Erin’s Recipe Rundown
Growing up, my family always made cornmeal pancakes (with this gluten-free quiche) on Christmas morning, but my husband’s family tradition was sticky buns.
Making a gluten-free version that’s just as good was an absolute must! I’m happy to say these gluten-free sticky buns pass my husband’s sweet roll test with flying colors. They taste just like the classic treat!
Why You’ll Love It: Toasted pecans and rich caramel sauce over soft, fluffy, yeasted rolls make an irresistible combination. This decadent, holiday-worthy recipe is sure to impress both gluten-free and gluten-loving eaters alike.
Top Tip: Take the time to refrigerate the dough before rolling it out. Gluten-free dough can be tricky to handle and chilling it makes it so much easier to work with!
You may also like these gluten-free bread flour recipes: gluten-free cinnamon rolls, gluten-free pumpkin cinnamon rolls, gluten-free apple fritters, gluten-free monkey bread, and gluten-free hot cross buns.
xoxo erin
Featured Comment
From Dyan: “These were fantastic!!! And they tasted JUST like the ones my mom always made, starting back in the 60’s. I’ve tried a few GF recipes for these rolls before, but they never really came out right. Not only were these delicious and the right texture – they were easier and faster (by an hour) to make as well! My non GF family members all loved them too! You would never know they were gluten free. This recipe is definitely a keeper!! Thank you for sharing it.”
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on some of the key ingredients to make these gluten-free sticky buns. Jump to the recipe card below for the exact measurements
- Gluten-free bread flour: King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour is the only blend that will work with this recipe! This flour contains gluten-free wheat starch which creates the traditional sticky bun texture and proper structure.
- Yeast: This is 100% necessary to achieve light and fluffy sticky buns. Use instant, not active dry yeast, which can be added directly to the dry mix without activating first.
- Eggs: Eggs are essential in gluten-free yeast recipes to properly bind the dough. Without eggs, the buns can easily become dense and disappointing.
- Corn syrup: The corn syrup is prevents crystallization for smooth caramel.
Serve them with this Sausage Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole.
How to Make Gluten-Free Sticky Buns
Here’s an overview of how to make this recipe. You can jump to the recipe for the full instructions!
Make the glaze: I prefer to use a stand mixer for ease, but a hand mixer works too! Cream the sugars, butter, and salt until light and fluffy, then mix in the corn syrup and vanilla.
In the prepared baking pan: Spread the glaze evenly in the pan and sprinkle with pecans.
Prep the dough: The stand mixer is a huge help with the dough! Combine the dry ingredients, then slowly add the liquid ingredients. Gluten-free dough looks different! The goal is a thick cookie dough consistency. Cover tightly and chill so that it’s easier to roll into a 15×15″ square. Just don’t forget to flour your work surface!
Add the filling: Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl first, then sprinkle it across the dough. Using a pizza cutter to slice the twelve 1¼” wide strips makes the job much easier!
Roll and rise: Roll each dough strip up into a spiral and place on the glaze in the baking pan. Repeat until all twelve are rolled up and evenly placed in the pan. Cover the buns with oiled plastic wrap, then let them rise in a warm place.
Bake and enjoy: Bake until they’re slightly golden brown. Let the sticky buns cool for 15 minutes in the pan before turning them out onto either another pan or serving platter. Take time to spoon any run-off glaze back onto the buns, then cool for another 20 minutes before serving. Now the hard part…try to only eat one!
Gluten-Free Sticky Buns
Ingredients
Caramel-Pecan Glaze
- 1 cup (226g) butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (106g) brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (120ml) corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (65g) chopped pecans
Dough
- 4½ cups (675g) King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour
- ⅓ cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1¼ cups (300ml) water, warm
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, warm
- 2 large eggs
- 6 tablespoons (85g) butter, melted
Filling
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
- For the caramel-pecan glaze: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or using a hand mixer, mix together the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and salt on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add the corn syrup and vanilla, and continue to mix for 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Spread the glaze into an even layer in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the chopped pecans.
- For the sticky bun dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the gluten-free bread flour, sugar, instant yeast, salt and baking powder. Mix to combine.
- With the mixer running on low, slowly add the water, milk, eggs and melted butter. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 3 minutes. The dough will resemble thick cookie dough, this is normal.
- Using an oiled rubber spatula, scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes. (Refrigerating the dough makes it easier to roll out.)
- Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a ball. Sprinkle with a little gluten-free flour, then roll the dough out into a 15×15-inch square.
- For the filling: In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar filling all over the dough.
- Using a pizza cutter, cut the square into twelve 1¼-inch-wide strips.
- Roll each dough strip up into a spiral. Place in the prepared baking pan on top of the caramel-pecan glaze.
- Cover the pan with oiled plastic wrap and place in a warm place. Allow the rolls to rise for 45-60 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the plastic wrap. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the rolls are slightly golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and cool in the baking pan for 15 minutes before turning them out onto another pan or serving platter. Spoon any run-off glaze back over the buns. Cool for another 20 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in August 2014. It was updated with new photos and instructions in October 2025.
My granddaughter has celiac disease and is very sensitive to gluten. The King Arthur’s GF
bread flour states that it contains wheat, but the wheat has been put through a process to remove the gluten. I would like to make the Carmel rolls for my granddaughter, but don’t want to make her sick. What would you suggest?
Hi Cynthia! The KA GF Bread Flour contains certified gluten-free wheat starch so it is typically okay for those who need gluten-free, just not those with wheat allergies/sensitivities. Erin has Celiac and uses it without issues, but it is totally up to each person’s needs and preferences. We hope this helps!