Easy sticky buns are made with a quick, made-from-scratch dough so you can have gooey homemade sticky buns whenever you want them!
Sweet rolls are a total weakness for me. I love cinnamon rolls, caramel rolls, and sticky buns!
This easy sticky bun recipe starts with an easy homemade dough that’s made in about half the rise time that it takes to make a traditional roll dough.
And the buns are so decadent! This gooey sticky bun recipe makes soft buns topped with a rich caramel glaze and crunchy pecans.
Since these sweet rolls are so quick, they can be ready whenever the craving strikes! So the recipe is equally perfect as a holiday breakfast or a weekend treat.
“I wanted to make sticky buns for fellowship but have never made them before but I saw your recipe and it was so very well illustrated that I thought why not. Oh and I am so glad that I did. These melt in mouth and they are out of this world. Thank you so much for this recipe.” – Pam
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Milk: I usually use 2% milk in this recipe. Using whole milk will give you slightly softer, richer sticky buns.
- Butter: I use salted butter. If you would like to use unsalted butter, increase the salt by 1/4 teaspoon in the dough and add couple of pinches of extra salt to the filling and topping.
- Yeast: If you would like to use active dry yeast, let the yeast sit for 5-10 minutes in step 4 before continuing. If the yeast doesn’t foam, throw out the mixture and start again.
- Water: It’s important that the water be at the correct temperature. If it’s too hot, it will kill the yeast. If it’s too cool, it will slow the rising time.
- Flour: It’s key to properly measure the flour. Weighing the flour is the most accurate way to measure it. If you would like to measure by volume, sift or stir the flour, lightly spoon into the measuring cup, and level without packing it.
- Corn syrup: I used maple syrup in place of the corn syrup in my maple sticky buns. I’ve heard from people who have used molasses.
How to make sticky buns
Here you’ll find instructions and step-by-step photos showing how to make old fashioned sticky buns. The full recipe with ingredients is given below.
Sticky bun dough
Step 1: Grease a 9×13-inch metal baking pan; set aside.
Step 2: In a small saucepan, stir milk, sugar, and butter together. Heat over low heat just until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cool to about 100-105 F.
Step 3: Pour the milk mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer.
Step 4: Add the yeast and warm water.
Step 5: Add 2 cups flour and salt to yeast mixture. Using a dough hook, mix on low speed for about 1 minute.
With the mixer still going, add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time.
Mix about 1 ½ minutes, or until dough starts to clean the sides of the bowl. Knead on low speed for about 2 more minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic – the dough will still be slightly sticky to the touch.
Step 6: Place dough in a greased bowl, turning it to grease the top. Cover the dough with a clean, dry dish towel.
Step 7: Let the dough rise in a warm place, free from draft, for about 10 minutes. While dough is rising, prepare the topping.
Topping
Step 8: Whisk melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, corn syrup, and salt together in medium bowl until smooth.
Step 9: Add water and whisk until combined.
Step 10: Pour mixture into prepared pan. If necessary, tilt pan to get mixture to cover pan. Sprinkle evenly with pecans, if using. Set aside.
Filling and shaping
Step 11: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and roll into a 12×16-inch rectangle.
Step 12: Stir filling ingredients together, and spread over dough. Since the filling is a little crumbly, I gently press it into the dough to help it stick.
Step 13: Roll dough up lengthwise, pinching seam to seal.
Step 14: Cut into 12 pieces, and place over topping in prepared baking dish. I use a serrated knife to cut the dough.
Step 15: Cover the baking dish with the dish towel, and let the dough rise for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 F.
Baking and finishing
Step 16: Bake at 20-25 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown.
Step 17: Tent with aluminum foil, and continue to bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until baked through.
Step 18: Let the sticky buns cool in pan for 5 minutes.
Step 19: Place a serving dish over the pan, and carefully invert pan. Be careful as topping will be hot.
Step 20: Remove pan, and replace any topping that has fallen off. Let buns sit 10-15 minutes before serving.
Recipe Tips!
- Rising: Since the rising time is so short, it’s important that the rising spot be warm and draft-free. If your kitchen is cool, you can create a just such a spot by turning your oven on to 350F for exactly 60 seconds. Then, turn the oven off. This will give you a nice place for the dough to rise.
- Cutting the sticky bun dough: I use a sharp serrated knife to cut through the dough without smashing it. You can also use plain (unflavored) dental floss to cut the dough.
How are sticky buns different than cinnamon rolls?
Sticky bun filling uses less cinnamon than cinnamon rolls filling. Also, these buns are baked in a pan with the sticky topping underneath.
