Level Up Your Canned Cinnamon Roll Game :: Kid-Friendly Air Fryer Cinnamon Roll Bites

Level Up Your Canned Cinnamon Roll Game :: Kid-Friendly Air Fryer Cinnamon Bites

One of my favorite childhood memories of lazy weekends at home was when my dad would pull out a particular pot and a can of biscuits. That meant “homemade donuts” were coming! While he was frying up the quartered biscuits on the stove, my job was to stand nearby with a brown paper lunch bag and shake up the cinnamon sugar to coat the freshly fried donuts. It was truly such a core memory.

I usually buy our canned cinnamon rolls from Sam’s in a 4-pack because they make for a deliciously easy “food court cinnamon roll” or even an effortless brunch dish. But a few weeks ago, I grabbed a shrink-wrapped 2-pack from the grocery store instead because Sam’s was out.

The morning that I went to use them, I noticed a recipe for Air Fryer Cinnamon Roll Bites on the shrink wrap holding them together. Since I had everything I needed for it, I decided to give it a whirl.

Boy, am I glad I did — my kids LOVED them and ask for them all the time! Plus, there’s something so nostalgic about having my kids shake up a bag of cinnamon sugar to help prepare breakfast. Because we loved them so much, I decided to make a big batch of the cream cheese dipping icing and freeze it in batches to make our next few cinnamon roll bites even easier to whip up.

Kid-Friendly Air Fryer Cinnamon Roll Bites

From the suggested recipes on a shrink-wrapped pack of Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls

1 can of refrigerated cinnamon rolls (any variety will do)
1/3 cup white sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dipping Icing (recipe follows)

DO NOT PREHEAT AIR FRYER. NEVER PREHEAT WITH PARCHMENT PAPER ALONE. DO NOT LET PARCHMENT PAPER TOUCH HEATING ELEMENT.

  • Line your air fryer basket or tray with parchment paper (you may need to cut it to fit).
  • In a large Ziploc bag, mix the cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.
  • Separate dough into 8 rolls. Cut each roll into 4 equal pieces (I like to use a pizza cutter to do this quicker). Place 16 pieces in bottom of air fryer basket. Set icing aside.
  • Set air fryer to 325 (mine only goes in increments of 10, so I set it to 330). Cook 3 minutes. With tongs, turn over each piece; cook 2-3 minutes more or until golden brown. Remove from air fryer. Repeat with remaining 16 pieces.
  • Shake warm bites in cinnamon sugar. Serve warm with dipping icing.

Dipping Icing

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 teaspoons milk

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar, reserved icing, and enough milk for dipping consistency.

Joey Yearous
Joey is a New Orleans native, Dominican alum, and LSU grad who joined the ranks of motherhood in the summer of 2019. She and her Colorado born-and-raised husband, Phil, left their Mid-City apartment for a house on the Northshore about ten days before they welcomed their son, Sam, into the world. A short 19 months later, their daughter Sloane arrived and their caboose Nicholas completed their family 17 months after that. Though she’s always had a passion for writing, it’s her work in whole-home generator sales that pays the bills. Her 3 kiddos keep her busy, but when she’s got a free moment, you can find her cooking, trying new restaurants, and listening to true crime podcasts. A consummate Pinterest fanatic, she’s always looking for her next DIY project or recipe to try. She believes good senses of humor and random acts of kindness make the world go ‘round.

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