Best From Scratch Sourdough Sticky Buns

ByRachael published Updated on
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Jump to Recipe·5 from 3 reviews

These gooey sourdough sticky buns are the ultimate fall breakfast recipe—soft, fluffy, and swirled with cinnamon, then topped with a buttery caramel-pecan glaze. Made with sourdough discard, they’re a cozy and delicious way to start a crisp autumn morning!

Close-up of homemade sourdough sticky buns topped with caramelized pecans and rich cinnamon glaze.

If only we could start off every morning with sourdough sticky buns, right?

This recipe reminds me of Christmas mornings as a kid when my mom would make monkey bread. It’s very similar in taste and texture, with the added bonus of swirled cinnamon sugar throughout each roll.

Sticky buns > cinnamon rolls.

I said what I said!

Let’s make them.

  • Close-up of homemade sourdough sticky buns topped with caramelized pecans and rich cinnamon glaze.

Quick Recipe Snapshot

TOTAL TIME: About an hour, start to finish. They are worth every minute, I promise!
YIELD: 12 yummy buns!
STORAGE: Although definitely best when enjoyed right away, leftovers store well for up to 3 days.
BEST SERVED WITH: These buns would be a great special occasion or Christmas morning breakfast. Head over to this post on other sourdough Christmas morning breakfast ideas!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • RICH & DECADENT: Cinnamon rolls by themselves are a special breakfast, but topped with a buttered pecan glaze? Heavenly.
  • PERFECT FOR CHRISTMAS MORNING: If you need an extra special breakfast idea for those special mornings, this one is definitely a winner!
  • WARM FALL FLAVORS: All the flavors you love most about the fall and winter months! Cinnamon, brown sugar, and pecans coated in a buttery, caramel glaze…what’s not to love?

Ingredients You’ll Need

This is a quick overview of a few essential ingredients needed for this recipe. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full list!

  • Sourdough Starter: I used discard in this recipe to make it super easy, but active starter will also work. You’ll need 1 cup!
  • Butter: Lots of it! I used salted, but unsalted works fine too.
  • Brown Sugar: I prefer to use brown sugar in this recipe because of the flavor it adds to the buns. White sugar will also work just fine! Maple syrup will also work well as a swap in the pecan topping.
  • Pecans: Make sure to roughly chop them before adding to the filling.

Tips for Preparing to Make This Recipe

  1. Rolling & Shaping the Buns: Take your time during this step and don’t rush it. I have added step by step photos below to help you with this process! Ensuring that the dough has been rolled out evenly and that the rolls are sliced into even shapes will result in perfectly baked buns. If rolls are sliced unevenly, the smaller rolls will cook faster than the larger ones, resulting in an uneven bake.
  2. Baking Dish: I recommend baking these buns in a glass or non-stick ceramic baking dish. I used an 8 x 11 inch baking dish, but 9 x 13 should also work fine. The pecan topping gets poured onto the bottom of the dish before baking, and will caramelize in the oven. Using a non-stick baking dish will ensure that the buns invert out of the pan easily, and makes for easy clean up! *Note: If using a ceramic baking dish for this recipe (like I did) know that they typically take longer to heat, which may result in a longer baking time.

Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below!

a close up view of sourdough sticky buns with a brown sugar pecan topping

Step by Step Instructions

There are a lot of steps to making this sourdough sticky bun recipe, but I assure you that it is a simple process. It just takes some time! I’ve added a lot of step by step photos to assist you in making these buns.

  1. Prepare the dough: To a small saucepan over medium low heat, add the butter, stirring it often until melted completely. Once melted, turn the heat down to low and add the brown sugar, milk, and sourdough discard. Stir well to combine and then remove from the heat. Set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment or a large mixing bowl, add the melted butter mixture. Add in the salt, baking powder, baking soda, and flour, mixing until just combined. Note: If using a stand mixer, this process should take about 3-4 minutes. If combining the mixture by hand in a mixing bowl, be sure to add the flour slowly, and then mix with your hands until combined.

