Stupid Easy Homemade Caramel Rolls
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If you are nervous about making homemade Caramel Rolls this is the recipe for you! They are virtually fool-proof. Soft, tender rolls topped with an ooey gooey caramel. So delicious and easy to make from scratch!
If you think it’s too hard to make caramel rolls from scratch I have the best news for you today – it’s not hard at all! This recipe is my go-to favorite breakfast rolls recipe and it never fails me.
You can make caramel rolls with yeast and not lose your mind doing it! Trust me, I don’t have the patience for fussy recipes, and this is definitely not fussy! Spoiler alert: you don’t need to wait for these rolls to rise. They are so easy!
You Will Love This Recipe!
- These rolls are soft, tender, and fluffy!
- This a no-rise recipe. Yes, you read that right! You don’t have to let the dough rise like other caramel roll recipes. The secret is the amount of yeast you use – my recipe has more than others, so the dough is super-charged, and they puff up beautifully in the oven.
- They are made like sticky buns with gooey caramel topping on the bottom of the pan. When you turn the baked rolls out, they are topped with that sticky-sweet caramel sauce. They are so good!
These are the best breakfast treat – pair them with a baked omelette and breakfast potatoes for an epic breakfast or brunch!
I first shared this recipe a few years ago and thought I would share it again because readers love it! I think you will, too.
What people are saying about this recipe
“Made this recipe and I love it!!!”
“Made these tonight & they are so good! My family loved them.”
“These are phenomenal!!! Sincerely!”
“Delicious!! I made them this morning for breakfast and they turned out great. They tasted so good!”
“Everyone at my house loved it! Tasted SO good!”
“The easiest, nicest, wonderful sticky buns I have ever made!”
“…I have to say, these live up to their name and they were the most TENDER rolls I have ever eaten!! So very very nummy!!”
Ingredients
- Brown sugar – this is used in the topping and in the filling for the rolls. When you measure it, be sure to pack it in the measuring cup.
- Butter – you’ll need this for the topping, dough, and filling.
- Light corn syrup – This makes the topping sweet and sticky, it also gives it a hint of vanilla flavor. We used salted butter.
- Warm water – ideally, the water should be between 110 and 115°F. This is the perfect temperature to activate the yeast.
- Half and half – In a pinch? Coffee creamer works!
- Sugar
- Regular yeast – Also known as dry active yeast. I haven’t tested this recipe with instant yeast.
- Salt
- Large eggs
- Bread flour – I prefer this kind of flour, but readers have used all-purpose flour, too. I haven’t tested it myself so I can’t guarantee it will work.
- White sugar
- Cinnamon
Products Needed
- 9×13″ baking pan
- Saucepan
- Stand mixer
- Rolling pin
- Mixing bowl
- Serving platter
How to Make the Caramel Topping
Combine brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup in a small saucepan.
Bring the mixture to a boil. As soon as it’s boiling, pour it into a prepared 9×13″ pan. Set the pan aside while you make the dough.
How to Make the Rolls
A stand mixer makes this part really easy, but if you don’t have one you can mix and knead the dough by hand. If you do, just be aware that it will take longer to knead the dough.
Combine the water, half & half, sugar, melted butter, and yeast in the stand mixer bowl (or large mixing bowl if mixing by hand). Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes.
Add the eggs and salt and mix with the paddle attachment (or with spoon). Add the bread flour and mix until the dough forms and isn’t sticky.
Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough for 10 minutes in the stand mixer (or do this by hand on a lightly floured surface).
Let the dough sit for 10 minutes. During this time you can make the filling.
For the filling, mix melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Set it aside while you roll out the dough.
Place the dough on a floured surface and roll it out to a 12×16″ rectangle. Spread the filling over the top.
Starting on a long side of the rectangle, roll the dough and filling like a jelly roll. Slice log into 12 rolls and place them in the pan on top of the caramel sauce.
How to Bake the Rolls
Bake the caramel rolls for 30 minutes at 375°F. They are done when they are golden brown on top and cooked through.
