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Grandma's Old Fashioned Caramel Sticky Buns
5 from 54 votes

Grandma's Old Fashioned Caramel Sticky Buns

Grandma's Old Fashioned Caramel Sticky Buns combine a rich sweet dough with a buttery brown sugar caramel and chopped pecans. The dough, enriched with milk, water, butter, and egg, is kneaded to an elastic consistency and allowed to rise before rolling out. The caramel topping with corn syrup and brown sugar is poured into the pan and topped with pecans before the buns are rolled, filled, and baked until sticky and caramelized.

Cook Time
25 mins
Rise Time, divided
2 hrs
Servings: 12
Calories: 878 kcal
Course: Dessert, Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Buns
  • 4 ½ - 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour divided
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 packages active dry yeast
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ¾ cup milk
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup butter or 1 stick
  • 1 large egg room temperature, beaten
Caramel
  • 1 ½ cups brown sugar packed
  • ¾ cup light corn syrup
  • ¾ cup butter room temperature
  • 1 cup pecans more if necessary to cover the bottom of your pan, or your favorite nuts, chopped
Regular Filling
  • ⅓ cup butter melted
  • ½ cup brown sugar divided
Optional Filling
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ cup brown sugar packed
  • 2-3 tablespoons butter

Instructions

Make the Buns
    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large bowl, using a stand or handheld mixer, combine 1 ½ cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Set aside.
  2. In a small saucepan combine milk, water and butter.
  3. Heat gradually until butter melts and mixture is warm.
  4. Slowly add milk mixture to your large bowl with the flour mixture in it.
  5. Beat until smooth.
  6. Add the egg and enough flour to make a thick batter, about 3 cups.
  7. Beat until smooth.
  8. Next, prepare your work surface with flour and place the batter on top of the flour.
  9. Knead in the remaining flour until an elastic dough forms. You may not need all of the flour.
  10. Place the dough inside a well greased bowl and paint melted butter all over the top.
  11. Cover with a clean, damp towel and let the dough rise until it has almost doubled in size, about 1 hour.
  12. Punch in the middle of the dough at about the 40 minute mark. This will remove some of the air that has built up in the dough.
  13. When you are getting ready to bake your dough prepare a medium sized bowl with brown sugar, corn syrup and butter.
  14. Using a handheld mixer blend until smooth.
  15. Grease a 13x9 inch pan with butter and a 9 inch round or square pan as well, if needed. (You can also use three 9 inch square or round pans as well.)
  16. Pour caramel topping inside your prepared pan and make sure the bottom of the pan is covered.
  17. Sprinkle with pecans, as many as you want. We always make sure the bottom is basically covered in pecans. If you choose to omit the pecans this is the time.
  18. Again, punch in the center of your dough and divide the dough up into 3 even pieces. At your workstation flour your surface and roll out the dough until it is about 20 inches by 10 inches. A little more or a little less will not matter.
  19. You have the option of including more filling in your buns if you desire and I have included the recipe to use if you want to. You really should try Option 2 at least once!
Option 1
  1. Brush each dough rectangle with approximately 2 tablespoons melted butter and 3 tablespoons of brown sugar.
Option 2
  1. In a small bowl combine brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Paint the butter on and sprinkle brown sugar mixture all over.
  2. Using it makes your buns more sticky and ooey gooey good. The more brown sugar, the stickier the buns will be.
Roll them Up
  1. Roll up the dough, from the longer side, as tight as you can get it, into like a jelly roll.
  2. Pinch the ends together and cut into 1 inch slices.
  3. Place the slices into your prepared pan.
  4. Cover again with your clean, damp towel for another 45-60 minutes. The dough should again double in size.
  5. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees,
  6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or a beautiful golden brown.
  7. Allow to cool in your pans for at least 5 minutes and then flip upside down on top of parchment paper until it is cool enough to handle. This ensures that the caramel topping won't run off the buns.
  8. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Notes

  • The caramel topping uses a blend of brown sugar, light corn syrup, and butter to create a sticky caramel layer.
  • Pecans or preferred nuts can be used to cover the bottom of the pan before adding the dough for added crunch and flavor.
  • The filling can include optional spices like cinnamon and nutmeg for added warmth and depth.
  • This recipe is ideal for brown sugar lovers seeking a classic sticky bun experience.

Nutrition Information

Calories 878kcal (44%) Carbohydrates 152g (51%) Protein 14g (28%) Fat 25g (38%) Saturated Fat 10g (50%) Polyunsaturated Fat 4g (24%) Monounsaturated Fat 9g (45%) Trans Fat 0.5g (25%) Cholesterol 49mg (16%) Sodium 592mg (25%) Potassium 271mg (6%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 71g (142%) Vitamin A 656IU (13%) Vitamin C 0.1mg (0%) Calcium 107mg (11%) Iron 6mg (33%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 878

% Daily Value*

Calories 878kcal 44%
Carbohydrates 152g 51%
Protein 14g 28%
Fat 25g 38%
Saturated Fat 10g 50%
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g 24%
Monounsaturated Fat 9g 45%
Trans Fat 0.5g 25%
Cholesterol 49mg 16%
Sodium 592mg 25%
Potassium 271mg 6%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 71g 142%
Vitamin A 656IU 13%
Vitamin C 0.1mg 0%
Calcium 107mg 11%
Iron 6mg 33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.