Old Fashioned Sticky Buns

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Old Fashioned Sticky Buns are super soft, filled with a sweet cinnamon and sugar mixture, and then baked on top of a caramel “goo” – as my mom called it. These sticky rolls will be your new favorite to serve for brunch or special meals!

Try our Giant Cinnamon Twist Roll next!

Sticky Buns

My mother made these sticky buns SO MANY times during our lifetime. She made them for church breakfasts (coffee and rolls, as they called it) and church bake sales as well as for her family and friends. You could always count on freshly made caramel rolls on our return visits over the years. We love an old family recipe!

The thing about my mom’s cinnamon rolls was that they were the ABSOLUTE BEST. I’m not kidding. I have so many fond memories of this recipe.

Why This Recipe Works:

SIMPLE – If you love working with yeast, you’ll agree that these are simple to make. If you are new to the game, I promise that by following my step-by-step directions, you’ll be a pro too.
CINNAMON ROLLS ELEVATED – These are basically cinnamon rolls elevated. Add the caramel topping (or GOO!) and you have sticky buns.
GOOEY – We love the tender centers of these rolls and the gooey topping. SO much sticky goodness in these caramel sticky buns.

A hand on a sticky bun with a cup of coffee in the background.

What You’ll Need:

Yeast – I use Red Star Active Dry Yeast. (This is a very large amount. I keep a bunch in the freezer, and it lasts a long time.) We have perfect bread-making weather here in Texas, and my bread always rises pretty quickly. You may need a Quick Rise Yeast, depending on where you live.
Granulated Sugar – Sugar is needed to add sweetness and helps to activate the yeast.
Water – Be sure to use WARM water (about 100-110 degrees F). It should be warm to the touch but not scalding. Scalding water will disintegrate the yeast, and cold won’t activate it at all.
Oil – My choice of oil for rolls is usually canola. But feel free to use melted butter in place of it, if desired.
Salt – Kosher salt is the only type of salt I use now. But regular salt may be used as well (but use only half the amount).
Flour – All-purpose flour produces the softest, fluffiest rolls!
For the cinnamon and sugar layer – Unsalted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
For the “goo” – Brown sugar, more butter, white syrup, and pecans (optional).

The labeled ingredients for the filling and the goo.

How to make Old Fashioned Sticky Buns:

Step 1
Activate the yeast. In a large standing mixer, combine yeast, sugar, and warm milk. Be careful to use WARM milk (105 -110 degrees F), not hot. Mix and let sit for about 15 minutes to get the yeast working. You should see little bubbles in the yeast mixture.

Step 2
Add remaining ingredients. Add the oil and stir with a spatula. Attach the dough hook to the mixer and add the salt and half of the flour. Start the mixer and let the flour absorb.

Gradually add more flour, a little bit at a time until the dough is less sticky and pulls away from the side of the bowl. You want the bread dough to be slightly sticky, but not too much. When you touch the dough, it should bounce back slightly. Be sure to leave the mixer on for several minutes after you get the right consistency.

Step 3
Add dough to a bowl. Grease a large bowl with canola oil. Add dough to the greased bowl, making sure you smooth it into a ball, by punching it down – starting in the center of the dough. Place dough ball with the smooth side up and cover with a clean kitchen towel (or some plastic wrap). Place the bowl in a warm place in your kitchen and let the dough double in size. This is the first rise.

Step 4
Make goo. In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, and syrup. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Pour a thin layer of goo into the bottom of two greased pans. Add pecans if you wish.

NOTE: I used two 8×8 pans but round pans would work great too.

Step 5
Add filling. Transfer dough to a floured work surface and use a sharp knife to split the soft dough into two sections. Press one section into a rectangle and use your hands to spread three tablespoons of softened butter on the top of the dough. Then sprinkle 1/3 cup of brown sugar and one tablespoon of cinnamon all over the dough.

Step 6
Cut dough. Gently roll dough up into a long log, starting on the long end. Using a serrated edge knife, cut the dough log into about 1.5 – inch slices. Place sections into pans with goo, and press down slightly, so that the cinnamon sugar is visible on top.

Repeat with the other 1/2 of the dough.

Step 7
Let dough rise again. Cover the pans with a clean dishtowel, and let rise again until the dough is almost doubled. (This is the second rise.) This dough rises fast in Texas but it may take longer where you live.

Overhead view of the pans of rolls after rising.

Step 8
Bake. Bake rolls in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 25 minutes, or until the rolls are a beautiful golden brown on top.

Step 9
Let caramel goo set up. Place pans on the counter and set the timer for 5 minutes. This allows the goo to set up. If you remove rolls too early, the caramel goo will ooze off onto your counter.

After 5 minutes, flip the pans over onto cooling racks. Remove rolls and let cool.

STORE cooled rolls in an airtight container for 3-4 days. We like to warm these sweet rolls in the microwave.

FREEZE sticky buns by wrapping them in cling wrap and then placing them in a freezer bag. Thaw by letting the rolls sit out on your countertop.

What to serve with Classic Sticky Buns:

A side of fresh fruit. You could also add some yogurt and Healthy Chocolate Granola.
Sausage Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole
Crustless Ham and Cheese Quiche
A glass of the best cold brew or a Caramel Latte!

Closeup on some just baked old fashioned sticky buns.

Recipe FAQs:

What is the difference between a sticky bun and a caramel roll?

Sticky buns are baked with the sweetener and sometimes pecans on the bottom of the pan (and then flipped over). Cinnamon rolls are usually baked separately and then topped later with an icing of some type.

What’s another name for sticky buns?

Sticky buns are commonly referred to as honey buns or caramel buns.

Are pecans used in sticky buns?

Pecans are often times used in the sticky bun topping. I didn’t use them here, but will often times use them for an extra crunch in the topping.

Can I prepare sticky buns in advance?

Yes, you can prepare these caramel sticky buns and then bake later. After you’ve placed dough on the top of the gooey caramel, wrap very tightly, and place in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. When ready to bake, let the rolls come to room temperature and finish rising. Then bake as directed.

Recipe Tips:

When you add the milk to the yeast and sugar, be careful to use WARM milk between 105 -110 degrees F on a digital thermometer. If the water is too hot, the yeast will disappear and you can’t make bread without yeast. Also, do not use cool water because it won’t activate the yeast.
The yeast will bubble up when it’s activated.
Don’t add all the flour at once because every baking day is different. Some days you will need a bit more flour and some days, you will need less.
The dough should be slightly sticky when ready. Over time, you will learn exactly how much flour is needed to make the ultimate cinnamon rolls.
These caramel rolls only take about 25 minutes to bake. Be careful to avoid over-baking.

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xoxo ~Sue