Cinnamon Sticky Buns

Cinnamon sticky buns are great make-ahead breakfast treats! This step-by-step recipe features brown sugar, pecans, and other pantry ingredients you likely already have in your home.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Updated November 03, 2022
Elise Bauer
Cinnamon buns with pecans.
Lori Rice

"Elise, I absolutely forbid you from making these again," exclaimed my father in exasperation after his fifth sticky bun from this batch.

"That good, eh? I'm glad you like them," I answered smiling. We finally had to freeze the few remaining, lest we completely destroy our appetites for the entire day.

The problem with these sticky buns, loaded with melted brown sugar and pecans, is that they are irresistible. And, once you have one, you must have another.

Cinnamon buns with pecans on a plate.
Lori Rice

What’s the Difference Between Sticky Buns and Cinnamon Rolls?

Both will fill your home with the wonderful aroma of cinnamon and baking and both require rolling the dough into pinwheels, but there is a difference. Sticky buns contain nuts (usually pecans) while cinnamon rolls traditionally don't.  

Sticky buns are are baked in a pan with the nuts and sweeteners on the bottom. They're flipped after baking, so the gooey bottom becomes the topping. The nuts and the sugar topping make the sticky buns a little denser. Cinnamon rolls, on the other hand, are glazed with a cream cheese icing after baking.

If you're feeling less like a nut, try our Homemade Cinnamon Roll recipe.

Bake Sticky Buns Fresh for the Morning

Nothing beats waking up to the smell of sticky buns baking in the oven! That's why this recipe calls for an overnight rise in the refrigerator. Follow the recipe to Step 5, then refrigerate the rolls. Pull them out first thing in the morning and let the dough come to room temperature while your oven preheats to 375°F, about 30 to 60 minutes.

Then, bake the rolls as suggested in Step 6 for a decadent breakfast!

More Breakfast and Brunch Ideas

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Cinnamon Sticky Buns

Prep Time 45 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Rise Time 10 hrs
Total Time 11 hrs 15 mins
Servings 15 servings
Yield 15 buns

The recipe is adapted from a recipe in Oprah Magazine.

Ingredients

For the dough

  • 1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115°F)

  • 1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast

  • 1/3 cup sugar, divided

  • 3/4 cup milk

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing

  • 3 large egg yolks

  • Up to 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest, to taste

  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt

  • 3 to 4 cups all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for dusting

For the filling

  • 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the topping

  • 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 3 tablespoons honey

  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup

  • 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) coarsely chopped pecans

Method

  1. Make the dough:

    In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine warm water, yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar. Stir to dissolve and let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.

    Add milk, butter, remaining sugar, egg yolks, orange zest, salt and 3 cups flour. Mix on low speed until blended.

    Switch to a dough hook and then, again on low speed, slowly incorporate more flour, a few tablespoons at a time (up to 1 cup more), until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

    Increase speed to medium, kneading dough until smooth and slightly sticky (adding a little more flour if too wet), 3 to 5 minutes.

    Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large, buttered bowl. Turn dough over in bowl to coat with the butter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour (or 2 hours if not in an entirely warm place).

    After the dough has risen, punch down. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and let sit 20 minutes.

    Dough in a bowl for pecan cinnamon rolls.
    Lori Rice
    Risen dough in a bowl to make a sticky buns recipe.
    Lori Rice
  2. Make the filling:

    Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, melt butter and keep separate.

  3. Roll out the dough, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar:

    On a floured surface, roll dough out into a 12" x 18" rectangle. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

    Dough rolled out and covered in cinnamon mixture to make a sticky buns recipe.
    Lori Rice
    Roll into a cylinder, make crosswise cuts:

    Starting with the long side, roll dough into a cylinder. Place seam side down and cut crosswise into 15 slices.

    Rolled dough for a cinnamon bun recipe cut into slices.
    Lori Rice
  4. Make the topping:

    In a 1-quart saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, honey, and corn syrup over low heat; stir until sugar and butter are melted. Pour mixture into a greased 9 x 13-inch pan and sprinkle pecans on top.

    A baking pan with pecans on the bottom to make sticky buns.
    Lori Rice
  5. Place dough rounds, flat side down, on top of prepared topping:

    Crowd them so they touch. Cover with plastic wrap, leaving room for the buns to rise, and refrigerate overnight.

    A pan of unbaked sticky buns recipe.
    Lori Rice
  6. Bake:

    Remove the rolls from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature while the oven preheats, about 30 to 60 minutes.

    Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake buns until golden, 25 to 30 minutes.

    A baked pan of pecan cinnamon rolls.
    Lori Rice
  7. Remove from the oven and invert:

    Remove pan from oven and immediately (and carefully as not to spill hot topping on your toes!) invert onto a serving tray or baking dish. Let buns cool slightly and serve warm.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
414 Calories
21g Fat
52g Carbs
7g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 15
Amount per serving
Calories 414
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 21g 27%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Cholesterol 79mg 26%
Sodium 205mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 52g 19%
Dietary Fiber 2g 9%
Total Sugars 25g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 1mg 4%
Calcium 57mg 4%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 148mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.