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The Pumpkin Sticky Bun with its pecan caramel topping on an orange dessert plate in front of a board with the rest of the Pumpkin Sticky Buns with Pecans on it.

Pumpkin Caramel Sticky Buns with Pecans

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine: European, North American
Keyword: caramel, cinnamon rolls, pumpkin, sticky buns, sweet rolls
Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time: 39 minutes
Rising Times: 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 39 minutes
Servings: 12 buns
Calories: 1497kcal
Author: Marta Rivera
Pumpkin Caramel Sticky Buns with Pecans have a pillowy-soft interior with a combination of velvety glaze and crunch from sweet, buttery pecans. This easy-to-follow recipe is a great pumpkin dish for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
Prep Time includes an hour and 45 minutes inactive rise time.
Print Recipe

Equipment

  • rolling pin
  • electric mixer
  • stand mixer
  • 9x13x3 baking dish

Ingredients

For the Pumpkin Sweet Dough

  • 2 1/4 teaspoons (7 grams) active dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar separated
  • 1 cup (240 milliliters) whole milk warmed to 110°F
  • 1 teaspoon (6 grams) kosher salt
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick or 57 grams) unsalted butter
  • 1 large egg at room temperature
  • 1 cup (250 grams) pumpkin puree
  • 5 1/2- 6 cups (715-780 grams) all-purpose flour plus more to roll out the dough
  • 1 tablespoon (6 grams) Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend

For the Maple Caramel Pan Spread

  • 1 cup (350 grams) pure maple syrup
  • 2/3 cup, packed (140 grams) brown sugar
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick or 57 grams) unsalted butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) kosher salt
  • 2 cups (230g) chopped pecans

For the Pumpkin Sugar Filling

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick or 113 grams) unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup, packed (185 grams) brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup (175 grams) pumpkin puree (or whatever remains in the can if using canned)
  • 1/4 cup (30 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons (9 grams) Pumpkin Spice Blend

Instructions

Prepare the Pumpkin Sweet Dough (Begin 2 1/2 Hours Ahead)

  • Combine the active dry yeast, 1 teaspoon (4 grams) of the sugar from the recipe, and the warmed milk in a small bowl using a rubber spatula or spoon.
    Allow the yeast to bloom in the warm milk for 5 minutes (or until it's foamy).
  • Stir together 5 cups (650 grams) of the all-purpose flour and pumpkin pie spice blend in a separate bowl and set that bowl aside. 
    Save the remaining 1 cup (130 grams) of all-purpose flour for adding to the dough as needed.
  • Add the room-temperature butter, the remaining sugar, egg, and salt to the stand mixer bowl.
    Blend these together at low speed ("stir" on a KitchenAid) for 1 minute. After 1 minute, stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and beater.
    Increase the mixing speed to medium (4 on a KitchenAid) and beat the ingredients for 4 minutes.
    Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and beater once during this 4-minute step.
  • Add the pumpkin puree and the bloomed yeast mixture to the bowl and blend it at low speed for 1 minute or until combined.
    The mixture will look curdled because the pumpkin, butter, and egg are causing an imbalance of fat and water. This is normal. 
  • Remove the paddle attachment from the mixer. Scrape it and the sides of the bowl down once again.
    Add 5 cups (650 grams) of the all-purpose flour and the pumpkin spice blend to the ingredients in the bowl.
    Fit the mixer with the dough hook and begin kneading the dough together at the lowest speed. 
  • Once most of the flour is absorbed, increase the mixer's speed to medium (4 on a KitchenAid).
    Knead the dough for ten minutes.
    The pumpkin dough should begin to pull away from the sides of the bowl and cling to the dough hook after 2-3 minutes. If it doesn't, add the remaining all-purpose flour to the bowl and knead the pumpkin dough for the remaining 10 minutes. 

Give the Pumpkin Sweet Dough Its First Rise

  • Remove the pumpkin sweet dough from the bowl of the stand mixer after 10 minutes of kneading.
    Spray non-stick canola or baking spray inside the mixing bowl and return the dough to the bowl.
    Spray the surface of the dough and cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or tea towel.
  • Allow the dough to rise in a warm kitchen area for 1 hour.
    Make the Maple Caramel pan spread and Pumpkin-Sugar Filling while the dough rises.

Make The Maple Caramel Pan Spread

  • Add the maple syrup, brown sugar, butter, and kosher salt to a heavy-bottomed pot.
    Heat the ingredients together over medium heat while constantly stirring until the contents of the pan begin to steam, or 4 minutes.
  • Once the sugar dissolves and the mixture starts forming bubbles on the edges, turn off the heat.   
    Stir in the chopped pecans and remove the pan from the stove. 
  • Pour the contents of the pot into the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13x3 inch baking dish. Use a rubber spatula to carefully spread the caramel pecan pan glaze in an even layer at the bottom of the baking dish. 
    Set the dish aside on the counter while you mix the pumpkin-sugar filling. 

Mix the Pumpkin-Sugar Filling

  • Add the butter, brown sugar, and kosher salt to a medium bowl.
    Using an electric hand mixer, beat the butter-sugar mixture on low speed for 1 minute.
  • Add the remaining pumpkin puree, all-purpose flour, and pumpkin spice blend to the bowl.
    Scrape down the sides of the bowl and blend these ingredients together at low speed for 1 minute.
    Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl once again.
  • Increase the mixing speed to medium and beat the pumpkin-sugar filling for 2 minutes.
    The finished filling will look slightly curdled but still hold its shape with the beaters removed from the bowl.
    Store the bowl of pumpkin filling in the refrigerator while you wait for the pumpkin sweet dough to finish rising. 

