Maple sticky buns are soft sweet rolls that are topped with a buttery, maple brown sugar topping. These maple pecan sticky buns make a fantastic weekend or holiday breakfast!
Sticky buns make a tasty alternative to cinnamon rolls. While the dough and the fillings in the two types of sweet rolls are similar, sticky buns are topped with a sweet, buttery topping that's hard to beat!
This recipe was based on my popular easy homemade sticky bun recipe. The maple syrup really adds something special to the sticky buns!
Maple Sticky Buns
- Are rich and delicious
- Have a hint of maple flavor
- Are topped with a sweet, buttery sticky topping
- Can be made from scratch in no time
- Make a special breakfast for holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, or Easter.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Milk - Skim to whole milk will work. However, using whole milk will give you a softer, richer dough.
- Granulated sugar
- Butter - I use salted butter in the dough, filling, and topping. If using unsalted butter, add an extra pinch or two of salt.
- Instant yeast - Feel free to use active dry yeast. If using active dry yeast, simply let the yeast proof for 5-10 minutes after step 4, or until the yeast is foamy.
- Warm water - It's important that the water be warm but not too hot. Water that's too hot can kill the yeast. If you don't have a kitchen thermometer, the water like warm bath water but shouldn't feel too hot for you.
- All-purpose flour - It's important to properly measure the flour. Too much flour in the dough will give you dry, heavy rolls. Either weigh the flour (the weights can be found by clicking on "metric" under the ingredients) or sift/stir it to break it up. The lightly spoon it into the measuring cup and level.
- Salt
- Brown sugar - Light or dark brown sugar will work.
- Ground cinnamon
- Maple syrup - I highly recommend using pure maple syrup.
- Water
- Maple flavor - Maple flavor helps to bump up the maple taste. It can be found with extracts.
- Pecans - Toasting the pecans helps to really bring out the nuttiness. Feel free to sub walnuts or omit the nuts if necessary.
How to make maple sticky buns
Grease a 9x13-inch metal baking pan; set aside.
In a small saucepan, stir milk, sugar, and butter together. Cool to about 100-105 F.
Pour the milk mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the yeast and warm water.
Add 2 cups flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Using a dough hook, mix on low speed for about 1 minute.
With the mixer still going, add remaining flour, ¼ cup at a time. Mix until dough starts to clean the sides of the bowl.
Knead on low speed for about 2 more minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic – the dough will still be slightly sticky to the touch.
Place dough in a greased bowl, turning it to grease the top. Cover the dough with a clean, dry dish towel.
Let it rise in a warm place, free from draft, for about 10 minutes.
While dough is rising, prepare the topping. Whisk the topping ingredients except for the water in medium bowl until smooth.
Add water and whisk until combined.
Pour mixture into prepared pan. If necessary, tilt pan to get mixture to cover pan. Sprinkle evenly with pecans, if using. Set aside.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface, and use a rolling pin to roll into a 12x16-inch rectangle.
Stir filling ingredients together, and spread over dough.
Roll dough up lengthwise, pinching seam to seal.
Slice into 12 pieces, and place over topping in prepared baking dish. Dental floss or a serrated knife work well to cut the dough.
Cover the baking dish with the dish towel or plastic wrap, and let the dough rise for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 F. Bake until the rolls are golden brown.
Tent with aluminum foil, and continue to bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until baked through. Let the sticky buns cool in pan for 5 minutes.
Place a serving dish over the pan, and carefully invert pan. Be careful as topping will be hot.
Remove pan, and replace any topping that has fallen off. Let buns sit 10-15 minutes before serving.
What if I don't have a stand mixer?
That's ok! Just use a large bowl, and you can mix and knead the dough by hand. You will just need to add 2 additional minutes to the kneading time.
What if I have a glass baking pan?
If you're using a glass baking pan, decrease the oven temperature by 25F.
