“Me and my mom have been searching for this recipe for years…”

These Southern Butter Rolls are a truly indulgent dessert, blending tender, buttery rolls with a rich, sweet, and creamy sauce. With layers of cinnamon-sugar goodness baked until golden and puffy, they offer a comforting taste of Southern hospitality perfect for a special breakfast, brunch, or dessert.

Southern Butter Rolls

Ingredients:

For the Rolls:

For the Sauce:

Instructions:

1. Prepare Butter & Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Unwrap one stick (1/2 cup) of unsalted butter and place it on a plate near the oven to soften to room temperature. Cut the second stick (1/2 cup) of butter into small cubes and place them in the freezer for 10 minutes to chill.
2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda.
3. Cut in Cold Butter: Add the chilled cubed butter to the flour mixture and toss to coat the butter pieces. Using your fingertips, quickly pinch and work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining.
4. Add Buttermilk: Pour the 1 cup chilled buttermilk into the flour mixture and stir until no dry flour remains and a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix.
5. Roll Out Dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly flour-dusted surface. Dust the top of the dough with a little more flour and roll it out evenly into a 12×18-inch rectangle.
6. Spread & Sprinkle: Carefully spread the softened room temperature butter evenly over the entire surface of the rolled-out dough. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, then sprinkle this mixture evenly over the buttered dough.
7. Roll & Slice: Starting at one of the long ends of the rectangle, tightly roll the dough up jelly-roll style into a log. Using a sharp knife, slice the log into 12 even slices (approximately 1.5 inches thick each).
8. Arrange & Chill Rolls: Place the sliced rolls into a 9×13-inch baking dish, arranging them snugly but with a little space between them. Set the dish in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the sauce.
9. Make the Sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine the 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk, 1 1/2 cups whole milk, 2/3 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and stir gently until the mixture starts to bubble around the edges and the sugar has fully dissolved.
10. Finish Sauce & Pour: Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Pour the hot sauce evenly over the rolls in the baking dish. Don’t worry if the rolls float a bit; that’s normal.
11. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the rolls are puffy, golden brown on top, and the sauce is bubbly and slightly thickened.
12. Rest & Serve: Let the Southern Butter Rolls sit for 5 minutes after removing them from the oven before serving warm.

Enjoy this comforting taste of the South!