![Southern Living Caramel Rolls on a serving board](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.southernliving.com/thmb/VUhdDROdvnbGi-EQOvV0HOR-EWQ=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Caramel-Rolls_Batch54_beauty_9450-460e93861d0b4b92a418d3a60d1ee231.jpg)
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Similar to sticky buns, these super tender caramel rolls are full of warmly spiced filling—pure perfection alongside a hot cup of coffee or tea. In this indulgent and crowd-pleasing recipe, gooey caramel cascades down the tops and sides of the rolls, completely encasing them in sticky goodness.
Caramel rolls are a great alternative to sticky buns or pecan rolls, too, if anyone in the house is allergic to nuts. You're delivering all the same warm and cozy flavors of cinnamon and brown sugar, but the rich caramel sauce puts them over the top—and you won't even miss the nuts.
Caramel Rolls Ingredients
To make the caramel, you’ll need just three easy-to-find ingredients:
- granulated sugar
- light corn syrup
- heavy whipping cream
- plus cooking spray
To make the dough, you’ll need:
- more heavy whipping cream
- granulated sugar
- unsalted butter
- instant or quick-rising yeast (such as Fleischmann’s RapidRise)
- eggs
- kosher salt
- bread flour
For the filling, you'll need:
- light brown sugar
- unsalted butter
- granulated sugar
- ground cinnamon
![Southern Living Caramel Rolls ingredients](https://www.southernliving.com/thmb/4P7FRf87WPdH_LzBipXC_WnrkJ8=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Caramel-Rolls_Batch54_Step1_9267-1-5c433e6311a24eecad7966e4948ea33e.jpg)
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
How To Make Caramel Rolls
There are three distinct steps in making caramel rolls:
- Step 1. Make the caramel topping. Pour it in a baking dish.
- Step 2. Make the dough.
- Step 3. Make the rolls, and bake them.
Here's an outline of that process, with the full recipe further down the page.
For the caramel topping
To make the caramel:
- Step 1. Cook the sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan over medium-high, until it turns a deep amber color.
- Step 2. Take the saucepan off the heat, and whisk in the cream until smooth.
- Step 3. Pour the caramel mixture into a greased baking pan and spread it into an even layer. Set it aside uncovered while you prepare the dough.
For the dough
Making caramel roll dough isn't difficult. It just takes a little time and patience.
- Step 1. Stir together water, cream, sugar, butter, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Let stand until foamy before adding the eggs and salt. Mix on low speed until just combined.
- Step 2. Add flour, mixing at low speed until just combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium, and beat until the dough comes together.
- Step 3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead until elastic. Form the dough into a tight ball, cover it with a damp towel, and let it rise for 10 minutes.
Putting it all together
It's time to add the filling and make the individual rolls:
- Step 1. Prepare the filling by stirring together brown sugar, butter, granulated sugar, and cinnamon to combine. Set the filling aside, and preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Step 2. Roll out the dough into a rectangle, and sprinkle the filling evenly over the surface, pressing it into the dough.
- Step 3. Roll the dough into a log, and cut the log crosswise into 12 slices.
- Step 4. Arrange the slices in a baking pan, and then bake in the preheated oven until the tops are golden brown and cooked through.
- Step 5. Remove from the oven, and let cool on a wire rack for five minutes.
- Step 6. Invert the baking pan onto a dish or a large-rimmed baking sheet.
Tips for Making Caramel Rolls
If you don't want to make your own caramel from scratch for this recipe, you could instead use soft caramel candies and melt them with heavy cream until you reach the desired consistency.
For more texture in the final dish—and a distinctly Southern touch—try adding chopped pecans on top of the rolls or within the filling.
Storing Leftover Caramel Rolls
If not serving the rolls immediately after baking, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. And these do make excellent leftovers: You might say caramel rolls are even better the next day as the bread absorbs the caramel flavor.
How To Serve Caramel Rolls
Serve these tasty caramel rolls all by themselves—or alongside a cold glass of milk, or a steaming mug of coffee.
More Sticky Buns and Cinnamon Rolls
Need more breakfast inspiration? Here are more rolled up treats:
- Golden-Delicious Sticky Buns
- Best-Ever Sticky Buns
- Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
- Cinnamon Rolls With Cream Cheese Icing
- Christmas Morning Cinnamon Rolls
Editorial contributions by Alesandra Dubin.
![Southern Living Caramel Rolls on plates to serve](https://www.southernliving.com/thmb/6Bl193g0g-tRWMo0envc2O4Srz0=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Caramel-Rolls_Batch54_beauty_9509-c9c743fdfd984ddcb0c12e86f55abe4f.jpg)
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Ingredients
Caramel:
-
Cooking spray
-
3/4 cup granulated sugar
-
1/4 cup light corn syrup
-
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
Dough:
-
1 cup water (about 110°F)
-
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
-
1/2 cup granulated sugar
-
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
-
2 Tbsp. instant or quick-rising yeast (such as Fleischmann’s RapidRise)
-
2 large eggs, beaten
-
2 tsp. kosher salt
-
5 1/4 cups (about 1 lb. 8 1/2 oz.) bread flour, plus more for work surface
Filling:
-
1 cup packed light brown sugar
-
6 Tbsp. (3 oz.) unsalted butter, melted
-
1/4 cup granulated sugar
-
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
Directions
-
Prepare the Caramel:
Place sugar and corn syrup in a medium saucepan. Cook, undisturbed, over medium-high, until mixture reaches a deep amber color, about 8 minutes.
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
-
Add cream:
Remove saucepan from heat; slowly and carefully whisk in cream until smooth.
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
-
Add caramel to baking pan:
Pour caramel mixture into a greased 13- x -9-inch baking pan, using a spatula to spread into an even layer. Set aside, uncovered, until ready to use.
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
-
Prepare the Dough:
Stir together water, cream, sugar, butter, and yeast in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Let stand until foamy, about 15 minutes.
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
-
Add eggs and salt to yeast mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds. Add flour in 3 additions, mixing on low speed until just combined. After last addition of flour, increase mixer speed to medium, and beat until Dough comes together and pulls away from sides of bowl, 3 to 5 minutes.
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
-
Knead Dough:
Transfer Dough to a lightly floured work surface; knead until elastic and just a little tacky to the touch, about 3 minutes. Form Dough into a tight ball; cover with a damp towel, and let rise for 10 minutes.
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
-
Meanwhile, prepare the Filling:
Stir together brown sugar, butter, granulated sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl until combined. Set aside.
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
-
Roll out Dough:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out Dough to a 16- x 12-inch rectangle, dusting work surface and rolling pin with additional flour if needed.
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
-
Add Filling:
Sprinkle Filling evenly over surface of Dough, using your hands or a spatula to press into Dough.
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
-
Roll Dough:
Starting at 1 long end, roll Dough into a log.
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
-
Cut rolls:
Cut log crosswise into 12 slices (about 1 1/2 inches each).
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
-
Add rolls to pan:
Arrange slices over caramel in baking pan (they will be touching each other).
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
-
Bake rolls:
Bake in preheated oven until tops are golden brown and cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool in baking pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
-
Flip baking pan:
Invert baking pan onto a dish or a large rimmed baking sheet. Serve rolls immediately, or store in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 4 days.
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless