Ridiculously Easy Sticky Pecan Rolls

Oh my! These Ridiculously Easy Sticky Pecan Rolls taste like they are a labor of love from a fine, fancy bakery but they come together quickly with the convenience of frozen puff pastry.

I’ve been hearing about an incredibly swoon-worthy bakery from my husband, Scott, ever since we met (over 45 years ago). This legendary establishment was located in Park Falls, a small town in northern Wisconsin, where Scott and his family vacationed each summer while he was growing up. I’m not sure of the origin of its name, “The Electric Bakery” but, according to Scott, locals and vacationers would drive for miles to enjoy the famous bakery’s sweet confections. So when Scott took the first bite of these Sticky Pecan Rolls, rolled his eyes and said “I feel like I’m back at The Electric Bakery, I knew we had a hit!

Scott isn’t the only one who’s flipped over these Sticky Pecan Rolls. I tested the recipe on numerous guests who have visited these past two weeks and they also loved these rolls. It seems that everyone who tries them lets out a little moan of delight with the first taste! Electric Bakery, eat your heart out!

Ridiculously Easy

I’m pretty sure that making the Sticky Pecan Rolls at the Electric Bakery was a labor of love. The baker was probably up long before the birdies, fiddling with yeast, dough, a big electric mixer and several rises before the rolls ever hit the oven, much less the display case, where hungry customers would be enticed.

I know, I know… these sticky buns don’t look like they’d be easy to make, either. But trust me, they’re not just easy, they’re ridiculously easy! Frozen puff pastry is the magical ingredient in this recipe that takes away most of the work. It puffs up light and flaky in the oven and the thick buttery, brown sugar caramel sauce that forms on the bottom, drenching the crisp pecans, is definitely drool-worthy!

If you’re new to The Café you may not be aware that we have a separate category of recipes labeled Ridiculously Easy. You can read more about these recipes in this post but if you have a family or enjoy entertaining, you’re going to fall in love with this special collection. My in-a-nutshell description of our Ridiculously Easy collection is “recipes that make you look like a kitchen rock star with minimal effort on your part”. See what I mean, what’s not to love?

How it works

Let’s take a look at exactly how these Stick Pecans Rolls come together. Here are the simple steps:

• Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with baking spray.
• Combine soft butter and brown sugar in a bowl and stir until well combined.
• Add a scoop of the brown sugar mixture to each muffin cup followed by a sprinkle of chopped pecans.
• Open up the thawed puff pastry and lay both sheets out on a work surface. Brush each sheet with melted butter, then sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up each sheet into a log then cut each one into 6 portions.
• Lay the pieces, with the cut side up on top (and down) on top of the brown sugar/pecan mixture and give each one a little push with your hand to flatten.
• Refrigerate, then bake just before serving.

Make ahead!

This past weekend we hosted a brunch for some friends. I wanted to enjoy the guests that morning so I prepared these Sticky Pecan Rolls the day before (up to the baking step), covered them with plastic wrap and refrigerated them. On Sunday morning, I simply preheated the oven, pulled them out the refrigerator and popped them in the oven. It wasn’t long before a ridiculously delicious aroma was emanating from my kitchen and happy friends gathered around the table.

Dessert anyone?

Although these Sticky Pecan Rolls make a fabulous breakfast or brunch treat, they are also great for DESSERT! I happened to have a few left over on evening when friends were visiting. I warmed them slightly in the microwave and placed each one in a bowl with a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of warm Butterscotch Sauce (another ridiculously easy recipe!). Talk about licking the bowls clean – I didn’t have to rinse the dishes before loading them in the dishwasher!

Pick up a box of puff pastry and a bag of pecans next time you grocery shop. You probably have everything else you need to makes these Ridiculously Easy Sticky Pecan Rolls. Make them and you just might be taken back in time to the best little bakery you’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing!

Café Tips for making these Ridiculously Easy Sticky Pecan Rolls

• Look for sheets of puff pastry. Puff pastry also comes in little round shells. Those are great but not for this recipe. The most common brand of puff pastry here in the U.S. is Pepperidge Farm. You’ll find Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry at most larger grocery stores, usually in the same section as the frozen pie crusts.
• As noted above, puff pastry comes frozen so be sure to allow enough time for it to thaw before starting the recipe. It’s best to thaw puff pastry overnight in the refrigerator. It can also be thawed at room temperature, just don’t let it sit out too long. Puff pastry likes to stay cold.
• Because puff pastry likes to go into the oven cold (it “puffs” best when the cold pastry hits the hot oven), it’s important to let the sticky pecan rolls chill for 15 minutes before placing them in the oven.
• Since you don’t need an electric mixer for the sticky pecan topping, you want very soft butter. You can soften butter by letting it sit out at room temperature for a few hours. If your kitchen is chilly or, if you forget to soften it in advance, you can also soften butter by microwaving it at 10% power for 2-3 minutes, depending on the power strength of your microwave.
• No need to buy fancy whole pecans for this recipe. Chopped pecans are much more economical and will work great for these Sticky Pecan Rolls.
• If you’re in the market for a new muffin pan, I really love this OXO Good Grip Muffin Pan. I’ve had mne for several years now and it always comes out of the dishwasher looking like new. I like that the cups are a little bit narrower than most muffin pans which helps the muffins come out tall with nice rounded tops.

Thought for the day:

The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth
 and does not live in temples built by human hands.
And He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything.
Rather, He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.
From one man He made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth;
and He marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.
God did this so that they would seek Him
and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from any one of us.
Acts 17:24-27

What we’re listening to for inspiration:

Since Your Love

 

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