Breakfast Recipe: Coffee Breakers

This easy to make cinnamon bun recipe is one of the best secrets of using Pillsbury Crescent Rolls in baking. Your family will love these ultimate sticky buns called Coffee Breakers.

Coffee-Breaker-cut and on a white plate waiting to be eaten The Ultimate Sticky Bun

After a good friend of mine, Suellen passed away, all of her family and friends gathered at her home. There were many people coming and going all day long. One morning, my daughter Mandy, and Suellen’s sister-in-law, made 6 trays of a breakfast recipe we all love called Coffee Breakers that are a gooey delicious variation of a cinnamon bun.

My friend Suellen had a knack for taking complicated things, especially recipes and making them easier. Coffee Breakers was her most sought-after recipe.  She is well known for making them among her friends and family. If she was staying at your house – it was a given that she would be up early in the morning padding around your kitchen making them while everyone was still asleep.

The original recipe was made using yeast and Bisquick and required time for the dough to rise. Replacing these ingredients with Pillsbury Crescent Rolls cuts the preparation time in half.

How to Make Coffee Breakers 

Coffee Breakers Sticky Buns

Coffee Breakers are like cinnamon buns but with more gooey goodness. Since you use ready made Pillsbury Crescent Rolls there is no need to make dough from scratch and wait for it to rise. These can be made in about 15 and then placed in the oven for 20 -30 minutes.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cinnamon rolls, crescent rolls, sticky buns
Servings: 10
Calories: 148kcal
Cost: $10

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup 1/2 stick butter or margarine
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
  • 1/3 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 and 1/2 rolls of Pillsbury Crescent rolls

For the Glaze

Instructions

  • 1. Melt margarine; stir in 1/3 cup brown sugar and syrup, bring to full boil. Spread in large oblong pan. Sprinkle with pecans.
  • Open Crescent Rolls and pinch them together to make a sheet of dough. Smooth the dough with
    your hands or roll into 12-inch square. Brush with 2 tablespoons butter/margarine. Combine 1/4
    cup brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle center third of the dough with half the mixture. Fold
    one-third over center third of dough. Rub more melted butter/margarine over dough and sprinkle
    with remaining sugar-cinnamon. Fold remaining third over the 2 layers. Cut with sharp knife,
    crosswise into strips about 1 inch wide. Grasp ends of strip and twist. Seal ends firmly. Place in
    pan right on top of nuts and syrup about 1-1/2 inches apart. Cover.
    Bake at 375°F for about 20 – 30 minutes. Time will depend on how high the sides of your pan are.
  • When you take them out of the oven, invert pan immediately onto a serving plate. 

Nutrition

Calories: 148kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 86mg | Potassium: 32mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Calcium: 17mg
Coffee Breaker Recipe

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  1. Melt margarine; stir in 1/3 cup brown sugar and syrup, bring to full boil. Spread in large oblong pan. Sprinkle with pecans.

2. Open Crescent Rolls and pinch them together to make a sheet of dough.  Smooth the dough with your  hands or roll  into 12-inch square.

3. Brush with 2 tablespoons butter/margarine.

4. Combine 1/4 cup brown sugar and cinnamon.

5. Sprinkle center third of the dough with half the mixture.

6. Fold one-third over center third of dough. Rub more melted butter/margarine over dough and sprinkle with remaining sugar-cinnamon. Fold remaining third over the 2 layers.

7. Cut with sharp knife, crosswise into strips about 1 inch wide. Grasp ends of strip and twist. Seal ends firmly.

coffee-breakers-twisted

8. Place in pan right on top of nuts and syrup about 1-1/2 inches apart. Cover.

Bake at 375°F. about 20 – 30 minutes. Time will depend on how high the sides of your pan are.

Pillsbury Crescent Roll Recipes

When you take them out of the oven, invert pan immediately onto a serving plate.

Coffee-Breaker-recipe

The leftovers… good for grazing on all day. Enjoy!

