Amish sticky buns are another popular PA Dutch baked good that you will find in many Amish bakeries, especially in Lancaster County, PA.
These cinnamon sticky buns are yeast buns that are baked over the top of pecans and a caramel glaze. When they are finished baking, the pan gets inverted, causing the sticky caramel sauce to drizzle down over the buns.
They are finger-licking yummy cinnamon rolls that are awesome with a morning cup of coffee!
Jump to:
- Easy-to-Make Caramel Sticky Buns
- Scalding the Milk
- How to Make Pennsylvania Dutch Sticky Buns
- Overnight Sticky Buns
- Can I Freeze PA Dutch Sticky Buns?
- Variations - Sticky Buns with Raisins
- What is the Difference Between Sticky Buns and Cinnamon Rolls?
- More Amish Baked Goods to Enjoy with a Morning Cup of Coffee
- 📖 Recipe Card
Easy-to-Make Caramel Sticky Buns
These Amish country sticky buns are not hard to make. They do, however, take a couple of hours from start to finish since you need to let them rest for a while allowing the dough to rise.
But don't let that deter you from making these amazing sticky buns. They are well worth the time. And while they are rising, you are free to get other chores done around the house.
It should only take about 30 - 40 minutes of hands-on time. And even though there are a lot of details, they are easy to make.
Scalding the Milk
Begin by scalding the milk. Now you may ask "Why do I Need to Scald the Milk?" Scalding the milk breaks down or unravels the whey proteins. This makes milk a better food for yeast, which means faster proofing, a larger volume, and a fluffier product. It also makes a smoother dough with better moisture retention.
So, if a recipe with yeast tells you to scald the milk, there's usually a good reason for it.
Therefore, you want to start your sticky bun dough by scalding the milk. This simply means that you need to heat the milk in a saucepan until skin forms on the top (about 170 degrees). It does not need to boil.
Then set the milk aside to cool. It needs to be lukewarm (about 110 degrees) before adding it to the yeast. Because it will kill the yeast if it is too hot.
Although recommended, you can skip this step if you're in a big hurry to get these made. They will still turn out great even if you don't scald the milk.
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How to Make Pennsylvania Dutch Sticky Buns
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water. (I use my Kitchen-Aid mixer.) Allow it to rest for a couple of minutes, then add the lukewarm milk, sugar, oil, salt, egg, and 3 cups of flour. With the whisk attachment, beat until smooth.
Now remove the whisk attachment and use the dough hook to knead. Continue adding the remaining flour, ½ cup at a time, while kneading for a couple of minutes, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
If you do not have a large mixer, turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Continue adding flour and kneading with the heel of your hand until it's smooth and elastic. (This process is much the same as when you're baking homemade bread.)
You don't want the dough to be too sticky, but you also don't want to add too much flour.
Place the dough into a well-greased bowl and cover with a dish towel. Set it in a warm place to rise for about an hour or until doubled in size.
Caramel Topping
While the dough is rising, make the caramel glaze. Heat the butter, brown sugar, and water in a saucepan until melted, and bring it to a rolling boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the corn syrup (or molasses if preferred).
Divide this mixture between two greased 9 x 13" baking pans (can also divide this recipe and bake the rolls in four round cake pans). Spread it evenly across the bottom and sprinkle with pecans.
Roll the Dough
After the dough has risen, punch it down, and knead it a few times. Divide the dough in half, and place one half onto a floured work surface.
With a rolling pin, roll the dough into an approximate 12 ½ x 14" rectangle. Spread half of the softened butter onto the dough, followed by half of the brown sugar, and sprinkle the cinnamon over the top. (Or you can mix the cinnamon and sugar before spreading if preferred.)
Starting with the long side, roll up the dough like a jelly roll. (You can moisten the outside edge with a bit of cold water before closing it to give a better seal.)
Repeat the same process with the second half of the dough.
