Cinnamon Roll Casserole (Easy Shortcut Recipe)
Cinnamon Roll Casserole is an easy breakfast or brunch recipe starting with shortcut refrigerated cinnamon rolls to impress a crowd for a holiday or a special occasion!
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For more special occasion breakfast ideas, you'll also love Eggnog French Toast Casserole, Cream Cheese Filled Cinnamon Roll Cups, or Overnight Lemon Blueberry French Toast Casserole with Lemon Syrup!
The holiday season is right around the corner, so I've been thinking ahead to the types of recipes that might be helpful to you all through the end of the year. And whether you're looking to whip up a special breakfast on a holiday morning, put together a fun brunch, or host overnight guests, this Cinnamon Roll Casserole is truly a treat!
Ingredients
Thanks to a primary convenience ingredient, Cinnamon Roll Casserole can be oven-ready in no time!
- Canned refrigerated cinnamon rolls. The shortcut ingredient! I prefer using an organic brand with more straightforward ingredients, such as Immaculate Baking Company or Annie's, but any jumbo canned cinnamon rolls will work. You'll also need the frosting packets that come with the cinnamon rolls.
- Eggs. For the custard.
- Milk. You can use any type of milk you like. I use regular whole milk, but you could substitute a non-dairy milk (such as almond milk) or even half-and-half or heavy cream for extra decadence!
- Pure vanilla extract + cinnamon. For extra layers of flavor.
- Nuts. Chopped. I typically use pecans, but walnuts would be great as well. And of course, if you don't care for nuts, you can leave them off! Or you can sprinkle half of your Cinnamon Roll Casserole with nuts and leave the other half plain if you live in a nut-house divided. 😉
- Cream cheese. At room temperature. Dollops of cream cheese enveloped by the cinnamon roll layers are what take this breakfast bake from good to great! But again, if you're not a fan, simply omit the cream cheese component.
- Powdered sugar. To sweeten the cream cheese.
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Casserole
(The below photos are intended to be helpful, but please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for FULL DIRECTIONS.)
Cinnamon Roll Casserole is the perfect shortcut recipe for when you want a quick and easy breakfast or brunch that's nevertheless yummy and impressive.
- Move a rack to the center position and preheat the oven. Generously grease a glass or ceramic baking dish.
- Add your softened cream cheese and powdered sugar to a medium bowl. Beat together until completely smooth with an electric mixer.
- Open one cinnamon roll tube and set the icing packet aside. Cut each cinnamon roll into quarters and then cut each quarter in half (you want 8 pieces per roll). Scatter the cinnamon roll pieces in the bottom of the baking dish.
- Evenly dollop half of the cream cheese mixture over the cinnamon roll pieces in the dish.
- Repeat with the other cinnamon roll tube, setting aside the icing packet and slicing each cinnamon roll into 8 pieces. Arrange the pieces over the cream cheese layer, fitting them into the gaps to form an even layer. Dollop and spread the remaining cream cheese mixture on top.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk, vanilla, and cinnamon until fully incorporated.
- Evenly pour the egg mixture over the cinnamon roll pieces in the baking dish.
- Sprinkle the top of the Cinnamon Roll Casserole with chopped nuts, if using.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until the casserole is puffy and tests done in the center. If it starts to turn too brown on top before the center is done, cover the dish loosely with foil. Once out of the oven, allow your cinnamon roll breakfast casserole to cool for a few minutes.
- Cut a small corner off one cinnamon roll frosting packet. Squeeze and drizzle the frosting over the casserole, and then repeat with the other frosting packet.
Slice and serve warm. Enjoy!
Make-Ahead Instructions
One of the fantastic things about this Cinnamon Roll Casserole recipe is that you can prep it the night before! Simply pop it in the oven in the morning to save time and energy.
1. Assemble the casserole as directed through the step of pouring the egg custard into the baking dish. (You can go ahead and chop the nuts, but I like to wait until the morning before sprinkling them on top to prevent them from turning soggy.)
2. Cover the dish tightly and pop it in the fridge overnight.
3. In the morning, set the Cinnamon Roll Casserole on the counter to come to room temperature while you preheat your oven. Sprinkle it with nuts at that time, if desired.
4. Bake, uncovered, as directed. However, keep in mind that it may require a few extra minutes of baking time since it's starting out chilled. And remember to lay a sheet of foil on top if it starts browning too much before the center tests done!
Tips + Tricks
Adjusting the sweetness: My family finds this Cinnamon Roll Casserole to be sweet enough as written, but if you prefer it even sweeter, you can opt to whisk ½ cup maple syrup into the eggs to add sweetness to the custard. Alternatively, you can serve the finished recipe with maple syrup on the side!