Cinnamon rolls are filled with more cinnamon-sugar mixture and are topped with icing or cream cheese frosting.
Storage
Sticky buns are best eaten when they’re fresh and warm. If you have leftovers, simply cover, and store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Easy Sticky Buns
Ingredients
DOUGH
- ⅓ cup milk
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup butter
- 3 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
- ¾ cup warm water 105F – 115F
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
FILLING
- ¾ cup brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup butter softened
TOPPING
- 6 tablespoons butter melted
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup dark corn syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans optional
Instructions
- Grease a 9×13-inch metal baking pan; set aside.
- In a small saucepan, stir milk, sugar, and butter together. Heat over low heat just until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cool to about 100-105 F.⅓ cup milk, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, ⅓ cup butter
- Pour the milk mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add the yeast and warm water.3 ½ teaspoons instant yeast, ¾ cup warm water
- Add 2 cups flour and salt to yeast mixture. Using a dough hook, mix on low speed for about 1 minute.½ teaspoon salt
- With the mixer still going, add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Mix about 1 ½ minutes, or until dough starts to clean the sides of the bowl.
- Knead on low speed for about 2 more minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic – the dough will still be slightly sticky to the touch.
- Place dough in a greased bowl, turning it to grease the top. Cover the dough with a clean, dry dish towel.
- Let it rise in a warm place, free from draft, for about 10 minutes.
- While dough is rising, prepare the topping.
- Whisk melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, corn syrup, and salt together in medium bowl until smooth.½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup dark corn syrup, ¼ teaspoon salt, 6 tablespoons butter
- Add water and whisk until combined.2 tablespoons water
- Pour mixture into prepared pan. If necessary, tilt pan to get mixture to cover pan. Sprinkle evenly with pecans, if using. Set aside.1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface, and roll into a 12×16-inch rectangle.
- Stir filling ingredients together, and spread over dough. Since the filling is a little crumbly, I gently press it into the dough to help it stick.¾ cup brown sugar , ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, ¼ cup butter
- Roll dough up lengthwise, pinching seam to seal.
- Cut into 12 pieces, and place over topping in prepared baking dish. I use a serrated knife to cut the dough.
- Cover the baking dish with the dish towel, and let the dough rise for about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 F.
- Bake at 20-25 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown.
- Tent with aluminum foil, and continue to bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until baked through.
- Let the sticky buns cool in pan for 5 minutes.
- Place a serving dish over the pan, and carefully invert pan. Be careful as topping will be hot.
- Remove pan, and replace any topping that has fallen off.
- Let buns sit 10-15 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
-
- Milk: I usually use 2% milk in this recipe. Using whole milk will give you slightly softer, richer sticky buns.
-
- Butter: I use salted butter. If you would like to use unsalted butter, increase the salt by 1/4 teaspoon in the dough and add couple of pinches of extra salt to the filling and topping.
-
- Yeast: If you would like to use active dry yeast, let the yeast sit for 5-10 minutes in step 4 before continuing. If the yeast doesn’t foam, throw out the mixture and start again.
-
- Water: It’s important that the water be at the correct temperature. If it’s too hot, it will kill the yeast. If it’s too cool, it will slow the rising time.
-
- Flour: It’s key to properly measure the flour. Weighing the flour is the most accurate way to measure it. If you would like to measure by volume, sift or stir the flour, lightly spoon into the measuring cup, and level without packing.
- Corn syrup: I used maple syrup in place of the corn syrup in my maple sticky buns. I’ve heard from people who have used molasses.
- Nutritional values are estimates.
Nutrition
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Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Angelina says
I have never made yeast dough from scratch before but these came out wonderfully! My rolling out and filling skills leave a lot to be desired but hardly noticeable after baking. They are addictive while warm and still very tasty at room temp.
I made a little extra topping because I like extra drippy and next time I would add a dash of vanilla to the topping
to add some more richness! As though they aren’t rich enough!!! OMG!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you liked them!
Mary says
I am so hungry for sticky buns I was going to send for some the the price is out of sight. I will be 84 on the 8th and I am going to try to makes these my myself for my Birthday. I pray they come out good. Thank you for sharing this .
Kate says
Happy birthday!! I hope you enjoy the sticky buns!
Sondra says
@Mary Happy Birthday! These are my Mom’s favorite too! Hope they turn out well for you! So easy! I’m going for Sunday Morning Sticky Bun Hero!
Kat says
My dough had a lot of spring to it, it was really hard to get it to stay in a rectangle, even a sloppy one. Not sure how I went wrong because I followed the recipe exactly. Any thoughts?
