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These vegan, nut-free sticky buns are just as soft and pillowy as classic cinnamon rolls, but with a gooey brown sugar maple glaze that bakes into the base and then becomes the topping!

I’ve been baking for over 15 years and baking vegan treats almost a decade, which means I’ve seen my fair share of cinnamon rolls masquerading as sticky buns.

This recipe exists because I wanted the real thing – with the topping that appears only once they are out of the oven and flipped upside down! These nut-free sticky buns were tested, tasted and tweaked until they earned their name.

Why these buns actually work

Sticky buns live or die by texture. I mean, they have to be sticky right?! Over the years I have learned that vegan baking isn’t magic, it just requires patience and a basic understanding of process. When you get it right, you’ll get:

  • a dough that stays tender yet doesn’t collapse into itself
  • a topping that truly caramelizes while it bakes
  • buns that reheat like a dream and don’t dry out by morning!

These buns use the same dough as my classic cinnamon rolls, so you know it’s a tried and tested dough that won’t cause you any hassle. I like to keep it as simple as possible with baking, and having a good dependable dough that I could make in my sleep is of utmost importance.

Don’t skip this!

Let the buns sit just long enough after baking before flipping over the pan – 2 minutes is the sweet spot. Flip it too soon and the topping runs away from you. But wait too long and the glaze welds itself to the pan (I learned this the hard way!)

Nut-free by design, not by accident!

Leaving nuts out wasn’t an after thought or the result of just not having any on hand. Personally, I am just not a “nuts in baked goods” kind of girl. I wanted a sticky bun that wowed even without the crunch of pecans and walnuts. The richness in these buns comes from how the sugars cook down and cling to the pan.

Of course, you can add nuts if you really desire! No judgement here.

Why you’ll make these again and again

I don’t post recipes unless they earn “repeat status”. This one is totally worth your counter space!

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Brown Sugar & Maple Sticky Buns

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  • Author: Liv B
  • Prep Time: 3.5 hours (including rising time)
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 4-ish hours including rising time
  • Yield: 12 sticky buns
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Description

Fluffy vegan cinnamon rolls baked in a pan of maple brown sugar caramel, then flipped over – sticky buns!

Ingredients

Dough:

  • 1 1/2 cups nondairy milk, lukewarm (just warm to the touch)
  • 2 tsp active dry yeast
  • 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 10 tbsp vegan butter, melted

Filling:

  • 1/4 cup softened vegan butter
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Caramel:

  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract 
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup vegan butter

Instructions

  1. In a mixing bowl, stir together lukewarm milk and yeast and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
  2. In a large bowl or stand mixer add the flour, salt and sugar and whisk to combine. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast/milk mixture and melted butter. Mix on low speed or with a large spoon until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl (it will still be a bit sticky).
  3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured surface and form into a ball. Place in a medium size bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a clean dish towel and place in a slightly warm, draft-free area for 1-2 hours to rise, until about doubled in size.
  4. Grease a 9×13″ pan (I used metal) with cooking spray or vegan butter. Set aside.
  5. When the dough has about 15 minutes of rising time left, make the caramel: In a small pot on medium heat, add the maple syrup, brown sugar, vegan butter and vanilla. Heat until butter is melted and mixture is combined, then increase heat to medium-high until mixture comes to a boil. Let boil for about 30 seconds, then remove from heat and pour into the prepared metal pan. Set aside.
  6. Make the rolls: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a long rectangle with a rolling pin, approximately 20 inches by 9 inches. Spread the vegan butter evenly over the dough, leaving a 1 inch strip across the top bare (so you can seal the rolls).
  7. Stir together the sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle evenly over the buttered dough.
  8. Starting with the long side closest to you, roll the dough snugly up from bottom to top. Slice into 12 even rolls. Place rolls into the baking pan, spaced evenly apart. Cover lightly with plastic wrap or a clean dish towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free area for 1 hour.
  9. When the dough has about 15 minutes left of rising time, preheat the oven to 375 F. 
  10. Bake the cinnamon rolls in preheated oven for 32-35 minutes, until golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and let stand 2 minutes (don’t let the rolls sit out of the oven for too long before flipping, or the topping will stay stuck in the baking pan), then place a sheet pan over top of the pan and quickly invert the pans to flip the sticky buns upside down onto the sheet pan.
  11. Let cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!

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