This cinnamon roll casserole recipe combines classic flavor without all the effort thanks to Pillsbury refrigerated cinnamon rolls. An easy recipe for breakfast or brunch!
Don’t miss my one hour cinnamon rolls, overnight cinnamon rolls or dessert cinnamon crescent rolls!
Table of Contents
Easy Cinnamon Roll Casserole
The cinnamon roll casserole is made with pieces of ready-made cinnamon roll dough coated in and a custard mixture similar to the one I use in my overnight French toast casserole and croissant breakfast casserole then topped with crunchy pecans.
This easy cinnamon roll casserole serves 12 so it’s plenty to serve a brunch crowd! After it’s baked until golden, we top it off with a jazzed-up version of the package frosting!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Comes together quickly. With 10 minutes of prep time, this no hassle cinnamon roll bake is ready to serve in 35 minutes! Perfect for kids, teens or novice bakers.
- Great for special occasions. Wake up to the taste of homemade cinnamon rolls without all the fuss. It’s perfect for Sunday brunch or Christmas morning breakfast!
- Serves a crowd. Even if you’re not serving a large group of people, you’ll be more than happy to have leftovers of this soft, sweet and fluffy casserole the following day.
Recipe Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Refrigerated cinnamon rolls: Use Pillsbury cinnamon rolls that come in a tube or Rhodes frozen cinnamon roll dough. Set the icing packages aside until later.
- Custard: Half and half gets mixed with the eggs, maple and vanilla to provide a liquid that soaks into the cinnamon rolls as it bakes. Heavy cream or whole milk works, too.
- Cinnamon: The cinnamon rolls themselves come with swirls of cinnamon, but we’re adding even more!
- Chopped pecans: This is an optional topping. I like them for the added crunchy texture and nuttiness but you can easily omit them.
- Sour cream: This is how we’re adding richness and tang to the frosting!
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Casserole
Open the pack or tube of rolls (don’t discard the icing!) and cut each round into quarters. Then, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and cinnamon.
You can either dip each piece into the egg mixture, making sure the whole piece is evenly coated, and add it to the prepared casserole dish. Or you can add the pieces of dough to the egg mixture and use a wooden spoon to mix and coat evenly. Pour it into the dish, along with any remaining egg mixture. Sprinkle the top with pecans.
Transfer assembled cinnamon roll breakfast casserole to the preheated 375°F oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. The rolls should be golden brown and cooked through. Cool slightly. In the meantime, grab a small bowl and stir the sour cream and icing packet together, drizzle icing over casserole.
Tips and Variations
- Easy cutting. To easily cut your dough rounds into quarters, use a pizza cutter, a bench/flour scraper, or kitchen scissors.
- If using frozen cinnamon roll dough: Thaw rolls slightly then assemble cinnamon roll casserole as directed. Cover and refrigerate overnight giving the rolls time to rise. Bake as directed the next day, you may need to add 5 extra minutes.
- Cream cheese icing. I’ve got recipes for everything from classic cream cheese frosting to cinnamon cream cheese frosting and caramel cream cheese frosting!
- Cinnamon roll frosting. I also have a wonderful cream cheese cinnamon rolls frosting made from scratch but you could also go with a simple vanilla frosting.
- Add-ins. Swap the chopped pecans for some bacon bits, add some ground nutmeg or raisins.
Serving Suggestions
A slice of cinnamon roll casserole would do well with a refreshing berry fruit salad on the side.
If you’re serving a brunch crowd, I suggest some savory options like crockpot breakfast casserole, breakfast potatoes or hash browns with some scrambled eggs.
More breakfast recipes: French toast casserole, buttermilk pancakes, tater tot breakfast casserole, and overnight breakfast casserole with sausage!
More Cinnamon Roll Recipes
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Cinnamon Roll Casserole
Video
Ingredients
- 2 (7.3-ounce) cans refrigerated cinnamon rolls (or rhodes pack) , reserving icing packages
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup half-and-half , heavy cream, or whole milk
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup chopped pecans , optional
- 2-3 Tablespoons sour cream
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cut cinnamon rolls into quarters. Open 2 cans refrigerated cinnamon rolls and set aside the included icing packet for later. Cut each cinnamon roll into quarters.
- Egg/custard mixture. In a large bowl, whisk together 4 eggs, 1/2 cup half and half, 2 Tablespoons 2 Tablespoons maple syrup, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon until well combined.
- Assemble casserole. Dip a cinnamon roll piece into the egg mixture, evenly coating all sides, and place in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining the cinnamon roll pieces. Sprinkle the top with pecans, if using. Pour remaining egg mixture over the top to ensure the pieces get covered.
- Bake. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cinnamon rolls are golden brown and cooked through. Let cool slightly.
- Combine icing ingredients. In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream and included icing until smooth.
- Drizzle icing over casserole and serve. While the casserole is still warm, drizzle the icing mixture over the top. Serve warm and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
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Recipe FAQs
Yes this is one of my favorite easy breakfast ideas for special occasions! Assemble casserole then cover and store in the refrigerator overnight. When read to bake in the morning, either bring to room temperature for 30 minutes or bake straight from the cold fridge adding a few minutes to the baking time.
Commercial pancake syrup is very sweet so I wouldn’t recommend the swap. I do have a homemade maple syrup recipe as well as a cinnamon pancake syrup recipe you can make at home and control the amount of sugar.
Yes! Assemble in the crock pot just like you would as if baking the casserole. Cover with the lid and cook on low for about 3 hours. Drizzle with icing before serving. So easy!
Keep any leftovers of stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat it, you can always place it back in the oven to reheat if you’ve got a big portion of it left. I like to just use the microwave if it’s a slice or two.
Categorized as: American, Breakfast, Christmas, Kid-Friendly, Sweet Breakfast, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
This is one of our favorite things to make when we have company!! It’s dessert & breakfast & our guests always love it!!