Description
Caramel Pecan Rolls are a perfect festive treat for Christmas, featuring a soft, sweet dough enriched with honey and butter, rolled with a spiced cinnamon filling, topped with a rich caramel pecan glaze. These rolls are baked to golden perfection and served warm, making them a crowd-pleasing holiday favorite.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pecan Roll Dough:
- 1 1/2 cups Warm Water
- 2 packets Active Dry Yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 8 Eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup Honey
- 1 1/2 cups melted Butter
- 7 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
For the Caramel Pecan Topping:
- 24 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Sea Salt
- 2 1/2 cups Brown Sugar
- 90 pecan halves, chopped
For the Cinnamon Filling:
- 12 tablespoons Salted Butter, softened
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 1/4 tablespoons Cornstarch
Instructions
- Prepare the Pecan Roll Dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the yeast, kosher salt, lightly beaten eggs, honey, melted butter, and warm water until well combined. Gradually add the all-purpose flour, one cup at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a dough hook to mix the dough thoroughly. Cover the dough and place it in a warm environment, such as an unheated oven, to rise for approximately 2 hours or until doubled in size. Once risen, cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap to prevent drying and chill the dough in the refrigerator.
- Prepare the Caramel Pecan Topping: Combine the softened unsalted butter, sea salt, and brown sugar in a small mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer until the mixture is well creamed. Evenly divide the caramel mixture among three 9-inch cake pans and spread it across the bottoms. Sprinkle the chopped pecan halves evenly on top of the caramel mixture in each pan. Set aside.
- Mix the Cinnamon Filling: In a bowl, combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cornstarch. Mix well and set aside for spreading.
- Roll and Shape the Dough: After chilling, lightly flour a work surface and roll out the dough into two large rectangles about 1/8 inch thick. Spread softened salted butter over the surface of each rectangle using a spatula, then evenly sprinkle the cinnamon sugar filling mixture on top. Starting from the long edge, roll each rectangle tightly into logs. Using a serrated knife, cut each log into 12 even pieces, yielding 24 rolls total.
- Assemble and Proof the Rolls: Place the individual rolls into the prepared cake pans on top of the caramel pecan topping. Cover each pan with a damp towel or plastic wrap and allow the rolls to rise in a warm, draft-free place for 40 minutes until puffed and nearly doubled.
- Bake the Pecan Rolls: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the rolls for 30 to 40 minutes until the dough is fully cooked in the center and the tops are lightly golden brown. Remove the pans from the oven, run a butter knife around the edges to loosen the rolls, then invert the pans onto serving dishes so the caramel pecan topping is on top. Serve warm.
Notes
- This recipe makes 24 rolls, ideal for large groups or holiday gatherings. Leftovers can be frozen for later enjoyment.
- Freezing Unbaked Rolls: After rolling and slicing the dough, place the rolls in a freezer-safe container or vacuum seal bag once frozen solid to avoid freezer burn. You may freeze up to 3 months.
- Baking from Frozen: Prepare and add the caramel pecan topping to the baking pan as usual. Thaw frozen rolls overnight in the refrigerator in the pan covered with foil. Then allow the rolls to rise again in a warm place until doubled before baking following the original baking instructions.
- Ensure to cover the dough and rises properly to prevent drying out.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
