Philadelphia Sticky Buns

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Quick breads Medium

Philadelphia-style sticky buns are soft yeasted spirals of cinnamon sugar and raisins baked in a honey-butter syrup, then flipped over. This version leaves out the nuts for the old-style gooey, nut-free bun. Makes 12 buns in about 3 hr 17 min.

Prep 45 min

Cook 32 min

Cooling 2 hr

Total 3 hr 17 min

Yield 12 buns

Ingredients

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buns

1 cup (240 ml)whole milk, warmed to 110 F (43 C)
¼ oz (7 g)instant yeast
¼ cup (50 g)granulated sugar, for the dough
¼ cup (60 g)unsalted butter, melted and cooled, for the dough
2 (100 g)eggs
1 tsp (6 g)salt, for the dough
3 ¾ cups (480 g)all-purpose flour
¼ cup (60 g)unsalted butter, softened, for the filling
½ cup (100 g)granulated sugar, for the filling
1 tbsp (8 g)ground cinnamon
⅔ cup (90 g)raisins
⅓ cup (85 g)unsalted butter, for the syrup
½ cup (100 g)light brown sugar
¼ cup (85 g)honey
1 pinchsalt, for the syrup

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Instructions

Whisk the warm milk, yeast and sugar and let stand 5 minutes until foamy. Mix in the butter, eggs and salt.
Add the flour and knead 8 minutes by machine (10 by hand) until smooth and slightly tacky. Cover and let rise 1 to 1 1/2 hours until doubled.
Melt the syrup butter, brown sugar, honey and salt together, stir until smooth, and pour into a greased 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) pan.
Roll the dough into a 12x16-inch (30x40 cm) rectangle. Spread with the softened butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar and raisins.
Roll up from the long side, pinch the seam closed and cut into 12 equal buns. Place cut-side up on the syrup. Cover and rise 45 minutes until puffy.
Bake at 350 F (175 C) for 28 to 32 minutes, until deep golden and the center bun reads 190 F (88 C).
Cool 5 minutes, then flip onto a tray so the syrup covers the buns. Scrape any syrup left in the pan on top.

Tips

Flip the buns while warm; cooled syrup sticks to the pan.
Slice the log with unflavored dental floss for neat spirals.
For an overnight bun, refrigerate the shaped buns after step 5 and bake the next morning.
Good with hot coffee.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make philadelphia sticky buns?

Plan on 45 minutes of prep and 32 minutes of cooking, plus 2 hours to chill. The recipe makes 12 buns.

How should I store philadelphia sticky buns?

Keep covered at room temperature 2 days. Reheat 15 seconds in the microwave to soften. Freeze baked buns up to 2 months.

Can I make philadelphia sticky buns ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

Sticky buns trace back to German schnecken brought by settlers to the Philadelphia area, where they were topped with honey, molasses or maple syrup. Serve it with hot coffee.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 12 servings this recipe makes.

420 Calories / serving

15.8g Fat

64.5g Carbs

6.4g Protein

32.1g Sugar

Whole recipe (12 servings): ~5040 cal · 190g fat · 774g carbs · 77g protein · 385g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.