Pecan Caramel Cinnamon Rolls with a No-Knead Brioche Dough Recipe

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These light and fluffy cinnamon rolls made with an easy to make no-knead brioche dough that give these rolls an over the top texture and flavor.  

Total Time: 50 minutes
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Good Cinnamon Rolls are a thing of beauty. And the best cinnamon rolls are made using a brioche dough. The problem is most brioche doughs are complicated and can prove to be a little daunting for a novice baker. But using a no-knead brioche dough recipe takes a lot of the work out of the process.

And these OMG delicious Pecan Caramel Cinnamon Rolls are proof that it works! Check out my Pan Dulce Recipe that I made using a batch of the brioche dough.

Pecan Caramel Roll

I was truly amazed the first time I made these cinnamon rolls, so much so that I had to make them again just to be sure it wasn’t beginners luck. It’s a simple foolproof recipe, that only needed a little tweaking to get it where I thought it should be.

Of course, the dough is great for just plain Brioche rolls too or a nice loaf of bread! The recipe I’m going to give you will make a few batches of these beauties or whatever type of roll you decide to make. The dough holds up for 5 days so you have so time to plan how else you’re going to use the dough.

If you haven’t already picked up a copy of Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a Day, I couldn’t think of a better reason than these  Caramel Pecan Rolls!

Trust me this is just a teaser of all the great recipes you’re going to find inside this book, and if you’ve always been afraid to make bread or your own cinnamon buns like I was, you’re going to look like a superstar with these rolls! Just make sure you make a full batch of this dough because your family is going to devour them!

When I first made these rolls, I had no idea how a brioche dough would turn out or even if it would. I definitely had no idea it would be so good! These are just like the best Pecan rolls I ever had, light and fluffy,  and so flavorful, I had left them to cool while I ran an errand, and I got a text message from Lisa that simply read ” Incredible”….lol, if that doesn’t say it all I don’t know what does.

If you’ve tried my Pecan Caramel Cinnamon Rolls any other recipe on askchefdennis.com please don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know where you found it in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME  on Instagram @chefdenniseats and @chefdennistravels,  Twitter and Facebook.

You might also like my Apple Butter Sticky Bun Recipe.

5 from 1 vote
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Pecan Caramel Cinnamon Rolls

These light and fluffy cinnamon rolls made with an easy to make no-knead brioche dough that give these rolls an over the top texture and flavor.  

Author: Adapted from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day
Nutrition Facts
Pecan Caramel Cinnamon Rolls
Amount Per Serving
Calories 419 Calories from Fat 198
% Daily Value*
Fat 22g34%
Saturated Fat 12g60%
Cholesterol 102mg34%
Sodium 511mg21%
Potassium 99mg3%
Carbohydrates 48g16%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 17g19%
Protein 6g12%
Vitamin A 640IU13%
Calcium 29mg3%
Iron 2.3mg13%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Total Time: 50 mins
Calories: 419 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp granulated yeast (2 packets)
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp coarse sea salt or kosher salt
  • 8 eggs lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1 1/2 Cups unsalted butter melted (3 sticks)
  • 7 1/2 cups all purpose flour
Caramel Topping
  • 6 Tbsp unsalted butter softened
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup Karo syrup or Honey
  • 30 Pecan halves (or as many as needed)
Filling for Rolls
  • 8 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup toasted and chopped pecans (optional)
  • pinch of ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Mix the yeast, salt, water in the bowl of your mixer, mix well
  2. Add in eggs, honey and melted butter, and continue to mix until well blended
  3. Add in flour and using your dough hook, incorporate all the flour, mix just enough so that all the flour is mixed in.
  4. The dough may look loose and wetter than you think it should be, it may also look like it has lumps, that's ok.
  5. Transfer dough to another bowl, cover with a towel and allow to sit and rise for two hours.
  6. Chill dough for at least 2 hours, before making the rolls*
  7. For topping cream butter,salt and brown sugar, spread evenly over the bottom of a 9 inch cake pan, then scatter pecan halves over the topping and set aside.
  8. Using floured hands cut out a 1 1/2 lb piece of brioche dough.
  9. 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.
  10. Using a rolling in roll out the dough int a 1/8 inch thick rectangle (about 12"x8") add flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking to the rolling pin or surface.*
  11. While dough is resting cream butter, cinnamon and sugar, then spread the mixture evenly over the dough and if you're using pecans in the filling add them now by sprinkling them over the filling.
  12. Start rolling the dough along the long side of the dough, so you end up with a roll.
  13. If the dough feels to soft to cut, allow it to chill for about 20 minutes.
  14. When dough is ready , with a serrated knife, cut the log into 8 equal pieces and place in prepared cake pan.
  15. Cover with plastic and allow to rise for 1 hour*
  16. Place rolls in a 350 degree preheated oven, and bake for about 40 minutes or until golden brown and set in the center.
  17. Run a knife around the sides of the pan and turn out the rolls onto a platter immediately*1
  18. Serve the rolls and get ready for rave reviews
Recipe Notes

