Ahhh this recipe for Low FODMAP Gluten-Free Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns has been a long time in the making. Here we have extra-sticky maple caramel pecan topping with our yeasty-springy buns, rolled around a cinnamon brown sugar filling. Yes, they are rich, and you have to know your sugar and fat tolerances. But as an occasional indulgence, you will not find better gluten-free Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns that also happen to be low FODMAP!
Pecans & FODMAPs
Pecans are the classic nut that we turn to when creating a sticky bun. Other nuts can be considered, but when we are also working within the limits of the low FODMAP diet, we have to take FODMAP content into consideration, not just flavor and texture.
Both Monash and FODMAP Friendly have lab tested pecans. Monash says that a low FODMAP serving size is 10 pecan halves or 20g. The small print tells us that they are not High FODMAP until they reach a 100 g serving size, or about 40 halves. FODMAP Friendly gives them a “Pass” ¼ cup (30 g) or approximately 15 pecan halves.
At one Low FODMAP Gluten-Free Caramel Pecan Sticky Bun per serving, you will be within low FODMAP limits – and it is plenty of pecans! Just take a look at the images. Needless to say, this recipe is for pecan lovers.
Sugar, Maple Syrup & FODMAPs
There is no getting around the fact that any sticky bun recipe is going to include a fair amount of sugar. Our recipe features white granulated sugar, brown sugar and maple syrup. Luckily, they are all low FODMAP.
Low FODMAP sugars will never have a higher fructose level than glucose level and all of the sugars (including the maple syrup) qualify. Fructose is a FODMAP; glucose is not a FODMAP issue.
That said, sugar can be an IBS trigger for some people. You have to know your own tolerances and triggers. If you are sensitive to sugar, then this recipe is not the best choice.
Milk, Butter, Cream & FODMAPs
The low FODMAP diet is not dairy-free, but it is lower in lactose. Butter is so high in fat that it is considered low FODMAP, as it does not contain carbohydrates.
Milk and cream contain lactose, and depending on your choices, can be low FODMAP or high. For the whole milk that we call for here we do suggest that you use lactose-free whole milk, which should be easy to find. For the cream, use lactose-free if you can find it, however, similar to butter, heavy cream is so high in fat that the FODMAP content is not much of an issue. You could use conventional heavy cream and if you stick with one sticky bun, the portion will remain low FODMAP.
How To Make Low FODMAP Gluten-Free Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns
You MUST use Better Batter Gluten-Free Flour for these Low FODMAP Gluten-Free Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns. It is a very special blend that includes pectin and without it, this recipe will not work. It provides that springiness we look for in a soft stick bun or Cinnamon Bun.
If you want to make your own version of this flour, here is a DIY approach.
If you bake with us a lot, you know that my standby is Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour. These sticky buns will be dry and crumbly if you use any flour other than the Better Batter.
Please read more about the WHYs of using this flour in our Cinnamon Bun recipe.
The short story is, you have to get some!
First step is to combine dry ingredients in your mixer bowl:
Then, heat the milk and butter together. The butter must melt and you need a thermometer to gauge when the mixture is 110°F to 115°F (43°C to 45°C). If it is too hot, simply let it cool.
Begin to mix the wet and dry ingredients together on a low speed, going up to medium speed. It will look sticky at first, as seen below.
Keep mixing until it comes away from the sides of the bowl cleanly. Then place in oiled bowl, turn dough around to coat in oil, then cover with plastic wrap and a towel and place in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour or until it has risen and is nice and spongy and springy.
Meanwhile, prep you pan. You can just spray the pan with nonstick spray, or line with parchment, as we have here below. Pour the pecans into the pan in a single layer, covering the bottom of the pan.
Make your filling by combining the softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon; set aside.
Make your sticky topping by boiling together the maple syrup, heavy cream, brown sugar, butter and salt. Use a deep pan so that you don’t get any boil-overs.
