The summer after my freshman year of college, my mom and I flew up to Alaska for a week-long mission trip with a few of the members from my childhood church. Unlike the previous mission trips the pastor’s husband had organized, where we rebuilt sanctuaries and Sunday school classrooms, we traveled up north just to teach Vacation Bible School.
Since most of the adults in the two towns we visited earned the majority of their income during the summer tourism season, they worked extra long hours, making it hard (and expensive!) to hire baby-sitters, so by taking care of their children during VBS, it helped the community a lot more than we anticipated!
With only five kids in the second town’s VBS program, we took turns driving the half hour to that church in the afternoons. They didn’t need all twelve of us, even with their rambunctious personalities! So on one of our off-days, Mom and I walked down to the docks where most of the shops and eateries sat, and we wandered around, watched the fishermen deftly fillet their catches, and stopped for a snack at the bakery.
The moment we opened the door, the yeasty smell of freshly baked bread washed over us, drawing us near the display counter to gaze through the glass at the pastries. I opted for a classic chocolate chip cookie — the size of my head! — while Mom picked out a sticky pecan bun.
I almost turned up my nose at her choice. Back then, I hated nuts in all of my baked goodies! But I still politely accepted a taste, and…
Holy moly! That sweet caramel on the top (bottom?) of the bun… It was so rich and buttery that it immediately made me regret my choice! (Well, until I remembered that my cookie contained chocolate…) But it’s been nearly impossible to find something that gooey and perfect since then, so today, way too many years later, I finally decided to make my own Healthy Sticky Pecan Buns the easy way — in the slow cooker!
Yup, that’s right. In the slow cooker. So you can set it and forget it. (Well, not really… Not with that tempting caramel scent in the air!) But by using the slow cooker, I can mix them up, pop them in, and leave the kitchen to run and shower. By the time I’m clean, my sweet breakfast treat is ready!
And for a fun little baking twist, I’m proclaiming this week Slow Cooker Week! So every recipe I post is going to be made in a slow cooker. They’re all baked goodies — none of the traditional crock pot chili or chicken dishes — so you can save your oven for other things.
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HEALTHY STICKY PECAN BUNS
For starters, this whole wheat dough doesn’t need to rise at all! With most sweet roll recipes, you have to wait an hour after mixing up the dough for it to double in size, but I always get impatient while waiting. I tried making these healthier sticky buns both ways—with and without that first rise—and I couldn’t detect a difference in their taste or texture. So we’re saving time and skipping it!
The sweet cinnamon filling is very similar to my maple cinnamon rolls. It tends to squirt out the sides a little as you roll and cut the buns, but that’s okay! Just scoop up the escaped syrup with a spoon and pour it into the slow cooker between the buns. It adds extra gooeyness to the caramel sauce!
And yes, the healthy caramel sauce is the BEST part of the entire recipe. It’s ooey, gooey, sweet, buttery… Everything a sticky bun should be! I saved (uhh, practically hoarded) the rolls in the center for last, just because they had the most caramel! To make it, simply heat butter, milk, and maple syrup together until the mixture darkens and thickens just a tiny bit; then pour it into the slow cooker and sprinkle with pecans.
However… Make sure to leave a ½” border along the rim! Otherwise, the buns push the pecans out of the way while rising, and the nuts end up on the sides of the buns instead of the tops. Leaving the border is mostly a pretty presentation thing, but I still like the buns better with the nuts in the center.
Oh my goodness… There are no words.
Just lots of sticky fingers covered in caramel.
My dad actually stole a few Healthy Slow Cooker Sticky Pecan Buns from my first batch to share with his coworker who adores this specific pastry, and she immediately asked if I had posted the recipe yet!
So here it is, but be warned… They’re highly addictive!
And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy slow cooker sticky pecan buns!
| Healthy Slow Cooker Sticky Pecan Buns | Print |
- for the dough
- 6 tbsp (90mL) nonfat milk
- 4 tbsp (60mL) pure maple syrup
- ½ tbsp (7g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 ¼ tsp (7g) active dry yeast
- 1 ½ – 2 cups (180-240g) whole wheat flour
- for the caramel sauce
- 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp (30mL) nonfat milk
- 4 tbsp (60mL) pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup (28g) chopped pecans
- for the filling
- 3 tbsp (45mL) pure maple syrup
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tbsp (7g) unsalted butter, melted
- Lightly coat the inside of a 5-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. If any lands on the rim where the lid rests, wipe clean with a paper towel.
- To prepare the dough, combine the milk, maple syrup, butter, and vanilla in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 20-second intervals, stirring for 1 minute after each one, until the butter melts. The mixture should feel warm but not hot (about 110°F). Add the yeast, and let the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes or until frothy.
- Mix in the flour, about ½ cup at a time, until it forms a dough and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, and knead for a few minutes, or until the dough mostly springs back when you gently press your index finger into it. Let the dough rest while preparing the caramel sauce and filling.
