Description
These Ooey-Gooey Cinnamon Buns are irresistibly soft, sweet, and topped with a luscious buttery glaze packed with brown sugar and pecans. Perfect for breakfast or a decadent dessert, this recipe combines a tender yeast dough with a rich cinnamon-pecan filling, baked to golden perfection and finished by flipping to coat each bun in a sticky glaze.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Dough:
- 1/2 cup warm water (110°F/45°C)
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1 (0.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
Glaze:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Filling:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Activate the yeast: Pour warm water into a liquid measuring cup, add 1 teaspoon sugar and active dry yeast, stir until dissolved, and let it stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
- Prepare the milk mixture: Warm the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it starts to bubble at the edges. Remove from heat, stir in ¼ cup sugar, ¼ cup unsalted butter, and salt until melted. Let cool until lukewarm.
- Mix the dough: Lightly whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture, lukewarm milk mixture, and 1½ cups flour, stirring until well combined. Gradually mix in the remaining 2½ cups flour, half a cup at a time, mixing well after each addition until the dough forms.
- Knead the dough: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, silky, and elastic, about 8 minutes.
- First rise: Place the dough in an oiled bowl, turn to coat with oil, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, approximately 1 hour.
- Make the glaze: Melt ¾ cup unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, add ¾ cup brown sugar and whisk until smooth. Grease a 9×13-inch pan, pour the glaze into the pan, and sprinkle ½ cup chopped pecans evenly over the glaze.
- Prepare the filling: In a small bowl, melt ¼ cup butter. In another bowl, combine ¾ cup brown sugar, ½ cup chopped pecans, and 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon.
- Roll out dough and add filling: Once risen, turn the dough to a floured surface, roll it into a 14×18-inch rectangle. Brush half of the melted butter over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border. Sprinkle the brown sugar-cinnamon-pecan mixture evenly over the butter.
- Form the rolls: Starting at the long edge, tightly roll the dough into a log, pinching the seams to seal. Brush the remaining melted butter over the log and cut it into 15 equal rolls.
- Second rise: Place the rolls cut-side down into the glaze in the prepared pan. Cover and let them rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Uncover the rolls and bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, approximately 25 to 30 minutes.
- Glaze and serve: Let the rolls cool in the pan for 3 minutes, then invert onto a serving platter so the glaze is on top. Scrape any remaining glaze from the pan over the rolls before serving.
Notes
- Ensure the water is not too hot when activating yeast; it should be around 110°F to prevent killing the yeast.
- Use unsalted butter to control the saltiness in the recipe.
- Letting the dough rise in a warm environment helps the yeast activate and dough to double properly.
- Rolling the dough tightly ensures evenly sized cinnamon rolls with a beautiful spiral.
- Inverting the rolls onto the platter after baking allows the glaze to generously coat the buns for maximum gooeyness.
- For a nut-free version, omit the pecans or substitute with seeds like sunflower or pumpkin seeds.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
