Rich with buttery, warmly spiced Texas pecans, these sticky buns turn any morning into an occasion. The dough bakes up plush and tender—especially when made with impossibly light Barton Springs Mill Stardust ‘00’ flour—drinking in a brown-sugar glaze that gives them their signature sticky sheen. Serve warm with coffee, then sit back and revel in the glory of homemade pastry, Hill Country–style.
Active time: 45 min • Total time: 4 hr 15 min
12 buns
1 bun
12
• Kitchen scale • Stand mixer with dough hook attachment • Rolling pin • 9 × 13-inch baking dish • Kitchen thermometer (not essential, but helpful for checking milk and water temperature)
Ingredients
Dough
- 145 g whole milk, warm (85–90°F)
- 80 g water, warm (85–90°F)
- 30 g grapeseed oil
- 45 g granulated sugar
- 8 g instant yeast
- 300 g ‘00’ flour
- 2 g baking powder
- 2 g fine sea salt
Filling
- 56 g unsalted butter, melted
- 60 g dark brown sugar
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 4 g fine sea salt
- 6 g ground cinnamon
- 2 g ground ginger
- 2 g ground clove
- 1 g ground mace
- 1 g ground cardamom
Pecan Topping
- 90 g unsalted butter, cubed
- 220 g dark brown sugar
- 40 g honey
- 5 g fine sea salt
- 7 g vanilla extract
- 250 g pecans, chopped
- 4 g ground cinnamon
- 2 g ground ginger
- 1 g ground clove
- 1 g ground mace
- Heavy pinch ground cardamom
Sourcing & Substitution Tips: I like to use BSM Stardust ‘00’ Flour for its fine texture and faintly malty sweetness. If you can’t source ‘00’, choose another soft white wheat flour with similarly low protein for the most comparable result. Avoid high-protein bread flours, which can toughen the crumb.
Grapeseed oil can be substituted for another neutral oil, such as sunflower or canola.
Instructions
- Mix the dough:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together warm milk, water, oil, sugar, and yeast until the sugar dissolves.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix with the dough hook on low–medium speed for 1 minute, scraping down as needed. Increase to medium speed for 3 minutes, then to medium-high (setting 6 on a KitchenAid) for 5–6 minutes to develop the gluten. The dough will be slightly sticky but should begin pulling away from the bowl.
- Knead and proof:
- Lightly flour your work surface and turn out the dough. Using the base of your palm, knead while rotating the dough clockwise for about 1 minute, until it begins to feel smooth and elastic.
- Flip the dough over—you should see a clean, seamless surface. Round the dough a few more times between your palms to form a tight, even ball. The surface should be smooth, and a pressed fingertip should spring back slowly.
- Lightly coat the mixing bowl with pan spray. Place the dough seam-side down, rolling the top and sides into the spray to prevent sticking. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at 75°F for 2 hours, or until doubled in size. If your oven has a proofer setting, proof for about 1½ hours instead.
- Make the filling: In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, both sugars, salt, and spices until evenly combined. The mixture will be thick and sandy. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Make the pecan topping:
- In a medium-large saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, honey, spices, and salt.
- Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching or overflow.
- When the mixture is smooth and bubbling evenly, remove from heat and stir in pecans and vanilla.
- Pour into a 9 × 13-inch baking dish, spreading evenly, and let cool to room temperature.
- Assemble the rolls:
- Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Be sure not to use too much flour—just enough to prevent sticking.
- With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 17 × 15-inch rectangle, about ¼ inch thick. Start from the center and work outward—rotating the dough occasionally and dusting the top lightly with just enough flour to avoid clinging.
- Position the dough with a long (17-inch) edge parallel to your work surface. Spread the filling evenly over the surface, leaving a 1-inch strip free of filling along the long edge farthest from you.
- Starting with the edge closest to you, roll the dough up tightly but gently, using both hands to keep the log even as you go. When you reach the far edge, pinch the seam to seal.
- Position the log seam-side down. Using a sharp knife, cut the log crosswise into two equal halves, then slice each half into six even pieces (to make 12 in total).
- Transfer the buns to the baking dish, arranging them evenly over the cooled pecan topping. Cover and proof again for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Bake:
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, until golden on top and bubbling below.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 7–8 minutes, then carefully invert the entire dish onto a sheet pan so the sticky pecan topping flows over the buns.
While the dough proofs, make the filling and pecan topping.
While the buns are proofing, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Serving & Storage Suggestions
- Serving temp: Warm, ideally fresh from the oven.
- Pairs well with: Your favorite morning beverage—the perfect start to a chilly day.
- Storage / Best by: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Rewarm gently in a 350°F oven for 5–7 minutes to restore softness.
- Make–ahead optionality: Sticky buns are an excellent candidate for advance prep—the flavor deepens overnight and the texture stays plush if properly proofed and stored.
- 1 day in advance (overnight rise): After arranging the cut buns over the cooled pecan topping, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (up to 16 hours). The next morning, remove from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 45–60 minutes, or until the buns are visibly puffy and relaxed. Bake as directed.
- Up to 1 month: Bake fully and allow to cool completely. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container, then freeze. Thaw at room temperature for 1–2 hours, still covered, to prevent drying. Warm in a 325°F oven for 10–15 minutes before serving to revive the soft crumb and glossy topping.
Original Source: https://bartonspringsmill.com/blogs/recipes/spiced-pecan-sticky-buns-nov?_pos=15&_sid=8ec157aa6&_ss=r
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