In South Florida, there’s a spot called Knaus Berry Farm that opens every year from November to April and serves the most delicious sticky buns. SO GOOD!

Sometimes, we have to make a huge line just to buy a dozen. That’s why I decided to develop my own sticky bun recipe for all those times when we’re unable to make that long line or when Knaus Berry is closed.

And I have to say, while I love my homemade cinnamon rolls… these pecan sticky buns definitely live up to the hype!

Step-By-Step Instructions

• Make the dough & let it rise. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the warm milk then stir in the brown sugar and instant dry yeast. Allow it to sit for 2-3 minutes until foamy. Mix in the eggs, butter, and salt until combined. Switch to the dough hook, add flour, 1 cup at a time, and mix until a dough forms. If you don’t have a stand mixer with a dough hook, you can mix and knead by hand until a dough forms. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it rest in a warm place for 1 hour until the dough has doubled in size.

• Make the rum toffee pecan topping. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar and butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in rum. Pour the mixture into the baking dish and top with the chopped pecans. Set aside.

• Make the brown sugar cinnamon filling. In a bowl, mix together brown sugar and cinnamon until all is combined. Set aside.

• Roll out the dough. Lightly sprinkle your work surface with flour. Transfer the dough onto your work surface and evenly roll it out into a rectangle, making sure the long side is 18-inch long.

• Add the cinnamon-sugar filling. Brush melted butter over the rectangle. Sprinkle the cinnamon brown sugar mixture evenly over the melted butter.

• Cut the dough into buns. Carefully and tightly roll the dough into an 18-inch long log. Using a sharp knife, cut into 12 buns. Using a sharp knife, cut into 12 buns.

• Let the buns rise (again). Transfer each bun to the baking dish with the rum toffee pecan topping. Cover the buns with a kitchen towel and let them rise for 30 minutes.

• Bake the buns. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Bake the buns for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown on top. At the 12-minute mark, cover the top of the rolls with aluminum foil to avoid them browning too much.

• Serve. Remove from oven and let them cool for 5 minutes. Carefully invert the buns onto a large serving dish. Serve warm.

Make Pecan Sticky Buns Ahead of Time

• Once you transfer the buns to the baking dish on top of the rum toffee pecan topping (step 6), brush the tops of the sticky buns with melted butter then cover the dish in plastic wrap. The butter will help the plastic wrap come off easily the next day.

• Place the dish in the fridge overnight for 8-12 hours. Once you’re ready to bake, bring the sticky buns to room temperature, about 30 minutes or so, before baking.

Freezing Instructions

First things first, you need to partially bake them first before freezing.

• When you get to step 6, bake the buns for 12-15 minutes instead of the full 25-30 minutes then cool completely. Cover the baking dish in plastic wrap before placing them in the freezer. You can freeze them for up to 1 month.

• Make sure to thaw them 24 hours before baking in the fridge and bake them the next day at 350ºF for the remaining time (10-15 minutes) until golden brown.

Storage Tips

Sticky buns may be kept at room temperature for 2 days and covered in aluminum foil to prevent them from drying out. You could also transfer them to an airtight container and place them in the refrigerator for 1 week or the freezer for up to 3 months. Just thaw and heat them up for 45 seconds in the microwave.