Overnight Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

Overhead view of the pecan roll for the feature image.

Overnight Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

These Texas-style overnight pecan cinnamon rolls are soft, gooey, and loaded with toasted pecans and buttery cinnamon filling. The dough rises in the fridge while you sleep, so all you have to do in the morning is bake, glaze, and accept the praise. Big pecan energy with almost no effort — perfect for holidays, lazy weekends, and anyone who loves a bakery-worthy breakfast at home.

Course Breakfast Bread

Cuisine Amercian Heritage

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 35

Rising time 10

Total Time 10 45

Servings giant cinnamon rolls

Calories 819kcal

Author Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

Rolls

4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup brown sugar packed
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt if using regular salt use just 1 teaspoon
2 packages active dry yeast
¼ cup water 110F
1 cup buttermilk warm (110F)
½ cup salted butter melted and cooled to warm room temp
2 egg yolks room temperature
2 eggs room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Filling

1 ⅓ cups brown sugar packed
¼ cup cinnamon
½ teaspoon chipotle powder optional
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup butter melted, divided use
2 cups coarsely chopped pecans , toasted

Topping

3 cups powdered sugar
⅓ cup butter melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
cream to thin it out as needed
1 ½ cups pecans chopped & toasted

Instructions

Dough

Mix warm (110F) water and a tablespoon of brown sugar; stir in yeast.
Set the mixture aside for a few minutes until it begins to bubble. I know this is no longer necessary but I think it still gives better results.
Mix about 2 cups of the flour, eggs, egg yolks, remaining brown sugar and buttermilk into the yeast mixture until smooth.
Add the vanilla, salt, and butter.
Slowly add more flour until a soft dough is formed. You can do this by hand or with a heavy duty mixture and a dough hook.
Once the dough holds together turn it out on a floured surface. You can also knead with your mixer if you prefer.
Knead a few minutes until smooth and satiny, but still somewhat soft. It will feel like your earlobe if you pinch it.
Place in a large, greased bowl and turn the ball of dough over to grease the top. Cover with a tea towel, place in a warm spot, and let rise.
Let rise for 1 hour, or until double.
Punch dough down; let rest for 5 minutes. This gets some of the elasticity out and makes it easier to roll.
With a rolling pin roll the dough out into a rectangle that is about ½ inch thick or a little more.

Filling

Spread the dough with ¼ cup of the cooled, melted butter.
Mix the remaining ¼ cup of melted butter, cinnamon, salt, and brown sugar together.
Spread this over the dough and sprinkle with the pecans pressing in lightly.
Roll up as for a jelly roll, pinch the long edge to seal, and cut in 12 thick slices.
Place the slices, cut side down, on a greased cookie sheet.
Cover with greased plastic wrap.
Refrigerate the rolls overnight. You can also just let them rise at room temperature for about an hour if you want to bake them immediately but they aren't as good.
Next morning place the rolls on the counter while you preheat the oven. Remove the plastic wrap gently.
Bake the pecan cinnamon rolls in a 375F oven about 30 minutes or until done. (An insta-read thermometer in pushed in the center will read 195-200F) Be sure to use a middle oven shelf and a heavy baking sheet. Watch carefully because the sugar will make the bottoms burn if you are not careful.
Remove from the oven.

Icing

While the rolls are baking mix the topping ingredients together until smooth.
Spread on warm rolls.
Cover with chopped pecans.

How To Toast Pecans

To toast pecans place them on a heavy cookie sheet in a 350F oven for about 5 to 10 minutes stirring every minute or two until toasted. Watch that they don't burn!

Notes

Storage:

Pecan cinnamon rolls are truly at their best when freshly made so plan on eating them the same day if possible. You can keep them, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature for about 2 days but they'll get a little stale. Freeze for longer storage.

Tips:

If you spray the inside of the plastic wrap with cooking spray it won't stick to the unbaked dough in the refrigerator or the frosting after the sweet rolls are done.
Always place cinnamon rolls cut side down on the greased baking sheet.
For smaller rolls roll out a larger rectangle and cut into 24 rolls - half the calories.

Nutrition