Why do my sticky buns get hard?

Adding too much flour is a surefire way to make sticky buns too hard. If your sticky buns were a good consistency but have become a little bit hard, try microwaving them one at a time with a glass of water also in the microwave.

Why didn't my sticky buns rise?

To fix dough that won't rise, try placing the dough on the lowest rack in your oven along with a baking pan filled with boiling water . Close the oven door and let the dough rise. Increasing the temperature and moisture can help activate the yeast in the dough so it rises. You can also try adding more yeast.

What makes homemade buns tough?

Too much flour, or not the right kind , could be to blame. Dough made only from flour with a high or even average amount of protein (like bread flour or all-purpose flour) can become tough from overmixing. Protein gives bread structure in the form of gluten—the more you mix and move the dough, the more gluten you get.

What makes the buns softer?

Adding egg white will make the dough more stable as it rises, less likely to collapse, giving you buns that feel more soft and bouncy. So add egg to your mix for a natural bun dough improver and emulsifier.

How do you make buns rise more?

Find a warm, draft-free place to leave them or heat the oven to 50c (120F or the lowest setting) for 5 minutes then turn off the oven, put the shaped buns in the warm oven (make sure they are still covered), shut the door and leave for around 30 minutes or until almost doubled in size.

How do you make buns rise higher?

Add ¼ teaspoon of ginger with the warm water when you are first proofing the yeast to help your bread rise higher and fluffier. It won't make your bread taste like ginger, either. Works for rolls, too.

What happens if you leave buns to rise too long?

“If the dough has risen too long, it's going to feel fragile and might even collapse as you poke it ,” says Maggie. If this is the case, there's a chance you can save your dough by giving it a quick re-shape. Learn more about this fix in our blog on saving overproofed dough.

How do you keep cinnamon rolls from getting hard?

Don't Overmix the Dough When making cinnamon rolls, mix the dough just until the ingredients are incorporated and the dough is smooth and soft. Overmixed dough leads to tough cinnamon rolls.

How do you keep buns from drying out?

Paper bags are more breathable than plastic , which is great for brioche rolls, soft buns, and other breads with added fat. But too much air will make the bread go stale quickly. Consider keeping these bags airtight as best you can. Then there's the bread box: it balances moisture and air circulation.

How do you keep buns soft and fresh?

Wrap The Bread To Keep It Fresh It is important to wrap your rolls or buns inside of foil or a plastic storage bag . If you use foil, make sure it completely encases the bread you are storing as any exposed portions will be subject to drying or mold.

How do you fix hard hamburger buns?

Try steaming your burger buns on the stove . Steaming store-bought buns can make them more tender and plump up stale buns by adding moisture. "Hot-dog stands steam their buns because it makes them taste good. You can do the same at home in just a few minutes," said Alto.

Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns Recipe | Tastes of Lizzy T (2024)

Julie Clark

Posted: 10/2/2020 Updated: 3/14/2024

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From scratch Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns baked in a skillet make a sweet breakfast treat. You’ll love the caramel topping that bakes in the bottom of the pan, but when flipped, becomes the topping!

Introducing October’s Sweet Roll: The Sticky Bun.

This year we’ve been sharing all kinds of variations of our homemade sweet rolls. Have you tried them yet? They’re amazing. And easy. I promise.

But the way to my husband’s heart is sticky buns. Caramel pecan sticky buns to be exact. The ooey, gooey, nutty cinnamon rolls that need a glass of milk alongside them. I’m so excited to share this classic recipe with you!

Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns Recipe | Tastes of Lizzy T (2)

Why you’ll love this recipe:

the same soft, sweet dough you know and love
a smaller recipe that only makes 8!
cinnamon filling on the inside
homemade caramel sauce bakes underneath
loaded with pecans
bakes in a skillet

Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns Recipe | Tastes of Lizzy T (3)

What is the difference between a sticky bun and a cinnamon roll?

Today we’re talking sticky buns…the cousin to cinnamon rolls. Sticky buns are called “sticky” because they bake in a gooey sauce poured into the bottom of the pan. Once the rolls are baked, you flip the rolls upside down, revealing that gooey “sticky” sugar coating.

Cinnamon rolls aren’t baked in that gooey, nutty sauce, but rather either frosted or drizzled with glaze after baking.

Tips for Making Sticky Buns

The first step to making sticky buns is to make the yeast dough. My favorite yeast is Red Star Platinum Superior Baking Yeast. It bakes up big, beautiful breads every time. Be sure your instant yeast is fresh for the best results!
We find it easiest to use a stand mixer with the dough hook to mix and knead yeast doughs. You can use your hands to knead the dough if you don’t have a stand mixer, just be sure not to add too much flour. The dough should be slightly tacky so the rolls don’t end up dry.
While the dough is rising, make the caramel pecan sugar mixture. This is the “sticky” in the sticky buns. You’ll melt sugar, corn syrup and butter in a saucepan until the sugar is melted. Allow the mixture to simmer (low boil) for 2 minutes. Then remove from the heat and add the cream.

Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns Recipe | Tastes of Lizzy T (4)

Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns Recipe | Tastes of Lizzy T (5)

Line your 10″ skillet with parchment paper that you’ve sprayed with cooking spray. This will help the rolls come out easily. Pour the sauce into the prepared skillet and sprinkle the pecans overtop.
Roll out the dough, top with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, then roll up the dough jelly roll style and cut into 8 pieces.
Place the dough slices into the skillet and allow the rolls to rise again for 20-30 minutes or until the dough is slightly puffed. The exact time to rise will depend on temperature, humidity and even altitude, so just be sure to watch them closely.

Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns Recipe | Tastes of Lizzy T (6)

Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns Recipe | Tastes of Lizzy T (7)

Bake the rolls for about 25 minutes. Baking time will really depend on the type of pan you used and your oven. We used a regular oven and a cast iron skillet. The rolls took a full 25 minutes of baking.
Allow the rolls to rest for 15 minutes. Then turn them over onto a serving plate so the caramel sauce ends up on top. Be careful with the hot skillet…it’s very, very hot!

TheCaramel Pecan Sticky Buns are best served warm alongside a cup of coffee or milk. 🙂

Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns

4.81 from 46 votes

From scratch Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns baked in a skillet make a sweet breakfast treat. You’ll love the caramel topping that bakes in the bottom of the pan, but when flipped, becomes the topping!

Servings 8

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Rise Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 36 minutes minutes

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Ingredients

DOUGH:

1/2 tablespoon instant yeast
1/2 cup warm milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup salted butter (well softened, but not melted)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour

FILLING:

1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons salted butter (softened)

CARAMEL PECAN TOPPING:

1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
4 tablespoons salted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/4 cups chopped pecans

Instructions

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the warm milk and yeast. Allow to it for about 5 minutes or until it starts to get foamy.
Whisk in the sugar, melted butter, salt, and egg.
Stir in the flour until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic.
Place in a greased bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise until double in size, about an hour.
Punch the dough down and knead a few times until smooth.
Make the pecan topping by combining the brown sugar, corn syrup, and butter in a small saucepan. Heat until the sugar is melted and the mixture starts to simmer. Allow the mixture to simmer for two minutes.
Take the sauce off the heat and stir in the heavy cream.
Place a piece of parchment paper in a 10" skillet, round cake pan or baking dish. Spray with cooking spray. Pour the mixture into the skillet and sprinkle with the chopped pecans. Set aside.
Roll the dough into a 10-inch by 16-inch rectangle (if the dough pulls back too much and doesn't stay rolled out, let it rest for 10 minutes and try again).
Spread the 4 tablespoons of butter on the rolled out dough. Sprinkle with the brown sugar and cinnamon.
Roll up tightly starting on the long edge.
Using a very sharp or serrated knife, cut the log into 8 rolls. Place them on top of the pecan filling in the 10-inch skillet and let them rise until puffed slightly (about 30 minutes).
Bake at 375º F for 25 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Check the rolls at 20 minutes. If they look like they are getting too browned, cover loosely with foil for the remaining baking time.
Remove them from the oven and let them sit for about 15 minutes. CAREFULLY flip the skillet over on a serving plate so that the buns are sticky side up (CARAMEL TOPPING IS SUPER HOT).
Serve warm. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Notes

*Want more flavor? Add a dash of nutmeg along with the cinnamon.

The calories shown are based on the recipe making 8 rolls, with 1 serving being 1 roll. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate.

Nutrition

Author Julie Clark

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Calories 574

Keyword homemade bread, sweet rolls

Have you tried this recipe?

Share a review below or share on Instagram with the tag #tastesoflizzyt.

Love cinnamon rolls? Try one of our other recipes.

Tools to Make these Sticky Buns

Stand Mixer: Ok, you don’t 100% need this, but it does make life easier to knead yeast doughs.
Red Star Yeast: My favorite yeast! It’s so forgiving and I have perfect baked goods, every time.
Saigon Cinnamon: The best flavored cinnamon.
Pastry Mat: This makes clean-up a breeze.
Dough Cutter: I JUST got one of these. What have I done without it all these years? Works as a scraper too, to get stuck-on dough off surfaces.
10″ Cast Iron Skillet: This makes a pretty presentation for the sticky buns.