After it boils for a minute or two, quick add the vanilla
Then pour over this sticky sauce over the pecans. It is okay if this is done before the dough finishes rising. Just let it all sit at room temperature.
Once the dough has risen, roll it out into a large rectangle and spread filling on top in a thin, even layer:
Roll up your sticky buns! The dough is easy to work with.
Cut crosswise into 12 even buns. I like to cut the log in half, then in half again, then each quarter into thirds.
Place the cut sticky buns in the prepared pan on top of the pecans and sticky topping.
Bake just until light golden brown. Meanwhile get a large rimmed platter ready that is large enough to hold the entire pan of sticky buns. As soon as the buns come out of the oven, invert the pan over the platter:
Lift the pan up and away and you will see how perfectly unfolded they are, if you used the parchment paper.
Peel the paper away and BEHOLD! Serve right away.
More Breakfast & Brunch Ideas
If you are looking for more decadent breakfast and brunch dishes, try our Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake, Lemon Poppy Seed Waffles, Chocolate Almond Granola, Cheddar Cornmeal Waffles with Bacon, and Chocolate Pancakes.
Low FODMAP Gluten-Free Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns
Ahhh this recipe for Low FODMAP Gluten-Free Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns has been a long time in the making. Here we have extra-sticky maple caramel pecan topping with our yeasty-springy buns, rolled around a cinnamon brown sugar filling. Yes, they are rich, and you have to know your sugar and fat tolerances. But as an occasional indulgence, you will not find better gluten-free Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns that also happen to be low FODMAP!
Ingredients:
Sticky Buns:
- 3 cups (450 g) Better Batter Gluten-Free Flour; please do not substitute any other flour
- ½ cup (99 g) sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast, such as Saf-Instant Yeast
- 2 teaspoons baking powder; use gluten-free if following a gluten-free diet
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (240 ml) lactose-free whole milk
- ¼ (57 g)cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- ¼ cup (60 ml) neutral flavored vegetable oil, such as canola
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Filling:
- ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter, softened, cut into pieces
- ½ cup (107 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoons cinnamon
Sticky Pecan Topping:
- 2 cups (200 g) pecan halves
- 2/3 cup (165 ml) maple syrup
- ½ cup (120 ml) lactose-free heavy cream (or conventional)
- ¼ cup (54 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks; 226 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces; divided
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Preparation:
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For the Sticky Buns: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a flat paddle add the flour, sugar, yeast, baking powder and salt and mix on low speed briefly to combine.
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Heat the milk and butter to between 110°F to 115°F (43°C to 45°C) in a small saucepan on the stove, making sure butter is melted. Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, oil and vinegar in a small bowl or measuring cup.
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Add the warm milk and the beaten egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix on medium speed until the dough comes together; it will pull away fairly cleanly from the sides of the bowl. Scrape down and keep mixing for about a minute or 2 or until the dough is soft, not sticky at all and can form a cohesive shape.
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Oil a large bowl, place dough in bowl, turn it round to coat with oil, cover with plastic wrap and a towel and place in a warm, draft-free location for about 1 hour or until it looks risen, soft and a bit spongy.
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Make the Filling: During the last few minutes of rising, make the filling. If your butter is soft enough you can do this by hand (beating vigorously with a wooden spoon or spatula; or begin by mashing with a fork as shown) but you can also do this with your mixer: cream the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon together until thoroughly blended and soft enough to spread.
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Assemble the Rolls: Position rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Coat the inside of a 13-inch by 9-inch (33 cm by 23 cm) ceramic or ovenproof-glass baking pan with nonstick spray or line with parchment as shown (in which case you can use a metal pan); spritz parchment with nonstick spray. Scatter the pecans all over the bottom of the pan in an even layer; set aside.
