Elevate your store-bought cinnamon rolls experience with this Canned Cinnamon Roll Hack. Fluffy, moist and with a little extra sweetness that makes each bite more indulgent and delicious.
Indulgent and Delicious
Store-bought cinnamon rolls get the special treatment with this Canned Cinnamon Roll Hack. Heavy cream makes them fluffier and so moist, like each bite could be the middle of the cinnamon roll. The added brown sugar and cinnamon plus a vanilla cinnamon icing make them even more delicious and indulgent. You’ll never believe they’re not homemade!
No Time for Homemade?
Of course, if you’re looking for Classic Homemade Cinnamon Rolls, I’ve got you covered. But we love cinnamon rolls and there’s not always the time for homemade when you’ve got a craving or a house full of hungry guests. My Mini Cinnamon Rolls, Cinnamon Roll Pancakes, and these sweet and savory Cinnamon Roll Pigs in a Blanket are all made with store-bought dough. And they’re all delicious!
This hack has been around for a while, but I decided to go a step further and go a step further. The extra cinnamon and brown sugar, plus the added vanilla and cinnamon in the icing really do the trick. Simply scrumptious!
Serving Ideas
- Brunch centerpiece: Serve on a big board with an egg casserole, bacon, fresh berries, and coffee for beautiful, easy spread.
- Holiday breakfast: Perfect for Valentine’s Day, Easter morning, Christmas morning, or a special birthday wake-up. Drizzle with pink icing or add sprinkles for fun.
- Cozy dessert: serve them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top for a decadent dessert!
Ingredients and Supplies
(see recipe card at the bottom of this post for measurements and details)
Ingredients:
- Canned refrigerated cinnamon rolls (jumbo or Grands!) with icing: the ultimate shortcut! No mixing, no rising, no fuss. They let you skip straight to the fun part (customizing and baking) while still delivering that fresh-from-the-oven, bakery-style flavor. You can use regular-sized cinnamon rolls, just adjust bake time and spacing.
- Heavy cream: the secret sauce! Poured over the rolls before baking, it steams and soaks into the dough, making them ultra-moist and bakery-soft. You can use half-and-half or whole milk in a pinch, though the richness of cream gives the best texture.
- Light brown sugar: adds a deeper, caramel-like sweetness to each roll when sprinkled on top. You can use dark brown sugar for a richer flavor.
- Ground cinnamon: boosts the cinnamon flavor already in the rolls and adds warmth throughout. Substitute with pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice if you want a seasonal vibe.
- Vanilla extract: adds depth and a homemade feel to the canned icing. Substitute with almond extract or maple extract for a flavor twist.
Supplies:
Substitutions
- Heavy cream swap: Use half-and-half or whole milk in a pinch, but the rolls may be slightly less rich.
- Brown sugar twist: Sub in dark brown sugar for a deeper molasses flavor or coconut sugar for a lower-glycemic option.
- Cinnamon boost: Try pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice, or a chai spice blend for a cozy seasonal spin.
- Icing remix: Swap the canned icing with a homemade cream cheese frosting or powdered sugar glaze if you prefer.
- Dairy-free option: Use a plant-based cinnamon roll brand and coconut cream or oat milk.
- Mini Cinnis: Unravel and cut the cinnamon rolls into four equal strips and then reroll them into mini cinnamon rolls before placing in the baking dish. Proceed as the recipe instructs, but reduce the foil-covered baking time by about 10 minutes as the smaller rolls will bake faster.
How to Make the Canned Cinnamon Roll Hack
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Arrange the cinnamon rolls in the prepared baking dish, allowing a little space between them so they have room to rise. Save the canned cinnamon roll icing.
- Pour the heavy cream over and around the cinnamon rolls so it covers the bottom of the baking dish.
- Sprinkle the top of each cinnamon roll with a heaping teaspoon of brown sugar and then sprinkle the ground cinnamon all over the top of everything in the baking dish.
- Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and let bake for another 10 minutes or until the cinnamon rolls are lightly browned on top and cooked all the way through.
- Meanwhile, make the icing: place the reserved canned cinnamon roll icing in a small mixing bowl and then whisk in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- Pour and spread the icing over the warm cinnamon rolls.
- Serve and enjoy!
Quick Tips
- Use a deep 9×13-inch baking dish to catch all that bubbling cream and sugar. Things get gooey in the best way!
- Don’t skip the foil for the first half of baking. It helps steam the rolls and keeps them soft and pillowy.
- Space the rolls slightly so they have room to rise and soak up the cream evenly.
- Pillsbury Grands! are my go-to, but any large cinnamon rolls that unravel will work. If using regular-size rolls, scale down the baking dish and reduce bake time slightly so they don’t overcook.
Storage and Make Ahead
Store leftover cinnamon rolls covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheat individual rolls for about 20 seconds in the microwave or cover rolls loosely with foil and reheat in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes until warmed through.
To freeze leftovers, wrap individually and store for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave or covered in the oven.
To make ahead, prep everything in the dish the night before. Cover tightly and refrigerate, then bring to room temp before baking.
