The ultimate low carb breakfast treat! Tender cinnamon rolls baked in a sweet caramel sauce and studded with pecans.
So what do you call these things? I’ve heard so many names for them, I am not sure I can think of them all. Sweet rolls, sticky buns, carmel rolls. And when I was growing up, there was a similar sweet roll called a chelsea bun. Surely there are more names for this delicious cousin of the cinnamon roll, because there seem to be infinite variations. But I call them sticky buns and so this recipe shall be named too.

Back when I was creating my low carb Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread, I was already dreaming of this recipe. How could I not? I felt I was getting a better grasp on working with psyllium bread recipes and there I was, rolling up the dough like a big cinnamon roll. It just needed to be a little longer and to have some caramel and some pecans and it would be just the thing. And then I went ahead and made a savoury version with my low carb Pizza Rolls.
And of course I’d already nailed the low carb caramel sauce. What the heck was I waiting for? I honestly can’t say why it took me this long to bring you a low carb sticky bun recipe. Just too many other delicious things to make, I guess. But I finally put all the pieces together the other day, and they were delicious, as I knew they would be. Sweet pull-apart caramel pecan deliciousness.
And now I will stop talking so you can hightail it to the kitchen and make some of your own.

- 1 Recipe Sugar-Free Caramel Sauce
- 3/4 cup pecan halves
- 2 tbsp Swerve Sweetener
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 Recipe Multi-Purpose Low Carb Bread add 2 tbsp of Swerve to the dough along with the almond and coconut flour, if desired
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Prepare the caramel sauce as directed and pour into the bottom of a 8 or 9-inch round cake pan. Sprinkle with pecans.
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Preheat oven to 350F. In a small bowl, whisk together the Swerve and cinnamon.
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Make the dough as directed. (If adding some additional Swerve to the dough, add it in along with the almond and coconut flours).
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Turn dough out onto a large piece of parchment and top with another large piece of parchment. Roll out into a rectangle about 12 by 10 inches.
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Sprinkle with Swerve/cinnamon mixture. Starting at a long side, roll dough up tightly (use the edge of the parchment to help lift and roll the dough). Pinch seam closed.
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Cut into 12 equal portions and arrange in prepared baking pan. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, until rolls are well-browned and quite firm.
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Remove from oven and cover with a serving platter, then flip the whole pan and serving platter upside down. Remove cake pan. Serve hot, but be careful not to burn your fingers or mouth on that hot caramel sauce.
Serves 12. Each serving has 12.01 g of carbs and 6.58 g of fiber. Total NET CARBS = 5.43 g.
Food energy: 278kcal
Saturated fatty acids: 8.26g
Total fat: 22.58g
Calories from fat: 203
Cholesterol: 31mg
Carbohydrate: 12.01g
Total dietary fiber: 6.58g
Protein: 6.58g
Sodium: 343mg
Brian says
Curious to see how these hold up while maintaining the low carb approach– looks like a recipe worth trying out.
Karen says
Holy Schnikeeeeees these look good. Droooooling … !
eat good 4 life says
Oh wow, this looks awesome. I can’t believe how low carb this are. Please send me some 🙂
Kristina says
Dear Carolyn,
Thank you for this recipe! My birthday is in a few days, and I was checking your site to see if anything new caught my eye to make for my birthday brunch – and these pecan sticky buns were just posted. I made them last night, and my husband already says I need to make more since these will not last long – so tasty. Thank you for your amazing recipes – we have enjoyed many of them over the past 2 years. My family’s favorite is your lemon cheesecake bars, and I personally am loving your chocolate ganache in its many dessert forms.
Carolyn says
Thanks, Kristina!
Sue says
I made these today. Delicious! I used psyllium whole husk powder, but the dough didn’t really double and stayed pretty wet, spongy more than sticky. Still rolled up ok but was really soft. Do you use regular psyllium Husk powder or whole husk powder? I’m wondering if I just did something wrong or used the wrong ingredient. Either way, it actually baked up well and tasted great!
Carolyn says
That’s a good question, I didn’t know there was a difference between whole husk powder and regular powder. I just used this: “http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00012NG1W/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00012NG1W&linkCode=as2&tag=aldaidrabfo05-20&linkId=RO2IVMVEJBLVB524
Sharon B. says
Carolyn (and Sue), there is a slight difference between psyllium husk and p.h. powder, but the difference is only that it’s ground! 🙂
I looked at the back label of the brand you linked to, and they say 5 grams (1 rounded tsp.), so that appears to be ground up. I buy psyllium husk (whole)from an ethnic store (so it’s a brand that I’d never heard of before), and it says that 1 Tbs. = 5 grams. The product looks like tiny splinters!
