Caramel pecan cinnamon rolls are the best sticky bun recipe. We use canned cinnamon rolls baked on a layer of gooey caramel and crunchy pecans to create an upside down dessert of sorts. These cinnamon rolls are super simple to make, come together in just 30 minutes, and make the perfect weekend breakfast or brunch.
I love how simple this recipe is for pecan caramel rolls. Most recipes you will see requires making them from scratch using active dry yeast/instant yeast or using a bread machine. And while those are delicious too, this time we’re keeping the sweet rolls simple with a semi-homemade recipe. So we are going to turn store-bought regular cinnamon rolls into the best you have ever tasted.
If you can’t get enough fluffy cinnamon rolls, try my cookies and cream cinnamon rolls (still easy and uses frozen bread dough) or this easy breakfast cinnamon roll casserole. All of these are perfect for special occasions like Christmas morning or just a fun weekend breakfast and call for the traditional cream cheese buttercream frosting.
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🍮 Ingredients:
Caramel Sauce Ingredients:
- unsalted butter – adds creaminess to the caramel
- light brown sugar – be sure to pack when measuring, you can also use dark brown sugar
- heavy cream – makes the sauce ultra rich and creamy
- vanilla extract – adds depth of flavor
Cinnamon Roll Ingredients:
- chopped pecans – these should be raw, as they will “roast” as they cook
- caramel sauce – instead of following the recipe, you can use pre-made brown sugar homemade caramel sauce (made with butter) or dark caramel sauce (made with granulated sugar)
- refrigerated cinnamon rolls – we used the regular size not Grands.
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Optional Garnish:
Garnish these delectable caramel pecan rolls with a dusting of powdered sugar if desired.
Substitutions and Variations
- Homemade cinnamon rolls – if you have a recipe that you want to use instead of store-bought you can. We use our sweet dinner roll dough to make homemade cinnamon rolls.
- Pumpkin Pecan Rolls – use our homemade pumpkin spice cinnamon roll recipe and layer with the caramel sauce and chopped pecans.
- Maple Pecan Rolls – use my dark caramel sauce recipe, swap the corn syrup for maple syrup instead.
- Other nuts: chopped walnuts or your other favorites can be used.
🔪 Instructions:
Step 1: Melt the brown sugar and butter together in a large saucepan, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn.
Step 2: Once the melted butter and sugar are combined, pour in the heavy cream and whisk until smooth. Cook sauce for 2-3 minutes or until it simmers, while stirring constantly. Remove the sauce from the heat and add the vanilla. Allow it to cool to room temperature.
Step 3: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees or following the instructions on the cans. To the bottom of the baking pan, sprinkle pecans evenly.
Step 4: Pour the caramel sauce on top of the pecans, spreading to cover the entire baking dish.
Pro Tip: If you made the caramel sauce ahead of time and it’s a little too thick, warm it in the microwave for a few seconds.
Step 5: Place rolls with the top down until the dish is filled. There may be a few left over.
Step 6: Bake until the rolls are golden brown.
Step 7: While they are still hot, invert them onto a sheet pan or serving platter.
Step 8: Lift the casserole dish off.
SERVE: Top a gooey cinnamon roll with whipped cream or powdered sugar and enjoy!
Recipe Tips for Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel and Pecans
- If you are starting with whole pecans, chop them into varying sizes, they don’t have to be in equal pieces.
- I recommend using a 9x 13-inch pan that is glass so the caramel doesn’t burn. Using a ceramic dish or metal pan may vary or need extra time to bake.
- If you just made the caramel sauce, it may still be warm and runny, which is fine. If it has been stored, spoon some out into a small bowl, you can microwave until it’s spreadable. You can take a little bit at a time and spoon over the pecans.
Fun Fact
In lots of other places, their favorite cinnamon rolls aren’t nearly as sweet as the ones we see in the U.S. Sweden adds sugar crystals on top of the dough, while Nordic buns have cardamom in the yeasted dough. -Sinamon
Recipe FAQs
Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and store on the counter for up to 3 days.
Since they are so simple, I recommend making them when you are ready to serve. If you are going to make from scratch the caramel sauce, that can be done in advance.
More Easy Cinnamon Roll Recipes
If you tried this Caramel Pecan Cinnamon Roll Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.
Caramel Pecan Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Caramel Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups packed light brown sugar
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon Roll Ingredients:
- 1½ cups chopped pecans
- 2 cups caramel sauce (use 1 pint of store bought in lieu of the homemade version above)
- 2 packages of refrigerated cinnamon rolls
Instructions
Caramel Sauce Instructions:
- In a heavy saucepan, melt together the butter and brown sugar, stirring constantly to prevent sugar from burning on the bottom of the pan.
- Once the butter and sugar have melted, whisk in the heavy cream until smooth.
- Cook the sauce over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, just until it begins simmering. Continue to stir constantly.
- Remove from heat and carefully stir in the vanilla extract (mixture will bubble up).
- Cool to room temperature – caramel sauce will thicken as it cools.
Cinnamon Roll Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F or the temperature indicated on cans of cinnamon rolls.
- Sprinkle chopped pecans evenly across the bottom of a greased 9×13-inch glass casserole dish.
- Pour caramel sauce evenly over the pecans.
- Remove cinnamon rolls from the packaging and place top down into the casserole dish to fill it. You may have 1-2 extra cinnamon rolls.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the cinnamon rolls are golden brown.
- Invert cinnamon rolls onto a sheet pan or serving tray while they are still hot.
- Lift the casserole dish from the cinnamon rolls and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
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