Let the rolls cool 5 minutes in pan before flipping the pan over on serving platter. Serve them warm.
Recipe FAQs!
Nope! That’s the beauty of this recipe! The dough needs to rest a couple of time while you’re assembling the rolls, but they don’t need time to rise. They will puff up when you bake them!
I’ve only tested this recipe with dry active yeast.
Nope! You will need 3 tablespoons for this recipe and I promise it works!
You should be able to use 2% or whole milk or heavy cream in place of the half and half. It should work fine.
Yes, if you want to add nuts sprinkle them over the caramel sauce in the pan before you add the rolls. Chopped pecans or walnuts would work well.
I don’t make them this way, but if you refrigerate them you will need to let them rise the next morning for an hour or so. If you bake them cold from the fridge they won’t puff up.
When you make the sauce you need to take it off the heat once it starts to boil. If you overcook the sauce at this stage, it can harden after you’ve baked the rolls. So, don’t overcook it in the saucepan.
I have not tried this, but some readers have and say it works fine.
If you’re nervous to bake with yeast this the best recipe to try. I’ve made these caramel rolls so many times and they always come out amazing. You are going to love the soft rolls with that ooey-gooey topping!
More Breakfast Treats!
- Love coffee cake? Make a light and buttery Bundt Coffee Cake with delicious cinnamon swirls and layers of walnuts baked inside.
- No one can resist ooey-gooey Apple Monkey Bread! This is the ultimate pull-apart breakfast treat that everyone will love.
- Cinnamon Roll Muffins taste like mini cinnamon rolls but are so much easier to make!
- Treat your family to some homemade English Scones for breakfast! They are amazing served warm with butter and jam.
MORE MUST-TRY RECIPES!
Love this recipe? Be sure and comment below and leave a 5-star rating! I know you’ll love this delicious recipe as much as we do!
And if you’re like me and snap photos, be sure to tag me on Instagram @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats that way I’m sure to see your delicious breakfast!!!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Stupid Easy Caramel Rolls
Ingredients
Caramel
- 1 c. brown sugar packed
- ⅓ c. butter
- ¼ c. light corn syrup
Dough
- 1 c. warm water
- ¾ c. half and half
- ½ c. sugar
- ¼ c. butter melted
- 3 Tbsp regular yeast
- ½ Tbsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 5-6 c. bread flour
Filling
- 6 Tbsp butter melted
- ⅔ c. brown sugar packed
- ⅔ c. white sugar
- 1 ½ Tbsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Spray a 9×13 inch baking pan with non-stick spray. Set aside
- In a small sauce pan bring brown sugar, butter and light corn syrup to a boil. Pour into bottom of prepared pan. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer, mix together water, half & half, sugar, melted butter and yeast. Let sit for 15 minutes.
- Add in salt and eggs. Mix until combined. Add in 5-6 c. bread flour until dough comes together and isn’t sticky. Knead in stand mixer for 10 minutes. Let sit for an additional 10 minutes.
- Prepare your filling by mixing together melted butter, brown sugar, sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
- On a floured surface, roll dough into a 12×16 inch rectangle.
- Spread filling over the top and roll up, starting at the long side. Cut into 12 larges slices. Place in prepared 9×13 inch baking pan with caramel sauce.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown on top and cooked through.
- Cool 5 minutes in pan. Flip pan over on serving platter. Serve immediately.
- Store leftovers in air right container.
Melissa says
I have to admit I was skeptical about how this would turn out without any rise time, but I was pleasantly surprised! Tender, tasty, and HUGE! My 10 yo loved making these with my. My only caution is to make sure your pan is deep enough. My 9×13 pan was packed up for a move so I split between an 8×11 and a pie tin. The sauce from the pie tin bubbled over.
Julie Evink says
So glad you enjoyed them Melissa! Great tips!
Rich says
Made these today. They were HUGE!!! Best caramel rolls ever!!!!
Julie Evink says
Great to hear Rich! Thanks for commenting and rating the recipe!
