Crescent Roll Cinnamon Rolls

Here’s how to make cinnamon rolls from a can of crescent roll dough. It’s easy (and they taste better than canned cinnamon rolls!)

How to Make Cinnamon Rolls from Crescent Dough

1. Use Crescent Dough Sheets. If you can find cans of crescent dough sheets, use that for this recipe. If you can’t, no problem! Buy a can of regular crescent dough and unroll. Pinch the dough together at the perforations. Then follow the recipe as directed.
2. Spread Dough with Melted Butter. Brushing the crescent dough with melted butter helps the cinnamon-sugar mixture to stick. Some of the butter and sugar leaks out during baking. This is a good thing! It gives the buns an almost sticky bun like bottom.
3. Top with Brown Sugar and Cinnamon. Sprinkle a mixture of brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over the rolls.
4. Roll into a Log. Starting with the long end, roll the dough into a log. This recipe makes twelve small (almost mini!) cinnamon rolls. During testing, I found that making small rolls ensured that the center was baked.
5. Cut into Rolls. Pinch the end of the dough into the log and cut into 12 even pieces.
6. Bake and Glaze. Bake the rolls until golden brown, this usually takes about 12 to 15 minutes. When they come out of the oven, make the glaze. Stir together powdered sugar and milk and drizzle over the rolls.

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Crescent Roll Cinnamon Rolls

It's easy to make cinnamon rolls with canned crescent dough. (And they taste better than canned cinnamon rolls!)

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 12 Rolls

Ingredients

For the Cinnamon Rolls

• 4 tablespoons brown sugar, dark or light
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 (8 ounce) can crescent roll dough, sheet or rolls
• 1 ½ tablespoons butter, melted

For the Glaze

• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk, plus more as needed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch pan or line with parchment paper.

2. Stir together brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

3. Unroll the crescent dough into about a 13×7-inch rectangle . If using the sheets, move to step three. If using a can of crescent rolls, pinch the dough together at the seams.

4. Brush dough with melted butter. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the dough.

5. Starting with the long end farthest away from you, roll the dough into a tight log. Pinch the seam together. Turn the log seam-side down and cut into 12 rolls.

6. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 12-15 minutes.

7. Remove the rolls from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Then glaze.

   To make the glaze: Stir together powdered sugar and milk in a small bowl. Drizzle over the rolls. If the glaze seems thick, add a little (teaspoon) additional milk.

Recipe Notes

Ingredient Notes

Brown Sugar. Use either light or dark brown sugar for this recipe. 

Cinnamon. For the best flavor, make sure your cinnamon isn’t expired. It should have a lovely cinnamon scent when you open the jar. If it doesn’t, the cinnamon rolls won’t have a cinnamon-flavor.

Crescent Dough. Use crescent dough sheets or a can of crescent rolls. If using crescent rolls, pinch together at the seams before brushing with butter.