How to create a good spot for the dough to rise
Since the rising time is fairly short, it's important that the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot. If your kitchen is cool, you can create a spot by turning the oven on to 350F for exactly 60 seconds.
Then, turn the oven off. This will give you a good spot to let the dough rise.
Storage
The sticky buns are best eaten when they're freshly made. If you have leftovers, simply cover, and store at room temperature. They should keep for 2-3 days.
More easy sweet roll recipes!
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Maple Sticky Buns
Equipment
- 9x13 pan
Ingredients
DOUGH
- ⅓ cup milk
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup butter
- 3 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
- ¾ cup warm water 105F – 115F
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
FILLING
- ¾ cup brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup butter softened
TOPPING
- 6 tablespoons butter melted
- ⅔ cup brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons water
- ½ teaspoon maple flavor optional
- 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans optional
Instructions
- Grease a 9x13-inch metal baking pan; set aside.
- In a small saucepan, stir milk, sugar, and butter together. Heat over low heat just until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cool to about 100-105 F.
- Pour the milk mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add the yeast and warm water.
- Add 2 cups flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Using a dough hook, mix on low speed for about 1 minute.
- With the mixer still going, add remaining flour, ¼ cup at a time. Mix about 1 ½ minutes, or until dough starts to clean the sides of the bowl. You may find that you don't need to use all of the flour.
- Knead on low speed for about 2 more minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic – the dough will still be slightly sticky to the touch.
- Place dough in a greased bowl, turning it to grease the top.
- Cover the dough with a clean, dry dish towel.
- Let it rise in a warm place, free from draft, for about 10 minutes.
- While dough is rising, prepare the topping.
- Whisk melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple syrup, and salt together in medium bowl until smooth.
- Add water and whisk until combined.
- Pour mixture into prepared pan. If necessary, tilt pan to get mixture to cover pan.
- Sprinkle evenly with pecans, if using. Set aside.
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface, and roll into a 12x16-inch rectangle.
- Stir filling ingredients together, and spread over dough. Since the filling is a little crumbly, I gently press it into the dough to help it stick.
- Roll dough up lengthwise, pinching seam to seal.
- Cut into 12 pieces, and place over topping in prepared baking dish. I use a serrated knife to cut the dough.
- Cover the baking dish with the dish towel, and let the dough rise for about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 F.
- Bake at 20-25 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown.
- Tent with aluminum foil, and continue to bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until baked through.
- Let the sticky buns cool in pan for 5 minutes.
- Place a serving dish over the pan, and carefully invert pan. Be careful as topping will be hot.
- Remove pan, and replace any topping that has fallen off.
- Let buns sit 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Milk - Skim to whole milk will work. However, using whole milk will give you a softer, richer dough.
- Butter - I use salted butter in the dough, filling, and topping. If using unsalted butter, add an extra pinch or two of salt.
- Instant yeast - Feel free to use active dry yeast. If using active dry yeast, simply let the yeast proof for 5-10 minutes after step 4, or until the yeast is foamy.
- Warm water - It's important that the water be warm but not too hot. Water that's too hot can kill the yeast. If you don't have a kitchen thermometer, the water like warm bath water but shouldn't feel too hot for you.
- All-purpose flour - It's important to properly measure the flour. Too much flour in the dough will give you dry, heavy rolls. Either weigh the flour (the weights can be found by clicking on "metric" under the ingredients) or sift/stir it to break it up. The lightly spoon it into the measuring cup and level.
- Brown sugar - Light or dark brown sugar will work.
- Maple syrup - I highly recommend using pure maple syrup.
- Maple flavor - Maple flavor helps to bump up the maple taste. It can be found with extracts.
- Pecans - Toasting the pecans helps to really bring out the nuttiness. Feel free to sub walnuts or omit the nuts if necessary.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Dana
These came out of the oven this evening and everyone was waiting to grab one. We loved them!
Kate
I'm so glad to hear that!
Sloth
So yummy! I loved these sticky rolls.
Kate
Thank you! I'm glad that you liked them!