!

If you’re not a bourbon fan, you can leave it out when making the topping at the end. Living in Tennessee for the last eight years, some things have rubbed off on me, and a love for bourbon is one! But even without it, these will still be glorious!

This recipe is weighed out rather than measured. I’ve added measurements, but if you mix all your dough ingredients and it seems to stick, you may need to add up to 1/4 cup more flour. The dough shouldn’t be so sticky that you can’t work with it.

I even think the ingredients of this recipe are pretty!

While the dough is rising, it’s time to mix up the filling and make the topping!

The filling for these Bourbon Pecan Sticky Buns is a classic mixture of brown sugar, room-temperature butter, cinnamon, and ginger! The ginger adds a nice kick of warmth and spice that complements the bourbon. Mix all of these ingredients in a bowl and set to the side so you’re ready to go once the dough is finished rising.

Now, in a small sauté pan, weigh out and combine butter, brown sugar, and honey for the topping. Place this over low heat and keep stirring so it doesn’t burn. Add your chopped pecans and keep stirring, cooking it for 3-5 minutes. This will help it thicken up. After the time is up, remove it from the stove, and if you want to add the bourbon, now’s your chance! 

Before pouring this all over the bottom of your baking dish, spray the baking dish lightly with oil and then line it with a sheet of parchment. You’ll thank me later when you’re not struggling to get these babies out and scrubbing crystallized caramel for days. 

This recipe can be made in a 9″x 13″ baking dish, but I absolutely love my No. 14 Dual Handle Skillet from Smithey Ironware. It’s the perfect size for these Bourbon Pecan Sticky Buns.

Baking sticky buns in the Smithey Ironware No. 14 dual-handle skillet offers several advantages over a 9×13 baking dish:

1. Heat Retention: Cast iron provides excellent heat retention, ensuring even baking and a consistent golden crust on the buns.
2. Caramelization: The skillet’s heat conductivity helps create a superior caramelization of the sugar and butter topping, resulting in a richer flavor and texture.
3. Crispy Edges: Cast iron can create slightly crispier edges, contrasting beautifully with the soft center of the buns.
4. Rustic Presentation: The skillet offers a more rustic, visually appealing presentation. It’s just a really good looking pan!

I highly recommend you check out their cast iron if you’re a collector of heirloom cast iron pieces like I am!

Tips & Tricks for Successful Bourbon Pecan Sticky Buns

1. Leave a Seam for Sealing: After adding your filling, leave about a half-inch of dough bare along the long edge. This seam allows the dough to seal correctly when you roll it up, keeping the filling in place during baking.
2. Use a Serrated Knife for Clean Cuts: Use a serrated bread knife to cut your dough into cinnamon roll rounds. This will help slice through the dough without squishing it, ensuring even, neat rounds.
3. Perfect Rectangle: Roll the dough into a 10×16″ rectangle. This size allows for an even roll-up and ensures the buns bake evenly without overcrowding.
4. Exact Sizing for Your Pan: For the Smithey No. 14 cast iron skillet, measure and cut the dough log into 11 equal pieces. If using a 9×13 baking dish, cut 12 pieces instead to fit the dish properly.
5. Prepare the Pan: To prevent sticking, oil the pan generously and add a layer of parchment paper. Oil the parchment as well before pouring the caramel topping into the pan. This double layer of protection ensures the buns release smoothly.
6. Flip Before Cooling: One of the most important steps is to flip the buns out of the skillet or baking dish before they cool too much. If they cool too long, the caramel will harden, making releasing the buns from the pan difficult.
7. Use Warm Ingredients: Ensure your eggs and butter are at room temperature before mixing the dough. This helps the dough rise consistently and achieve a soft, fluffy texture.
8. Check for Doneness: The buns should be golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 185°F to ensure they are fully baked while maintaining a soft, gooey center.

These tips will help you achieve sticky buns that are perfectly caramelized, easy to flip, and beautifully textured.

After you let these Bourbon Pecan Sticky Buns Rise for the second time, it’s finally time to bake!

Bake them at 350° for thirty minutes or until golden brown!

Once the buns are ready to come out of the oven, have a second tray or serving platter ready. You’ll let the buns cool for about five minutes before turning them out of the dish they baked in. Don’t leave them to cool too long, or the topping will harden to the bottom of the pan, and you’ll never get them out! 

Place the second tray over the top of the baking dish and flip! The oil and parchment paper should ensure they plop right out, right side up, on the serving tray!

Now for the best part… serve warm with a cup of coffee and enjoy one of the finer things in life! These Bourbon Pecan Sticky Buns are such a delicious Fall treat!

