Pumpkin Spice Pecan Sticky Buns
These aren't your grandma's cinnamon rolls; they're the ultimate autumnal upgrade: Pumpkin Pecan Sticky Buns. Imagine a classic, buttery brioche dough, but made extra tender and golden with the addition of pumpkin puree and warm pumpkin spice. This pumpkin brioche dough is the foundation, giving the buns their characteristic light, rich crumb, which is a perfect contrast to the decadent topping and filling. Rolled thin, slathered with a brown sugar butter spice mixture, and tightly coiled, the dough is transformed into spirals of seasonal goodness, just waiting to soak up all that sticky sweetness.
The real magic happens on the bottom (which becomes the top!) where a generous layer of melted butter, brown sugar, spices, and toasted pecans creates a magnificent caramel glaze. As the buns bake, the sugar melts and bubbles, seeping into every swirl of the soft pumpkin dough, resulting in a rich, amber caramel that's truly irresistible. When these golden, spiraled treats come out of the oven, they're immediately inverted, allowing the thick, gooey pecan topping to cascade over the fluffy, spiced pumpkin brioche. The combination of the melt-in-your-mouth brioche and the crunchy, buttery pecan caramel makes every bite a celebration of fall.
What truly elevates this treat to icon status is the glorious, sticky caramel pecan topping. Unlike a frosted cinnamon roll, this bun is baked directly on a bed of dark, bubbling brown sugar, spices, butter, and crunchy pecans. As the brioche bakes and swells, it sinks into this luscious caramel base, creating a syrupy layer of pure decadence. When inverted, the molten caramel cascades over the soft pumpkin spirals, guaranteeing that every single crevice is drenched in nutty, buttery perfection. It’s the ideal marriage of textures—the light, fluffy pull of the brioche, the crunchy bite of the toasted pecan, and the smooth, rich viscosity of the caramel. This is more than a breakfast pastry; it's a celebration of comfort, coziness, and the rich, complex flavors we crave as the weather turns crisp.
Pumpkin Pecan Sticky Buns
Makes 9 sticky buns
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Brioche:
135g whole milk, warmed to 110F
6g active dry yeast
10g sugar
1 large egg
70g Canned Pumpkin puree
400g All-Purpose Flour, plus more for kneading
40g Sugar
5g salt
3/4 tsp Pumpkin Spice
60g Unsalted Butter, softened
For the Pumpkin Spiced Filling:
105g unsalted butter, softened
125g light brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp pumpkin spice
For the Caramel Pecan Topping:
85g butter
170g brown sugar
½ tsp vanilla
¼ tsp cinnamon
50g heavy cream
pinch of salt
110g pecans, toasted and chopped
Method
In a large bowl (if mixing by hand), or a stand mixer bowl, combine the warmed milk (135g), the active dry yeast (6g), and the 10g of sugar. Let the mixture stand for 5 to 10 minutes until it looks frothy and bubbly. This confirms the yeast is active.
Once the yeast mixture is ready, add in the egg, and the canned pumpkin puree. Mix briefly until just combined.
Add in the flour, sugar, pumpkin spice, and salt to the wet ingredients.
Attach the dough hook to your mixer. Mix on low speed for about 2 minutes, until a shaggy dough forms
Increase the mixer speed to medium-low. Knead the dough for about 5 to 8 minutes. The dough should start to come together, becoming smoother and pulling away from the sides of the bowl, though it will still be sticky due to the pumpkin.
With the mixer running on medium-low speed, add the softened butter.
Continue kneading for another10 minutes. The dough will become very smooth, elastic, and glossy. It should pass the "windowpane test" (you can gently stretch a small piece of dough very thin without it tearing). It will still be a soft and somewhat sticky dough, which is normal for brioche.
Transfer the dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1.5 to 2 hours, or until it has roughly doubled in size.
Meanwhile, to make the caramel pecan topping, heat a small saucepan over low heat, add in the butter, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, heavy cream and a pinch of salt.
Bring to a low boil then reduce heat to low and mix until the sugar has dissolved.
Pour the caramel sauce into an 8x8 inch square pan and then sprinkle the chopped pecans on top. Set aside.
Assembly & baking:
Once the dough has risen, punch it down and transfer it to a clean surface dusted lightly with flour. Using your hands and a rolling pin, roll it into a 12x16" sheet, trying to keep the edges as straight as possible. The dough will be really soft so won't need much pressure
Use a spatula to spread the pumpkin spiced sugar filling evenly across the rolled dough.
Cut into 9 even long strips. The strips should be 16 inches long and about 1.5 inch wide.
Roll each strip tightly into a cinnamon roll
Place the sticky buns on top of the caramel pecan sauce.
Once all the rolls are shaped, rest the pan in a warm spot for another 45 minutes to an hour until they are doubled their size and there are barely any gaps in between each roll.
Preheat your oven to 350F (conventional / no fan)
Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the rolls develop a golden color and feel firm to touch. If in doubt, remove the pan from the oven and use a spatula to pull out one roll, and check it for doneness.
Remove the rolls from the oven and let them rest for 10 minutes. Flip the pan over onto a sheet stray lined with parchment paper (or a plate big enough to flip the rolls onto). Release the rolls from the pan to reveal a shiny coating of caramel pecan sauce all over your rolls.
Serve warm and enjoy!
