This easy TikTok Cinnamon Rolls recipe is a small-batch version of the original. We’ll use refrigerated dough, heavy cream, and a few other simple ingredients to make fluffy cinnamon rolls with minimal effort.
There is a new TikTok recipe in town that everyone is talking about: cinnamon rolls! In this viral food hack, Pillsbury refrigerated cinnamon rolls are baked along with heavy cream. Then brown sugar, cinnamon, and salted butter are combined to make a thick glaze that’s drizzled on top of the rolls before baking. The end result is fluffy, golden-brown cinnamon buns that are then finished with creamy frosting.
I’m not an expert at TikTok anything, but I do know food. So when I heard about this popular food trend I had to try it!
How I Modified the Original TikTok Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
There are many things to recommend making cinnamon rolls like the original TikTok hack. For one, it’s super quick and low-effort. The entire assembly process takes 5 minutes, then you just need to let the buns bake and add frosting. The method is beyond easy.
However, after testing I did decide to make a few changes:
- Smaller batch. The original recipe uses two cans of Pillsbury Grands Cinnamon Rolls. Since this recipe felt like a last-minute craving fix, I felt like a smaller batch made more sense. If you want to make more you can simply use two cans of dough and a 9×13 baking dish instead of the 8×8 one we used for this recipe.
- Adjusted the baking method. The original method only has the step where the cinnamon rolls are baked while covered with aluminum foil. I found that they didn’t get as golden brown as I wanted with this approach. The center of the buns also didn’t quite bake through. As a result, I added a few additional minutes of baking without the tin foil. This resulted in perfectly golden brown, fluffy cinnamon rolls.
- Added cream cheese. I also added cream cheese and powdered sugar to the frosting that comes with the refrigerated cinnamon buns. This created a creamier and thicker frosting that was much more satisfying.
What Does the Heavy Cream Do?
Adding heavy cream to the unbaked rolls makes them incredibly moist and tender. As they bake, the rolls soak up the moisture and fat from the cream, then puff up into fluffy goodness. Don’t try to use a lower-fat substitution like milk. It won’t work the same and your rolls will come out soggy.
What You’ll Need
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make TikTok cinnamon rolls. Here’s a quick overview. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for specific amounts.
- Pillsbury Grands Cinnamon Rolls – You have to use jumbo rolls if you want to get the big, fluffy buns as shown in the photos. Trader Joe’s jumbo cinnamon rolls also work!
- Heavy cream – The fat content in heavy cream is an important part of why this recipe works, so don’t use milk instead.
- Salted butter – Melted on the stovetop or in the microwave. (See below)
- Brown sugar – We used light brown sugar, but you could also use dark brown.
- Ground cinnamon
- Cream cheese – We recommend using a block of cream cheese. Cut out your desired amount, then let it sit on the counter while you make and bake the cinnamon rolls. It takes about an hour for the cream cheese to soften.
- Powdered sugar – Don’t try to use regular sugar, you have to use confectioners sugar (also known as powdered sugar) for the frosting.
- Milk – You’ll only need a bit of this to adjust the consistency of your frosting. If you want a thicker frosting you can omit the milk.
What is the best way to melt butter?
You can melt butter on the stovetop or in the microwave. Here’s how:
- Stovetop: Place the butter in a small pot over medium-low heat. Let the butter melt, stirring occasionally. This will take about 2 minutes.
- Microwave: Place the butter in a microwave-safe bowl and cover it with a microwave-safe plate. Zap in 15-second increments until melted. It will take about 30-45 seconds. The plate will prevent the butter from splattering in your microwave. Careful when you remove the bowl, it will be hot!
How to Make TikTok Cinnamon Rolls
Are you ready to make a small batch of TikTok cinnamon rolls? Here’s how to do it:
- Prep your tools. Preheat your oven to 350F. Spray an 8×8 glass baking dish with PAM or cooking spray.
- Place the 5 cinnamon rolls in the baking dish. One in each corner and one in the center. Set aside the icing can that was included in the package for later.
- Add cream. Pour the heavy cream over the cinnamon rolls.
- Make the brown sugar topping. In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Mix well. Spoon the mixture over the cinnamon rolls.
- Cover the pan with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake a few more minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes until the rolls are light golden brown and cooked through.
- Cool. Remove the rolls from the oven and set aside to cool.
- Make the frosting. In a medium bowl combine the frosting that came with the buns with 1 cup powdered sugar, the cream cheese, and enough milk to make a thick but spreadable frosting. Whisk well until everything is well combined.
- Add to the buns. Spread the frosting over the cinnamon buns and serve warm.
Tips For Success
- Watch the buns during the second baking time. After the foil has been removed, the additional baking time is just to let the rolls get nice and golden. Keep an eye on your buns to make sure they don’t overbake.
- Let them cool. If you want a nice thick layer of frosting like what is shown in our photos make sure you let the rolls cool. Adding frosting while the buns are still hot will cause it to melt and sink into the buns. When they are warm but not hot, that is the ideal time to add the frosting.
How to Store Extras
You can store extra cinnamon buns in the fridge for up to 4 days. Let the buns cool completely, then transfer them to an airtight container. When you are ready to eat a roll, let it warm up on the counter for a bit or pop it in the microwave for about 15 seconds.
Are These as Good as Homemade Cinnamon Rolls?
TikTok cinnamon rolls are a great quick-fix solution when you need a super low-effort treat. But, they are not as good as homemade cinnamon buns. How could they be? There is just no way for refrigerated cinnamon bun dough to rival the fresh fluffiness of cinnamon buns that are totally made from scratch.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try TikTok Cinnamon Rolls, it just means you’ll have to adjust your expectations accordingly. If you want to make cinnamon rolls from scratch, I recommend my easy cinnamon rolls recipe or my delectable apple pie cinnamon rolls. 🙂
PrintTikTok Cinnamon Rolls
Learn how to make a small batch of the famous TikTok cinnamon rolls recipe! You’ll only need a few simple ingredients.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 cinnamon rolls
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 can Pillsbury Grands cinnamon rolls
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons salted butter melted
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk as needed
Instructions
Prep your tools. Preheat your oven to 350F. Spray an 8×8 glass baking dish with PAM or cooking spray.
Arrange the rolls. Place the 5 cinnamon rolls in the baking dish. One in each corner and one in the center. Set aside the icing can that was included in the package for later.
Add heavy cream. Pour the heavy cream over the cinnamon rolls.
Make the brown sugar topping. In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix well. Spoon the mixture over the cinnamon rolls.
Bake. Cover the pan with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes. After this amount of time has passed, remove the foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes until the rolls are light golden brown and cooked through.
Cool. Remove the rolls from the oven and set aside to cool.
Make the icing. In a medium bowl combine the frosting that came with the buns with 1 cup powdered sugar, the cream cheese, and enough milk to make a thick but spreadable frosting. Whisk well until everything is well combined.
Frost the rolls. Spread the frosting over the cinnamon buns and serve warm.
Last Step:
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