Print Recipe

Bourbon Pecan Sticky Buns

Perfect for fall, these Bourbon Pecan Sticky Buns feature caramel, toasted pecans, and a hint of bourbon for a cozy seasonal treat.

Prep Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Rise Time1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Total Time3 hours hrs

Course: Bread, Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Servings: 11 Buns

Equipment

• Stand mixer with dough hook
• Mixing Bowls
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Small Sauté pan
• Rolling Pin
• Serrated Bread Knife
• Smithey Ironware 14-inch cast iron skillet or a 9×13 pan
• Parchment Paper
• Spatula
• Baking Tray

Ingredients

Brioche Dough

• 195 grams Warm Whole Milk 3/4 Cup
• 60 grams Granulated Sugar 1/4 Cup
• 9 grams Yeast 2 1/4 tsp
• 85 grams Salted Butter room temperature 6 tbsp
• 2 Eggs room temperature
• 5 grams Vanilla Extract 1 tsp
• 535 grams All-Purpose Flour 3 3/4 Cup
• 2 grams Cinnamon 1/2 tsp
• 3 grams Salt 1/2 tsp

Cinnamon Filling

• 97 grams Brown Sugar 1/2 Cup packed
• 6 grams Cinnamon 2 tsp
• 3 grams Ground Ginger 1 tsp
• 97 grams Salted Butter room temperature 8 tbsp

Topping

• 195 grams brown sugar 1 cup
• 97 grams butter 8 tbsp
• 81 grams honey 4 tbsp
• 162 grams pecans (half chopped, half whole) 1 3/4 cup
• 46 grams bourbon 3 tbsp

Instructions

Brioche Dough

• In the mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add in the sugar, warm whole milk, and then sprinkle the yeast over the top. Let it sit for 3-5 minutes to activate.
• Next, add the room temperature butter and eggs as well as the vanilla extract, mix briefly with the dough hook. It won’t come together much and will look lumpy.
• Lastly, add in the all-purpose flour, cinnamon, and salt. Mix for 5 minutes or until everything comes together to form a fairly smooth dough. The dough should not be super sticky, if it is add 31 grams (or 1/4 cup) more flour.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 45-60 minutes.

Cinnamon Filling

• In a small mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and room temperature salted butter. Mix until well combined.

Topping Instructions

• In a small sauté pan, combine 8 tbsp butter (97.2 grams), 1 cup brown sugar (194.4 grams), and 4 tbsp honey (81 grams). Place over low heat, stirring frequently.
• Chop half of the pecans (about 3/4 cup) and leave the other half whole (about 3/4 cup). Add both the chopped and whole pecans (1 3/4 cups total) to the sauté pan once the butter is melted. Keep stirring over low heat for another 3-5 minutes.
• Remove from heat, add 3 tbsp bourbon (45.5 grams), stir well, and set aside to cool.

Assemble & Bake

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut out a piece of parchment paper to line your 14-inch cast iron skillet. Spray the bottom of the skillet lightly with oil and place the parchment paper over the oil, pressing down to secure it to the bottom of the skillet.
• Pour your sticky pecan topping into the skillet, spreading it evenly all over the bottom, and set aside.
• Once the dough has finished rising, lightly flour the countertop and roll the dough out into a 10″x16″ rectangle. Scoop the cinnamon filling into the center of the rectangle and evenly spread it all over the top of the dough. Leave a 1/2″ seam bare of the filling on the long side of the dough furthest from you.
• Start rolling the dough on the long side closest to you (the side on which you took the cinnamon filling all the way to the edge) and roll it all the way up to the edge you left bare.
• Using a serrated bread knife, cut off the smaller ends of the log to even it up, and then cut it into 11 equal pieces. (12 pieces if you are using a 9×13 baking pan)
• Place each roll in the skillet over the sticky pecan topping. Start with three in the middle of the pan, and then go around the outside with the remaining rolls. It’s okay for them to have space between them, they will grow together as they rise and bake. Cover them with plastic wrap and allow them to rise for another 25-35 minutes.
• After they are done rising, place them on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown, or until the internal temperature reaches 185 degrees.
• Before they are done baking, line another baking tray with parchment paper or a large cutting board. (Something with edges is excellent, though, so the caramel doesn't ooze everywhere!)
• Once the rolls are done baking, remove them from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, use hot pads and quickly flip the pan over onto a large cutting board or baking sheet. If you used a 9×13 baking pan, place the baking sheet with the parchment paper over the top of the pan, and then, flipping it over together, turn the rolls out onto the sheet to finish cooling. You must get them out of the skillet/baking pan before they are fully cool, or the caramelized sugar will harden, sticking them to the skillet/pan.
• Serve warm with a cup of coffee and enjoy!

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