From savoury to sweet, these cinnamon rolls are made with store-bought pizza dough and come together with a few simple ingredients! These cinnamon rolls are soft, fluffy, and full of delicious cinnamon flavour. They have a sweet cream cheese frosting too!
Okay...today I'm sharing one of my all-time favourite recipes on the blog!
This has to be the best 'hack' ever! If you know me, you know I am super intimidated by all things cinnamon rolls. I always get nervous it won't work out, so I stick to my comfort baking - aka cookies and brownies.
Today I decided to step out of my comfort zone and bake cinnamon rolls! Using store-bought pizza dough. It doesn't get any easier than this, and if you're anything like me you will love this recipe!
These rolls are soft, fluffy, and everything you love about a gooey cinnamon roll. Seriously, every bite tastes like the middle of a roll!
For more easy recipes, try 3 Ingredient Oreo Fudge, M&M Brownie Cookies, and Peanut Butter Heart Cookies.
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Why this recipe works
Soft, fluff cinnamon rolls - These taste better than any cinnamon roll I've ever tried! They are pillowy and literally melt-in-your-mouth.
Pizza dough - This uses store-bought pizza dough, where you can find at any of your local grocery stores.
Easy to make - Just a few steps and 4 ingredients required to bake the rolls. Super simple!
Ingredients Notes
Here are the ingredients we'll be using! Exact measurements and details can be found in the recipe card below.
Butter - I used unsalted. This will be melted.
Brown sugar - I used dark brown sugar, but light is fine.
Cinnamon - Ground cinnamon was used.
Cream - I used 18% whipping cream. 35% works too.
Cream cheese - Pull this out 2 hours before baking to get to room temperature.
Pizza dough - Make sure this is fresh, not frozen. Remove from fridge 30 minutes before starting.
Step by step instructions
Here is how to make and bake these pizza dough cinnamon rolls. You will need a 9x9 square pan lined with parchment paper, a large mixing bowl, a spatula, and a whisk.
Step 1 – Prep. For easy removal of the cinnamon rolls, place parchment paper on the bottom and sides of the pan. Set aside.
Step 2 - Roll dough. Transfer pizza dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll using a rolling pin until roughly a large rectangle about 10-12" x 16-18". Make sure it is roughly all the same thickness.
Step 3 - Make cinnamon topping. In a small bowl. mix together the cinnamon, brown sugar, and melted butter. This has to be warm for easy spreading.
Step 4 - Spread cinnamon topping. Using a spatula or spoon, spread the cinnamon topping as best as you can across the dough, leaving about 1cm of space from the edge of each side.
Step 5 - Roll into log. Starting at one end, gently roll the dough into a tight log form.
Step 6 - Slice into cinnamon rolls. Taking a sharp knife or floss, cut into 9 even rolls. To make this easy, I first scored the log in thirds, and then cut each section into 3 even pieces.
Step 7 - Add into pan. Transfer the cinnamon rolls into the prepared pan. Cover with a cloth and place in a warm spot (like a sunny corner if you have it) for 30 minutes to rise.
Step 8 - Bake. Once risen, pour heavy cream on top of the rolls and into the pan. Then bake for 30-35 minutes.
Step 9 - Make frosting. While it bakes, make the cream cheese frosting. Beat cream cheese and butter together on high for 3 minutes. Then add in powdered sugar and beat for 2 minutes. Add in vanilla and 1 tbsp cream, keep mixing. Add an extra tbsp of cream as needed to create desired consistency.
Step 10 - Frost the cinnamon rolls. Once baked, allow to cool for 10 minutes, then frost the fresh buns and dig in!
Expert Baking Tips
Here are a few tips from my kitchen to yours
- Make sure your pizza dough is FRESH, and not frozen. This recipe will not work if your pizza dough is frozen and thawed.
- Make sure the heavy whipping cream you pour on is at room temperature, and not cold. It's really important that all the ingredients we work with for cinnamon rolls is room temperature for optimal results..aka fresh and fluffy buns!
- Your hands are the best tool in the kitchen. Don't be afraid to get messy!
FAQ
Can I make this in an 8x8 pan?
