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These puff pastry cinnamon rolls are made quick and easy thanks to pre-made puff pastry. Top them with a powdered sugar glaze or cream cheese glaze for the perfect finish.
I’ve made a lot of sweet roll recipes over the years and every time I test a new one I am reminded of how much I love them.
From classic overnight cinnamon rolls to cranberry orange cinnamon rolls to strawberry rolls, I can’t get enough.
The one big bummer about making sweet rolls is that they usually take a while since you have to let the dough rise. I love making cinnamon rolls with heavy cream as an easy shortcut, but even my favorite version of those requires an overnight wait.
But these puff pastry cinnamon rolls? You can have them assembled and ready to go in the oven before your oven has even preheated.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItWhat are puff pastry cinnamon rolls?
Did you know you can make cinnamon rolls with puff pastry?
I hadn’t thought much about it until recently when I decided to give it a try. After all, I love puff pastry for making apple turnovers, chicken pot pie casserole, and cinnamon sugar knots.
And I always love a good shortcut for making cinnamon rolls. After all, sometimes you just want cinnamon rolls without having to do a lot of work.
These puff pastry cinnamon rolls are quick to put together. In fact, I had them assembled and ready to go before my oven had even finished preheating.
Add in a 30-minute bake time and you’ll have hot, fresh, buttery cinnamon rolls ready to enjoy in less than an hour.
I’ve even included two glaze options – a powdered sugar glaze and a cream cheese glaze – because you just never know what kind of mood you’re gonna be in.
How to make puff pastry cinnamon rolls
These are just about the easiest cinnamon rolls you’ve ever made. And they’re so delicious – my kids and neighbors loved these!
Ingredients you’ll need
For the cinnamon rolls themselves, you will need:
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 2 sheets thawed puff pastry
- 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
If you are out of brown sugar, a simple brown sugar substitute will work great in this recipe. I also suggest knowing how to soften brown sugar in case yours hardens in the pantry.
This recipe is delicious with cinnamon for that classic flavor, but you can add more flavor by swapping out the cinnamon for a spice blend. Try pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice, or chai spice blend.
If you want to make the powdered sugar glaze, you will need:
- 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
- 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- Pinch of salt
If you want to make the cream cheese glaze, you will need:
- 4 ounces room-temperature cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons room-temperature butter
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
Don’t panic if you are out of powdered sugar. Make a quick powdered sugar substitute to use in either of these glazes instead.
Note that if you prefer less glaze, you can easily halve the cream cheese glaze recipe.
Making these cinnamon rolls
To make these puff pastry cinnamon rolls, start by mixing together the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt together in a small bowl. Set this aside.
Unfold one sheet of the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Keep the second sheet in the refrigerator until you’re ready to work with it.
Using a rolling pin, gently smooth out the seams and square up the edges to make a square about 9×9 inches.
Brush the pastry with half of the melted butter, then sprinkle on half of the brown sugar mixture. Leave a small border at the top of the pastry.
Starting at the bottom edge, tightly roll up the pastry, then turn the roll so the seam is on the bottom. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces with a sharp knife or dough blade and place the pieces cut-side down in a greased 9×13-inch pan.
The rolls will be pretty close to each other but that’s ok.
Repeat this process with the second sheet of puff pastry and the remaining butter and sugar mixture.
Bake the cinnamon rolls at 375°F, until puffed and golden brown. Set the rolls aside to cool while you make the glaze of your choice.
For the powdered sugar glaze, whisk together the ingredients until smooth. The glaze should be able to be poured or drizzled over the puff pastry cinnamon rolls – add a splash more milk if necessary to reach this consistency.
Evenly pour or drizzle the glaze over the warm rolls.
For the cream cheese glaze, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and butter with the vanilla in a bowl. Slowly add 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the milk ½ tablespoon at a time until the glaze is your desired consistency. Spread over the warm rolls.
Make-ahead and storage tips
If you are using the powdered sugar glaze, store the rolls at room temperature for 1-2 days. If using the cream cheese glaze, store them in the refrigerator.
Even though these are super quick and easy to throw together, you can still prep them ahead of time if you like. Simply assemble the rolls and place them in the pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
The next morning, bake the rolls as directed whenever you are ready.
Note that if you’re storing them in the refrigerator overnight, I recommend using a metal pan so that it can go directly from the fridge into the oven.
FAQs
Absolutely! Your favorite gluten-free puff pastry should work great in this recipe.
Most packages of puff pastry have thawing directions listed on the box. For example, the Pepperidge Farm brand includes directions for thawing at room temperature or in the microwave.
Even though I often use the microwave to bring butter to room temperature, I don’t like using it for puff pastry. Since puff pastry needs to be kept cold to puff up, it gets a little risky for me.
My preferred way to thaw puff pastry is in the refrigerator. Leave it in the fridge for a few hours or up to overnight and it will thaw and stay cold.
When I need to thaw it faster, I will leave it out on the counter for 30-40 minutes. If your kitchen is hot, it may thaw faster, but be careful that it doesn’t get too soft. Pop it back into the refrigerator for a bit if needed before making your puff pastry cinnamon rolls.
Puff Pastry Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the rolls:
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 2 sheets puff pastry thawed
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
For the powdered sugar glaze:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- Pinch of salt
For the cream cheese glaze:
- 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 2 tablespoons butter room temperature
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 2 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray (1) 9×13-inch pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- On a lightly floured surface, unfold one sheet of the puff pastry. (Make sure to keep the other sheet cold until you are ready to work with it.) Use a rolling pin to gently smooth out the seams and square up the edges – you should end up with a roughly 9-inch square.
- Brush half of the melted butter evenly over the pastry. Sprinkle half of the sugar mixture over the top, leaving a ½-inch border along the top edge. Gently press the sugar to help it stick.
- Starting from the bottom edge, tightly roll up the pastry. Turn the roll so the seam is on the bottom to help it seal. Using a sharp knife or dough blade, cut the roll into 8 equal pieces. Arrange the pieces cut-side-down in the prepared pan. Repeat with the other sheet of puff pastry and the remaining butter and sugar mixture.
- Bake the rolls for 30-35 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Set aside to cool while you prepare the glaze of your choice.
To make the powdered sugar glaze:
- In a bowl, whisk together the melted butter, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt until smooth. You should be able to pour/drizzle the glaze over the rolls – if necessary, add additional milk, a small splash at a time, until the glaze reaches your desired consistency.
- Evenly pour or drizzle the glaze over the warm rolls.
To make the cream cheese glaze:
- Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a large bowl. Slowly add 1 cup powdered sugar at a time, beating well after each addition. Add milk ½ tablespoon at a time until frosting is desired consistency. Frost rolls.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
