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So, let me tell you about one of the best recipes ever.

Cheat’s Brown Butter and Salted Maple Pecan Sticky Buns | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

It’s easy…

Full of all the good things in the world…

And delicious… SO DELICIOUS… Cheat’s Brown Butter and Salted Maple Pecan Sticky Buns!

WATCH HOW-TO VIDEO HERE:

And guys, these are sticky buns like no other. Plus, they only take about an hour from start to finish. Yep, I’m keeping things EASY all week-long, cause when it comes to the days leading up to Thanksgiving, all recipes need to be EASY. You know? You know.

When thinking about a breakfast/brunch for the holidays I always, always sway towards cinnamon rolls. If you just search cinnamon rolls on the blog here, you’ll see that’s pretty clear with this recipe, this recipe AND this recipe. What can I say, my family and I all love cinnamon rolls, I mean, who doesn’t???? They’re kind of the best. Does anyone remember being a kid and popping open the can of Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls and being SO excited for the soft, buttery, doughy, cinnamony sweet rolls to come out of the oven in fifteen minutes? Cause I do.

Those rolls were our breakfast/any time snack during the week between Christmas and New Years. Good, delicious memories!

Cheat’s Brown Butter and Salted Maple Pecan Sticky Buns | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvestCheat’s Brown Butter and Salted Maple Pecan Sticky Buns | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Anyway, I have since discovered homemade cinnamon rolls, and I of course never looked back. But you know, sometimes you need something easy. No messing around with yeast, flour rising, mixing…hair pulling. Just easy!

That is these sticky buns. Hence the word “cheaters” in the title. The secret is puff pastry. Actually, I think puff pasty is THE secret to holiday recipes…you will see me using it a lot in the coming month (and it’s going to be so good). If you ask me puff pastry is magical.

I used puff pastry as the dough for these sticky buns, which basically takes out all the work. YES. But what really sets these buns apart is the maple “sticky sauce”. Oh my gosh, this sauce is everything. Like my dad called these the best sticky buns he ever had… and guys, he’s kind of picky about sticky buns.

I have to agree though, these buns are the best, and part of that is surely due to the fact that they are so easy to make… but mostly because they are just so flippin good!

Cheat’s Brown Butter and Salted Maple Pecan Sticky Buns | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvestCheat’s Brown Butter and Salted Maple Pecan Sticky Buns | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Random Question #1: what do you guys think of as a Thanksgiving/Christmas Breakfast?? Do you go sweet or savory? OR do you do both?!

These buns can also double a dessert or after dinner snack to serve with coffee. They are just an all day eating kind of thing, which when it comes to Thanksgiving, or any holiday gathering, is a “must have” treat to have around.

OKAY, so I wish I had more to say today, but I have to get my butt moving and get cooking. People arrive in T-minus two hours and well, I have tons and tons to do. Oddly none of my tasks involve Thanksgiving prep work or dinner prep for tonight.

Ugh. Deadlines are not my friend this week.

But hey, at least I have these sticky buns to keep me fueled (or on a sugar high?) for the next few hours. Yesss!

Cheat’s Brown Butter and Salted Maple Pecan Sticky Buns | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Cheat’s Brown Butter and Salted Maple Pecan Sticky Buns | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Random Question #2: what are you guys up to today? Are you stuck working? Traveling to family or friends for the holiday? Prepping for the feast?!?! I want to know. Yes, I’m nosy… tell me everything!

Cheat’s Brown Butter and Salted Maple Pecan Sticky Buns | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Cheat’s Brown Butter and Salted Maple Pecan Sticky Buns | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Cheat's Brown Butter and Salted Maple Pecan Sticky Buns.

Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Rest 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 12 Buns
Calories Per Serving: 579 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Ingredients

