Gluten-Free Prune Sticky Buns with Pecan Caramel Topping
Take breakfast to the next level with these gluten-free prune sticky buns with gooey cinnamon pecan caramel topping. These rolls are absolute heaven! Made from scratch, soft and fluffy! Perfect for weekend baking, Christmas morning breakfast, or a special brunch.
In a small saucepan, combine prunes, water, orange juice, orange zest, and salt.
Cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes or until prunes are soft and much of the liquid is absorbed. Stir occasionally, take care not to scorch the prunes.
Remove from heat and stir in the brown sugar.
Use an immersion blender to puree the filling until smooth. (If you don't have an immersion blender, mash well with a fork breaking up any large pieces of prunes.)
Set aside to cool.
Make Pecan Caramel Topping
Line the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper.
Whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and cinnamon until smooth.
Pour the mixture in the pan and spread evenly over the bottom.
Sprinkle with chopped pecans and set aside.
Make the Cinnamon Rolls
In the stand mixer bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar, psyllium husk powder, yeast, and salt together.
Attach the bowl to the stand mixer and turn to level 2. Slowly pour in the warmed milk and blend until combined.
Continue mixing and add in the eggs. Increase the speed to medium if needed and blend until the mixture is well combined, about 1 minute.
Add in the softened butter and blend on medium speed for 2 minutes. The mixture should be thick and smooth.
Place a piece of parchment paper down and sprinkle with gluten-free flour (any blend is fine here, preferably an inexpensive one.)
Place the dough on top of the parchment paper. Sprinkle with a little more flour.
Flour your rolling pin and roll out the dough into a rectangle about 11x13 inches. The dough should be roughly ¼-inch thick. Use a bench scraper or spatula to square up the sides if needed.
Gently spread the prune filling over the dough in a thin even layer.
Starting with one long edge roll the dough up into a log. Brush away any excess flour as you go. You can use the parchment paper to help you lift and roll if needed. Once rolled, gently pinch the end together with the dough to seal the seam.
Use dental floss (preferred) or a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to slice the log into 1 ½ inch slices. Wipe the knife clean after each slice.*
Place slices cut side down in the pan. Be sure not to overcrowd, the rolls should be about 1-inch apart.
Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Place in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
Once risen, remove the covering. Bake the rolls at 375°F for 25-30 minutes. The rolls should be golden brown on top and the topping should be very bubbly around the sides.
Remove the rolls from the oven. Allow to cool for a few minutes before flipping the pan over onto a plate. Remove the pan and reveal the sticky topping that is now on top. Serve warm.
Notes
It is best to measure especially the flour by weight.
*The dough is soft but it is supposed to be. When you slice the rolls, if they are not perfectly shaped, that's ok. Just keep them rolled and place them in the pan. You can gently push the dough to reshape if needed. A gentle hand is helpful here!
Stir the filling and make sure it is a spreadable consistency. If it feels too thick, warm a bit in the microwave or stir in an additional tablespoon or two of water. Be gentle when spreading the filling on the dough.
About 9 rolls fit in a 9-inch pan. Feel free to place any extra rolls in another small pan with some of the filling.
These rolls are best when eaten freshly baked! They will last up to 2 days at room temperature. Microwave 15 seconds to soften.
Make Ahead: Make the rolls and allow them to rise. After they have risen, keep covered and refrigerate up to overnight. Allow the rolls to come to room temperature for at least 1 hour before baking.