National Sticky Bun Day is on Sunday, February 21, 2027, and it falls on February 21 every year. It celebrates the gooey, nut-topped breakfast bun baked in a pan of brown sugar caramel. When you flip the pan, the topping drips down over every swirl.
When Is National Sticky Bun Day?
It’s always February 21. It’s an unofficial food day, and it often lands on or near a weekend brunch.
Who Started National Sticky Bun Day?
No founder or start year has been documented.
Background: where sticky buns come from
Philadelphia claims them. Sticky buns there are similar to schnecken, a snail-shaped German bun, the Bend Bulletin notes. German and English settlers brought schnecken to the Philadelphia area in the 19th century.
Today the sticky bun is counted among Philadelphia’s food specialties, along with the cheesesteak.
How Are Sticky Buns Different From Cinnamon Rolls?
The difference is where the sweet part goes. Cinnamon rolls are usually topped with icing after baking. Sticky buns bake on top of a layer of butter, brown sugar and often pecans, then get turned out upside down.
Philadelphia-style buns also add nuts and raisins to the filling. That gives them more texture and extra stickiness than most cinnamon buns.
How to Celebrate National Sticky Bun Day
- Make the pan caramel: melt butter with brown sugar and a spoonful of honey, then pour it into the pan first.
- Use an enriched dough: milk, butter and eggs make a soft, rich crumb that holds up to the caramel.
- Cut with floss: slide unflavored dental floss under the rolled log, cross it over the top and pull.
- Toast the pecans first: five minutes in a dry skillet brings out their flavor.
- Prep the night before: refrigerate the shaped buns overnight and bake them fresh in the morning.
- Visit a Philly bakery: if you’re near Philadelphia, try one from a Reading Terminal Market stand.
- Bake both kinds: make half the dough as iced cinnamon rolls and half as sticky buns, then compare.
- Use a shortcut: roll out store-bought pizza dough, fill it and bake it over a pan of caramel.
- Try a twist: swap pecans for walnuts, or add orange zest to the brown sugar topping.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “schnecken” mean?
“Schnecke” is German for snail, describing the spiral shape. Merriam-Webster defines schnecken as cinnamon buns of rich yeast dough, rolled like a jelly roll.
Why did my caramel turn hard?
It probably cooled in the pan. Flip the buns within about five minutes of baking, while the topping is still loose and glossy.
Can you freeze sticky buns?
Yes. Wrap baked buns tightly and freeze them, then warm them in a low oven so the caramel softens again.