Sourdough Pecan Sticky Buns (Overnight Recipe!)
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These soft and buttery sourdough sticky buns are made with a rich brioche-style dough, sweet cinnamon sugar filling, and a homemade caramel pecan topping that turns gooey and golden as the buns bake.
Naturally leavened with active sourdough starter, these homemade sourdough sticky buns are the perfect overnight breakfast or brunch recipe, combining tender, slightly sweet dough with warm cinnamon, buttery caramel, and crunchy pecans in every bite.
What I love most about this recipe, is that I can knead together the dough ingredients the night before and then let the dough bulk ferment while I sleep! With that said, my kitchen runs cooler.
I’ve made this dough dozens of times and I have a few tips for you if you’d like the recipe to work well for you too:
Make This Overnight Sourdough Sticky Bun Recipe Work for You
- The bulk fermentation time can vary greatly. My dough takes between 8-10 hours to proof (in winter, it takes even longer!). But this isn’t the case for everyone. If your kitchen runs warm, the time may take closer to 6 hours for you.
- To slow down fermentation: use cold milk instead of warm or room temperature milk.
- When mixing in the stand mixer, I’ve found turning the speed up to high keeps my dough together, nice, and smooth.
- Stick the dough in the fridge once it is mostly fermented. Chilling the dough helps slow down the fermentation process and buys you time. It also helps make the dough more manageable for those with warm kitchens when it comes to rolling out and shaping the sticky buns.
- Don’t skip the second rise! This is important to get the beautifully fluffy interior these sticky buns have.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Naturally leavened: Active sourdough starter gives the dough a beautiful texture and adds the flavor of naturally fermented sourdough.
- Gooey caramel pecan topping: A homemade buttery caramel sauce and chopped pecans bake underneath the buns, creating a rich, sticky topping when the buns are inverted.
- Soft and buttery brioche dough: These sourdough sticky buns are made with a rich, tender brioche-style dough that is soft, slightly sweet, and incredibly delicious.
More Sourdough Recipes to Try!
Step-By-Step Instructions
Add the sourdough starter, warm milk, flour, eggs, salt, sugar, and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then add the softened butter one tablespoon at a time. Knead on medium speed for 7–10 minutes, until the dough is soft, smooth, and slightly sticky, but not overly sticky.
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 6–10 hours, or until it has increased in size by about 30–50%. In a cooler kitchen, this may take closer to 10 hours. Watch the dough rather than the clock.
Add the brown sugar, heavy cream, butter, and salt, if using, to a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk for 5–8 minutes, until the caramel bubbles and thickens.
Add the vanilla and cook for another 1–2 minutes. Let cool slightly while you roll out the dough.
Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a 12×18-inch rectangle.
Spread the softened butter over the dough, then sprinkle evenly with the brown sugar and cinnamon.
Use a pizza cutter or pastry wheel to cut the dough in half, then in half again, and once more to create 8 even strips.
Pour the caramel into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish and sprinkle the chopped pecans evenly over the top.
Roll each strip into a spiral and place the rolls over the caramel and pecans in the prepared baking dish.
Cover the baking dish and let the sticky buns rise at room temperature for 1–3 hours, or until puffy and visibly risen.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Bake for about 35 minutes, or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 195–200°F (90–93°C).
Let the sticky buns cool for a few minutes, then carefully invert the baking dish onto a serving platter or baking sheet so the caramel and pecans coat the tops.
Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook attachment
- Medium saucepan
- Whisk
- 9×13-inch baking dish
- Rolling pin
- Pizza cutter or pastry wheel
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Kitchen scale
- Instant-read thermometer
Storage
Store leftover sourdough sticky buns in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
To reheat, warm individual sticky buns in the microwave for 15–20 seconds, or until soft and heated through. You can also reheat them in a 300°F (150°C) oven until warmed through.
Sourdough Pecan Sticky Buns
Ingredients
For the Brioche Dough
- 2/3 cup active sourdough starter 150g
- 1/2 cup whole milk room temperature (122g)
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 390g
- 2 large eggs room temperature (105g)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt 2g
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar 53g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5g
- 8 tablespoons salted butter softened (113g)
For the Cinnamon Sugar Filling
- 1/3 cup salted butter softened (76g)
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar 150g
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon 15g
For the Caramel Pecan Topping
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar 200g
- 1/2 cup heavy cream 120g
- 5 tablespoons butter salted (71g)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 15g
- Pinch of salt optional (1g)
- 1 cup chopped pecans about 110g
Instructions
Make the Brioche Dough
- Add the active sourdough starter, milk, flour, eggs, salt, sugar, and vanilla extract to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment.
- Mix on low to medium speed until a shaggy dough forms.
- With the mixer running, add the softened butter one tablespoon at a time, allowing each addition to incorporate before adding the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Increase the speed to medium-high and knead for 7–10 minutes, until the dough is soft, smooth, and slightly sticky, but not overly sticky. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl while clinging to the dough hook.
- Resist the urge to add extra flour unless absolutely necessary. Brioche dough should be soft and slightly sticky, and adding too much flour can result in dense, dry sticky buns.
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rest at room temperature for 6–10 hours, or until it has risen by about 30–50%. Once the dough has risen, you can place it in the fridge for up to 24 hours to make the recipe fit your schedule; otherwise, carry on to the next steps!
- Brioche dough can rise slowly. In a cooler home, around 68°F, the first rise may take closer to 10 hours. Watch the dough rather than the clock.
Make the Caramel Pecan Topping
- Add the brown sugar, heavy cream, butter, and salt, if using, to a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Whisk for 5–8 minutes, allowing the mixture to bubble and thicken.
- Once the caramel has thickened, add the vanilla extract and continue cooking for another 1–2 minutes.
- Pour the warm caramel into the bottom of a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the chopped pecans evenly over the caramel.
Assemble the Sticky Buns
- Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.
- Roll the dough into a 12×18-inch rectangle, approximately 1/4-inch thick.
- Spread the softened butter evenly over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the butter, followed by the cinnamon.
- Use a pizza cutter or pastry wheel to slice the rectangle in half, then in half again, and then in half once more, creating 8 even strips.
- Roll each strip into a spiral and place the rolls cut-side up over the caramel and pecans in the prepared 9×13-inch baking dish.
Second Rise
- Cover the baking dish and let the sticky buns rise at room temperature for 1–3 hours, or until they are puffy and visibly risen.
Bake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake the sticky buns for about 35 minutes, or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches at least 195–200°F (90–93°C).
- Allow the sticky buns to cool for a few minutes before carefully inverting the baking dish onto a large serving platter or baking sheet. The warm caramel and pecans will coat the tops of the sticky buns as they are turned out.
- Serve warm.
There’s a cafe I used to always go to whenever we would visit my grandma in northern Minnesota and this sticky bun recipe reminds me of what they served there–but better, because it’s homemade and 100% sourdough! If you try this recipe, I would love to know what you thought!