Image graphic of just out of the oven buns with an overlay of text that says Better Than Cinnamon Buns.

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21 Comments

  1. Sally Perdue says:

    Thank you for that delicious looking recipe for the Sticky Buns. Going to have to try it this weekend! Happy Memorial Day to you and Ed! Take care and love from Fresno, California!

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Sally – I hope you had a great weekend. Our youngest and her boyfriend came for 4 days. It was nice seeing them and getting out on the lake and forgetting all about the pandemic. :-)

  2. Diane, What a lovely site you have! You are so talented and gracious in sharing. I am sorry for the loss of your friend Sue Ellen, I empathize with you as I recently lost my dearest friend Pam. Know that when I make these coffee breakers, I will be thinking of Sue Ellen, Pam and you. For me remembering those who are no longer here, makes them not so far away. I look forward to reading your blog!

  3. Hi Diane
    Found this on pinterest and made it this morning was delicious and will be doing it again and again. I couldn’t help but think about you and your friend while making it, I am so sorry for the loss of your friend. Elaine

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Thanks so much Elaine. It felt good to be able to share something special on my blog about her. I know it is making her smile to know the recipe she tweaked is being enjoyed by so many others.

  4. I’m so sorry to hear about your friend. And thank you for sharing her recipe at this sad time.
    Debbie

  5. Katharine from Kat's Almost Purrfect World says:

    Was on of Suellen’s daughter’s the fairy to make y’all this treat? Nothing is better than waking up to the smell of cinnamon and coffee (especially coffee bread). I made an apple cake for my Grandma’s wake which is appropriate since she always baked and cooked such lovely stuff. That was over 20 years ago and I’ll admit I haven’t made it again. Here is the recipe:http://katspurrfectboutique.blogspot.com/2010/09/apple-cake-for-tuesday-sharing-9-21.html

    1. You should make the apple cake again,,,,celebrate your grandmother!

  6. Michele D says:

    So sorry for the loss of your friend. Can I just say also, Holy moley, that breakfast food looks delish. I’ve pinned it and printed it and want to make it !!!!

  7. I’m so sorry for your loss. How wonderful to get to share time with her friends.
    Is there anyway you can publish the original recipe? We are trying to keep foods with long ingredient lists to a minimum. I have a homemade bisquick recipe so I’d love to make the original recipe. Our house has also been effected by cancer, thankfully we are in remission. But diet is so important so I’m trying to keep things as close to homemade as possible especially when it comes to sweets.

  8. Sheryll & Critters. says:

    I forgot to say this recipe sounds wonderful and I am going to save it and hope to make it sometime soon.

    Thank you and Suellens family for this wonderful recipe.

    God Bless.

  9. Sheryll & Critters. says:

    Oh my, I am so sad for your loss… praying for Suellens family and you and all her loved friends.

    From all us Florida Critters.

  10. Just opened your email this morning, usually the first one I open if I see one and AAH HAA! Just what I was looking for- a recipe to make for the High School Counselors as it is Counselor’s Week. They have worked so well with my children. My last of 4 is a senior and these folks have been wonderful. This will be the ticket to show some appreciation!

  11. OMYGOSH….you can bet I’ll be making these.

  12. Advocate Homes says:

    I am sorry to read about your friend but she will be glad her recipe still lives on. One word…yummy! Can’t wait to try it!

  13. I’m sorry about the loss of you friend. I’m pinning this recipe!

  14. Diane, I’m so sorry for your loss, I’m sure it would warm Suellen’s heart to know her dear friends and family are in her home still enjoying her hospitality. Thanks for sharing it with us.

  15. These look wonderful and how lovely these will always give you wonderful memories for all time..

  16. I’m sorry about the loss of your friend. She sounds like a good friend and I’m glad you are able to share a special treat with everyone. It looks good, I’m going to try it.

  17. Mariaelena says:

    I am so sorry about the loss of your friend. How nice that you are able to stay there and so sweet that you are all enjoying her special treat!
    hugs, Mariaelena