Pecan Sticky Bun

When my boyfriend said he wanted to take me on a hike and all I could do was stare at a pile of Pecan Sticky Buns while waiting for a table at McKay Cottage, I realized I might be too obsessed with baked goods. Then I thought, why not take a sticky bun to the top of our hike and reward ourselves for the calories burned—totally worth it. I’ve never wanted to eat a pastry more in my life, than after trucking up a mountain carrying that delicious bun in a to go container. 

McKay Cottage has been voted by locals in Bend, OR as the best breakfast for 9 years running, and it’s the home of the Pecan Sticky Bun. It’s located right across from the Deschutes River, and I absolutely agree with the locals. 

I can’t even tell you how many people asked us what was in the to go container as we hiked. We were so out of breath, we just started opening the container to show those passing by. Everyone wished they had thought to bring a sweet treat to the top, too. The look of the buttery, brown sugar glaze sprinkled with pecans was enough for everyone to experience this “I gotta have it” ColdStone Creamery sensation. I’m pretty critical of any type of caramel roll or sticky bun, because of my family’s recipes. But this sticky bun from McKay’s was unreal, and it’s homemade from scratch daily. It was the perfect balance of caramel topping with a slight crunch and a balance of cinnamon flavor spiraled inside layers of perfectly baked dough. You know it’s good when you peel a layer of dough and the caramel slowly separates like a grilled cheese made to order. I could have eaten the entire plate of sticky buns piled high—good thing we only grabbed one! Do yourself a favor and plan a weekend getaway to Bend for the Pecan Sticky Bun—yes, it’s worth the calories!