Gluten-Free Sticky Buns! Light and fluffy yeast rolls covered in a decadent caramel glaze and chopped pecans. An EASY recipe that turns out every time!
These sticky buns are perfect for a holiday breakfast, brunch or dessert. Try serving them with this Sausage Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole. For more gluten-free yeast bread recipes try this Gluten-Free Bread Recipe or these Gluten-Free Rolls!
Gluten-Free Sticky Buns
Is there anything better than a warm, gooey sticky bun hot out of the oven? My family usually made cornmeal pancakes on Christmas morning (with this gluten-free quiche), but my husband’s family tradition was always sticky buns. Before eating gluten-free I grew to love them! The toasted pecans and decadent caramel sauce all over a yeasted sweet roll is a heavenly combination.
I’m happy to say that these gluten-free sticky buns pass my husband’s sweet roll test with flying colors. They taste like traditional, old-fashioned sticky buns but are totally gluten-free.
You also might like this gluten-free cinnamon roll recipe or this gluten-free crescent roll recipe.
Making Gluten-Free Sweet Rolls
Of all the baked goods, yeasted breads are the most difficult to make gluten-free. That’s because yeast breads typically rely on gluten for structure. As the yeast develops and releases air, gluten is what holds everything together while allowing the bread to be pillowy.
Without gluten you have to get creative on ways to give gluten-free sweet rolls, cinnamon rolls and sticky buns structure. This gluten-free sticky bun recipe relies on a few ingredients to achieve rolls that are soft, but still hold together.
Ingredients for Gluten-Free Yeast Bread
- A high quality gluten-free flour blend. I like using a gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend like King Arthur Flour when making these rolls. It works best to use a blend that contains xanthan gum in this recipe.
- Psyllium husk powder. Psyllium husk powder is a great binder in gluten-free breads and adds structure.
- Baking Powder + Apple Cider Vinegar. These might seem like strange ingredients to have in a roll recipe! Using a combination of baking powder and apple cider vinegar is a great trick to giving gluten-free bread recipes a little extra rise.
- Use instant or highly active yeast. Unlike traditional bread recipes, gluten-free breads only require one rise, so it works great to use highly active yeast. One rise also makes these gluten-free sticky buns quick and easy!
How to Make Gluten-Free Sticky Buns
These how-to numbered pictures match up with the instructions below.
- In a measuring cup, together the wet ingredients.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the dry ingredients.
- With the mixer running on low, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry.
- Beat the mixture on medium-high speed for 6 minutes. It will look like cookie dough when it’s all mixed. This is how it’s supposed to look so don’t worry! Let the dough rise for 1 hour.
- Mix together the caramel and pour half into a 9-inch cake pan. Sprinkle with the pecans.
- Generously flour a piece of parchment paper.
- Using wet hands, press the dough into an even layer. Top with the remaining caramel mixture.
- Use the parchment paper to help you roll the dough into a log. Cut with an oiled knife then place in the pan, then bake!
Tips for Gluten-Free Sticky Buns
- The dough will be sticky when you’re trying to roll it out. To account for this make sure you generously flour the parchment paper before rolling out the dough. You’ll also want to use wet hands as you shape the dough into a rectangle. I usually have to wet my hands a few times while shaping the dough.
- This recipe turns out best in a dark, nonstick 9-inch cake pan. It allows the caramel to get gooey and the buns to turn golden better than other pans.
- Can I make these dairy-free? Yes! Simply substitute the butter for vegan non-dairy butter.
- Can I prepare these in advance? Yes! Assemble the sticky buns as instructed then cover and place directly in the fridge. Bake the next morning as directed.
Looking for more gluten-free treats? Try this Gluten-Free Sticky Toffee Pudding.
You also might like this NEW recipe for gluten-free monkey bread.
If you try this recipe be sure to leave me a comment below. I’d love to hear from you!
Gluten-Free Sticky Buns
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups gluten-free 1:1 baking flour
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup cane sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons psyllium husk powder
- 1 packet 2 1/4 teaspoons instant or highly active yeast
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup warm water about 110F
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
For the Caramel Topping/Filling:
- 3/4 cup butter melted
- 1 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups chopped pecans
Instructions
For the Dough:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the dry ingredients. Mix on low until combined.
- In a measuring cup, mix together the wet ingredients.
- With the mixer running on low, slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high then mix for 6 minutes. This allows air to incorporate into the dough. The dough will have the consistency of cookie dough. (NOTE: If your batter is thinner than thick cookie dough, add a little flour at a time until you get this consistency. You may need a little more flour depending on the brand of flour you use or how you measure it.)
- Scrap down the sides of the bowl and form into a ball in the bottom of the bowl. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.
Assemble the Sticky Buns:
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the butter, brown sugar, honey, cinnamon, vanilla and salt. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan (preferably a dark non-stick cake pan). Pour half of the caramel mixture into the pan. Sprinkle with the chopped pecans.
- Place a large sheet of parchment paper on a clean counter and generously coat with gluten-free flour. Once the dough has risen, use an oiled spatula to turn it out onto the parchment paper. Use wet hands to smooth the dough out into an even layer (about 1-inch thick or 11x13 inches). You will have to wet your hands several times while doing this.