Halving the recipe: You can easily cut the recipe in half and bake it in an 8- by 8-inch baking dish. Just anticipate that it will be done sooner and be ready to check it early…it will probably only take 30 to 40 minutes to bake.
Baking time: I covered my baking dish with foil at 45 minutes and it was perfectly baked at 55 minutes. Keep in mind, however, that ovens vary…you should always check early the first time you make a new recipe.
Leftovers: Leftover Cinnamon Roll Casserole will keep in the fridge, tightly covered, for 3 to 5 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave.
I'm telling you, Cinnamon Roll Casserole is ready to impress on any of your celebratory mornings!
Birthday breakfasts.
Holiday brunches.
Post-slumber parties or hosting overnight house guests.
No matter the occasion, this super-easy recipe is guaranteed to elicit ooohs, ahhhs, and plenty of smiles. 🙂
More Breakfast Ideas for a Crowd
- Sheet Pan Pancakes
- Creamy Grits Casserole with Ham + Cheese
- Overnight Slow Cooker Apple Pie Steel Cut Oatmeal
- Ground Beef + Egg Breakfast Casserole
Cinnamon Roll Casserole (Easy Shortcut Recipe)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 (17.5-ounce) cans jumbo refrigerated cinnamon rolls
- 6 eggs
- ⅔ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 cup chopped pecans OR walnuts, optional
Instructions
- Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Grease a 9- by 13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish.
- Add softened cream cheese to medium bowl along with powdered sugar. Use an electric mixer to beat until smooth; set aside.
- Open one cinnamon roll tube and set the icing packet aside. Cut each cinnamon roll into quarters and then cut each quarter in half (for 8 pieces per roll). Sprinkle the cinnamon roll pieces in the bottom of the baking dish.
- Evenly dollop half of the cream cheese mixture over the cinnamon roll pieces in the dish.
- Repeat with the other cinnamon roll tube, setting the icing packet aside and cutting each cinnamon roll into 8 pieces. Arrange the pieces over the cream cheese layer, fitting them into the gaps to form an even layer. Dollop and spread the remaining cream cheese mixture on top.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk, vanilla, and cinnamon until fully incorporated. Evenly pour egg mixture over the cinnamon roll pieces in the dish. Sprinkle the top of the casserole with chopped nuts, if using.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until puffy in the center. If the casserole starts getting too brown on top before the center is done, cover the dish loosely with foil. Once out of the oven, allow the casserole to cool for a few minutes.
- Cut a small corner off one cinnamon roll frosting packet. Squeeze and drizzle the frosting over the casserole. Repeat with the other frosting packet. Slice and serve warm.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- CINNAMON ROLL BRANDS: I prefer using organic canned cinnamon rolls, such as Immaculate Baking Company or Annie's, but any jumbo canned cinnamon rolls will work.
- TYPE OF MILK: You can use any type of milk you like. I use regular whole milk, but you could substitute a non-dairy milk (such as almond milk) or even half-and-half or heavy cream for extra decadence.
- CREAM CHEESE: The cream cheese mixture may be omitted if you prefer your Cinnamon Roll Casserole without it.
- NUTS: Feel free to leave off the chopped nuts if you prefer. Or, if some people like them and some people don't, use half the amount of nuts and only sprinkle them on half of the casserole.
- FOR A SWEETENED CUSTARD: My family finds this recipe to be sweet enough as written, but if you prefer it even sweeter, you can opt to whisk ½ cup maple syrup into the eggs to add sweetness to the custard. Alternatively, you can serve the finished recipe with maple syrup on the side.
- HALVING THE RECIPE: You can easily cut the recipe in half and bake it in an 8- by 8-inch baking dish. Just anticipate that it will be done sooner and be ready to check it early…it will probably only take 30 to 40 minutes to bake.
- PREVENTING OVER-BROWNING: I covered my Cinnamon Roll Casserole with foil at 45 minutes and it was perfectly baked at 55 minutes. Keep in mind, however, that ovens vary…you should always check early the first time you make a new recipe.
- LEFTOVERS: Leftovers will keep in the fridge, tightly covered, for 3 to 5 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave.
- MAKE-AHEAD INSTRUCTIONS: (1.) Assemble the casserole as directed through the step of pouring the egg custard into the baking dish. Feel free to chop the nuts, waiting until morning to sprinkle them on top helps prevent them from turning soggy. (2.) Cover the dish tightly and pop it in the fridge overnight. (3.) In the morning, set the Cinnamon Roll Casserole on the counter to come to room temperature while you preheat the oven. Sprinkle with nuts, if using. (4.) Bake, uncovered, as directed. It may require a few extra minutes of baking time since it's starting out chilled. Just lay a sheet of foil on top if it starts browning too much before the center tests done.
