The league's 11th placed side had looked on course for a 16th SPL defeat of the season after Rob Jones had fired the Edinburgh club into a first-half lead at St Mirren Park.
The Hibs captain broke the deadlock after 20 minutes when he bundled home Merouane Zemmama's free-kick.
But striker Sutton, who was left on the bench after a recent ankle injury, grabbed a priceless point to keep Gus MacPherson's side seven points clear of bottom club Dunfermline.
In a scrappy opening to the match nether side created any clear-cut chances but the ones that did come went the way of the home side.
Man-of-the-match Stewart Kean could have given Saints a first-half lead but his speculative drive whistled just over the crossbar.
Then, after Jones had broken the deadlock with Hibs' first real attack, the home side could have bounced back immediately but Hugh Murray was inches away from restoring parity with a long-range strike.
Kean again came close after the interval but Andrew McNeil in the Hibs goal repelled his close-range header.
But Saints finally forced the ball home in the last minute through 61st minute substitute Sutton to end a frustrating match on a high.