Pull-Apart Maple Pecan Sticky Bun

(Adapted from Kraft Foods)

3/4 cup PLANTERS Chopped Pecans

1/2 cup  (1 stick) butter, divided

1/3 cup maple-flavored or pancake syrup

1/2 cup  sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 cans  (12 oz. each) refrigerated flaky buttermilk biscuits

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cut into 20 cubes

Heat oven to 400°F.

Sprinkle nuts onto bottom of 12-cup fluted pan or 10-inch tube pan sprayed with cooking spray. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in small microwaveable bowl. Stir in syrup; drizzle over nuts in pan.

Melt remaining butter. Mix sugar and cinnamon in shallow dish. Separate dough into 20 biscuits; flatten each to 1/4-inch thickness. Roll cream cheese cubes in cinnamon sugar mixture until evenly coated; place 1 in center of each biscuit. Gather up sides of dough to enclose filling; press edges together to seal. Roll each into ball; dip top in remaining butter, then in cinnamon sugar. Arrange half the balls, cinnamon sugar-sides up, in prepared pan. Repeat with remaining balls to form second layer. Top with any remaining butter and cinnamon sugar.

Bake 30 min. or until golden brown. Cool 1 min. in pan; invert onto serving plate. Remove pan. Top buns with any remaining nuts in pan; cool slightly.