Aug 24 min read

Easy Souped-Up Cinnamon Rolls

"Gooey, sweet, and oh-so-simple, these viral TikTok Cinnamon Rolls are the canned cinnamon roll hack that you didn't know you needed. So easy to make using canned Pillsbury Grands cinnamon rolls, we're taking these refrigerated favorites to the next level with just a few extra ingredients that make them extra delicious and taste like they are homemade with just 5 minutes of prep!"

This was one of the silver linings during the 2020 Pandemic. Everyone started experimenting in the kitchen; new and experienced cooks. It was one way to escape the tragic reality we were all handling in our own ways. Some started making "Pandemic Bread" others played with thier food and came up with hacks for easier ways to do something. And this by far was one of the best recipes that came about! This hack makes the cinnamon rolls softer and more gooey throughout. Like the inside of the cinnamon roll except the WHOLE THING is that way. Trust me, they are the easiest cinnamon rolls you will ever make! So of course I had to put my own twist on it!

If you know or are the creator of the original recipe during the pandemic... Please reach out to CWT I would love to give the proper homage to you!

Easy Souped-Up Cinnamon Rolls

Servings – 10 Prep Time – 5 Minutes Cook Time – 45 Minutes Ingredients:

Cinnamon Rolls

2-17.5ounce cans refrigerated cinnamon rolls, I like Pillsbury Grands or similar*
3/4 cup heavy cream
6 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Icing

Icing from cinnamon rolls, from above
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 Tablespoons salted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with baking spray.

Open cinnamon roll dough and arrange in the prepared pan, spacing them apart so they have room to rise. Set aside icing.

*If you are using or can only find the smaller 8 count of cinnamon rolls, you can make them larger by opening two and connecting the ends. Then rerolling them back up to create one large one. (Pictures below are from the smaller cans due to not being able to find the Grands at the time.)

Pour heavy cream over and around the cinnamon rolls until it covers the bottom of the pan.

Combine melted butter, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir until combined, then spoon or pour over the cinnamon rolls. Cover the pan with aluminum foil.

Bake for 30-40 minutes until lightly browned on top and cooked through. You may want to remove the foil during the last 5-10 minutes if they aren't brown enough for you.

Beat softened cream cheese and butter with a hand mixer until creamy and smooth. Add vanilla extract and the icing from the cinnamon rolls, mixing well. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, then mix in the powdered sugar until combined.

Let the cinnamon rolls cool for 3-5 minutes before topping them with the prepared icing. Serve warm.

Notes:

Amount adjustments: Many popular versions of this recipe use 1 cup of heavy cream, but I found during recipe testing that 3/4 cup was plenty while the full amount was just a bit too much.

Icing: The extra icing can be omitted, but I found making the extra icing helped it taste even more homemade. You can also add 1/2 teaspoon maple extract for a yummy maple version.

Storage: Although these are best eaten fresh, they will keep at room temperature on the counter in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Freezing: You can also freeze the baked cinnamon rolls for up to 2 months. Thaw completely on the counter and reheat. Keep in mind that the frosting will sort of melt into the cinnamon rolls, so if your plan is to freeze them you might want to freeze the frosting separately (it freezes great!) then thaw and add it when you are reheating the cinnamon rolls before serving.

Add fruit: Add some fresh peach slices, apple pie filling, cherry pie filling, blueberries, raspberries, or sliced strawberries right on top and down between the cinnamon rolls before adding the cream and baking.

Add nuts: Add 3/4 cup chopped pecans to the brown sugar and butter mixture. You could even do this first, then place the cinnamon rolls on top. After baking, flip the whole thing upside down for easy pecan sticky buns.

Nutrition:

"I have also made these with the regular sized cinnamon buns and combinging two of the rolls making one large one. This was because they were out of the grands size at my local grocery store, and they swelled up to bigger than grands. So yes, this works too! it These were a great Christmas morning hit! I even added chopped pecans and drizzled with maple syrup for an alternative flavor!"

CWT is not a certified dietician or nutritionist. Any nutritional information shared on this site is an estimate counted through measurements and package nutritional information used in each recipe. If calorie, macro counting and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through your choice of nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary depending on national brands used per recipe.