Another fabulous blogger also makes recipes with psyllium husk powder, and she says (for her recipes) to grind the husks so that 1 Tbs. (measurement) = 9 grams. Now that *truly* is a powder! I use my dedicated-to-spices/nuts coffee grinder. 🙂
With all that said, I have to try these. Thanks, Carolyn!
Deborah says
I just made these and they are fantastic! I wanted it to be dairy free, so I subbed palm shortening for butter and coconut milk for cream in the caramel – worked fine. This feels like such a treat. Thank you so much!
Brenda Jean Craig says
Carolyn,
Have you tried making these with the THM Baking Blend yet….and if not, how much do you think one would use…:) Brenda
Carolyn says
Hi Brenda. I have not used the baking blend yet for anything but there is a bag on the way for me to try. From Pearl’s suggestion.
Brenda Jean Craig says
I tried it with equal parts but I think I used to much water….at first they rose up a lot like big yeast rolls and then deflated a bit. They are still good. I used to make another recipe with only almond flour but I do love your recipe. Made 2 batches already. I found your recipe because of the post on THM for the cinnamon rolls 🙂
Question? I know the texture of the buns and have not made a loaf bread yet. Am wondering how well it slices. Yours looks wonderful! Does it slice better with an electric knife?
Angelina says
I’m so bummed that these did not work for me. Much like your standard sweet roll recipe, the centers of the rolls were mushy/gooey while the outsides were cooked through. In normal sweet rolls, these are usually the preferred part of the roll. However because of the natural sponginess of the low carb bread dough, the resulting mushy/gooey centers on these rolls were not at all appealing. We ended up eating the outer sections of the rolls and tossing the centers.
Carolyn S says
this is in oven, cannot wait.
Carolyn S says
These were amazing! Loved them.
Anne o says
These are by far the most delicious low carb treat I’ve made, hands down. And I bake a lot. I have mastered your technique of baking with psyllium over the Christmas break– thank you Carolyn!
One huge problem…..portion control. It goes right out the window when I make these or your savory psyllium rolls. Definitely have to work on that– again many thanks for your fab recipes.
Sylvia says
Thank you so much Carolyn for so many delicious low carb receipes. I could not wait to try this one. The final result was amazingly good. I offered a taste to my adult daughter who declined initially. She changed her mind and I noticed this morning there were only three left from last night and I only ate two! Thanks again for all you do.
Carolyn says
So glad you liked them!
Sharon says
I was wondering if Swerve Sweetener serves t keep the buns fluffy or not. That sweetener does not work for me so I was wondering if Stevia would work instead. But since Stevia is something you use very small amounts of, it won’t be 2 tablespoons. Thus I was curious if the texture of the dough would change in an un-ideal way with that substitution. If Stevia is not a good option, do you think roughly 2 tbsp maple sugar would work instead? (I don’t know how sweet Swerve is so I don’t know the amount of maple sugar to use in it’s place).
Carolyn says
I don’t think the sweetener is critical to the outcome of the rolls.
Chakalit H says
Help! I’m confused! Is this the same psyllium powder as in Metamucil? If so, doesn’t it have a laxative effect?
Carolyn says
Yes psyllium is the same but no, the bread does not cause a laxative effect. I think you aren’t consuming it in a high enough dose. Psyllium is a great source of fiber, though!
Ashley says
Ever since going sugar free, gluten free low carb, 2 years ago I had given up hope on ever having cinnamon rolls again. Tried one recipe that was nothing like cinnamon rolls. I’ve had this bookmarked for a while and finally had time to make it. WOW! Not only did it turn out great (rare for psyllium recipe) but I even substituted some things. I made it as close to the recipe as possible but now that it works, next time I’ll try a filling in the rolls or maybe some of the caramel sauce and a coconut cream glaze. These had a slightly gummy texture but very good for GF LC SF
No idea what brand my psyllium is as I transferred it to a mason jar but it worked with about 3/4 cup water. Earth balance instead of butter, xylitol instead of swerve, canned coconut milk in place of cream, powdered egg whites in the roll, then stevia in place of swerve with the cinnamon.
Now I’ll have to try the rolls as regular bread.