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Caramel Rolls

Caramel Rolls are a breakfast staple in my family. A cinnamon-sugar filled bun draped in hot melty caramel makes Caramel Rolls the perfect breakfast treat.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Rising Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 35 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bourbon caramel, breakfast buns, breakfast roll, caramel rolls, cinnamon rolls, quick bread, sticky buns
Servings: 24 Rolls

Ingredients

For the Caramel:

  • ¾ cup Unsalted Butter
  • 2½ cups Light Brown Sugar
  • ¼ cup Light Karo Syrup

For the Homemade Dough:

  • 15.5 ounces All-Purpose Flour
  • 2 ounces Granulated Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • 2 ounces Nonfat Dry Milk Powder
  • 2 packets Instant Yeast (4½ teaspoons)
  • 1 cup Warm Water
  • 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter (melted)
  • 1 Large Egg

Alternative, Easier Dough Recipe:

  • 1 box Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix follow the instructions on the box
  • 1 Egg
  • 2 tablespoons Butter
  • 1 cup Hot Water

For the Filling:

  • ⅔ cup Granulated Sugar
  • 4 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter

Instructions

For the Caramel:

  • Heat butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan until melted. Add the Karo syrup and brown sugar. Mix together until totally melted together and bubbling slightly. Pour this caramel into the bottom of two 8-inch round pans, making sure each pan gets equal amounts of the caramel. Set the pans aside.

For the Dough:

  • Mix the flour, sugar, salt, milk powder and yeast in a bowl. Add the water butter and egg and knead until a cohesive dough forms and is soft and less sticky. Let rest for 5 minutes.

For the Easier, Alternative Dough Recipe

  • Note: If you already made the normal dough recipe you do NOT need to make this extra dough. This dough recipe is for those who do not feel as comfortable with bread making and would like to lean on a boxed mix for their first couple of times making these breakfast rolls. IF
  • Using the ingredients under the Easier Alternative Dough Recipe header, follow the instructions for making the dough on the back of the Hot Roll Mix box.

After the Dough is Made:

  • Regardless of if you made the normal dough recipe or the easier dough recipe for your dough, the next steps are the same either way.
  • Split the dough in half. Roll half of the dough out on a floured surface, in a 15x19 inch rectangle. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
  • Melt the butter and brush it over each rolled out piece of dough. Make sure to cover the entire surface area end to end.
  • In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar and the cinnamon from the filling section of the ingredients. Sprinkle each piece of dough with the sugar/cinnamon mixture. Make sure the entire surface area is covered.
  • Roll up the dough along the long side until you are left with a 15 inch long spiraled tube. Pinch the ends of the dough together to seal it shut. Repeat for the other piece of dough.
  • Cut each tube of dough into 12 pieces. Try to make them as equal as possible. Cutting two tubes of dough into 12 pieces each should give you 24 caramel rolls in total.
  • Place 12 rolls in each cake pan on top of the caramel, make sure the rolls are evenly spaced. Cover and let the rolls rise until double in size (about 45 min).
  • Once risen, bake in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes until brown on the top. Once you take them out of the oven, immediately flip over onto a large plate, make sure there is a lot of surface area on the plate because the caramel will run! Enjoy!