Sticky Sauce

Buns

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray or butter.
  • In a medium sauce pot, combine the maple syrup, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 12 tablespoons butter. Cook over medium heat until the butter is melted and the sauce bubbling, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
  • Divide the pecans evenly among the bottom of 12 muffin cups. Now pour about 1-2 tablespoons of the sticky sauce over the pecans (reserve any remaining sauce for serving). The sticky sauce should come about 1/3 of the way up the muffin cup.
  • Add 6 tablespoons butter to saucepan. Allow the butter to brown lightly until it smells toasted, about 5 minutes. Stir often, butter will foam and then settle back down. Remove from the heat and let cool 10 minutes.
  • In a bowl, combine 2/3 cup brown sugar with the cinnamon.
  • Lightly flour a clean surface. Unfold 1 sheet of puff pastry with the folds going left to right. Brush the sheet with half of the brown butter and then evenly sprinkle with half of the cinnamon sugar. Repeat with the remaining sheet of puff pastry.
  • Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry up tightly like you would a cinnamon roll, finishing the roll with the seam side down. Cut about a 1/2-inch off the ends of each roll and discard. Slice each roll in 6 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches wide. This should make 12 rolls. Place each roll, spiral side up, in the prepared muffin cups (place the rolls snugly into the pecans/sticky sauce).
  • Place the muffin pan on a cookie sheet with sides. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the sticky buns are golden to dark brown on top and firm to the touch. Allow to cool for 5 minutes only, invert the buns onto the parchment paper lined serving plate (ease the filling and pecans out onto the buns with a spoon). Rewarm the remaining sticky sauce and drizzle it over the buns. Sprinkle the buns with salt and serve warm.

Notes

*Method adapted from [Ina Garten | http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/easy-sticky-buns-recipe.html].
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Cheat’s Brown Butter and Salted Maple Pecan Sticky Buns | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Umm, okay. Can’t wait to hear your answers!

Oh, and these Salted Maple Pecan Sticky Buns – I need…you need! Let’s make these! <–DO IT.

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Comments

  1. Puff pastry for the dough is genius!!! I think I need to make these as soon as possible 🙂 I like a little savory with some sweet for holiday breakfasts. Some savory protein is usually nice to keep me fueled through all the prep work. I’m working through today, Wednesday, but then luckily I get Thanksgiving and Friday off this year! I work at a hospital and unfortunately people don’t stop getting sick just because it’s a holiday.

  2. After I go to the store to buy me some puff pastry to make these sinful cinnamon buns, I start my prep. I’ve decided I’m prepping all my side dishes, yes, even mashed potatoes, today as well as baking my pies & desserts. How the heck I’m going to hold them over in the ‘frig with two turkies already taking residence in there is beyond me! Then I’m planning my diet & exercise regimen so I can recover from the gluttony we all partake in this time of year. *sigh*

  3. This recipe is INSANE! Thanks so much for sharing. You made my fall break that much more awesome and I’m about to celebrate with these hehe 🙂

  4. 1. Sweet, all the way. Christmas breakfast always involves Christmas cookies. And Thanksgiving will be pumpkin french toast casserole that dangerously resembles bread pudding. Although these sticky buns are now in the running.
    2. Today and tomorrow are spent on my med student neurology rotation. Which is basically work, with no pay. But I love it. Except this week I kinda just want to make pie all day.

    Enjoy all the crazy cooking family time! Always look forward to your recipes!

  5. Cinnamon rolls look so yummy! I just got off today for break because I am in high school. Going to a family reunion for my grandma’s 80th birthday! Bringing some of your Thanksgiving recipes and I think the whole big family will love them. 😉

  6. Can’t wait to make these! I love cinnamon rolls but don’t get a chance to make them too often due to the time. I worked today and now I’m at the doctor’s boo! But my neice is coming home from college so I’m excited 🙂

  7. These sticky buns look amazing!! And yesss puff pastry really is magical, so magical I have a hard time finding some really good pre-made puff pastry. Why kind did you use? I hear sometimes it good to go to your local bakery and that they have some to give you. Happy Thanksgiving!

  8. Using puff pastry is such a brilliant idea! I always use pre-made buttermilk biscuit dough but puff pastry sounds way better. And don’t even get me started on that sticky maple sauce.

  9. Just added Puff Pastry to my grocery list! And just texted to a friend (who’s juggling work and prepping for T-Day) that my having started earlier has only – like Christmas – added MORE to my list to do…

    Some people just really shouldn’t have extra time (ME!) – although, friends, family and neighbors… vendors – all – really seem happy that I do (MORE baked goods to go around :)!!

    And with as much as I love cooking & recipes – a doc (we always talk recipes) was recently surprised to find that I DON’T Do Christmas dinners – just my casual (and dearly loved – by me) Christmas morning brunch – come in jammies (all good 🙂 – eat and see what Santa brought – And I’m thinking that THESE BUNS WILL BE INCLUDED!!

    (Trial run later today as I cook and bake for Tday)
    Thx Tieghan <3 ~ Maria

  10. You just solved my what am I going to make for breakfast/brunch on Thursday problem! These look fantastic. We are a sweet and savory bunch and working today but errands/shopping this afternoon and tomorrow. Really enjoy your recipes!