Kneading the Dough

  1. Knead the Dough:  Keep the dough in the mixer and beat for an additional 5 minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 5 full minutes. After kneading, the dough should feel soft and smooth. Poke it with your finger—if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise. You can also do a “windowpane test” to see if your dough has been kneaded long enough: tear off a small piece of dough and gently stretch it out until it’s thin enough for light to pass through it. Hold it up to a window or light. Does light pass through the stretched dough without the dough tearing first? If so, your dough has been kneaded long enough and is ready to rise. If not, keep kneading until it passes the windowpane test. Once the dough is ready, set it aside while you prepare the filling.
  2. Filling: To a small bowl, combine the softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir together until just combined, and then set aside while you prepare the topping and roll out the dough.
  3. Pecan Topping: Grease an 8 x 11″ inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray. In a small saucepan, combine the butter and brown sugar. Stir until the butter has melted, and then add in the chopped pecans. Stir until the mixture is combined, and then pour into the prepared baking dish.

Baking the Rolls

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Roll & Shape: Punch down the dough to release the air. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and, with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough into a large rectangle shape. Make sure the dough is smooth and evenly thick. Spread the filling over the top of the dough, leaving about a 1/2 inch border around the sides. Be careful not to tear/rip the dough as you spread the filling. Tightly roll up the dough to form an 18-inch-long log. With a sharp knife, cut into 10-12 even rolls, about 1.5 inches wide each.
  3. Bake: Place the rolls in the prepared baking pan, on top of the pecan topping. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the rolls are golden-brown on top. Note: If the buns are browning too quickly, loosely tent a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the pan to prevent the tops from overbrowning. Remove pan from the oven and place on a wire rack and allow the buns to cool for 5 minutes.
  4. Using oven mitts, carefully invert the pan onto a large serving platter. The warm topping will melt down the sides. Serve warm and enjoy!
brown sugar and pecan mixture in a small saucepan being stirred with a wooden spoon
sticky bun pecan topping in the bottom of a green baking dish

Rolling & Shaping the Buns: Step by Step Photos

sourdough cinnamon roll dough rolled out into a large circle shape on a white countertop
  1. Punch down the dough to release the air. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and, with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough into a large rectangle shape. Make sure the dough is smooth and evenly thick.
sourdough cinnamon roll dough rolled out and then topped with a brown sugar filling

2. Begin spreading the filling over the top of the dough, being careful not to tear/rip the dough as you spread.

sourdough cinnamon roll dough rolled out and then topped with a brown sugar filling

3. Spread the filling until it is evenly distributed across the dough, leaving about a 1/2 inch of space on the sides.

sourdough cinnamon roll dough topped with a brown sugar filling, and then rolled into a log shape

4. Tightly roll up the dough to form an 18-inch-long log. With a sharp knife, cut into 10-12 even rolls, about 1.5 inches wide each. Arrange in the prepared baking pan, on top of the pecan topping.

sourdough sticky buns in a green baking dish

Recipe FAQs

Can this recipe be made ahead of time?

Yes! To prepare the night before serving, prepare the rolls through step 7. Cover the rolls tightly and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. The next morning, remove from the refrigerator and allow to rise on the counter for 1-2 hours before baking.

What’s the difference in a sticky bun and a cinnamon roll?

Sticky buns are baked on a bed of caramel (often with pecans) and flipped out before serving, whereas cinnamon rolls are typically topped with frosting. Both are delicious!

Do sourdough sticky buns taste sour?

No, not at all. The cinnamon sugar filling and buttery pecan topping keep these buns extra sweet.

a close up view of a sourdough sticky bun with a brown sugar pecan topping

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Close-up of homemade sourdough sticky buns topped with caramelized pecans and rich cinnamon glaze.

Sourdough Sticky Buns

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5 from 3 reviews

  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
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Description

These gooey sourdough sticky buns are the ultimate fall breakfast recipe—soft, fluffy, and swirled with cinnamon, then topped with a buttery caramel-pecan glaze. Made with sourdough discard, they’re a cozy and delicious way to start a crisp autumn morning!