With the seam side down, cut each roll into 12 slices (about 1" thick). Use a sharp serrated edge knife with a sawing motion to avoid smashing the roll.
Place the rolls slightly apart over the top of the nuts and caramel glaze. Cover loosely and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in size. It takes about 45 minutes to an hour. (Or you can refrigerate them overnight.)
Bake for about 25 minutes. (If you're using smaller pans, you may not need to bake them quite as long.)
Overnight Sticky Buns
These sticky buns can be refrigerated overnight and baked in the morning so that you can enjoy fresh warm Amish sticky buns with your morning coffee. They are never better than warm from the oven.
So if you want to wait till morning to bake them, make the sticky buns, place them in the pans, cover them with plastic wrap, and refrigerate them overnight.
Remove the buns from the refrigerator the next morning, allow them to come back to room temperature and finish rising before baking. (It will probably take at least 1 ½ - 2 hours.)
I don't know about you, but in my opinion, there's nothing much more delightful than a freshly baked warm pastry with a morning cup of coffee. Whether it's warm and gooey sticky buns, warm cinnamon rolls with caramel frosting, fresh homemade donuts, butter braids, or apple fritters, they're worth getting out of bed early for.
Can I Freeze PA Dutch Sticky Buns?
Yes, you can freeze these Amish sticky buns. They can be frozen before or after baking.
I typically freeze mine after baking them, because it is very handy to pull a few sticky buns from the freezer, give them a half-hour or so to thaw, and then enjoy them. They still taste like the day I made them.
This recipe makes a large batch. So unless you are making them for a crowd or to share with others, I recommend freezing some for later.
Sticky buns are the best when they are fresh. And whenever baked goods sit at room temperature for a couple of days, they start to dry out.
They are amazing on the first day! They are still good on the second day. But by the third day, they really need to be warmed in the microwave for about thirty seconds to soften them up a bit again.
So, I recommend that you freeze whatever won't get eaten within two days. Wrap them tightly, either individually or in the amount that you think you'll want to get out at one time. Place them in an airtight container and freeze them for up to three months.
I always wrap and place my baked goods into the freezer while they are still slightly warm because it helps to retain the moisture.
If you freeze them before baking, you will need to let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then let them rise at room temperature before baking them.
Variations - Sticky Buns with Raisins
You can use chopped pecans or halves to make Amish sticky buns.
For something different, substitute pecans for walnuts or even raisins. Or better yet, add raisins and nuts.
And if you don't care for nuts or raisins, you can make them with just caramel glaze and not add anything else.
What is the Difference Between Sticky Buns and Cinnamon Rolls?
Cinnamon rolls and sticky buns are both made from a sweet yeast dough that gets butter, sugar, and cinnamon between the layers of the roll.
However, sticky buns are baked in a pan with nuts and caramel glaze on the bottom. Then they're flipped after baking, so the gooey bottom becomes the topping.
Cinnamon rolls usually don't have nuts, and they are slathered with frosting instead of having a sticky topping.
But they are both equally delicious, in my opinion. It just depends if you love nuts and caramel glaze versus a cinnamon roll with frosting.
More Amish Baked Goods to Enjoy with a Morning Cup of Coffee
I hope you enjoy homemade sticky buns as much as we do. These sweet rolls never last long around our house.
If you get to try this recipe for Amish sticky buns, I'd love it if you left a comment and star rating below. Thank you and Happy Baking!
Check out my YouTube channel at MyAmishHeritage
📖 Recipe Card
Amish Sticky Buns Recipe
Ingredients
Dough:
- ½ c. warm water
- 2 pkg. (equals 2 scant Tbsp.) active dry yeast
- 2 c. lukewarm whole milk, scalded then cooled
- ⅓ c. sugar
- ½ c. canola or vegetable oil
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 large egg
- 6 ½ - 7 c. bread flour or all-purpose flour
Filling:
- ⅔ c. brown sugar (or white sugar)
- 3 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ c. butter, softened
Caramel Topping:
- 2 c. brown sugar
- 2 sticks butter (½ lb.)
