Cinnamon rolls, but better! These giant buns are topped with an ooey-gooey butter pecan caramel sauce that is sweet, salty and sticky. The addition of a little heavy cream in the bottom of the pan during bake time ensures they come out soft & fluffy every time. You must try this for yourself – this is my best baking recipe yet.

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I have the best hack for cutting the perfect cinnamon roll every time. Stay with me here: it’s dental floss! Thread the dental floss beneath your dough log, twirl it around the roll, and give it a firm tug. Ensure the two ends of the floss cross each other and you will get a remarkably clean and precise cut, every time. If you cut the rolls with a knife you tend to get a very squished, sad flat roll. Don’t make this mistake!

Equipment

9×13 glass baking dish

Ingredients

For the Dough:
1 cup milk, warmed to 110°F
1 packet of active-dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)
4 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup white granulated sugar
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed, room temperature
2 large eggs, slightly beaten

For the Cinnamon Filling:
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon salt
½ cup heavy cream

For the Butter Pecan Topping:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups pecans, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions:

Dough

1. Warm the milk in the microwave for 1 minute until it reaches 110°F. Pour it into a bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes while the yeast activates.
2. Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on medium-low, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Cube the butter and add it to the flour mixture. Incorporate the butter until it is pea-sized or smaller. The mixture will still be crumbly. *see notes if mixing by hand
3. Pour the milk into the flour mixture. Lightly beat the eggs in a small bowl and pour them into the flour mixture. Switch the paddle attachment to a dough hook. Mix on low speed until a dough starts to form. Turn the speed up to medium and knead the dough for 5 minutes. **see notes if mixing by hand
4. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Place the bowl in the oven, turn the oven OFF and crack open the door. Let it rise in the warm oven for 1 hour until it’s double in size.

Cinnamon Sugar Filling

1. Using a mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt until smooth. Set aside.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a thickness of ¼ inch, creating a large rectangle. Spread the filling evenly over the dough using an small rubber spatula.
3. Roll the dough from the short side to form a log. Trim the ends and cut the dough into 6 equal pieces using dental floss. Slide a long strand of floss under the rolled dough, then cross both ends over the top of the log where you want to make the cut. Pull both ends of the floss in opposite directions until a perfect slice is made. Repeat for each slice. This ensures your rolls won’t be smooshed with a knife!
4. Lightly coat a 9×13 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange the cinnamon rolls evenly spaced in the pan and cover with a kitchen towel. Allow them to rise for 20 minutes. Pour the heavy cream into the bottom of the pan.
5. Preheat the oven to 375°F and bake the rolls for 24-28 minutes or until the tops are lightly golden brown.

Butter Pecan Topping

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
2. Stir in brown sugar with a whisk until it melts and the mixture bubbles. Simmer for about 2 minutes.
3. Add cinnamon, heavy cream, salt and then whisk.
4. Fold in pecans with a rubber spatula until coated.
5. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
6. Pour over your cinnamon rolls and serve!

Notes:

If mixing by hand, see notes below:

*2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Cube the butter and add it to the flour mixture. Using your thumb and fingertips, rub butter into flour in a snapping motion until all butter pieces are small pea-size lumps and covered in flour.

**3. Pour the milk into the flour mixture. Lightly beat the eggs in a small bowl and pour them into the flour mixture. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients using a rubber spatula. Then, using your hands, mix until a dough starts to form. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead with your hands for 5-8 minutes. You can determine when the dough is done by gently stretching a small portion of the dough into a thin layer and holding it up to the light. If you can see light through it, it’s done.