Butterscotch Rolls

These old-fashioned butterscotch rolls are individual sticky buns with a clever setup. Each muffin cup gets a spoonful of butter, sugar, and pecans in the bottom before the dough goes in. As the rolls bake, that layer melts and caramelizes, and when you flip the pan over while it’s hot, it becomes a glossy, sticky butterscotch-pecan topping.

The rolls themselves start with a soft, enriched yeast dough rolled up jelly-roll style with melted butter and cinnamon sugar, then sliced into pinwheels. A nice bonus: the dough keeps for up to three days in the fridge, so you can mix it ahead and bake fresh rolls whenever the craving hits.

The one rule that matters most: invert the pan the moment the rolls come out of the oven.

Let them cool in the tin and that caramel sets like glue, gripping the pan and leaving the sticky topping behind. Flip them hot and it slides right out onto the plate.

Kitchen Tips

• Invert the muffin pan onto a tray right after baking, while the butterscotch is still molten, or it sets and sticks.
• Let the dough rise until light and doubled both times for soft, fluffy rolls.
• Make the dough ahead. It keeps three days chilled, so you can bake rolls fresh on demand.
• Slice the log with a sharp knife or a length of thread so the pinwheels keep their shape.

Variations

• Use walnuts instead of pecans, or add raisins to the cinnamon-sugar filling.
• Add a splash of maple syrup or a pinch of salt to the butterscotch bottoms.
• Bake them in a single pan, sticky-bun style, instead of muffin tins.