Easy hawaiian roll sticky buns are my go-to breakfast treat! They’re pillowy soft, have a caramelized pecan topping and there’s no yeast dough or rising time required! Get all the delicious flavors of traditional sticky buns without the wait!

Why you’ll love this recipe:

Sticky buns are typically made from a rich dough that has butter, milk and eggs but using Kings Hawaiian rolls is an easy shortcut to make these rolls ready to eat in less than 30 minutes! Hawaiian rolls are made form an enriched dough and give off a similar taste and texture to other sticky buns with only a fraction of the effort. What’s not to love? These rolls are simply the best!

Ingredients you’ll need:

For the sticky pecan topping:

Brown sugar
Water
Chopped pecans
Cold butter

For the roll filling:

Kings Hawaiian rolls
Melted butter
Brown sugar
Cinnamon

Brown sugar, water and butter create the perfect caramel glaze that is slightly sticky and coats the rolls perfectly. The star of the show here is definitely the caramelized pecan topping- I like using chopped pecans for this recipe because I feel like the smaller pieces are easier to eat, but you could definitely use whole pecans or even substitute for walnuts in a pinch!

How to make the best hawaiian roll sticky buns:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
In a standard 12 cup muffin tin, add 1 tbsp brown sugar into each cavity. Pour 1 tsp of water on top and stir each one to dissolve the sugar.
Evenly divide chopped pecans between the muffin cups, then top each with a ½ tbsp pat of butter. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine melted butter, granulated sugar, and cinnamon. Slice the rolls in half lengthwise, then pour the buttery mixture evenly over the bottom half of the rolls. Place the tops back on and separate into individuals rolls.
Place one facedown hawaiian roll into each muffin tin cavity and bake for 15 minutes (cover with foil for softer buns).
Let cool for 3-5 minutes, then invert the sticky buns from the pan while warm. Enjoy immediately!

These are fully assembled in the muffin tins and don’t even require a stove top to make the pecan topping! Simply layer the brown sugar, pecans, and butter in the bottom of each muffin tin cavity, then top with the Hawaiian rolls and bake! No dough, dry yeast or mixer required!

My top tips:

I recommend covering the pan while baking to ensure the rolls stay super soft and delicious! If you’d like the edges to be a little crisper, you can bake them uncovered as well.
As the caramelized nuts cool, they become sticky, so you’ll want to be sure you get these out of the pan while they’re still warm!
I do recommend eating these the day of for ultimate freshness but feel free to store them in the fridge for a day or two and reheat in the microwave when you’re ready to enjoy!

If you like these easy pecan sticky buns, try out these other shortcut baking treats!

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