Is there really a better way to wake up than to the smell of cinnamon rolls? The answer: probably not. How about to the sweet, caramel smell of monkey bread? Are you drooling yet? Because I definitely am 😉 This recipe is a mashup of those two iconic sweet breads, and I am so excited to share it with you!
I grew up in a house where every holiday morning the smell of monkey bread would waft up the stairs and wake us up. My mom would make this for every holiday and it has always been one of my all time favorite breakfasts. The soft, cinnamon rolls pair beautifully with the butterscotch, caramel topping, and believe me you are going to want to try them!
Let me start by saying that when I’m testing a recipe, I usually have to make it multiple times to perfect it. For some reason this was the hardest recipe to get right! From perfecting the dough, to attempting to nail the caramel top, this recipe gave me a run for my money. Another challenge I ran into was how to incorporate the butterscotch pudding. I almost gave up, but it’s an essential ingredient in my mom’s original monkey bread. After eating through many testers (a number I’m not sure I care to share lol) I finally found the perfect balance and am so happy to share this recipe with you! 🙂
Recipe tips:
- The flour paste: This flour paste is KEY to making this rolls so pillowy and soft. It’s based off a Tangzhong Roux, a Japanese method for adding additional liquid to the dough without making it runny. This makes the rolls super soft. It’s an extra step and may seem complicated at first glance, but it’s super easy and sooooo worth it. This will be incorporating right into the dough in your stand mixer.
- You can make these the night before: This recipe can easily be made the night before, and honestly I almost prefer that because of the work that goes into this recipe. After the dough is rolled and placed in the pan, cover with Saran wrap and refrigerate overnight. Pull from the fridge the next morning and let it come to room temperature. Then rise until the rolls fill the pan, a total of about 1 1/2 hours. Then bake according to the directions!
- Rolling the dough: One tip I figured out from making several batches of these babies was not to roll the dough too tight. They need room to expand so if you roll them too tight they’ll rise straight up rather than wide.
The above picture is what the bottom of your pan will look like after you make the topping and add to a greased 9×13 pan. I roughy chop my pecans, sprinkle them in the bottom of the pan, then pour the topping mixture over it. Then I place my sliced rolls on top, evenly spaced. When the rolls rise, they will fill the entire pan!
These rolls are so delicious that I wish every day was a special occasion for me to bake them up! Luckily, as my husband loves to point out, we’re adults and can eat sweets whenever we want 🙂 I hope you love the recipe as much as I do. Happy baking!
Butterscotch Pecan Sticky Buns
Ingredients
For the flour paste:
- ½ cup whole milk
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
For the dough:
- 1 ¼ oz packet instant yeast
- ⅔ cup warm milk
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups bread flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
For the filling:
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
For the topping:
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 3.4 oz box of butterscotch pudding make sure not to use instant!
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted 2 sticks
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup water
Instructions
For the flour paste:
- Stir flour and water in a small bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds and then stir. Continue heating in 30 second intervals until it becomes a thick paste. Set aside.
For the dough:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine yeast, warm milk, and flour paste. Stir on low to combine. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Add flour, salt, sugar and butter and mix on low speed for 5 minutes to allow the dough to knead.
- After 5 minutes, knead dough on a lightly flour dusted counter until it all comes together, about 1 minute. The dough will be sticky, so add just enough flour to be able to handle it, no more! Add the dough to a greased, large bowl, cover with a damp towel and let it rise for an hour, or until it almost doubles in size. While the dough is rising, make the filling and topping.
- Once the dough has doubled in side, roll out to an 18×15 rectangle on a lightly flour dusted surface. Sprinkle the filling mixture over the dough, and press it into the dough with a spoon or your hands so it sticks. Roll the dough up, not too tightly, and slice into 12 even slices.
For the filling:
- Combine the sugar, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. Stir and set aside.
For the topping:
- Combine the melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla and corn syrup in a medium bowl. Stir in butterscotch pudding packet and water.
- Spray 9×13 baking sheet with nonstick spray and spread the chopped pecans on the bottom of the pan. Pour the topping mixture and set aside.
- Evenly space the rolls on top of the pecan butterscotch topping and cover again with a damp towel and allow to rise for 45-1 hour, or until the rolls fill the pan. These can also be refrigerated overnight and brought to room temperature to rise, about 1 ½ hours, and then baked! Bake at 375° for 20 minutes, and then tent with aluminum foil and bake for an addition 10 minutes, or until the dough is baked through.
- Once it's done baking, remove the pan from the oven and carefully flip upside down onto a serving tray, so the pecan butterscotch mixture in on top. Enjoy!
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