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The Melting Pot
Caramel Rolls hero image coming soon
1920s-present - North Dakota and Upper Midwest bakers, cafe cooks, and church supper volunteers
Caramel rolls are a beloved North Dakota and Upper Midwest bakery, church, and cafe treat. They resemble cinnamon rolls or sticky buns, but the defining feature is a generous caramel sauce that bakes under the rolls and becomes the top after turning out.
Difficulty
Moderate
Prep time
35 minutes plus rising
Cook time
30 minutes
Total time
1 hour 5 minutes plus rising
Servings
12 rolls
Region
North Dakota and the Upper Midwest
Era introduced
1920s-present
Introduced by
North Dakota and Upper Midwest bakers, cafe cooks, and church supper volunteers
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In North Dakota, caramel rolls are identity food. They may be served at cafes, gas stations, church basements, community events, and family breakfasts. The roll itself is soft, but the real signature is the caramel: brown sugar, butter, and cream baked beneath the dough so the pan can be inverted into a glossy, sticky top.
Drafted with North Dakota caramel-roll history from The Food Historian (https://www.thefoodhistorian.com/blog/visiting-home-a-brief-history-of-north-dakota-caramel-rolls-aka-dakota-rolls), recipe context from Prairie Californian (https://prairiecalifornian.com/north-dakota-caramel-rolls/), and regional context from Visit Minot (https://visitminot.org/caramel-rolls-in-minot/).
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