Level Up Your Canned Cinnamon Roll Game

Level Up Your Canned Cinnamon Roll Game

A year or so ago, TikTok was ablaze with the “hack” of pouring heavy whipping cream over refrigerated canned cinnamon rolls before baking to give them that ooey-gooey Cinnabon texture. I thought this was kind of funny since I’d done that ever since I’d found a delicious homemade cinnamon roll recipe in college. The only real differences were that the dough wasn’t cold (since it was in its “rising” stage) and the cream was warmed before pouring to help the rolls continue to rise in the oven.

But one of my favorite ways that I’ve been “hacking” cinnamon rolls for years is to make huge batches of cream cheese frosting and freeze them for when I need them. I usually use 3 pounds of cream cheese at a time and then vacuum seal them in portions (more on that below). To me, the homemade frosting really takes the cinnamon rolls to the next level.

Cinnamon rolls are always a big hit in our house because the kids love them and they’re pretty effortless to make. If you’re looking for other easy breakfast recipes, try this breakfast casserole or any of the ideas on this list!

TikTok Cinnamon Rolls

There are a few different variations of the TikTok hack for the cinnamon rolls out there, but this one is my go-to.

1 can of refrigerated cinnamon rolls (any variety will do)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (I’ve also used French vanilla coffee creamer in a pinch!)
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cream cheese frosting (recipe follows)

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  
• Place the 1 can of refrigerated cinnamon rolls in an even layer into the dish. Set aside the icing tub that comes with the cinnamon rolls (sometimes I keep them in a bag in the freezer until I make my next batch of cream cheese frosting and just add it in there — but more often than not, I let my toddlers use it to frost cookies).
• In a small bowl melt 2 tablespoons butter and stir in 1/4 cup brown sugar and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Pour the brown sugar butter mixture evenly over the cinnamon rolls.
• Pour heavy whipping cream over the cinnamon rolls and in between each one.
  
• Cover the pan with foil and place in the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for another 5-8 minutes. They should be gooey but not under-baked.
• Spread with cream cheese frosting and serve.

Single-Batch Cream Cheese Frosting

Based on this Ambitious Kitchen recipe

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons butter, softened
¾ cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

*I use a 3 pound block of cream cheese from Sam’s, which is technically 12 batches of frosting, but I make 9 bags for the freezer since we like a little extra frosting on each batch of cinnamon rolls. Conversions for a batch this size are listed below.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth. Spread over cinnamon rolls and serve immediately OR divide into batches in freezer bags, squeeze out the air, seal, and freeze flat. The flatter the bag, the quicker it’ll thaw. My bag of frosting usually thaws before the rolls even go into the oven! Then I snip off a corner and pipe over the cinnamon rolls.

12X Batch Cream Cheese Frosting

3 pounds cream cheese, softened
4 sticks butter, softened
9 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract