Easy Sticky Buns is crescent roll dough filled with a cinnamon-sugar mixture, rolled up, and baked in a nutty, sweet, buttery topping. If you have more time and love baking from scratch, be sure to try my Pecan Sticky Buns!
Easy Sticky Buns
If you don’t have time to make sticky buns from scratch, then this recipe is for you! It starts with store-bought crescent roll dough (that is my homemade recipe!) and then ends with the sweet and sticky flavor and texture you would expect from a caramel roll. And, of course, I couldn’t leave out the pecans, which is one piece of the recipe that differentiates sticky buns from caramel rolls. There is no rise time needed, so you could get a batch made in no time. (Well, in about 30 minutes or so…)
Sticky Buns Ingredients
There are two parts to this recipe–the topping and the rolls.
Topping: The topping, which starts at the bottom of the pan, is made with brown sugar, unsalted butter, and pecans.
Nuts: As stated above, nuts are pretty standard on sticky buns. However, you could leave them out if preferred, or try the rolls with a different kind of nuts like walnuts or even almonds.
Filling: A buttery, cinnamon-sugar filling is brushed and sprinkled on the rolled-out dough. Just like a traditional cinnamon roll!
Sticky Buns vs. Caramel Rolls
As I stated earlier, one big difference between sticky buns and caramel rolls is the nuts, most commonly pecans. You might be wondering, what is the difference between sticky buns and cinnamon rolls? Cinnamon rolls do not need to be inverted out of the pan because they are not made with caramel sauce. They are often topped with a cream cheese glaze and do not contain nuts.
How to Slice Sticky Buns with Dental Floss
After rolling all the goodness up into rolls, sometimes it’s hard to slice them into individual-sized rolls without smooshing them. If the knife you are using is not sharp enough, that can lead to the squishing of the rolls before they are baked. A great method to save you from frustration is dental floss! Yep, dental floss.
To use dental floss, first, make sure it is plain (not flavored) floss. Slide a long piece of floss underneath the rolled-up rolls and wrap the floss around the roll about 2 inches in. Pull to slice through the roll. Continue this method every two inches or so. Now, don’t forget to go floss your teeth, but use a new piece of floss!
More Breakfast Recipes
Easy Sticky Buns
Ingredients
Sticky Bun Topping
- ¾ cup (150 g) brown sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup (54.5 g) coarsely chopped pecans
Rolls
- 2 tubes (8-count each) crescent rolls
- ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Sticky Bun Topping
- In a bowl, combine the melted butter and brown sugar. Pour it into the prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly.
- Top the butter and brown sugar with the chopped pecans.
Rolls
- Working on a clean work surface, roll out both tubes of dough. Position the second sheet of dough directly next to the first sheet, creating a large square of dough. Combine the sheets of dough so that no seams are seen.
- Spread the butter evenly over the dough.
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix well.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the top of the dough.
- Working on the long edge, roll the dough into a log. Slice into 12 equal-sized pieces. Nestle each piece into the sticky topping in the pan.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
- Flip the baked rolls onto a large cookie sheet or sheet pan.
- Serve warm.
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
Can you make these the night before, refrigerate and bake the next morning? Thank you!
I was wondering that, too. Did you try making them the day before? If so, how did they turn out?
A short video might have helped many questions and clarified the “positioning of the two cans of dough”. Thanks from a visual!
These directions are horrible!
Do not use this recipe!
Does not provide all the steps
Im supposed to put all the butter cin. And pecans in the bottom
But then use some butter over top
Cannot figure out how to make this recipe
Did you by any chance miss the instructions? The ones in the recipe card? Where the instructions always are?
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Sticky Bun Topping
In a bowl, combine the melted butter and brown sugar. Pour it into the prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly.
Top the butter and brown sugar with the chopped pecans.
Rolls
Working on a clean work surface, roll out both tubes of dough. Position the second sheet of dough directly next to the first sheet, creating a large square of dough. Combine the sheets of dough so that no seams are seen.
Spread the butter evenly over the dough.
In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix well.
Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the top of the dough.
Working on the long edge, roll the dough into a log. Slice into 12 equal-sized pieces. Nestle each piece into the sticky topping in the pan.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
Flip the baked rolls onto a large cookie sheet or sheet pan.
Serve warm.
Very rude! In the listing of ingredients, there’s a list of ingredients for the sauce that goes in the pan and a list of ingredients for the rolls that ALSO list butter. If you can’t read directions thoroughly, that’s on you!
Perhaps you missed the two separate lists of ingredients, one for the rolls, and one for the topping. And such a rude comment.
I sometimes need to read the recipe 2 to 3 times before making unnecessary rude comments Mike
If you read from the beginning, before the recipe, it shows some pictures of the steps.
Made this for Easter brunch and it was a big favorite! Super buttery, sweet, crunchy, a little doughy, and very easy. Followed the directions step by step, 15 min prep and 30 to bake. Placed on Teflon pie tin and flipped onto parchment lined baking sheet. These are the real deal! Will be making these again and again! Thank you!
Was just thinking about sticky buns and here your recipes is. How convenient.
So easy. My grams often let me help her make rolls of one sort or another back in the 50’s. And she
often used thread to ‘cut’ the rolls. She made the best dinner rolls. Caramel rolls, sticky buns cinnamon rolls. Thankfully I managed to snag the cinnamon roll recipe. But not the others. Wasn’t fast enough. I have been using dental floss for a few years. Glad to see you promoting using such. People just don’t think. Had a disagreement with a gal on another page. She insists you have to have those store bought dough slicers. and many thought yesterdays people were ignorant. So grateful for this recipe. Thank you!!
Do you have a recipe for “Grandma’s Air Buns”?
Cab you use crescent sheets ?
Could you use canned cinnamon rolls to skip a step and make easier and faster?
Can we use either canned cinnamon rolls or frozen cinnamon rolls (thawed a risen of course). In place of the crescent rolls? Sticky buns are awesome!
Delish! All the takers loved them. Me too, they are great. The only thing, I needed to bake longer. I will make them again.