We are on a huge semi-homemade baking kick around here. As a busy mom of three, my dreams of weekend baking projects have been put on hold for a bit. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t try my hand at baking “kinda” from scratch. These crescent roll cinnamon rolls are a new obsession for us!
We love cinnamon rolls anyway they come. The viral 2 ingredient cinnamon roll is a Sunday morning staple in our house and my cinnamon roll casserole is perfect to take to tailgates and for brunch with friends.
Here’s me looking you straight in the face and saying “it’s okay to take shortcuts in the kitchen”. Even with more than 3 decades of cooking under my belt, some days, I take the path of least resistance. It’s about creating memories and being together with your family in the kitchen, NOT being stressed out. So grab that can of crescent roll dough and watch out for the “pop” when it opens!
Ingredients
- Canned crescent roll dough: You can get either the individual crescent rolls or the crescent roll sheets for this recipe.
- Butter: Either salted or unsalted will work. Whatever you have on hand is great. Just be sure it’s softened enough that it is easily spreadable.
- Cinnamon: I get mine at Costco, but any good cinnamon you like is the right answer here. You could even use a homemade cinnamon sugar mix if you wanted.
- Brown Sugar: I keep light brown sugar stocked in the pantry, but light or dark brown sugar wil work.
Step by Step Directions
Preheat the oven to 375℉ and prepare an 8x8 glass baking dish by spraying well with baking spray. These cinnamon rolls are sticky and you’ll want to make it easy to get them out of the pan.
On a piece of parchment paper or silicone baking mat, roll out your crescent roll dough. I like to lay out 3 half’s horizontally stacked and the last half vertically next to those three to create a rectangle.
The goal is to get your crescent roll dough into a rectangle and then pinch all the seams really well to form a flat piece of dough. If you are using a crescent roll sheet, just lay it out flat.
Next, spread the softened butter over the entire surface of the dough, going all the way to all the corners. In a small bowl mix together the cinnamon and brown sugar and sprinkle that mixture over the butter. Pat it down a bit to make sure it’s on the surface well.
To roll the dough, start with the long side facing you. You’ll start rolling from the bottom, keeping the roll of dough as tight as possible as you go. End with the seam of the log of dough on the mat.
Now it’s time to cut the log into cinnamon rolls. You can either measure it out and cut into 9 equal rolls OR wing it like I do. Start in the middle, and cut each side into 5 pieces (yes, I know that’s 10, but you can always squeeze that extra little guy in somewhere).
💡Cutting Tip
A sharp serrated knife will make the cutting job a breeze.
Put the cut rolls into your prepared pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until they are golden brown and the middle cinnamon bun is just cooked through.
Don’t Panic: These crescent roll cinnamon rolls will look like they are swimming in butter when you take them out of the oven. That’s okay. Let them cool for 10-15 minutes before glazing and serving and the butter will absorb back into the roll and you’ll be able to get them out of the pan easily.
Cinnamon Roll Glaze
While this is an optional step, it certainly takes the crescent roll cinnamon rolls to a whole new level of gooey, deliciousness.
Here’s how I make my glaze: Mix together 2 TB softened cream cheese, 1 cup of powdered sugar and a few splashes of milk. Add a drop of vanilla if you like. Mix it all together with a whisk until it’s fully incorporated, adding more milk as you go to thin out the icing to your desired consistency.
Variations
- Savory Version: Instead of using the brown sugar and cinnamon, try using garlic butter and Parmesan cheese or broccoli puree and cheddar cheese.
- Baked in a Muffin Tin: Instead of putting the cut cinnamon rolls into a square baking dish, simply spray a muffin tin with baking spray and put one roll into each muffin hole. Bake for about 20 minutes and enjoy!
- Small Batch: You can easily half this recipe and make a small batch of these cinnamon rolls. I would use 6” round cake pan to bake the half batch.
Fun Additions
- Fruit: Chopped apples or pear puree would pair great with these cinnamon rolls. Spread the pear puree on top of the butter before adding the cinnamon-brown sugar mix or add the chopped apple right on top before rolling.
- Chocolate: Add either cocoa powder or mini chocolate chips right to the cinnamon brown sugar filling.
- Nuts: Pecans or walnuts chopped finely work great.
- Pumpkin Butter: For a real fall treat, spread pumpkin butter on your crescent roll dough instead of butter, then follow the recipe as written.
Serving Suggestions
- For the holidays: Make a cinnamon roll buffet for a sweet start to any winter holiday. Have different family members make a different cinnamon roll recipe and vote on a winner. This recipe is great for the kiddos to tackle on their own. Serve with a big bowl of fruit and some hot beverages.
- Weekend Brunch: These crescent roll cinnamon rolls are great for brunch with friends. Serve them alongside a zucchini quiche or spinach and feta omelettes. A big batch of mixed berry smoothies to drink and you are good to go.
- Make them Dessert: Add some chocolate chips to the filling and dollop of whipped pudding, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on top and drizzle with homemade chocolate syrup or store bought caramel syrup for an over the top, super fun dessert.
Storing the Leftovers
If there are any leftovers (which if I’m being honest, is very rare), I just pop them into a zip top bag and store them on the counter until breakfast the next day. They are good for 2-3 days after baking.
The leftover crescent roll cinnamon rolls can be eaten at room temperature or popped into the microwave for 10 seconds to get them warm and gooey again.
All the Cinnamon Roll Inspired Recipes you Could Want
Did you try this recipe and and love it? 😍 Let me know by leaving a comment below or 5 ⭐ rating!
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📖 Recipe
Crescent Roll Cinnamon Rolls (4-Ingredients)
Ingredients
- 2 tubes refrigerated crescent roll dough
- 1 stick softened butter (8 Tablespoons)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 TB ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉ and prepare an 8x8 glass baking dish by spraying well with baking spray.
- On a piece of parchment paper or silicone baking mat, roll out your crescent roll dough into a rectangle and then pinch all the seams really well to form a flat piece of dough.
- Spread the softened butter over the entire surface of the dough, going all the way to all the corners.
- In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon and brown sugar and sprinkle that mixture over the butter. Then pat it down to make sure it’s on the surface well.
Roll up the Dough
- Start with the long side facing you and roll the dough up from the bottom, keeping the roll of dough as tight as possible as you go. End with the seam of the log of dough on the mat.
Cut the Dough Log into Cinnamon Rolls
- Measure the log and then cut it into 9 equal rolls OR start in the middle and cut each side into 5 pieces (yes, I know that’s 10, but you can always squeeze that extra little guy in somewhere).
- Put the cut rolls into your prepared pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until they are golden brown and the middle cinnamon bun is just cooked through.
Don't Panic (AKA Let them Cool)
- These crescent roll cinnamon rolls will look like they are swimming in butter when you take them out of the oven. Let them cool for 10-15 minutes before serving and the butter will absorb back into the roll and you’ll be able to get them out of the pan easily. Once they are cooled, you can add the optional glaze if you desire!
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