Maybe you’re looking for all the scrumptious flavors of pecan pie but without the fuss of making a crust? Well then, you are in the right place! My Twisted Pecan Pie Rolls are everything I love about a classic pecan pie. A rich, buttery, caramel-like filling loaded with chopped pecans baked into a soft, golden, pillowy sweet roll that is simple enough for a cozy weekend bake and special enough for your Thanksgiving or Christmas table. These are one of those recipes that makes the whole kitchen smell like the holidays and they disappear faster than you can believe!
The dough is the same mashed potato sweet roll dough that I use for my Pumpkin Spice Sweet Rolls and Pumpkin Hazelnut Sweet Rolls, straight from my late mother-in-law Patsy’s legacy. Day-old mashed potatoes worked right into the yeasted dough gives you that impossibly soft, tender crumb that holds up beautifully to the rich pecan filling. And that filling! Butter, brown sugar, a touch of corn syrup or maple syrup, Lark Ellen Farm sprouted pecans, Maizly corn milk, and a little vanilla. It cooks together into something deeply rich and caramel-like that swirls through every single roll. Guess what though, the hardest part of this whole recipe is waiting for them to cool before you dig in!
Why You’ll Love These Twisted Pecan Pie Rolls
They hit that gorgeous sweet spot between a classic pecan pie and a cinnamon roll, and that is a very happy place to be, right?! The filling is made ahead and cooled before spreading so it stays put beautifully. The topping of melted butter, a sprinkle of sugar, and more chopped pecans bakes up into a little caramelized crunch on top that is just the chef’s kiss. A gluten free swap with Caputo Gluten Free Flour works beautifully at a 1:1 ratio, so nobody has to feel left out at your holiday table!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s a quick look at what goes into these rolls. Full amounts are in the recipe card below.
For the Pecan Pie Filling
Salted butter, brown sugar, light corn syrup, Lark Ellen Farm organic sprouted pecans roughly chopped, Maizly corn milk, vanilla extract, and am.Niccoli vanilla baking salt. Everything goes into a saucepan together and cooks until thick, rich, and deeply caramel-like. Make it first and let it cool completely before spreading – an important tip since warm filling will soak right into the dough instead of staying in those beautiful layers!
For the Sweet Roll Dough
Maizly corn milk (can sub milk of choice here) warmed to 110°F degrees to bloom the quick rise yeast, granulated white sugar, salted butter, am.Niccoli vanilla baking salt, one room temperature egg, day-old mashed potatoes (the secret weapon!), and Lehi Mills unbleached bread flour, a local organic brand near me, feel free to sub your favorite all purpose flour as needed. For gluten free, swap in Caputo Gluten Free Flour at a 1:1 ratio.
For the Topping
A simple egg wash with a sprinkle of granulated white sugar, and more roughly chopped sprouted pecans scattered over the tops of the rolls right before they go into the oven. Simple and so scrumptious with that little caramelized crunch on top is everything!
How to Make Twisted Pecan Pie Rolls
Start with the pecan pie filling so it has time to cool completely while you make the dough. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add the brown sugar and corn syrup and stir until dissolved, then add the pecans, corn milk, vanilla, and salt. Stir to combine, remove from heat, and set aside to cool fully. This step is so important since a warm filling won’t stay in the roll the way you want it to!
For the dough, warm your milk to 110°F degrees, combine with the yeast and a pinch of sugar, and let bloom 5-10 minutes until frothy and active. Add the butter, sugar, salt, egg, and mashed potatoes and mix well. Gradually add the flour until a soft, pliable dough forms.
The “twisting” does take some finesse and after a couple, you’ll be on your way to a fun shape and no matter how they look, they will taste absolutely amazing. I’ve got several process shots and while this method does take a bit longer than simply a “fold over” and crimp (which is totally fine to do) it’s a fun kitchen time project to gather some helping hands to get the job done.
Tips for the Best Twisted Pecan Pie Rolls
Cool the filling completely before spreading. This is an important tip! Warm filling soaks into the dough and you lose all those beautiful swirled layers. Make it at least 30 minutes ahead and let it come to room temperature. If you’re making these the day before, you can refrigerate the filling overnight and bring it to room temperature before using.
Use day-old mashed potatoes. The same magic that works in all our sweet roll doughs — the starch from day-old potatoes adds an incredible softness and tenderness that makes these rolls stay soft even the next day. Right from the refrigerator is perfect.
Don’t skip the topping. The egg wash, sugar, and pecan sprinkle on top before baking creates a little caramelized crunch that makes every roll look and taste like something really special. It takes about 30 seconds and makes all the difference!
Make Ahead and Storage
These rolls are absolutely best warm from the oven, but they keep well covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. Warm individual rolls in the microwave for about 20 seconds before eating. The night before you can also make the dough, assemble the rolls, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, remove from the refrigerator, let them come to room temperature in a warm spot to rise and then bake as directed. This make-ahead method is a game changer for holiday mornings!
More Holiday Baking You’ll Love
- Pumpkin Hazelnut Sweet Rolls – same incredible mashed potato dough
- Pumpkin Spice Sweet Rolls
- Apple Spice Swirl Loaf
- Mini Pumpkin Pecan Bundt Cakes – another gorgeous pecan recipe for the holiday table
- The OG Paleo Pie Crust – if actual pecan pie is also calling your name!