Roll Out, Fill, then Roll the Pumpkin Sticky Buns

  • Punch down the pumpkin sweet dough after the rising time is finished to expel the gases that have built up.
    Flip the bowl upside down over the dough and allow it to rest on the counter for 15 minutes.
  • Lightly flour a work surface and use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough into a 24x18-inch rectangle.
    The dough should be about 1/8" thick.
  • Use an off-set spatula to stir the pumpkin-sugar filling, then spread it over the surface of the rectangle dough, leaving a 1" margin on one long end.
    This allows you to seal the log after rolling it up.
    Tightly roll the dough into a cylinder, beginning on the long end without the uncovered margin. Once you reach the margin, pinch the seam against the body of the roll to seal it. 
    Position the dough so the pinched seam is on the bottom.
  • Use a very sharp, thin knife to slice the pumpkin log into 12 slices of equal width.
    Arrange the pumpkin dough slices in the maple caramel pan spread at the bottom of the baking dish.

Allow the Dough to Rise a Second Time, then Bake

  • Cover the dish with a clean kitchen towel and allow the sliced pumpkin rolls to rise again for 45 minutes.
  • Heat an oven to 350°F (170°C).
  • Bake the pumpkin sticky buns at 350°F (170°C) for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.  

Cool Slightly Before Serving

  • Remove the pan from the oven and allow the pumpkin sticky buns to cool in it for at least 10 minutes if you plan to flip them out. Allow the pan to sit inverted for 5 minutes to ensure all of the pan glaze drips down onto the top of the pumpkin sweet rolls. 
    You can serve the pumpkin sticky buns straight from the pan and scoop up the pan glaze with a flat spatula, or flip them out like a cake and serve them with the maple pecan caramel glaze on top.

Notes

Swaps and Substitutions:
  • You can replace the active dry yeast in this recipe with instant yeast. Instead of blooming it in the milk, add it with the flour and pumpkin spice blend.
  • Use store bought canned pumpkin puree or use my recipe for making it at home.
  • You can replace the pumpkin puree with sweet potato puree and make sweet potato sticky buns instead.
  • Homemade pumpkin spice blend can be replaced with a jarred version. 
  • Replace the maple syrup with corn syrup (light or dark). Don't use pancake syrup which is too sweet. 
  • You can replace the pecans in this sticky bun recipe with walnuts, hazelnuts (filberts), or almonds. 
  • You can replace the all-purpose flour in the pumpkin-sugar filling with an almond meal, whole wheat flour, or cake flour. 
Tips and Techniques:
  • After 2-3 minutes, during the blooming process, the yeast will foam and move around in the milk. It will also emit a scent similar to beer. If none of these things happen, your yeast is dead, and you need to begin again with fresh, live yeast. 
  • Most mixers tell you to knead only on 2, but I prefer 4 because it develops the right amount of gluten. 
  • Store bought pumpkin puree tends to be on the watery side, so you might have looser dough if you're using it instead of homemade.
  • The all-purpose flour gives structure to the pumpkin-sugar filling and prevents it from curdling too much from the water in the pumpkin puree. 
  • Storing the dough under the inverted bowl keeps it from drying out while it rests.
  • The second rise of pumpkin sweet dough is only 45 minutes because you don't want the rolls to overproof and then deflate, which leads to a dense, stodgy pumpkin sticky bun. 
Overnight Pumpkin Sticky Buns:
  1. Arrange the rolls in the caramel-pecan glaze in the baking dish. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge overnight.
  2. Put the unwrapped pan in a cold oven. Allow it to warm in the cold oven for 20 minutes before turning it on to 350°F (170°C).
  3. Set a timer to 25 minutes after the oven comes to temperature, as indicated by the beep it lets off.
  4. Bake the pumpkin sweet rolls for 25 minutes and check them. Once they're golden brown and have an internal temperature of 190°F (90°C), remove the pan from the oven.
Storage Instructions:
  • Store leftover pumpkin sticky buns in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. 
  • To give sticky buns fresh baked flavor, heat them in the microwave on high for 20 seconds. 
Freezing Instructions:
  • To Freeze Pumpkin Sweet Dough:
    1. Make the pumpkin sweet dough for sticky buns as instructed and allow it to rise for 1 hour.
    2. After it rises, punch down the dough and store it in a lightly oiled food storage bag in the freezer.
    3. Freeze the dough for up to 2 months.
    4. Thaw the frozen pumpkin sweet dough for 24 hours in the refrigerator before proceeding with the recipe. 
  • To Freeze Formed, UnBaked Sticky Buns:
    1. Freeze the sticky buns after panning them, but before the second rise.
    2. Wrap the pan in a layer or two of plastic wrap and one layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
    3. Freeze the rolls for 2 months.
    4. Thaw the frozen pumpkin sticky buns in the refrigerator for 24 hours before removing them and allowing them to warm and proof for 1 1/2 hours. The added proofing time compensates for the chill on the dough since it's been refrigerated.
  • To Freeze Baked Pumpkin Sticky Buns:
    1. Turn them out of the baking dish 10 minutes after you remove them from the oven.
    2. Transfer the entire batch to a freezer-safe storage container, or store them individually to make an easy, grab-and-go breakfast. 
    3. Freeze the sticky buns for 2 months.
    4. Thaw frozen pumpkin sticky buns at room temperature in an airtight container vented slightly to allow the condensation to escape.
    5. Reheat and enjoy. 

Nutrition

Calories: 1497kcal | Carbohydrates: 239g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 312mg | Potassium: 632mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 53g | Vitamin A: 5947IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 169mg | Iron: 13mg