Bob says
Definitely easy and good for a guy that smokes food and doesn’t bake
Julie Evink says
So glad you enjoyed them Bob!
Karina says
I love this recipe! Yeast isn’t the scary ingredient I thought it was! LOL! These are so easy and they taste so close to my Grandma’s. The only problem I find is that my middle rolls seem doughy. Would love a solution! Thanks!
Julie Evink says
Have you tried covering them after the outside is browned? It will help bake the middle without browning more.
Stephen says
Complete waste of time and ingredients. Far too much dough for a 9×13 pan. Rolls end up hard on top and raw in the center.
Michelle Sperr says
Hmmm…that’s too bad. You could try using some cooking spray on the top of the rolls while they rise and make sure they’re covered? Sorry it didn’t turn out.
LEANN LABARRE says
The easiest, nicest, wonderful sticky buns I have ever made! We had them Christmas morning and will definitely have them again. I made 2 little buns from left over dough, they were really good, too. Thanks!!
Julie says
Awesome! I’m so glad you loved them!
Stephen says
Made this for the first time. Rolls tried to escape the cooking pan. Stove is full of burnt caramel. I would suggest a 11*13 pan to prevent this from happening.
Michelle Sperr says
Sorry you had such a mess to clean up Stephen – I haven’t had that problem before! Good idea to trouble shoot and use a bigger pan next time!
Trent says
You made my Christmas Day with these! My family had made caramel rolls every Christmas morning, just from the Pillsbury tube, but they discontinued them like 10 years ago, and haven’t been able to find anything close to them since.
I made the sauce, but instead- for ease and nostalgia- I used pillsbury cinnamon rolls, cut them up into 8 pieces each and dropped them in to create pull apart style. They were fantastic, though I think I baked a little too long because my edges hardened quickly. But the taste was perfect.
I also used generic maple syrup- since I didn’t have corn syrup- and it didn’t taste of maple.
Thank you!
Julie says
I’m so glad you loved these! Thanks for the rating and review, Trent!
Debra Kelly says
When I turned the rolls out of the pan and they cooled – the caramel layer from the bottom ( butter, corn syrup, brown sugar) is hard as a rock! I don’t think you can even bite through it! What happened? I brought it to a boil and set it aside while making the rolls just like the recipe said. omg…LOL!
Julie Evink says
I’m guessing it boiled too long when you were boiling it causing it to get hard when it cooled. Did you you bring it to a boil and remove the pan or let it boil?
Kelly Jo says
Drawn to this recipe primarily because of the name of it(!!) I forged ahead using regular flour and after getting too far into realized I only had 2 packets of yeast which only equalled about 1.5 tablespoons. I refused to give up and I have to say, these live up to their name and they werethe most TENDER rolls i have ever eaten!! So very very nummy!!
Julie says
Oh I’m so happy it worked out for you! Thanks for the review, Kelly Jo! I’m glad you loved them!
Kelly Jo says
Can I use regular white flour instead of bread flour?
Kathie says
Can I add nuts? If so, at what point in the recipe? On top of the caramel sauce in the prepared pan?
Julie says
Yep, I think that will be best!
Denise says
I had Carmel rolls for the first time when I visited beautiful Mentor, MN two years ago! They were absolutely delicious!! I will make these this weekend and see if I can do them justice! I’m used to making cinnamon rolls, but these sound wonderful!
Julie says
Caramel rolls are definitely a game changer! I hope you enjoy them!
Heidi says
Mentor Minnesota ! That’s near me 🙂
Stephanie says
Can you make these the night before and bake in the morning?
Julie says
I haven’t tested making these ahead, I don’t know if it would work.
Robin says
I’d really like to know this as well!
Has anyone tried it? How did it work?
Kathy says
Will using frozen bread dough give same result as opposed to making own dough?
Julie says
I haven’t tried that but I think it would probably work!
Dee says
Is this just another name for sticky rolls ? I want to make them tomorow.
Julie says
Caramel rolls are a little like sticky rolls!