*This dough may be frozen if you're not going to use it in 5 days, freeze in one pound dough balls and allow 24 hours to defrost before using. *do not add any more flour than necessarily, too much flour will make the rolls dry. *I like to make these rolls the night before baking, then in the morning take them out of the refrigerator and allow them to rise for 1 hour. *if you let the rolls sit too long, they will not come out of the pan easily. If this happens place the pan on top of a burner for a few minutes to heat the pan and loosen the rolls.

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About Chef Dennis

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Chef Dennis is a semi-retired Chef, writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis aka Ask Chef Dennis®. Chef Dennis worked professionally in White Table Cloth Restaurants for 40 years and has been developing easy to make, restaurant-style recipes since 2009. The second phase of his reinvention from chef to blogger has earned him a place at the Worlds Dinner Table. Join him on his Culinary Journey enjoying his easy to make Restaurant Style recipes and travel adventures. For more details, check out his About page.

Comments

  2. Luksana says

    thank you very much chef Dennis. I already tried and am quite satisfy. My first time to make Pecan caramel roll. I love it very much. it is much elegant than normal cinnamon roll. Luksana

    Reply

  3. Lisa says

    Thank you for not only the recipe but for the pep talk. I’ve had some failed adventures making sticky buns & with your encourging words, I will try my hand at these yummy gems,

    I’m your newest fan…you have my vote Chef Dennis!

    Reply

  4. Nancy/SpicieFoodie says

    Oh how I would love one of these right now to go with my tea. This is going on my baking list. Thanks Chef for sharing your scrumptious recipes. Thanks for participating in September’s YBR 🙂 Sorry I’m so late in getting here.

    Reply

  5. Lynne @ 365 Days of Baking says

    Chef, just found you through YBR. What a wonderful site and thing you’re doind teaching those girls!
    Your food looks amazing and I can’t wait to try your recipes! The rolls are very enticing and I’ll also be making a loaf of this so we can have it for French Toast.
    I’ll be back!

    Reply

  9. kita says

    Needless to say, I need to go dust off my copy of that book now… Ill be shamefully in the corner digging it out while drooling over these some more!

    Reply

  22. Cristina says

    I love caramel pecan rolls! I’m going to making these sweet, heavenly rolls for sure. Thanks for sharing, Chef. Hope you’re having a great week and congrats on the Top 9! 🙂

    Reply

  25. Glenn Kaufmann says

    Dennis,

    Thanks for this. These look great. I love sweet rolls, and all things pecan. This looks like the perfect combination.

    Cheers,

    Glenn Kaufmann
    Editor & Publisher of All About Mardi Gras

    Reply

  28. The Mom Chef ~ Taking on Magazines One Recipe at a Time says

    I’m sold. I’ll send you my address and you can pack up a batch of these and mail them my way, ok? I was thrilled to see your note about preparing them the night before and letting them rise for an hour in the morning. I surely couldn’t get up three hours earlier than normal to get these going and yes, I did see the prep time.

    They’re gorgeous, fantastic and look so light, gooey and like the most glorious melt-in-your-mouth treat a girl could hope for. Again, I will be sending my address, ok? 🙂

    Reply

  30. Eva says

    Incredible. I have been striving to make the best cinnamon rolls for ever and low and behold this year I DID! These look sinfully awesome, and I bet it’s the eggs in this brioche that makes it so amazing. I will have to try this recipe when we have company (because if it’s just my husband and I, well, we all don’t need to see the results of that!).

    Reply

  35. The Kitchen Noob says

    Live by the philosophy that if you’re going to eat desserts the homemade ones are healthy because you know exactly what’s in ’em and can pronounce every ingredient. 😀

    These look awesome! Makes me want to try my hand at a pecan pie this year and dig in to some more bread recipes over the winter. 🙂

    Reply

  39. Liz says

    Oh, you’ve hit my weak spot, Dennis!!! I’m a sucker for anything caramel…and these are simply divine!!! I’m going to have to try your recipe this fall…I know you’d have five avid fans after our first bites~

    Reply

  40. Meagan @ Scarletta Bakes says

    Oh my sakes alive are these rolls calling my name. So delicious and I totally agree: artisan bread is absolutely worth the extra effort. The fresh yeasty smell of the bread alone is amazing.

