You won’t believe how amazingly delicious my pecan caramel rolls are, and your family won’t believe you made them!
Good sticky buns are a thing of beauty, and the best are made using brioche dough.
The problem is most brioche doughs are complicated and can prove to be a little daunting for a novice baker. But using a no-knead brioche dough recipe takes most of the work out of the process.
I was truly amazed the first time I made these perfectly delicious pecan caramel rolls. So much so that I had to make them again just to be sure it wasn’t beginners’ luck.
It’s a simple foolproof recipe, that only needed a little tweaking to get the best results possible.
Of course, the dough is great for just plain Brioche rolls or a nice loaf of bread! The recipe I’m going to give you will make a few batches and the dough holds up for 5 days so you have so time to plan what other types of deliciousness you can bake up.
What ingredients do I need to make Pecan Caramel Cinnamon Rolls?
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Caramel Pecan Cinnamon Rolls. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
How do I make no-knead brioche dough?
- Mix the yeast, salt, water in the bowl of your mixer, mix well
- Add in eggs, honey and mix until well blended
- Add the melted butter, and continue to mix until well blended
- Add in flour and using your dough hook, incorporate all the flour, mix just enough so that all the flour is mixed in.
The dough may look loose and wetter than you think it should be, it may also look like it has lumps, that’s ok.
- Transfer dough to another bowl, cover with a towel and allow to sit and rise for two hours.
- Chill dough for at least 2 hours, before making the rolls.
- Using floured hands cut out a 1 ½ lb piece of brioche dough.
- Dust dough with more flour and shape into a ball by stretching the dough around and under in quarter turns until it is fully shaped.
How do I make the caramel topping for the rolls?
- Cream the butter with salt and brown sugar.
- Spread evenly over the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan, and scatter the pecan halves over the topping.
- Set aside until needed.
How do I make the cinnamon smear for the rolls?
While the dough is resting, cream the butter, cinnamon and sugar until smooth and creamy.
How do I assemble the Pecan Caramel Rolls?
- Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a ⅛ inch thick rectangle (about 12″x8″). Add flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking to the rolling pin or surface.*
- Spread the mixture evenly over the dough.
- Sprinkle the pecans over the filling.
- Start rolling the dough along the long side of the dough, so you end up with a roll.
*Refrigerate the roll for 20-30 minutes to chill the dough before slicing.
- When the dough is ready, using a serrated knife, cut the log into eight equal pieces and place them in a prepared cake pan.
- Cover with plastic and allow to rise for 1 hour in a cool area of your kitchen.
- Place rolls in a 350-degree preheated oven, and bake for about 40 minutes or until golden brown and set in the center.
- Run a knife around the sides of the pan and turn out the rolls onto a platter immediately.
When I first made these rolls, I had no idea if this type of brioche dough would turn out and I definitely didn’t expect it would be so good!
These are without a doubt the best Pecan rolls I ever had, light and fluffy, and so very flavorful!
Recipe FAQ’s
Also known as Active Dry yeast, it’s a type of dry yeast that’s granular, with a consistency similar to cornmeal. It’s a living organism that’s dormant until proofed or dissolved in a small amount of lukewarm warm water (105- 110°F).
Active dry yeast (granular) is typically sold in individual packets or small glass jars. If using the latter, just make sure to refrigerate it after opening so the yeast stays fresh and active.
When turning the dough out onto the counter to roll out, use plenty of flour. If the dough is sticking to your hands or the work surface, add more flour.
I usually dredge the dough I’m using in flour before starting.
Yes, you can. Increase the dough, smear, and caramel by 50%. That means rolling out the dough to a 12″ x 12″ area to work with.
No. you don’t. If you have nut allergies they can be omitted. You can use raisins instead of nuts if you prefer.
More Brioche Recipes You’ll Love!
No-Knead Brioche Pecan Caramel Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups lukewarm water
- 1½ tablespoon granulated yeast (2 packets)
- 1½ tablespoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt
- 8 eggs lightly beaten
- ½ cup honey
- 1 ½ Cups unsalted butter melted (3 sticks)
- 7½ cups all purpose flour
Caramel Topping
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup Karo syrup or Honey
- 30 Pecan halves (or as many as needed)
Filling for Rolls
- 8 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup toasted and chopped pecans (optional)
- pinch of ground black pepper
Instructions
- Mix the yeast, salt, water in the bowl of your mixer, mix well
- Add in eggs, honey and melted butter, and continue to mix until well blended
- Add in flour and using your dough hook, incorporate all the flour, mix just enough so that all the flour is mixed in.