Or bake the rolls the night before and store them covered. In the morning, reheat in a 300°F oven (covered with foil) for 10–15 minutes, then drizzle the icing fresh for that just-baked feel without the early-morning prep.
Recipes for Store-Bought Cinnamon Rolls
Turn canned cinnamon rolls into dreamy, delicious treats with my favorite Recipes for Store Bought Cinnamon Rolls. They’re creative, fun and easy!
If you make this Canned Cinnamon Roll Hack, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. If you’re on Facebook, be sure to join my Friends of The BakerMama group to connect and share all the fun and yummy recipes of mine that you make! 
I just love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the ideas I share. Enjoy!
xoxo,
Canned Cinnamon Roll Hack
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 10
Description
Elevate your store-bought cinnamon rolls experience with this Canned Cinnamon Roll Hack. Fluffy, moist and with a little extra sweetness that makes each bite more indulgent and delicious.
Ingredients
- 2 (17. 5 ounce) cans refrigerated cinnamon rolls (jumbo or Grands!)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Icing:
- 2 packages canned cinnamon roll icing
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Arrange the cinnamon rolls in the prepared baking dish, allowing a little space between them so they have room to rise. Save the canned cinnamon roll icing.
- Pour the heavy cream over and around the cinnamon rolls so it covers the bottom of the baking dish.
- Sprinkle the top of each cinnamon roll with a heaping teaspoon of brown sugar and then sprinkle the ground cinnamon all over the top of everything in the baking dish.
- Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and let bake for another 10 minutes or until the cinnamon rolls are lightly browned on top and cooked all the way through.
- Meanwhile, make the icing: place the reserved canned cinnamon roll icing in a small mixing bowl and then whisk in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- Pour and spread the icing over the warm cinnamon rolls. Serve and enjoy!
In the ingredients section you have 1 tsp. Of vanilla and under icing it says 1/2 tsp of vanilla under icing. My question is, the 1 tsp of vanilla is not mentioned anywhere in the directions for the cinnamon rolls. So when do you add the 1 tsp of vanilla?
Hi Leslie! Thank you so much for catching that! You’re absolutely right to be confused. The vanilla should only be used in the icing (1/2 teaspoon), not in the cinnamon rolls before baking. I’ve updated the recipe to reflect that more clearly. That said, if you wanted to add a little extra flavor, a splash of vanilla in the heavy cream wouldn’t hurt — but it’s definitely not necessary. I really appreciate you taking the time to point this out! Happy Holidays!
Can you prepare these the night before and then bake them in the morning?
Hi Susan! Yes, you can assemble them the night before (with the cream, brown sugar, and cinnamon), cover, and refrigerate. Bake fresh in the morning and add the icing right before serving for best results. 😊 Enjoy!
Can I half the recipe
Hi Theresa! Yes, you can absolutely do that! Just bake it in an 8-inch square pan and halve all of the ingredients listed in the recipe. It turns out great as a smaller batch! Enjoy!
I made this recipe and it was delicious. I added a little bit more heavy cream and I put the icing in a bowl then added a little vanilla extract, a 1/2 tsp vanilla bean powder, about a 1/2 cup of powdered sugar & about a tsp of caramel extract. It was absolutely amazing. My kids love icing so I always have to do this to double it. Thank you for this recipe.
Hi, Marisa! Oooh, so delicious. Thank you for sharing your modifications!
can you bake them at nite and put the frosting on and reheat them in the microwave the next day
Hi, Marlene! You can absolutely make them ahead and reheat individual rolls for about 20 seconds in the microwave. Or cover the whole pan loosely with foil and reheat in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes until warmed through. Hope this helps! Enjoy!
I only have the 10 count Pillsbury cinnamon rolls. Will this work?
Hi Michelle! Yes, you can use the smaller cinnamon rolls, but I would recommend baking them in a smaller baking dish so they are closer together and can absorb the heavy cream evenly. I hope this helps. Enjoy!
Delicious! Turned out way better than the traditional way. Thanks!
Hi Will! Yay, I’m so happy to hear you tried them and enjoyed! They really are too easy and too tasty to be true!
Can I make the night before and reheat in the morning?
Hi Lauri! Yes, you can bake the cinnamon rolls and then cover and store them at room temperature overnight. I would recommend waiting to pour the icing over the cinnamon rolls until you’re ready to reheat and serve them. To reheat the rolls the next morning, cover the baking dish loosely with foil and reheat in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes until warmed through. Pour and spread the icing over the warm cinnamon rolls. Serve and enjoy!
Can half and half or something else be substituted for the heavy cream?
Hi, D! Yes! You can use half and half or even coffee creamer, but I would not recommend whole milk or evaporated milk as it needs to be a bit richer/thicker/creamier for best results. Hope this helps! Enjoy!
Awesome transforms cinnamon rolls into gourmet. Made them for daughters bby shower and oh my everyone loved them.
Hi, Maribell! Oh yay! I’m so happy they worked well for your daughter’s baby shower! Congratulations and thank you for sharing!