These easy upside down crescent rolls sticky buns are ready to enjoy in less than 25 minutes! Semi homemade using crescent rolls they will surely wow your guests for breakfast!
I am all about easy recipes here at The Typical Mom. If I can cut corners a bit and make something wonderful that is semi homemade I am all about it, that’s where these easy pecan sticky buns come into play. (affiliate links present)
Upside Down Pecan Sticky Buns
Since the toppings are all on the bottom as they bake we call them this. It is a way for the coating to really stick and kinda’ caramelize too. When you are ready to serve you can use pot holders with a plate on top and gently flip. Use a spatula to scrape the remaining bits out of the pan and on top. You want it ALL.
The perfect Christmas morning breakfast or weekend treat they have the sticky sweetness you love with the addition of honey roasted pecans, dried fruit and raisins too. They’re so good I have to only make 1 batch or you’d have to roll me out the door! You can bake or make in the air fryer.
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Why We Love Sticky Buns with Crescent Rolls
I am impatient, fresh dough takes a while to make as you need yeast and all. NO waiting for rolls to rise or double in size necessary covered in a bowl.
- You don’t even roll dough out, that’s already done for you this way
- Yeast is a bit intimidating since I rarely ever use it
- I don’t always have yeast on hand, in fact…I never do
- I like to have easy breakfast recipes on hand so we can enjoy them at the drop of a hat
Ingredients
- I used refrigerated crescent rolls
- I did NOT unroll the dough once I opened the package
- I sliced them into 12 equal pieces so they looked like the top image here
- Brown sugar packed
- Butter melted
- Raisins
- Pecans we used honey glazed roasted in a bag
- Maple syrup
- Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Dried cranberries or dried mixed fruits
Use what you have on hand and toppings you love. Mini chocolate chips are another option that could be fun but I stick with the nut version here.
with Rhodes frozen bread dough
If you want to use frozen rolls or dough you will need to defrost it first. Roll it out so it is thin, like 1/4″ thick. Slice into 1 inch pieces and roll up like a cinnamon roll. Use these just as you would refrigerated dough described below.
We made these on the weekend for breakfast and they lasted all of about 5 minutes. I had to scoop 3 up for my husband before the kids devoured them all. I personally loved the addition of the dried cherries, blueberries and raisins.
How to Make Easy Sticky Buns with Crescent Rolls
- Melt your softened butter, add your brown sugar and maple syrup and whisk together.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and spray non stick spray inside your 8×8 pan.
- Pour your butter mixture into the bottom of your pan and spread out evenly.
- Sprinkle your raisins, dried cranberries (we used a dried berry mixture), and chopped pecans (or other nuts) on your butter mixture evenly.
- Pop open your can of refrigerated crescent rolls but DO NOT unroll the dough.
- Put unrolled dough on a cutting board and using a sharp knife cut the roll in half, then in half again, then in half again so in the end you will have 12 equal pieces of your unrolled dough.
- In a small bowl combine your sugar and cinnamon. Pick up one of your 12 pieces and gently press cut ends, both sides, into sugar/cinnamon mixture.
- Then, place each one of your 12 pieces on to your butter/nut mixture in your pan so there are 3 rolls of 4 rolls with cut ends facing the bottom of the pan.
- Pour the rest of the sugar/cinnamon mixture on the top of your rolls in your pan and put into your oven for 18-20 min or until rolls and very lightly browned and feel done (not sticky) when touching the tops.
- Remove, put on cooling rack.
When scooping sticky buns out of pan flip them upside down on to each plate and spoon some sugar/pecan mixture on each one. Sauce will thicken and become sticky after sitting for just a few minutes.
In a Muffin Tin
You could bake these individually in a muffin tin. You’d just divide the bottom ingredients into 12ths and lay one slice in each hole. Then when done use a spoon to scoop out each one and flip over on to a plate. To make things more fun and easier cleanup use silicone baking cups inside each divot.
Crescent Roll Sticky Buns in Air Fryer
For Air fryer sticky buns or in the oven step by step directions, the toppings are on the bottom. That is why we say they are upside down in a sense. So when they are done baking, just barely lightly browned on top so you don’t over-bake them in the oven, you will want to scoop each one out and flip upside down on a plate. Serve warm out of the baking dish.
Then spoon some more topping on top of each one and if you wait a minute or two it thickens up like crazy creating this caramel like sauce that is AMAZING!!
These and our homemade sweet rolls are perfect for a Christmas breakfast, and best when eaten almost immediately after pulling them out of the oven. Just minutes after flipping your sweet rolls over and spooning the sticky bun sauce over the top so it can cover it and thicken just a tad.
How to save leftovers
If you have leftovers wait until they are at room temperature and wrap with plastic wrap. Store on the counter and warm in the microwave the enjoy again the next day. You can jump to recipe below and get started.
Other easy Christmas brunch recipes you’ll love
- Cinnamon roll breakfast casserole is fun during the holidays
- Crockpot breakfast casserole recipe is savory in nature
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Sticky Buns with Crescent Rolls
Equipment
- 1 8×8 pan
Ingredients
- 1 roll crescent rolls refrigerated, not unrolled, sliced into 12 pieces
- 1/3 c brown sugar packed
- 1/3 c butter melted
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 c dried cranberries or dried mixed fruits
- 1/4 c raisins
- 1/3 c pecans we used honey glazed roasted in a bag
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Melt your butter, add your brown sugar and maple syrup and whisk together.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and spray non stick spray inside your 8×8 pan.
- Pour your butter mixture into the bottom of your pan and spread out evenly.
- Sprinkle your raisins, dried cranberries (we used a dried berry mixture), and chopped pecans (or other nuts) on your butter mixture evenly.
- Pop open your can of refrigerated crescent rolls but DO NOT unroll the dough.
- Put unrolled dough on a cutting board and using a sharp knife cut the roll in half, then in half again, then in half again so in the end you will have 12 equal pieces of your unrolled dough.
- In a small bowl combine your sugar and cinnamon. Pick up one of your 12 pieces and gently press cut ends, both sides, into sugar/cinnamon mixture.
- Then, place each one of your 12 pieces on to your butter/nut mixture in your pan so there are 3 rolls of 4 rolls with cut ends facing the bottom of the pan.
- Pour the rest of the sugar/cinnamon mixture on the top of your rolls in your pan and put into your oven for 18-20 min or until rolls and very lightly browned and feel done (not sticky) when touching the tops.
- Remove, put on cooling rack.
- When scooping sticky buns out of pan flip them upside down on to each plate and spoon some sugar/pecan mixture on each one.
- Sauce will thicken and become sticky after sitting for just a few minutes.
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