    Thanks for sharing, Chef Dennis, lovely as always!!

    Reply

  41. Jill@MadAboutMacarons says

    What a great idea, Chef! Must try this with brioche (I make it about every weekend so high time for a wee change) and dribble on the caramel like this. Pecans, cinnamon? Brilliant.

    Reply

  42. Susie says

    I am totally apprehensive about making breads or any type of rolls and have been on the fence about buying the book wondering if I could pull off making anything right lol. These look amazing and if I could pull it off it’s totally worth a try.

    Reply

    • Chef D says

      give this recipe a try, I also have the artisan bread recipe on my site, try those and I’m sure you’ll feel more comfortable. I am not a bread baker and I can make these!

      Reply

  44. Lacy says

    Oh my!! These pecan rolls look AMAZING!! I’m sitting here wishing I could eat one right this minute! I definitely have to try this recipe, wow!!

    Reply

  46. deana@lostpastremembered says

    In one of those, well DUH moments, I wondered where you had been since your post hadn’t changed for weeks… now I know. Great way to find you with those rolls.. one of my favorites.. like sticky buns that I treat myself with once in a while at Amy’s bakery in Chelsea Market… often still warm from the oven they are FABULOUS. Perhaps I should treat myself to a whole pan of them!!! Great looking recipe Dennis

    Reply

  49. Tobias @ T and Tea Cake says

    Yeast has not been my friend so far. I’ve tried and it either came out flat or dry or flat and dry. But your words give me hopes and motivation and this looks just delectable! 5 day, you say? I can freeze it, you say? I am SO going to make this!

    Cheers,
    Tobias

    Reply

    • Chef D says

      yeast has never been my friend either, the trick is to make sure its not old and your water is not too hot, other than that with these recipes its foolproof!

      Reply

  55. Tina@flourtrader says

    That picture does say it all, simply delicious. We all want that wonderful end result but sometimes do not want to spend all day in the kitchen- we just want others to think that. The secret of that “extra” dough in the fridge is safe with me!

    Reply

  60. Liren says

    Wow. This is absolutely a must try for me – the last time I made rolls, I swore I would wait a year before making another decadent batch. But these are begging to be baked!

    Reply

  61. Hester aka The Chef Doc says

    These looks super awesome, Chef! However, I’ve got a question: 7 1/2 cups of flour???? You said to cut out a 1 1/2 lb chunk of dough. Would that be what yields the 8 rolls you mention above? So, the 1 1/2 lb chunk fits into the 9″ pan? And so I guess a big question is: how much more dough is there left?!?!?! Lol, I’ve just never used that much flour at once before 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe! My mother bought me two large packages of yeast at Sam’s Club since constantly buying packets was getting to be expensive. I’m going to definitely order this book!

    Reply

    • Chef D says

      Most of the recipes that come in the book all have the same basic amount of flour 7 1/2 cups, this will give you enough dough for 2 batches with a little left over for just plain rolls or a small loaf of bread. It also freezes very well, just remembering to give it 24 hours to thaw properly.
      The bread dough recipes last up to two weeks once made, and I think the idea is to have the dough ready so your more ready to bake.
      Once the 1 1/2 pound piece is rolled out and filled with the mixture you roll it into a log, and cut it into roll size pieces that fit into your cake pan, you can see from my pic how they baked together so nicely.
      Please let me know if you do try the recipe!

      Reply

  63. Ann says

    Wowza! These look amazing! I hate that I’m allergic to cinnamon….I miss out a lot this time of year. What a beautiful bread and the filling and topping is incredible!

    Reply

  65. Boulder Locavore says

    This recipe looks great. The full photo should really be illegal. In looking at the ingredients I wonder if I couldn’t substitute gluten free flour and get a similar result. I’m going to try. It looks too good to pass up! Interested to know more about the cookbook too; thank you!

    Reply

  66. Kim Bee says

    Oh my! These look so good Chef Dennis. Bet your girls were quite happy to learn this one. Think I shall try this on our next cool day. My daughter would go nuts for this one. Have a great week.

    Reply

  72. Apron Appeal says

    My first taste of Artisan bread were pecan cinamon rolls a friend made for me. Ohhhh I love to remember good things. Thanks.

    Reply

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