Puff Pastry Pecan Sticky Buns with Maple Bourbon Glaze
Enjoy these Puff Pastry Pecan Sticky Buns with Maple Bourbon Glaze in no time at all…the puff pastry makes them SO simple!
Today’s recipe is courtesy of my clean freezer. Hidden away in the depths of the awful storage drawers prevalent in refrigerators today, I happened upon some puff pastry that had been frozen since Christmas. It was time to either use it or lose it so use it I did and I made the easiest pecan sticky buns ever!
These Puff Pastry Pecan Sticky Buns with Maple Bourbon Glaze took minutes compared to the classic yeast rolls and honestly were so good I maybe never go back to the day long process that those require. I have had some people in my life call me impatient…and yes, have to admit it, I can be. I wanted these NOW!
It’s no secret I’m not into process shots but I took some quick snaps with my cellphone for these…maybe to show you how simple? The pastry is thawed and rolled out ever so slightly just to get rid of any bumps or lumps.
The mixture of brown sugar, pecans and butter is spread over the pastry which is then rolled, cut and put into a pan with some of the mixture and extra pecans in the bottom. Let me tell you about that step.
OK, so I thought initially that I would put pecans and some of the ooey gooey mixture on the bottom and then flip the rolls over. First they never got big enough to touch each other so it was simple to remove them as is and second, they just looked prettier this way. So I would still follow the directions I’ve laid out.
I sure loved that bit of crunchy topping baked on the bottom with some toasted, sweet pecans baked into the mix. Seriously yummy. Plus I think those pecans helped to dissipate some of the heat of the pan and kept the bottoms from getting too crispy while I waited for the tops to brown so it’s ALL good!
A lot of recipes for Pecan Sticky Buns just put some pecans on the top. Um no. I want them to be PECAN Sticky Buns so I’ve chopped them for the filling and also included some whole ones. I was in Pecan heaven. The glaze though is what put them over the top for me.
The Maple Bourbon Glaze is just another example of my taking every advantage possible to add bourbon to anything I make with Maple Syrup. I LOVE the two together! Sure, the bourbon is optional (but WHY would you?). Bourbon added to sweets really elevates their flavor without it seeming like you are sipping a cocktail; you have to try it before you can diss it, OK?
I’ve done so much yard work at this house that I didn’t plan to and one of my projects was to get a table painted. The table was from Crate and Barrel and have to hand it to them, worth every penny; I’ve had it for 20 years! Still in great physical shape except some paint has started to peel a bit, so I had a guy come get it, and take it and the chairs off premises to sand blast it and paint it. Like brand new for a third the cost of buying a new one. Win-win right?
I hope to do a lot of food photos on my porch on this table. Not that the table is the be all and end all but my new outdoor space is…I eat EVERY meal out here I love it so much. Probably means some shots with my phone too like this one…the ‘dig-in’ photo. Yes, within moments almost gone. Make them…so easy and delicious!
PIN IT! ‘Puff Pastry Pecan Sticky Buns with Maple Bourbon Glaze’
Puff Pastry Pecan Sticky Buns with Maple Bourbon Glaze
Ingredients
For the Filling
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup pecans coarsely broken or chopped
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons butter cold and chopped into large chunks
To Make the Buns
- 1 package puff pastry 2 sheets
- ½ cup pecans
For the Maple Bourbon Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoons bourbon optional
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Filling
- Combine the brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon and butter in a food processor until nuts are finely chopped. Set aside ¼ cup in a separate bowl.
- Butter the inside of a 9×13 pan. Scatter the 1/4 cup of filling on top of the butter, followed by the half cup of whole pecans.
To Make the Rolls
- Thaw the puff pastry as directed on package. Remove one sheet and place on a lightly floured work surface. Keep the other sheet refrigerated till ready to use. (I had a specialty store brand that was just one sheet but the product available in most grocery stores has 2 sheets).
- Sprinkle the puff pastry sheet with ½ of the brown sugar mixture; up to about a half inch from the edges.
- Roll pastry sheet up tightly; slightly dampen the end of the sheet with water and press into the roll for it to adhere. Cut the roll into 6 equal slices. Place the slices on top of the nuts and nut mixture in the pan and press them down slightly.
- Put the pan in the fridge to keep cold while working with 2nd sheet of puff pastry. Repeat steps and refrigerate all of the buns for an additional 15 minutes or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 400˚F. After dough has chilled for at least 15 minutes, reduce the over temp to 375˚F and bake for 15-18 minutes or until tops are golden brown.
- Allow rolls to cool while you prepare the maple glaze.
To Make the Maple Bourbon Glaze
- Combine all of the ingredients and mix well with a fork or whisk.
- Adjust with a bit more sugar or water if necessary to get desired consistency.
- Using a fork liberally drizzle the glaze over the buns. Serve immediately.
Perfect timing. I was digging through my freezer earlier tonight and found a couple packages of puff pastry and I can’t even remember why I bought them. Now I know what to do with it and I have also been craving sticky buns win, win.
Thank you for the recipe!
These disappeared; they remind me of something called Palmiers…I love the thinner, crisper dough.
Stuff disappears into our freezer only to reappear a year or two later. 🙁 Anyway, these look great. Always like having puff pastry on hand — you can do so much with it, can’t you? The glaze looks terrific!