Description

These forgiving, no-fail sticky buns feature a soft enriched dough, a rich brown butter glaze, real maple syrup, and toasted pecans. Perfect for weekend baking with make-ahead options.

Ingredients

Scale

2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
1 cup whole milk, warm
3 ½ to 4 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs, room temperature
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter, softened (for filling)
1 cup pecans, chopped and toasted
¼ cup unsalted butter (for glaze)
¼ cup maple syrup
1 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
2–3 tablespoons heavy cream
¼ teaspoon salt (for glaze)

Instructions

Proof yeast: In a mixer bowl, combine warm milk, yeast, and sugar. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
Make dough: Add melted butter, eggs, salt, and 3 ½ cups flour. Mix on low, then knead on medium-low for 5-7 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky. Add more flour if needed.
First rise: Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for 1-1.5 hours until doubled.
Prep pan: Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon, spread on pan bottom, and sprinkle with toasted pecans.
Shape buns: Punch down dough, roll into a 12×16 inch rectangle. Brush with softened butter, sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Roll into a log, cut into 12 pieces, and place cut-side up in the pan.
Second rise: Cover and let rise for 30-45 minutes until puffy. (Or refrigerate overnight for make-ahead).
Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
Make glaze: While buns bake, brown ¼ cup butter in a saucepan until nutty. Remove from heat. Whisk in maple syrup, powdered sugar, salt, and heavy cream until smooth.
Finish: Pour warm glaze over warm buns. Let cool 5-10 minutes before serving or inverting onto a platter.

Notes

Toast pecans for better flavor. Do not over-flour the dough to keep buns soft. Brown butter carefully as it burns quickly. Can be made ahead by refrigerating shaped buns overnight.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Breakfast
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bun
Calories: 380
Sugar: 32
Sodium: 350
Fat: 16
Saturated Fat: 8
Carbohydrates: 52
Fiber: 2
Protein: 6

Keywords: sticky buns, maple pecan buns, brown butter glaze, yeast dough, fall baking, weekend baking, make-ahead breakfast