- To prepare the caramel sauce, combine the butter, milk, and syrup in a pot. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the butter melts. Continue stirring until the mixture darkens slightly in color and thickens a little. Pour into the prepared slow cooker. Sprinkle the pecans on top, leaving a ½” border around the rim.
- To prepare the filling, whisk together the maple syrup and cinnamon in a small bowl.
- On a clean, well-floured surface, roll out the dough into a 10x14” rectangle. Brush with the melted butter, followed by the cinnamon-maple syrup, leaving a ½” border on the two longer edges. Carefully roll up into a log from one long edge to the other. Slice into 12 rolls using unscented dental floss (as described here), immediately placing each roll into the caramel sauce in the slow cooker. If any cinnamon-maple syrup filling leaks, out, spoon it into the caramel sauce after fitting all of the rolls inside of the slow cooker.
- Fit the lid on snuggly, and place the setting on “Keep Warm” for 45 minutes, or until the rolls have risen and doubled in size. Switch the setting to “Low,” and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. Remove the lid, and let the rolls cool for 10 minutes before carefully inverting onto a wire rack.
You may use a 6-quart slow cooker instead. The rolls will be wider instead of taller, but they should still bake for the same amount of time.
Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.
Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.
This is my favorite brand of yeast (both their quick rise yeast and regular active dry yeast work equally well!), and this is my favorite brand of whole wheat flour. When I use these two brands, my sticky buns always rise to double their original size. Other brands of yeast and flour don't always rise as well, so if using different brands (especially of flour!), I recommend replacing ½ cup of flour with all-purpose flour or bread flour to ensure your sticky buns rise properly.
White whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the regular whole wheat flour. If using the first two, I recommend replacing ½ cup of flour with all-purpose flour or bread flour to ensure your sticky buns rise properly.
I haven't had good luck with gluten-free flours in this recipe. The sticky buns don't rise properly or have the correct moist and fluffy texture.
VEGAN VERSION: Substitute your favorite nondairy milk for the nonfat milk and stick-style vegan butter (this is my favorite!) for the butter. You can substitute coconut oil, but the yeast won't turn frothy in Step 2.
REGULAR OVEN METHOD: Coat a 9”-round springform pan (or two 6”-round cake pans) with cooking spray. Once the caramel sauce and rolls have been added in Step 6, cover the top of the pan(s) with a clean, dry towel. Place the pan(s) in a warm, draft-free place to rise for 1 hour, or until the rolls have doubled in size. Bake at 350°F for 17-21 minutes or until the tops feel lightly firm to the touch. Cool in the pans for no more than 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack.
{clean eating, low fat, vegan option}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
Thank you for this recipe!! These sticky buns were delicious and tasted really rich and sinful. These would be great if you are having lots of overnight guests, maybe around the holidays. Bonus: these made my whole house smell amazing!
I’m really glad you enjoyed the sticky buns Hilary! That means so much to me that you think they’d be great for company. Thank you for such a sweet compliment! 🙂
I have quick question: I don’t have real maple syrup. Could I substitute brown sugar for the syrup?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Grace! Yes, you can substitute brown sugar for the maple syrup. You’ll want to add an additional 2 tablespoons of milk to the caramel sauce to compensate for the missing liquid, and you’ll want to double the brown sugar for the filling to make sure it completely covers the dough. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these sticky pecan buns!
Really like this. If I splurge on anything this is it and it is nice to have a recipe that doesn’t break the calorie bank. Since can’t find yeast anywhere these days I did it with a Pillsbury hot roll mix I happened to find. I got 16 rolls- two pans and I followed your instructions for baking. I used Monk fruit maple flavored syrup to save even a few more calories. I want to try the slow cooker method next time. Easter Treat! Thank you
I’m so glad you enjoyed these sticky pecan buns Frances! Thank you for taking the time to let me know — that truly means a lot to me! 🙂 I love you creativity in using the Pillsbury hot roll mix and monkfruit maple-flavored syrup too. It’s crazy how difficult it can be to find common baking ingredients these days, so I’m thrilled to hear those modifications worked so well!!
I have a 4 quart and an 8 quart slow cooker suggestions please! Thank you in advance, would love to try these!
I’m honored that you’d like to try this recipe! I think your 4-quart slow cooker would be best. Your sticky pecan buns won’t be as wide as mine are in these photos, but they’ll be taller — and they should still have the same texture! I think they should finish in the same amount of time, but it might take just a few minutes more. They’re done “baking” when the sides where the buns touch their neighbors feel firm to the touch. Does that make sense? 🙂
I’m really excited to hear what you think of these sticky pecan buns if you try making them!
What is nonfat milk? Can u use normal 2% milk?
I’m honored that you’d like to try my recipe, Lyndi! Nonfat milk is also called fat-free milk and skim milk. It’s milk with 0% fat. (I’m not sure why it has so many different names!) If you’d like to use 2% milk, that will work just fine! 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of these sticky pecan buns if you try making them!