
Sticky Pecan Cinnamon Rolls Recipe | Soft and Gooey, Made in a Skillet
Insanely delicious ooey gooey Pecan Cinnamon Rolls. This recipe is just as amazing as those famous cinnamon buns that everyone know, except you can say you made them from scratch! Plus, your whole kitchen will smell amazing. These rolls are packed with flavor, irresistibly delicious, perfectly soft and fluffy with the pecans adding the perfect texture. It’s an easy-to follow recipe with pantry and fridge-friendly ingredients like cinnamon, brown sugar, butter, and cream.
Equipment
- 10.5-inch cast iron skillet
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 2 Medium mixing bowls
- Electric hand or stand mixer
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 1/2 cup 2% milk warm
- 3 tablespoons superfine sugar caster sugar
- 2 teaspoons yeast
- 2 1/4 cups bread flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons warm heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons warm butter
- 1 egg use approximately half, beaten
For the Pecan Topping:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
For the Filling:
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
- Warm the Milk: Heat 1/2 cup 2% milk in a microwave safe bowl until just warm to the touch (not hot). Stir in 3 tablespoons superfine sugar until dissolved. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons yeast on top and let it sit until thick and foamy, about 20 minutes.
- Add the egg: In a small bowl, beat 1 egg and then add half to the yeast mixture and stir to combine.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together 2 1/4 cups bread flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Add 3 tablespoons warm heavy cream and 3 tablespoons warm butter, to the dry ingredients and stir until until somewhat combined. Pour the yeast mixture into the flour mixture and stir until the dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Knead by hand or with a dough hook until smooth and elastic, about 5-7 minutes.
- First Rise: Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with a cloth, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 60-90 minutes.
Prepare the Pecan Topping
- Melt the butter: Add 1/2 cup butter to a 10.5-inch skillet and cook over medium heat until just melted
- Add the sugar: Add 2/3 cup brown sugar briefly stir gently and then leave it to melt into the butter. Keep an eye on it but only stir if needed, just enough to make sure the sugar and butter don’t burn. Once the sugar has fully melted and no longer looks grainy, remove the skillet from heat and then stir to fully combine.
- Add remaining ingredients: Add 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon until combined. Stir in 3/4 cup chopped pecans, spreading them evenly across the bottom of the skillet. Set aside.
Fill and Assemble
- Prepare the Filling: In a medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup melted butter, 2/3 cup brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and creamy.
- Roll Out Dough: Once the dough has risen, remove it from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll it out into a rectangle about 1/8-inch thick using a lightly floured rolling pin.
- Add Filling: Add dollops of the cinnamon filling across the rolled out dough and spread it out in an even layer.
- Cut and Roll: Cut the dough into 1 inch-wide strips along the long side of the rectangle, a pizza cutter works great for this. Roll each strip into a spiral to form individual cinnamon rolls.
- Second Rise: Place the rolls in the skillet on top of the melted butter mixture and pecans (we’ll turn it over once baked.) Be sure to leave a bit of space between each roll. Once all rolls have been added to the skillet, use a pastry brush to dip into the pecan topping at the bottom of the pan and brush it over the cinnamon rolls. Cover with a cloth and let them rise for another 20-30 minutes. While the rolls rise, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake: Place the skillet in the center of the oven and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Rolls should be puffed and golden brown.Tip: place a baking pan in the oven underneath the skillet to catch any potential drips. As oven temperatures vary, it's best to check on the pecan cinnamon rolls starting at the 25-minute mark. The rolls are done when they look puffed and golden brown.
- Cool and Flip: Let the rolls cool in the skillet for 10 minutes. Carefully flip the skillet onto a serving plate to release the rolls. Spoon any remaining pecan topping onto the rolls. Serve & Enjoy!