You can, but the dough rises a lot so they might get super tall! I would use less pizza dough. For an 8x8 pan, use 1lb of pizza dough (anywhere from 420-500g works). For a 9x9 pan, anywhere from 620-700g will work.
How do I make my dough rise if my house is cold?
Rolls rise best in a warm environment. If your house is cold, turn your oven on to 125°F. Then, turn your oven off and place the rolls inside with the cover on them. Crack open your oven door to let the hot air escape while you let the rolls rise for 30 minutes.
Why is it so hard to roll out my pizza dough?
Make sure it is fresh pizza dough, and not frozen. Also, if your pizza dough is cold, it won't roll out as easily. I learned this the hard way! Another tip I have is to use gravity. Pick up your dough and let it stretch out with the help of gravity!
Also remember that flour is your best friend. If the dough is sticky and hard to work with, lightly coat the rolling pin and surface you're working on with flour.
How do I store these pizza dough cinnamon rolls?
These rolls are best eaten day of or next day. Nothing better than a fresh cinnamon roll right out of the oven! Since the frosting has dairy in it, you'll have to store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
What is the best way to reheat cinnamon rolls?
If you are just heating one or two, you can either place them in the microwave for 15 seconds, or in your toaster or stove oven at 300°F for 5 minutes.
Can I use crescent dough?
No, you must use fresh pizza dough.
Check out these recipes
- Quick and Easy Cheese Muffins
- No Bake Coconut Chocolate Oat Bars
- Christmas M&M Oatmeal Cookies
- Maple Pecan Oatmeal Cookies
PS : If you enjoyed this recipe, please make sure to leave a STAR REVIEW down below! I'd love to stay connected on Instagram @taffeybakery! To get more recipes follow me on TikTok @taffeybakery!
Pizza Dough Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the cinnamon rolls
- approx 620-700g fresh pizza dough* room temperature, see notes below for more details
- 3/4 cups dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1/3 cup heavy cream room temperature
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1-2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
Equipment
Instructions
- Transfer room temperature pizza dough to a lightly floured surface and roll out with a rolling pin until about 10-12" by 16-18". Make sure it is the same thickness all around.approx 620-700g fresh pizza dough*
- In a small bowl, add hot melted butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Whisk until combined.3/4 cups dark brown sugar, 1 tbsp cinnamon, 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- Spread the cinnamon butter mixture on top of the dough as best as you can, leaving about 1 cm of a border all around.
- Starting from one long side, tightly roll up the dough and form a log.
- Taking a sharp knife, score the dough into thirds (this will help you cut even pieces). Then take each piece and cut into 3 even cinnamon rolls.
- Cover a 9x9 pan with parchment paper. This will help with removing the cinnamon rolls and keeping all the gooeyness inside them.
- Transfer the cinnamon rolls into the pan and cover with a cloth. Place in a warm environment (like in front of a sunny window) for 30 minutes to rise.
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Then pour heavy whipping cream on top and in the pan.1/3 cup heavy cream
- Bake the cinnamon rolls uncovered for 30-35 minutes.
- While the cinnamon rolls are baking, make the cream cheese frosting. In a stand mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until whipped and fluffy (about 3 minutes).4 oz cream cheese, 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- Add in powdered sugar and continue beating for another 2 minutes. Then add in the vanilla and 1 tbsp whipping cream and keep mixing. Add another tbsp of cream if you'd like a runnier consistency.1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1-2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- Once the rolls have baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Then frost, and enjoy!
- These cinnamon rolls are best enjoyed on the first day when they are fresh. They stay up to 3 days good on your countertop in an airtight container.
RD says
My family said these were the absolute best Cinnamon rolls that they had ever tried! The recipe worked out perfectly! I really appreciate how the measurements were written out in each step of the recipe instead of having to scroll back and forth for information. The heavy whipping cream took these to a whole new level! This recipe will be my new go-to for cinn rolls.
Ania says
Hi RD!! I'm SO glad to hear that these cinnamon rolls were a hit in your house - they're honestly my GO-TO recipe too!! So quick and easy. Your comment made my day, thank you for sharing and keep on baking 🙂