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!
Hi, these look amazing! Have you ever tried making a half batch? I was thinking this would be a lovely gift for our friends, but it’s just them and their toddlers, so a half batch would be perfect. 🙂
Hi Aimee! Yes, a half batch should work great! Just use one can of cinnamon rolls and halve the remaining ingredients. I’d bake them in a smaller baking dish so they still have that cozy, snug fit and can soak up all that yummy cream. Just keep an eye on them toward the end of baking since they may be done a little sooner. Such a sweet idea for a gift for your friends and their little ones!