Dulce de Leche and Pecan Cinnamon Rolls (Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Recipe)
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Updated Jul 02, 2025, Published Aug 11, 2016
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These sweet, buttery, rich, ooey-gooey, and kinda messy pecan cinnamon rolls are filled with a swirl of dulce de leche and topped with a dreamy coffee glaze. They might look bakery-worthy, but this homemade cinnamon rolls recipe doesn’t require a mixer.
It does require patience—and lots of it. But trust me, the time spent waiting on the dough to rise is worth every sticky, caramel-dripping bite.
Table of Contents
- What are Dulce de Leche and Pecan Cinnamon Rolls?
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- Optional Variations
- How to Make Dulce de Leche and Pecan Cinnamon Rolls
- Serving & Topping Suggestions
- Dulce de Leche and Pecan Cinnamon Rolls Expert Tips & Tricks
- Storage Instructions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Recipes
- Dulce de Leche and Pecan Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
What are Dulce de Leche and Pecan Cinnamon Rolls?
These rolls are a decadent twist on the classic American cinnamon roll recipe. They’re layered with dulce de leche—a thick, rich, Latin-style caramel—and sprinkled with toasted pecans, giving each bite buttery crunch. Once baked, they’re drizzled with a coffee-infused glaze that melts right into the swirls. This is comfort food with a little Mexican flair.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ooey-gooey & rich – The dulce de leche bubbles into every roll, making them sticky, melty, and indulgent.
- No mixer needed – You can make this dough by hand, no fancy equipment required.
- Warm cinnamon aroma – Your kitchen will smell like a bakery.
- Perfect for special mornings – Great for holidays, brunches, or lazy weekends.
- Packed with nostalgia – The pecans bring a warm, homemade touch that reminds me of growing up in El Paso.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here’s what you need to make these irresistible homemade cinnamon rolls:
- All-purpose flour – Provides the structure.
- Granulated sugar – For sweetness and to activate the yeast.
- Active dry yeast – Helps the dough rise and become fluffy.
- Whole milk – Warmed to activate the yeast.
- Salt – Enhances flavor.
- Unsalted butter – For the dough and filling. Melted butter works best.
- Dulce de leche – The star of the show! Use store-bought or homemade dulce de leche.
- Chopped pecans – Toasted for extra flavor and crunch.
- Ground cinnamon – Classic and necessary!
- Powdered sugar – For the glaze.
- Strong brewed coffee – Adds depth to the glaze. You can substitute with milk or espresso.
The complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions is in the printable recipe card below.
Optional Variations
This recipe has not been tested with all of these substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
- Swap pecans for walnuts or hazelnuts
- Add mini chocolate chips to the filling
- Use cajeta or caramel sauce instead of dulce de leche
How to Make Dulce de Leche and Pecan Cinnamon Rolls
Step 1: Prepare the dough. Warm the milk and melt in the butter with a touch of sugar. Once cooled to room temperature, add the yeast and let it bloom until foamy. Combine the dry ingredients and mix them into the wet mixture. Let the dough rise in a warm place, then mix in the remaining flour.
Step 2: Roll and fill. On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a rectangle. Spread dulce de leche over the dough, sprinkle with cinnamon and chopped pecans.
Step 3: Roll and cut. Roll the dough tightly into a log and cut into 12 even rolls. Place in a greased baking dish.
Step 4: Let rise again. Cover the pan and let the rolls rise again until puffy.
Step 5: Bake. Bake until golden and bubbly—about 25-30 minutes.
Step 6: Make the glaze. Whisk powdered sugar with strong coffee until smooth.
Step 7: Drizzle and serve. While the rolls are still warm, pour the glaze over the top and let it seep into all the crevices. Serve immediately!
Serving & Topping Suggestions
- Drizzle with extra dulce de leche just before serving
- Serve with café de olla or Mexican hot chocolate for a cozy treat, or pair with huevos a la Mexicana for a sweet and savory brunch combo.
- Add a pinch of flaky sea salt on top for contrast
- Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert
Dulce de Leche and Pecan Cinnamon Rolls Expert Tips & Tricks
- Be patient with the rise – This dough needs time to double. Don’t rush it.
- Lightly toast your pecans – It enhances their flavor.
- Don’t overfill – Too much dulce de leche can make rolling difficult.
- Line your baking dish – These rolls get sticky!
Storage Instructions
- Room temp: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Fridge: Keep refrigerated for up to 5 days. Reheat gently in the microwave.