- Browse all Holiday + Seasonal recipes
Twisted Pecan Pie Rolls (Gluten Free Option)
Course: Holiday + Seasonal, DessertDifficulty: moderate10
servings1
hour25
minuteslike a piece of pecan pie but in a hand held sweet roll
Ingredients
- pecan pie filling
6 Tbsp Salted Butter (can sub dairy-free)
⅓ cup Brown Sugar
⅓ cup Light Corn Syrup (can sub maple syrup)
2 cups Organic Sprouted Pecans (Lark Ellen Farm), roughly chopped, can sub pecans of choice
¼ cup Maizly Corn milk (can sub milk of choice)
½ tsp Vanilla Extract
⅛ tsp Vanilla Baking Salt (am.Niccoli)
- Sweet Roll Dough
¾ cup Cornmilk (Maizly), warmed to 110°F, can sub milk of choice
1⅛ tsp Quick Rise Yeast
⅓ cup Granulated White Sugar
⅓ cup Salted Butter, room temperature (can sub dairy-free)
¾ tsp Vanilla Baking Salt (am.Niccoli), can sub standard sea salt as needed
1 whole Egg, room temperature
½ cup Day-Old Mashed Potatoes
2½-3 cups Unbleached Bread Flour (Lehi Mills sub Caputo g/f Flour 1:1 as needed)
- wash/garnish
2 – 3 whole Egg Yolk
2 – 3 tsp Cornmilk – Maizly, can sub milk of choice
1/4 cup Organic Sprouted Pecans – Lark Ellen Farm, finely chopped
3 – 4 Tbsp Granulated White Sugar
Directions
- Pecan Pie Filling – prep this filling ahead of time and chill. Add butter, brown sugar, syrup and pecans to a medium sized saucepan. Melt the mixture, stirring occasionally over medium heat until fully incorporated. Once butter is fully melted, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 2-3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
- Dough – pour in the milk, vanilla and salt, stir to fully combine and allow to simmer for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat, place in a bowl or container and place in the fridge to chill. Having this mixture completely cooled makes spooning it onto the dough much easier, don’t skip this step!
- Prepare a couple standard baking sheets by lining with parchment or using a silpat mat. You’ll have ten decent sized pastries and they do fluff up a bit, so giving them room to bake is key.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the sugar and yeast to a measuring cup, pour in warm milk, stir well and allow to bloom.
- While the yeast blooms, add remaining sugar, butter, salt, egg and mashed potatoes to the base of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix to combine. Or add to a large mixing bowl and use a hand mixer.
- Once yeast has bloomed, add that along with 1 cup of the flour to the mixture and mix to combine well. Next, fit the stand mixer with the dough hook and add the remaining 1½ cup of flour about ⅓ cup at a time while the mixer runs, until the dough ball comes together. Depending on the size of your eggs, you may need an additional 2-3 tablespoons of flour to bring the dough together. You should have a nice soft and pliable dough that you can touch with your finger and not be sticky.
- Divide the dough – divide dough into ten equal balls, keep them covered with plastic as you roll out/fill each of them.
- Rolling the dough– Roll one dough ball into a 6½–7 inch circle. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the chilled pecan pie filling onto the lower half, leaving about 1½ inches of space along the bottom edge. Fold the bottom edge up and over the filling so it meets in the center, then gently press to seal the edge around the filling.
- Shaping/twisting the dough: Using a pizza cutter or small knife, cut the remaining part of the circle into thin, even strips about ½“ wide. From left to right, pick up the first two strips (one in each hand), twisting the 1st strip clockwise behind the 2nd strip, pulling strip 1 over the pocket and pressing slightly to secure it to the other side of the pocket. Repeat the steps, this time twisting strip 2 clockwise around strip 3, pulling it over the pocket, pressing slightly, working your way through all the strips to the other side, tucking the final strip underneath the roll.
- Final prep: Once all strips are “twisted” carefully, roll over and pinch all the strips to the bottom of the roll. If all these strips aren’t sealed, you will have a bit of leakage from the filling as it bakes. Turn back over and shape into a crescent shape and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough balls, placing them a couple inches apart so they have room to rise and bake. Once all rolls are “twisted” and on the baking sheets, cover with plastic and allow to rise for 20-25 minutes in a warm place in your kitchen, preheating your oven to 350°.
- Final Roll Prep – When rolls are ready to go, add egg yolks and milk to a small bowl and stir to combine. Remove plastic and brush the tops and sides of the rolls. Sprinkle finely chopped pecans near the inner side of the rolls then sprinkle each roll evenly with sugar.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a deep golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes then move them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
- Serve and enjoy while warm or save til later! Best enjoyed the day you make them, but can be stored at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Notes
- These do freeze beautifully, so do your future self a favor and make these a few days ahead of that holiday brunch and check it off your list of to-dos. Freeze baked rolls on a cooling rack set inside a baking tray until frozen, then place the frozen rolls in a freezer safe bag and return to the freezer. When you’re ready to enjoy, remove from the freezer and allow them to come to room temperature naturally and place on a serving platter to serve.
If you make these Twisted Pecan Pie Rolls I would absolutely love to see them! Tag me on Instagram or drop a comment below. They’re one of those holiday bakes that looks completely showstopping and tastes even better than they look, just sayin’! 🥧🍂