Kate says
Normally if there’s a lot of spring when you check it, it means that it needs to rise a bit longer because the dough should slowly rise when pressed, not spring back. Hope that helps!
Kat says
Is it really 3 1/2 tsp of yeast? That seems like a lot..
Kate says
It is! The extra bit of yeast helps the dough to rise more quickly.
Daniela says
Recipe came out great! I added pecans to the filling and cinnamon to the topping. I also subbed agave for the Corn Syrup. They came out amazing! Family Favorite for sure!
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Caroline says
The recipe and the instructions were perfect!
Will definitely make these sticky buns again!
Kate says
Thank you so much!!
John J says
Does this recipe take salted or unsalted butter?
Kate says
I use salted butter in this recipe. If you would like to use unsalted butter, I would recommend adding a pinch or two of salt to the filling and an extra pinch of salt to the topping.
John J says
I have no problem using salted butter, thanks for the quick reply!
Linda K Biven says
Why are there no eggs in your dough recipe?
Kate says
Eggs aren’t necessary in this dough. The dough is sufficiently rich without any eggs.
Marijo Martin says
First time trying sticky or cinnamon buns from scratch….and a novice with yeast…and these came out GREAT! The only change I made was using Active dry yeast instead of instant…I did this because I made the dough the night before and wasn’t sure how refrigerating the dough would affect the instant yeast….it worked great, I made the dough, rolled it out and filled with the cinnamon/sugar/butter filling, then tightly rolled into a log, then wrapped with Saran Wrap (sprayed with cooking spray first) then again with aluminum foil …tightly with ends crimped so that the dough couldnt expand too much….and left in refrigerator overnight. In the morning, I removed dough from refrigerator and let sit while I prepared the caramel topping, then sliced and put on topping, covered with towel and let sit for a total of about 30-40 min before baking as directed .. dough had risen some overnight but I mostly wanted to get it to room temp to bake…….they puffed up nicely while baking and were just delicious ! Thank you for the recipe!
Kate says
Thank you! And thank you for sharing your notes! I hadn’t tried making these buns and letting them sit overnight, so I appreciate you sharing those tips. =)
Melissa says
Is there another way to make the dough if you don’t have a stand mixer?
Kate says
You can mix the dough by hand. You’ll just need to add additional time to the kneading time (probably about 4 minutes of total kneading if done by hand).
Kathy says
Made a double batch of these today and delivered them to family members. These are AMAZING!!! Thank you so much for sharing your awesome recipe! Was going to post pics, but couldn’t find a way to do it.
Kate says
I’m so glad that you liked them! Thanks for taking the time to comment! =)
Mika says
Making these now! I used active dry instead of instant cause I didn’t have any. Dough is resting now. Should it double in size? Also, can I roll out rolls, then rest in fridge until read to bake? (About 6 hours)?
I really don’t want to mess them up!
Kate says
Hi! Are you asking about the first rise in step 9? If so, then no, the dough won’t double in size during that rise. I haven’t tried to rest the rolls in the fridge before baking, so I’m afraid I can’t say for certain how that will work out.
Eric says
As a pastry chef of 20 years it’s not often I scroll for recipes but this looked too good. I wasn’t disappointed! Thank you.
Kate says
I’m so glad to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment! =)
Candace says
Salted or unsalted bitter?
Kate says
I use salted butter. If you only have unsalted, you can use that. I just recommend adding an extra pinch or two of salt to the filling and to the frosting.
Alice says
These turned out amazing! Thanks :)
Kate says
You are very welcome! I’m glad that you liked them, and I appreciate you commenting! =)
Shirley LeClerc says
Can I make these and warm th next morning? If so, how would I do that without them getting chewy?
Kate says
You could try reheating them in the oven the next morning, but I haven’t tried it to say for certain. Reheating in a low oven should help rewarm them without making them chewy.
Shortridge, Lori says
Fabulous!! I laughed when a weight watchers add came up on the screen as I was making them :)
Kate says
I’m so glad that you liked them! Haha! I’d love to know how they decide which ads to show where! =)
Maria Guerrero says
Just made these and they were delicious. Thank u so much for this recipe.
Kate says
Thanks! So glad that you liked them. Thanks for commenting!
MARIA GUERRERO says
Can I use maple syrup instead of corn syrup?
lori says
I was thinking the same thing.
Kate says
The corn syrup helps to keep the topping from crystallizing. Honey and maple syrup both crystallize. So, you could try to sub in maple syrup, but the topping may end up with some crystallization in it. Hope that helps!
Candace says
Is this calling for light brown or dark brown sugar?
Kate says
You can use either one, but dark brown sugar will give you a little richer flavor.