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Make the Sticky Topping: Stir together the maple syrup, cream, brown sugar in a deep saucepan, then add the butter pieces and salt. Heat over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally to help butter melt, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, swirling the pot occasionally. Quickly stir in vanilla then pour over pecans in prepared pan.
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Lightly flour a large piece of parchment paper and place the risen dough in the center. Pat it down a bit with floured hands. Lightly flour a rolling pin and roll out the dough to about a 10-inch (25 cm) high, top to bottom, and 16-inch (40.5 cm) wide, side to side, rectangle. Spread the filling all over the dough – an offset spatula works wonders here – leaving about a ½-inch (12 mm) border along the long top edge.
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Starting at the bottom long edge, use the parchment paper to help you begin to create a tight roll. Continue to roll up the dough (without the parchment) into a firm jellyroll going all the way to the top. As you “finish” the roll use your fingers to help the bare edge adhere to the roll itself, using a bit of pressure. Pinching gently is fine.
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Place the roll seam side down on your work-surface and cut crosswise into 12 spiral buns. I find it helps accuracy to cut the log in half, then cut each half into half again, then into thirds to create even portions. Place the individual rolls, cut side up, in prepared pan on top of the sticky topping in a 3 by 4 grid.
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Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until very light golden brown. Meanwhile, get ready a rimmed platter that will be large enough to turn the entire pan of buns out onto.
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As soon as the buns come out of the oven invert on the platter. If any caramel or nuts stay behind, simply scrape them off of the bottom of the pan and press them onto the buns. These are messy but delicious! Serve warm and as soon as possible. They can be reheated, but they will never be as perfect as when still warm from the oven. If you must, they may be stored at room temperature overnight and reheated, but they will not be the same. Their texture becomes much firmer, less springy and cannot be compared to fresh.
Notes:
Tips
FODMAP Information
Our recipes are based on Monash University and FODMAP Friendly science.
- Butter: Both Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have lab tested butter. Monash states that a low FODMAP Green Light portion is 1 tablespoon or 19 g and also states that “butter is high in fat and does not contain carbohydrates (FODMAPs)”. FODMAP Friendly gives it a “Pass” at 1 tablespoon or 19 g. Both recommended serving sizes are presented as part of healthy eating guidelines, not as maximum FODMAP serving size. Fat can affect guy motility and trigger IBS symptoms in some people. Eat to your tolerance.
- Maple Syrup: Both Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have lab tested maple syrup. Monash says that maple syrup is Green light and low FODMAP in servings of 2 Australian tablespoons (50 g). FODMAP Friendly gives it a “Pass” at 2 tablespoons (53 g). These amounts are likely recommended due to Australian healthy eating guidelines; no upper limit is posted by either Monash or FODMAP Friendly.
- Pecans: Monash and FODMAP Friendly have both lab tested pecans. Monash says that a low FODMAP serving size is 10 pecan halves or 20g. The small print tells us that they are not High FODMAP until they reach a 100 g serving size, or about 40 halves. You might notice that on the FODMAP Friendly app the image is for pecans in the shell. We have asked FODMAP Friendly for clarification and they told us that the ¼ cup (30 g) low FODMAP serving size is for nuts OUT of the shell and is approximately 15 pecan halves.
- Sugar: Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have both lab tested white, granulated sugar. Monash states that a Green Light low FODMAP serving size of white sugar is ¼ cup (50 g). FODMAP Friendly simply states that they have tested 1 tablespoon and that it is low FODMAP. Regular granulated white sugar is sucrose, which is a disaccharide made up of equal parts glucose and fructose. Sucrose is broken down and absorbed efficiently in the small intestine.
Please always refer to the Monash University & FODMAP Friendly smartphone apps for the most up-to-date lab tested information. As always, your tolerance is what counts; please eat accordingly. The ultimate goal of the low FODMAP diet is to eat as broadly as possible, without triggering symptoms, for the healthiest microbiome.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. For a more detailed explanation, please read our article Understanding The Nutrition Panel Within Our Recipes.