- 2 Tbsp. water
- ¼ c. Karo corn syrup
- 2 - 4 c. pecans (halves or chopped)
Instructions
- Begin by scalding the milk. (Heat it in a saucepan until a skin forms on the top.) Remove from the heat and set it aside to cool. It needs to be lukewarm before adding it to the yeast (approx. 110°).2 c. lukewarm whole milk, scalded then cooled
- In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water. Let it set for a few minutes until frothy.½ c. warm water, 2 pkg. (equals 2 scant Tbsp.) active dry yeast
- Add the warm milk, sugar, oil, salt, egg, and 4 c. flour. Beat until smooth.⅓ c. sugar, ½ c. canola or vegetable oil, 2 tsp. salt, 1 large egg
- Continue adding the remaining flour, ½ c. at a time. Knead with a dough hook (or your hands) for several minutes until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and it is smooth and elastic.6 ½ - 7 c. bread flour or all-purpose flour
- Place the dough into a greased bowl and cover lightly. Set in a warm place to rise for about an hour or until doubled in size.
- Punch the dough down, knead for a bit, and divide it in half.
- Place one half onto a floured surface and roll it into approx. 12 ½ x 14" rectangle.
- Spread half of the butter over the top. Then spread with half of the brown sugar and cinnamon.⅔ c. brown sugar (or white sugar), ½ c. butter, softened, 3 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
- Starting with the long side, roll the dough like a jelly roll. (You can moisten the outside edge with wet fingertips to create a better seal.)
- Repeat the process with the second half of the dough.
- Using a sharp serrated edge knife, cut each roll into approx. 12 pieces (about 1" wide).
- Place the rolls, slightly apart, on top of the caramel and pecans.
- Cover lightly, and set in a warm place to rise again (about 50 minutes to an hour) until about doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 350° and bake the rolls for approx. 25-30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and place a slightly larger pan or heat-proof tray on top of the rolls and carefully invert the pan to flip out the buns. Let it rest for a moment to allow the caramel glaze to drizzle over the rolls.
- Serve the rolls warm. Or cover tightly and store at room temperature for up to three days.
- I recommend that you wrap and freeze any buns that won't get eaten within two days, to keep them fresh.
Caramel Topping:
- Heat butter, brown sugar, and water in a saucepan until melted and bring to a rolling boil. Remove from the heat and add the corn syrup. Stir to mix.2 c. brown sugar, 2 sticks butter (½ lb.), 2 Tbsp. water, ¼ c. Karo corn syrup
- Divide the caramel sauce into two greased 9 x 13" baking pans or 4 round cake pans.
- Sprinkle with pecans, and place the rolls over the top.2 - 4 c. pecans (halves or chopped)
Judy Cray
I made the sticky buns for my neighbors birthday. They were wonderfully delicious. Will definitely be making them again. Thank you!
Anna
Glad you enjoyed them!
Elizabeth
Love it!! From Berks County, PA, on Tuplehocken Creek near the road to nowhere. Now living in Nevada. Needed a taste of home, this was perfection. Thank you!
Anna
Awesome! Thanks for the feedback!
Cindy S Kuehl
Lightest cinnamon rolls I have ever made! Family LOVED them!
Anna
Thanks for letting me know. So glad you enjoyed them!
Anna
Finger-licking yummy!
Barbara Baker
I baked half the batch last night and refrigerated the other half. Can I leave it in the refrigerator 2 days?
Anna
I've never done it. But not sure why it would matter?? Let me know how it worked for you.
Bill
Is the butter salted or unsalted butter for this recipe? Thanks!
Anna
Either one will work. I use salted butter for everything.
Jann in PA
Me, too. I use salted butter, and no added salt in the recipe. Easier for me!
Anna
I still add the salt. I feel like the salt in the butter is so little that it doesn't really make any difference.