Breakfast Recipe: Coffee Breakers

This Post May Contain Affiliate Links. Please Read my Disclosure Policy.

Post updated: 5/20/2020

Better than Cinnamon Buns Recipe. Your family will love these ultimate stick buns called Coffee Breakers.

I thought I would share with you what I woke up to this morning…  the delicious smell of something yummy baking in the oven downstairs – something sweet and doughy.

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

I am staying at the home of a very good friend, Suellen who passed away. There are many family members staying and coming and going all day long.  This morning my daughter Mandy, and Suellen’s sister-in-law, Susan made 6 trays of a breakfast recipe we all love called Coffee Breakers.

They are a variation of a cinnamon bun. I took photos with my iPhone to share with you. I missed getting a shot of some of the steps since I was asleep, but I did get a shot of the most important part – the finished product.

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 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 no having 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
  1. Melt margarine; stir in 1/3 cup brown sugar and syrup, bring to full boil. Spread in large oblong pan. Sprinkle with pecans.
Coffee Breaker Recipe

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.

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

coffee-breakers-twisted

Bake at 375°F. 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.

Pillsbury Crescent Roll Recipes

The leftovers… good for grazing on all day.

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

Enjoy!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

21 Comments

  1. 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. 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. 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. 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

  5. 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 !!!!

  6. 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.

  7. 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.

  8. 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.

  9. 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!

  10. 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.

  11. 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.

  12. 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