These easy Overnight Pecan Sticky Buns are an indulgent breakfast treat to offer guests or family. They take just 15 minutes to prep with frozen roll dough, butterscotch pudding mix, pecans, brown sugar, and lots of butter!
These deliciously indulgent sticky buns are one of our favorites. They are so good. So easy, too, and especially nice if you have a house full of overnight guests because you prepare everything the night before and bake them off the next morning.
I really love the simplicity of this recipe. There’s no yeast to proof, no flour to mix, and no kneading required at all. Instead of making the dough from scratch, you’ll simply use frozen Parker House rolls! It’s such a great shortcut!
But I’m not going to lie to you. They are jam-packed full of buttery, sugary calories. That’s why we have them only about once a year.
— This post was originally published on February 11, 2009. It has been updated with new photos and additional information.
Recipe Snapshot
Cuisine: American
Cooking Method: Microwave & Oven
Total Time: 35 Minutes (plus overnight waiting time)
Servings: 12
Primary Ingredient(s): Frozen Parker House Rolls, Pecans, Butterscotch Pudding Mix
Skill Level: Easy
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Ahmazzzinnnnng– so simple and indulgent. I make these every year at Christmas or New Year’s morning.“
— Marie
Ingredient Notes
This post may contain affiliate links. Lana’s Cooking is reader-supported and earns a tiny commission at no extra cost to you when you shop from our links.
- Frozen Parker House Rolls — You’ll need 24 frozen Parker House rolls. I recommend the Bridgford brand.
- Butterscotch Pudding Mix — You’ll need the regular “Cook & Serve” Jell-o, not instant pudding mix. Other brands may work, but I always use Jell-o brand for this recipe.
- Light Brown Sugar – Be sure to pack the sugar into the measuring cup for an accurate amount.
- Chopped Pecans – We love pecans in the South. I suppose you could substitute walnuts, but it wouldn’t be the same recipe.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
You’ll also find this recipe in my cookbook!
You can see this recipe on pages 58-59 of my cookbook, My Southern Table! Get your signed copy today.
How I Make Easy Overnight Sweet Rolls
Prep the Night Before
- Generously butter a 9×13 pan or baking dish and spread the chopped nuts over the bottom.
- Space the frozen rolls evenly on top of the nuts.
- Sprinkle evenly with the dry pudding mix.
- In a medium-size bowl, melt the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in the microwave. Start with one minute and stir. Then continue in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until the mixture is melted. Stir the melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon until well blended.
- Drizzle the melted mixture evenly over the top of the rolls.
Want to save this?
I'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Pro Tip
Be careful when checking your butter-sugar mixture. Use oven mitts or pot holders to remove the bowl from the microwave, as it can get hot really quickly. Also, be careful with the melted mixture. It’s hot, and you can get a burn if it gets on your hands!
- Lastly – Cover the pan loosely with waxed paper and place it in a cold oven overnight.
Pro Tip
Now, here’s a little trick from years of experience. Even waxed paper will stick to the thawed, risen rolls. So, to keep that from happening, I lay the waxed paper over the pan, spray the area that will touch the rolls with cooking spray, and then flip it over so that the sprayed side is over the rolls. You can also use the non-stick aluminum foil and you won’t even need to spray it. Works great!
Bake the Next Morning
The next morning, you’ll find that your rolls have defrosted and risen beautifully overnight! The lovely topping and chopped nuts are mostly on the bottom with the rolls on top just waiting to be baked up into warm, ooey-gooey sweet goodness.
- Remove the waxed paper or non-stick foil and discard it.
- Place the pan back into the cold oven and turn it on to 350 F.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until the rolls are a lovely golden brown, just like dinner rolls should be.
- Remove the pan from the oven. Allow the buns to cool slightly (about 8-10 minutes should do), and then invert them onto a serving plate or board. Cut or pull apart the individual rolls.
How to Serve
Serve these delicious buns with all their sticky pecan caramel topping with a lovely warm cup of coffee or glass of milk. They’re excellent for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or dessert.