- Freezer: Freeze unbaked rolls after cutting. Thaw and bake as needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is designed to be mixed by hand. Just use a wooden spoon and some elbow grease!
Yes! You can assemble the rolls and refrigerate overnight. Let them come to room temp and rise before baking.
Use thick, spreadable dulce de leche—homemade or canned. Avoid runny sauces or thin caramel.
They are definitely indulgent! The coffee glaze helps balance the sweetness, but feel free to reduce the dulce de leche slightly if you prefer.
You can, but homemade dough gives the best texture and flavor. If you’re short on time, pre-made dough can be a shortcut.
More Recipes
If you tried this Dulce de Leche and Pecan Cinnamon Rolls recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Dulce de Leche and Pecan Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Dough:
- 2 cups milk, recommend 2% reduced fat milk
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 stick
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 package dry yeast
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Filling:
- 3/4 cup dulce de leche
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
- ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into ¼” pieces
Coffee Glaze:
- 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons cup milk
- 2 tablespoons brewed coffee
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven heat the milk just until boiling point and remove from heat.
- Add butter until it melts completely and then add a tablespoon of sugar.
- Once mixture reaches room temperature sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit for 10 minutes. (Hot liquid will kill yeast.)
- In a bowl combine 4 cups of flour, remaining sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and add to wet mixture with a wooden spoon. Cover and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour. After 1 hour, uncover and stir in the remaining 1/2 cup flour.
- Spray the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Sprinkle flour lightly on a countertop or large cutting board.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and with a rolling pin, flatten dough into a rectangle, about 14 x 20-inches. Feel free to trim excess. Spread the dulce de leche over dough leaving a 2-inch border on the top and bottom long edges. Next, sprinkle the dough with crushed pecans, as much cinnamon as you'd like, and butter pieces. Beginning at long side, roll dough up tightly. Pinch edge of dough into the roll to seal edge. Stretch and shape roll until even. Using a sharp knife, cut roll into 12 equal rolls, about 2-inch slices. Place slices in the pan. Let rise in a warm place about 30 minutes.
- Move the oven rack to the middle position of the oven. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
- Meanwhile in a small bowl, stir glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle desired amount of glaze over the hot rolls. Sprinkle with pecans and serve warm.
Notes
- You can use store-bought or homemade dulce de leche—either works great!
- These rolls can be assembled the night before. Just cover and refrigerate, then bring to room temp, let them rise, and bake in the morning.
- To freeze unbaked rolls, slice and arrange them on a sheet pan. Once firm, transfer to a freezer bag. When ready to bake, thaw, let rise, and bake as directed.
- For even more flavor, toast the pecans before adding them to the filling.
- If the coffee glaze is too thick, thin it out with a little extra brewed coffee or milk until it’s pourable.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How many eggs did you add to this recipe, not listed in ingredients, but added in the directions?
Hi there! Great catch — actually, this recipe doesn’t use any eggs at all. That was a mistake in a previous version of the directions, and it’s been corrected now. Thanks so much for pointing it out!
It says to add sugar to the milk but it also says to add sugar to the dry ingredients. However in the list of ingredients it just says 1/3 cup sugar. How much sugar goes in the milk and how much goes in the rest?
Hi Kristina, thank you for catching that. I have edited recipe. You want to add a tablespoon of sugar in first step, and then add remaining sugar with dry ingredients.
It says to add sugar twice in the instructions. Can you clarify at which point are you supposed to add it?
What an awesome idea!
Where do you buy dulce de leche?
Hi Kelly,
I buy dulce de leche in a can in the baking aisle of my grocery store. A popular brand is La Lechera by Nestle. And if you are feeling ambitious you can even make your own in a slow cooker. Check it out: https://muybuenoblog.com/2013/12/diy-slow-cooker-dulce-de-leche/
As much as I love cinnamon rolls there must be a simpler recipe that does not have to go through the rising time, it is very time consuming. Does anyone have ideas? Or do I have to continue getting them at the bakery to make it easier.
I recommend you make the dough a day or night before and then it won’t be so bad. They are truly worth it. I have done that before Christmas morning.
I use my bread machine for mixing, kneading and doing the first rise. I feel like I’m “cheating” but I always get such good results! I bought a brand new one that was “used” off of the local paper for $60. It was still in the box and has made the entire process so much more enjoyable!
This combo sounds beyond amazing! Cinnamon rolls will always be one of my all time favorite breakfast treats and a dulce de leche pecan version sounds perfect. 🙂
Thank you! If you ever make them please let me know what you think.