- The dough may look loose and wetter than you think it should be, it may also look like it has lumps, that’s ok.
- Transfer dough to another bowl, cover with a towel and allow to sit and rise for two hours.
- Chill dough for at least 2 hours, before making the rolls*
- For topping cream butter, salt and brown sugar spread evenly over the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan, then scatter pecan halves over the topping and set aside.
- Using floured hands cut out a 1 ½ lb piece of brioche dough.
- Dust dough with more flour and shape into a ball by stretching the dough around and under in quarter turns until it is fully shaped.
- Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough int a ⅛ inch thick rectangle (about 12"x8") add flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking to the rolling pin or surface.*
- While the dough is resting cream butter, cinnamon and sugar, then spread the mixture evenly over the dough and if you're using pecans in the filling add them now by sprinkling them over the filling.
- Start rolling the dough along the long side of the dough, so you end up with a roll.
- If the dough feels too soft to cut, allow it to chill for about 20 minutes.
- When the dough is ready, with a serrated knife, cut the log into 8 equal pieces and place in prepared cake pan.
- Cover with plastic and allow to rise for 1 hour*
- Place rolls in a 350 degree preheated oven, and bake for about 40 minutes or until golden brown and set in the center.
- Run a knife around the sides of the pan and turn out the rolls onto a platter immediately*
- Serve the rolls and get ready for rave reviews
Elyse @The Cultural Dish
Oh this has been saved! That second photo especially looks delicious!
Apple @Polkadotsandchopsticks
Oh my, your rolls were so sticky and delicious!
Happy When Not Hungry
Wow these rolls were amazing! I’m literally drooling thinking about them. YUM!
Eva
Incredible. I have been striving to make the best cinnamon rolls for ever and low and behold this year I DID! These were sinfully awesome, and I bet it’s the eggs in this brioche that makes it so amazing.
Casise [Bake Your Day]
Oh my goodness I almost ate that whole thing, I love caramel and pecans and the rolls were so scrumptious!
naomi
Okay, these look crazy delicious! I’m so bad but artisan bread scares me-I should be one of the girls and learn this. 🙂
Megan @ Pip and Ebby
I made something very similar to this yesterday! I love how soft the bread looks in the top photo, the way it’s broken apart. I can practically taste the warmth and gooeyness!
The Kitchen Noob
Live by the philosophy that if you’re going to eat desserts the homemade ones are healthy because you know exactly what’s in ’em and can pronounce every ingredient. 😀
These look awesome! Makes me want to try my hand at a pecan pie this year and dig in to some more bread recipes over the winter. 🙂
Brindusa @ Cooking with my soul
Great recipe, Chef D.As always.I LOVE anything with caramel and your rolls were amazing!
Wendy of Wendys Hat
Yum yum! These rolls were sooo delicious and weren’t difficult to make.
Liz
Oh, you’ve hit my weak spot, Dennis!!! I’m a sucker for anything caramel…and these are simply divine!!! I’m going to have to try your recipe this fall…I know you’d have five avid fans after our first bites~
Meagan @ Scarletta Bakes
Oh my sakes alive are these rolls calling my name. So delicious and I totally agree: artisan bread is absolutely worth the extra effort. The fresh yeasty smell of the bread alone is amazing.
Thanks for sharing, Chef Dennis, lovely as always!!
Steve @ The Black Peppercorn
Wow – chef they were amazing! really tasty! caramel and pecans are one of my favourite tastes! I always struggle with yeast though as well, but this recipe works!
Jill@MadAboutMacarons
What a great idea, Chef! Must try this with brioche (I make it about every weekend so high time for a wee change) and dribble on the caramel like this. Pecans, cinnamon? Brilliant.
Susie
I am totally apprehensive about making breads or any type of rolls and have been on the fence about buying the book wondering if I could pull off making anything right lol. These look amazing and if I could pull it off it’s totally worth a try.
Chef D
give this recipe a try, I also have the artisan bread recipe on my site, try those and I’m sure you’ll feel more comfortable. I am not a bread baker and I can make these!