Storage and Reheating
To store the leftovers, just wrap them in plastic wrap or non-stick aluminum foil. They can be left out at room temperature for up to 24 hours or stored in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days. Reheat individual buns for a few seconds in the microwave or for about 10 minutes in a 200F degree oven.
Questions About Easy Overnight Pecan Sticky Buns
You use regular pudding mix in this recipe because the instant variety has a different thickening agent. That thickener will cause the pudding to more or less “congeal” while it sits on the thawing and rising rolls overnight. It will then separate and form into lumps instead of a smooth sauce-like topping. Not what you really want.
Typically sticky buns (also called caramel buns) have the toppings placed on the bottom of the pan. After rising, the buns are baked and inverted to reveal the toppings. Cinnamon rolls are baked and then topped after cooling.
More Popular Breakfast Recipes
Cream Cheese Crescent Roll Pastries
Cranberry Orange Sweet Rolls
Easy Pumpkin Spice Cruffins
Cinnamon Brown Sugar Waffles
Have a question or thought to share?
If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
Thank you for stopping by. It means a lot to have you here.
Do More With ChatGPT
Recipe
Easy Overnight Pecan Sticky Buns
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 24 frozen Parker House rolls
- 3.5 ounce butterscotch pudding mix (not instant)
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
The night before:
- Generously butter a 9×13 pan or baking dish and spread the chopped nuts over the bottom.1 cup chopped pecans
- Space 24 frozen rolls evenly on top of nuts24 frozen Parker House rolls
- Sprinkle evenly with the dry pudding mix.3.5 ounce butterscotch pudding mix
- In a medium-size bowl, melt the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in the microwave. Start with one minute and stir. Then continue in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until the mixture is melted. Stir the melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon until well blended.½ cup butter, 1 cup light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Drizzle the melted mixture evenly over the top of the rolls.
- Cover loosely with waxed paper (or non-stick foil) and place in cold oven overnight.
The next morning:
- Remove waxed paper (or foil) and discard.
- Place the pan back in the cold oven and turn on to 350 F.
- Bake for about 20 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven. Allow the buns to cool briefly (about 8-10 minutes) and then invert them onto a serving plate or board. Cut or pull apart the individual rolls.
Notes
- For this recipe, be sure to purchase Butterscotch Pudding Mix – *Regular* (Cook & Serve by Jell-o), not instant pudding mix. This is one time when the specific ingredient makes the difference between a recipe working or not.
- To store the leftovers, just wrap them in plastic wrap or non-stick aluminum foil. They can be left out at room temperature for up to 24 hours or stored in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days. Reheat individual buns for a few seconds in the microwave or for about 10 minutes in a 200F degree oven.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
These are always a hit. I actually prefer them room temp- taste like a donut and the topping gets a nice crunch. But there’s no way the nutritional info above is accurate. 2 plain rolls have more calories than what’s listed. Best of my calculations says 400+ calories each roll- depending how much toppings and nuts…
The nutrition calculation is created by a software program and is an estimate only. That’s why there is a disclaimer in every recipe card regarding its accuracy.
Easy, delicious and few ingredients
Easy but center rolls did not cook. Possibly needed to bake longer or use less rolls. Was disappointed.
Sorry the rolls in the center didn’t cook through for you. I’ve never had that experience with this recipe. But everyone’s oven cooks differently and you have to judge for yourself when things are done.
My rolls did not get done in the middle either.
If you can’t let the rolls rise over night how long do they need to rise if done during the day?
“Overnight” is typically considered to be 8 hours, so I’d give them that much time to rise in a cool place.
When these rolls are finished, are the pecans on the bottom of them and the sticky buttery gooey on top?
When you take the pan out of the oven, both the nuts and the topping will be on the bottom. You will invert the entire pan on a large platter, a baking sheet, or just a large piece of parchment paper. The pecans and topping will then be on top.