Ingredients

Scale

Rolls

  • 1 stick melted butter
  • 1 cup sourdough discard
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 3 cups all purpose flour

Filling

  • 1 stick softened butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon

Topping

  • 2/3 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 stick butter

Instructions

  1. Prepare the dough: To a small saucepan over medium low heat, add the butter, stirring it often until melted completely. Once melted, turn the heat down to low and add the brown sugar, milk, and sourdough discard. Stir well to combine and then remove from the heat. Set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment or a large mixing bowl, add the melted butter mixture. Add in the salt, baking powder, baking soda, and flour, mixing until just combined. Note: If using a stand mixer, this process should take about 3-4 minutes. If combining the mixture by hand in a mixing bowl, be sure to add the flour slowly, and then mix with your hands until combined.
  3. Knead the Dough:  Keep the dough in the mixer and beat for an additional 5 full minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 5 full minutes. After kneading, the dough should feel soft and smooth. Poke it with your finger—if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise. You can also do a “windowpane test” to see if your dough has been kneaded long enough: tear off a small piece of dough and gently stretch it out until it’s thin enough for light to pass through it. Hold it up to a window or light. Does light pass through the stretched dough without the dough tearing first? If so, your dough has been kneaded long enough and is ready to rise. If not, keep kneading until it passes the windowpane test. Set aside while you make the filling.
  4. Filling: To a small bowl, combine the softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir together until just combined, and then set aside while you roll out the dough.
  5. Pecan Topping: Grease an 8 x 11" inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray. In a small saucepan, combine the butter and brown sugar. Stir until the butter has melted, and then add in the chopped pecans. Stir until the mixture is combined, and then pour into the prepared baking dish.
  6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  7. Roll & Shape: Punch down the dough to release the air. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and, with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough into a large rectangle shape. Make sure the dough is smooth and evenly thick. Spread the filling over the top of the dough, leaving about a 1/2 inch border around the sides. Be careful not to tear/rip the dough as you spread the filling. Tightly roll up the dough to form an 18-inch-long log. With a sharp knife, cut into 10-12 even rolls, about 1.5 inches wide each.
  8. Bake: Place the rolls in the prepared baking pan, on top of the pecan topping. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the rolls are golden-brown on top. Note: If the buns are browning too quickly, loosely tent a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the pan to prevent the tops from overbrowning. Remove pan from the oven and place on a wire rack and allow the buns to cool for 5 minutes.
  9. Using oven mitts, carefully invert the pan onto a large serving platter. The warm topping will melt down the sides. Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

    • Rolling & Shaping the Buns: Take your time during this step and don’t rush it. I have added step by step photos below to help you with this process! Ensuring that the dough has been rolled out evenly and that the rolls are sliced into even shapes will result in perfectly baked buns. If rolls are sliced unevenly, the smaller rolls will cook faster than the larger ones, resulting in an uneven bake.

    • Baking Dish: I recommend baking these buns in a glass or non-stick ceramic baking dish. I used an 8 x 11 inch baking dish, but 9 x 13 should also work fine. The pecan topping gets poured onto the bottom of the dish before baking, and will caramelize in the oven. Using a non-stick baking dish will ensure that the buns invert out of the pan easily, and makes for easy clean up! *Note: If using a ceramic baking dish for this recipe (like I did) know that they typically take longer to heat, which may result in a longer baking time.
    • Storage: Sticky buns are best enjoyed immediately, however leftovers may be stored in an airtight container on the counter for 2-3 days.
    • Make Ahead Instructions: To prepare the night before serving, prepare the rolls through step 7. Cover the rolls tightly and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. The next morning, remove from the refrigerator and allow to rise on the counter for 1-2 hours before baking. 

  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: Breakfast Recipes

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rachael

Rachael is a wife and mom of two with a passion for all things centered around home. Our Handcrafted Home provides you with a simpler approach to cooking and baking, using wholesome, real food ingredients to nourish you and your family from the inside out.

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5 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Made them and added a little cardamom to the filling and they were AMAZING. Will definitely be making this recipe again and again! And it was my first time making cinnamon rolls because I’m so picky with them I was afraid to try and not like them, but these were so moist and gooey!! I used a glass baking dish with 10 rolls and I should’ve put it on for probably 35-40 min instead of the 30 min as she suggested going longer. But I’ll just reheat the middle more gooey ones in the oven and I think they’ll be good like that still.

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