- Pour the remaining caramel mixture over the dough and spread carefully with an off-set spatula. Roll along the long edge, using the parchment paper to help you lift the dough. Tuck the edges together to create a nice log shape.
- Using an oiled knife, cut the roll into 8 pieces. You will have to wipe off the knife and re-oil it between each cut. Carefully take one sticky bun at a time and shape it into a circle, then place in the prepared pan.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the edges are golden and the caramel is bubbling. Let the sticky buns cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a serving dish. Enjoy!
- These sticky buns are best served the day they're made, but any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature and reheated for 10-15 seconds in the microwave.
Notes
- The dough will be sticky when you're trying to roll it out. To account for this make sure you generously flour the parchment paper before rolling out the dough. You'll also want to use wet hands as you shape the dough into a rectangle. I usually have to wet my hands a few times while shaping the dough.
- This recipe turns out best in a dark, nonstick 9-inch cake pan. It allows the caramel to get gooey and the buns to turn golden better than other pans.
Can these be frozen at any point? before/after baking etc?
Unfortunately this dough is too delicate to freeze at any point. Sorry about that!
Can these be made like cinnamon rolls? Also people in my fam have an almond allergy what can I use instead?
Love your recipes
Since going GF, I’ve been intimidated by yeast. My daughter decided to conquer my fear and made these sticky buns, and they are amazing!!!! We love them and she now makes them for special occasions (Thanksgiving and Christmas Day!). Best of all, it is a recipe easy enough for my daughter to tackle on her own. Thank you!!!
I’m so happy you and your daughter like the recipe! So fun she can make it on her own. Thanks for the comment!
This sounds great and I love using psyllium. Can you use gluten free four to replace the almond flour?
Yes that will work great!
I can’t tell you how exciting this is for me. Sticky Buns on Christmas morning is a lifelong tradition and one I have brought to my own family. Ney diagnosed Celiac, I have been dreading this Xmas thinking I could not eat my homemade Sticky Buns. Then there you were in my inbox today! You came to my rescue. Can’t wait to make these now! Happy Holidays!
I was unable to purchase Pyslllim Husk Powder where I live and googled it and read that I could substitue xamthum gum and I used 3/4 teaspoon, My dough was extremely sticky and not like cookie dough.
I was able to get it into the pan and I had a coffee cake like product but very very tasty.
I just tried making these. The dough rose beautifully, but once I went to cut it the dough was still so sticky that it all fell apart and now all I have is a giant mess of dough gloop. I was going to share a picture, but there is no option to do so. Any idea what I did wrong? I followed the directions exactly as described.
Same. I’m wondering if it’s too humid where we live.
Hello, I’ve made your GF dinner rolls with great success. On that recipe you mention the exchange for eggs with golden ground flaxseed. Is there any reason I couldn’t do that to the sticky bun recipe?
I think it should work to use ground flaxseed in place of the eggs here. The sticky buns might be slightly less fluffy but should still be good! Let me know how it goes if you try it 🙂
It seems unusual that you rise the dough but not the shaped Sticky Buns. Is there a reason for this?
Have you tried rising the buns after shaping, then baking?
If you refrigerate the Buns overnight and then bake the next morning, do you still rise the dough first?
I ask because usually gluten free yeast recipes only rise on rime.
Thanks for your help.
PS I made your GF rolls for Thanksgiving and my daughter-in-law said they were the best part of the meal!
Gluten-free yeasted breads only need one rise as the dough is very fragile. Letting the dough rise before shaping makes it so you can actually roll the dough out. It will be a sticky mess otherwise! I hope this helps!
Made them today and my four-year-old said they were the “goodest” treat I’ve made 🙂 Thanks for another yummy GF recipe!
I’m so glad to hear the turned out for you! Thanks for the comment!
These look delicious! Can’t wait to try them!
Does the psyllium act like the xanthym gym in the flour? If our flour already has it, can I skip that? I have no other use for this and would like to avoid buying something I’ll only use for this recipe. These look amazing though!!
Unfortunately you need the psyllium husk for this recipe! I use it in my dinner rolls and pizza crust too so you can use it again in those recipes. It won’t turn out the same with just xanthan gum.
These pictures don’t do the sweet rolls justice! I mean talk about HEAVEN! They were so delightful.
Hi! These look amazing! Thanks so much for sharing! I was wondering if you can sub active dry Yeast for the instant?
Do you have a suggestion on how to make these without the yeast? Thanks for any advice you have. I’ve used several of your recipes and they’ve all been fabulous. 🙂
I’m so glad you’ve liked the recipes! Unfortunately I don’t think these sticky buns will work without yeast. Sorry about that! Maybe I’ll have to create some yeast-free, gluten-free cinnamon rolls.
I made these a few weeks ago, I thought the recipe was going to be difficult but it wasn’t. Your directions were easy to follow. I didn’t have psyllium husk I subbed it with Xanthum gum. It was very good, even my non gluten friends liked it!
I’m happy to hear they worked out for you!