Vegan Sticky Buns

square image of a sticky roll with pecans on a plate

5 stars (12 ratings)

Better than your average cinnamon roll, sticky buns are infused with a gooey caramel pecan topping and are sure to impress! Perfect for holiday mornings with an overnight option. Pop them in the oven in the morning and enjoy a decadent breakfast!

Prep Time40

Cook Time30

Total Time1 10

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings: large rolls

Calories: 585kcal

Author: Nora Taylor

Ingredients

For the dough

2 cups unsweetened soy milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 packets (5 tsp) instant yeast
1/2 cup vegan butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more as needed

For the topping

2 cups chopped pecans
1/2 cup vegan butter
3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1/4 cup pure maple syrup

For the filling

4 tablespoons vegan butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the dough

Microwave the soy milk for about 1 minute and 30 seconds, until warm but not too hot or it will kill the yeast.
In a large bowl, add the warm soy milk, sugar and yeast. Stir a little bit; the yeast will get foamy.
To the yeast mixture, add the melted vegan butter, salt and 4 1/2 cups of flour. Stir with a large spoon until it comes together. Add additional flour, as needed. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a dough hook and mix on low until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It should still be soft and slightly sticky.
If using a stand mixer, simply mix with the dough hook until you have a smooth ball of dough. If not, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for 3-4 minutes until you have a smooth ball of dough.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a towel and let it rise in a warm place for 20 minutes. Here's what I do: Turn the oven to 170 degrees F. Once heated, turn it off, place the covered bowl inside the oven, and leave the oven door cracked.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (skip this for make ahead option) and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

Make the topping

Spread the chopped pecans in the bottom of the greased pan.
Combine the rest of the topping ingredients (vegan butter, brown sugar and maple syrup) in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the butter has melted. Simmer for a few minutes, stirring frequently.
Remove from heat and pour it over the pecans in the dish.

Assemble and bake

Sprinkle a clean counter or pastry mat with flour. Punch the dough down and use a rollin pin to roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle with more flour to prevent sticking to the rolling pin.
Spread the softened vegan butter over the dough, then sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.
Starting with the long edge closest to you, roll the dough into a tight log.
Using a serrated knife (or plain floss!) cut off the two ends. Slice the rest into 12 rolls.
Place the rolls on top of the pecan mixture in the baking dish. Make ahead: Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight. Or follow the next step to bake immediately.
If you have refrigerated the rolls overnight, let them sit at room temperature for about an hour before baking. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown and the centers are cooked through.
Remove the baking dish from the oven and immediately invert (very carefully!) onto a serving tray or other large baking dish.
Serve these sticky sweet buns immediately and enjoy!

Notes

I haven't tested them gluten free but a quality all purpose gluten free flour would likely work quite well.
May use regular active yeast, but they will need at least an hour to rise instead of 20 minutes.
May substitute coconut oil (refined for no coconut flavor) for the vegan butter in the dough, topping and filling. But a good tasting vegan butter (I prefer Miyokos) is best.

Nutrition