Say good morning with my apple butter cinnamon pecan sticky buns. It’s a delicious way to start your day!
One of the great joys of life has got to be sticky buns warm from the oven! Especially since they tease you as they bake, with that delicious aroma making its way throughout the house…..sigh. Life is good! And someday’s it gets even better!

I don’t know if you’ve ever made brioche dough, but the recipe I use from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day has got to be the easiest brioche recipe I’ve ever used. It’s basically foolproof and makes an incredible rich dough that lends itself to so many types of baked goods.
You have to try this recipe, I promise you won’t believe how easy it is to make this deliciously perfect brioche dough.
My apple butter pecan sticky buns are perfect for the holiday season or a great way to make your weekend mornings extra special.
If you enjoyed this recipe you may also like these:
Apple Butter Pecan Sticky Buns
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups lukewarm water
- 1 ½ tablespoon granulated yeast 2 packets
- 1 ½ tablespoon coarse sea salt
- 8 eggs lightly beaten
- ½ cup honey
- 1 ½ Cups unsalted butter melted (3 sticks)
- 7 ½ cups all purpose flour
Caramel Topping
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup Karo syrup or Honey
- 1 cup pecan pieces
Filling for Rolls
- 1 cup apple butter
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup pecans
- pinch of ground black pepper
Instructions
Brioche Dough
- Mix the yeast, and water in the bowl of your mixer, mix well
- Add in eggs, honey and melted butter, and continue to mix until well blended
- Add in flour and salt. using your dough hook, incorporate all the flour, mix just enough so that all the flour is mixed in.
- The dough may look loose and wetter than you think it should be, it may also look like it has lumps, that’s ok.
- Transfer dough to another bowl, cover with a towel and allow to sit and rise for two hours.
- Chill dough for at least 2 hours, before making the rolls*
Caramel Topping
- Cream the butter, salt, and brown sugar until fluffy (about 5 minutes).
- Spread evenly over the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan. Scatter pecans over the topping and set aside till needed.
Assembly
- Using floured hands cut out a 1 ½ lb piece of brioche dough.
- Dust dough with more flour and shape into a ball by stretching the dough around and under in quarter turns until it is fully shaped.
- Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough int a ⅛ inch thick rectangle (about 12"x8") add flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking to the rolling pin or surface.*
- While the dough is resting mix the apple butter, pecans, cinnamon, and pepper, then spread the mixture evenly over the dough
- Start rolling the dough along the long side of the dough, so you end up with a roll.
- If the dough feels too soft to cut, allow it to chill for about 20 minutes.
- When the dough is ready, with a serrated knife, cut the log into 8 equal pieces and place in prepared cake pan.
- Cover with plastic and allow to rise for 1 hour*
- Place rolls in a 350 degree preheated oven, and bake for about 40 minutes or until golden brown and set in the center.
- Run a knife around the sides of the pan and turn out the rolls onto a platter immediately*1
- Serve the rolls and get ready for rave reviews
Betty Ann @Mango_Queen says
Oh my goodness, these sticky buns are superb! I just made some apple cake with the Musselman’s apple butter and it was so good. But we have a 2nd jar waiting for my attention and I think I will make these sticky buns — my boys will just love this. Thanks for the recipe, Chef Dennis!
Christina @ Sweet Pea's Kitchen says
These look incredible Chef Dennis!! So perfect for fall…I love that you used apple butter in the recipe! 🙂
Mary says
I’ve made that brioche dough before and it truly is incredible. The taste is fantastic on top of being some of the easiest dough I’ve ever worked with! I love the combination of flavors you used, Chef Dennis. I know that I would have eaten WAY too much of this!
Are you ready for the new year? I thought of you the other day as the kids in my area are headed back to school now. I hope you have truly enjoyed your summer break!
Kath says
What a great idea to use apple butter! I love the beautiful photos of your gorgeous sticky buns.
RavieNomNoms says
Oh my goodness gracious! The apple and peanut butter I am having for breakfast right now just doesn’t seem enough now that I am seeing this. Oooey and gooey and delicious is what that looks like!
Vicki Bensinger says
I love the ingredient list for these sticky buns. They sound moist and delicious. I’d like to pull one apart right now and eat it!
Paula @ Vintage Kitchen says
Just reading the recipe´s name is enough. Wonderful!
Carol | a cup of mascarpone says
These look absolutely awesome!!! Your photos are beautiful!!!
IdaBaker says
These look gooey and delicious. I’m always up for a good sticky bun.
Lea's Cooking says
I would love these with coffee:) Yum ♥¸.•*´¯*♥
Muna Kenny says
I haven’t had Sticky Pecan Buns since long time, and yours looks perfect!
All That's Left Are The Crumbs says
These look amazing. I have loved cinnamon rolls ever since my first bite of one in Toronto many years ago (known to us as Saint Sin – we did not have cinnamon rolls in Australia). I love that your recipe has metric equivalents. Now that the girls are back in school I think it is time, once and for all, that I conquer my fear of yeast. If I do the rewards will be sweet and oh so yummy.
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
What incredible sticky buns! I love the apple butter with the cinnamon pecans – perfection!
Monet says
Don’t you just love Amelia’s Spicing Pecans? Some of the very best, huh? And by one of the sweetest men! I hope you are doing well. This looks like it would make the perfect start to me week. Now if only I could make a batch while also sleeping in. I hope you have a blessed week, my friend!
Brooks at Cakewalker says
Chef, These sticky buns look fantastic! I’m not familiar with Amelia’s Cinnamon Pecans, but the addition of them, along with the apple butter must take these rolls into the stratosphere. Thank you for sharing this recipe.