Easy Cinnamon Rolls from Canned Biscuits

Talk about an easy breakfast treat! These cinnamon rolls taste just like the homemade ones you might slave hours over. But they come together in (literally) minutes. Best of all, no one will know you didn’t make them from scratch! (No yeast dough necessary, y’all!)

Can I Really Use Canned Biscuits to Make Cinnamon Rolls?

Yes! And you’ll be so pleased with the results. (Not to mention the fact that the process is fun and easy.)

I got the idea for this recipe while researching “things you can make with canned biscuit dough.” (Who knew that was a thing? One of the first recipes that came up was cinnamon rolls. I was intrigued, to say the least.

Years ago, I made homemade cinnamon rolls from scratch. They were delicious, but they took hours to rise. The notion that I could make a homemade-type roll in minutes was tempting, for sure!

So, I did it! I bought the biscuit dough and made a batch, just to see how they would come together.

Y’all. These biscuits are totally the bomb. They (literally) taste just like traditional cinnamon rolls. . .without the effort. How have they not been a thing in my life before?

The moment I started rolling the dough up, I felt so. . .fulfilled. Haha. It’s the only word I can think of. You’ll feel fulfilled, too. And filled with yummy, cinnamon-y goodness.

These are perfect for a Saturday morning but they’re special enough for Christmas morning, too! I would have to say that they would also make a yummy late-night treat.

So, what are we waiting for? Let’s get baking!

INGREDIENTS:

Here’s what you’ll need to make these easy cinnamon rolls. You’ll find a full printable recipe at the bottom of this post, but for now, here’s a peek at the ingredients. I’m guessing you already have most of these in your pantry or fridge right now!

FOR THE CINNAMON ROLLS

• 1 can of biscuits. (I used off-brand “Grands” style biscuits but you can use whatever you like.)
• light brown sugar
• cinnamon
• room temperature butter
• all purpose flour for dusting

FOR THE GLAZE

• powdered sugar
• milk

That’s it, y’all! Talk about a short list of ingredients!

How to Make These Delicious Cinnamon Rolls

This is an easy recipe with simple ingredients. You’re sure to love these cinnamon rolls!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and let’s get started!

Start by greasing a round cake pan. I used a cooking spray but you could use butter if you like.

I went with a 10″ pan but if you have a 9″ that would be fine, too. In retrospect, I probably should have used my favorite pie pan.

Place a sheet of waxed paper on your work surface and dust it with flour. Use a generous amount because the biscuits tend to stick once you roll them. (Ask me how I know.)

Place the biscuits side by side and roll into a rectangle using a rolling pin. Mine wasn’t perfect. I knew it didn’t really need to be. Closing the holes between the biscuits was the main thing. You might consider slightly overlapping the biscuits to aid with this before rolling out the dough.

Using a pastry brush or the back of a large spoon, spread your softened butter over the rectangle of dough.

Now it’s time to add the good stuff! In a small bowl combine your brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix well. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture all over the top of the dough.

Time to roll! Use the long side of the rectangle to begin. Let the waxed paper help guide you as you roll, roll, roll, your dough.

Pull back the paper to expose the roll of dough. (Don’t you feel like a pro?!)

Using a sharp knife, cut the biscuits any depth/height you choose. I didn’t make mine very tall because I was trying to fill such a large pan. Next time I’ll use a smaller pan and make the biscuits taller!

(Note: It helps to put a bit of flour on the edge of the knife to keep it from sticking. You can also use waxed dental floss to cut out your cinnamon rolls, if you choose.)

Place the cinnamon rolls in the round pan, starting in the center and working outward. Separate biscuits a little so they have room to grow and expand.

(Hint: You can make these the night before and place them in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning you can remove them from the fridge, allow them to rise, and pop them into the oven.

Once pan is full, place in oven and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch.

Remove pan from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack to cool down.

MAKE THE GLAZE:

This is a simple homemade glaze and it comes together in seconds. Mix together the confectioners sugar and milk until there are no lumps.

Drizzle over the warm rolls.

These cinnamon rolls are light and fluffy and oh, so sweet! Check out these layers! Just as good as homemade cinnamon rolls but without the hassle.

Variations on these canned biscuit cinnamon rolls:

These delicious cinnamon rolls are going to be my go-to from now on. They are just as tasty as yeast cinnamon rolls.

And I’m already thinking of ways to enhance the recipe. Here are some things to try:

• If you want to lighten the color and flavor, use half white sugar, half brown sugar.
• Use melted butter and mix it with your sugar and cinnamon ahead of time, then brush it on–all at once!
• For more spice, add a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice along with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
• Add chopped pecans. (Next time I definitely plan to do this!)
• Instead of butter, use softened cookie butter. (Add the brown sugar and cinnamon to the cookie butter.) Talk about yummy!
• Add vanilla extract or maple extract to your glaze. (Yum!)
• Instead of using milk in your glaze, use fresh orange juice and some orange zest.

Other cinnamon roll recipes you can make with refrigerator biscuits:

I love trying new recipes and can’t wait to try a few of these!

• Make cinnamon roll bites. Roll and slice smaller cinnamon rolls for a micro-version. (Great for kids!)
• Turn this recipe into Monkey Bread. Melt the butter and add the sugar and cinnamon to it. Then chop up the canned biscuits and put them in a large bowl. Pour the butter/sugar mix over it and stir until biscuit chunks are well coated. Put into a greased bundt pan and bake!
• Peel and grate an apple and sprinkle apple bits in with the cinnamon-sugar mixture for a tasty, fruity version.

I plan to explore more options. There are dozens of recipes out there that start with a can of biscuit dough. Until then, check out this great video from My Recipes titled 10 Brilliant Ways to Use Canned Biscuit Dough.

Other Cinnamon-Inspired Recipes from Out of the Box Baking:

If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you know I love cinnamon! Here are some of my favorite recipes:

Easy Cinnamon Streusel Muffins with Pecans: If you’re looking for an amazing cinnamon streusel muffin with crunchy topping you’ve come to the right place. This recipe, which features a streusel topping over a moist cinnamon-y muffin, is perfect.

Heavenly Snickerdoodles: We’re talking about the quintessential cinnamon-y sugar cookie, the Snickerdoodle. This delightful treat is known and loved by millions. And once you find a good Snickerdoodle recipe, it’s a great idea to hang onto it! 

Delicious Apple Crisp: Loaded with brown sugar, cinnamon, butter, oats, and pumpkin pie spice, this apple crisp will leave your family and friends swooning!

Apple Spice Skillet Cake: Cinnamon, spice. . .and everything nice. That’s what this yummy skillet cake is made of!

That’s it for now, friends! Thanks for stopping by! Let me know what you think of these yummy cinnamon rolls and any of my other cinnamon-inspired treat you might try.

Questions People are Asking about Cinnamon Rolls

Why do my cinnamon rolls get dry so fast?

Perhaps you’ve over-baked them. Refrigerating baked goods after baking also tends to dry them out. You can always warm your cinnamon rolls in the microwave for a few seconds.

Can I substitute margarine for butter in cinnamon roll filling.

Yes, but margarine tends to add more moisture, so that that into account.

Can I make cinnamon rolls with puff pastry?

Yes, but the texture will be different. They will still be delicious, but flakier.

---

About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 150 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.