Puff pastry cinnamon rolls are quick and easy to prepare on a quiet Saturday morning at home. Buttery, flaky puff pastry is filled with brown sugar cinnamon filling, baked to perfection in the oven, then drizzled with vanilla icing.
Puff pastry is an amazing time saver in the kitchen - it makes homemade pastries a breeze. While I love making recipes like cinnamon twists and apple turnovers with puff pastry, cinnamon rolls are my favorite.
If you love cinnamon rolls but don't have time to make your own dough, you're going to love this puff pastry version. In about 30 minutes you'll have a batch of hot and fresh cinnamon rolls ready for a crowd. All you need is a handful of ingredients to get started.
Serve puff pastry cinnamon rolls along with breakfast for a little sweet treat in the morning. They also make a great after dinner dessert!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Puff pastry - Can be found in the freezer section of your local grocery store. It can be substituted with homemade puff pastry if you happen to have some on hand.
- Brown sugar - Can be substituted with granulated sugar, but I prefer the caramelized flavor that brown sugar adds to this recipe.
- Cinnamon - For a different flavor, cinnamon can be substituted with chai spice blend, pumpkin spice blend, or apple pie spice blend.
- Salt - Enhances the flavor of the cinnamon rolls and helps balance the sweetness.
- Butter - Unsalted butter can be substituted with salted butter if needed.
- Confectioner's sugar - Serves as the base of the icing.
- Vanilla extract - Adds flavor to the icing.
- Milk - Any type of milk you have on hand will work in this recipe. I used whole milk, but a lower fat cow's milk or almond milk would also work.
Tips and tricks
Thawing puff pastry - Allow your puff pastry to thaw for about 30 minutes at room temperature on the counter top, or until it unfolds easily without cracking. Your puff pastry should still be cold to the touch, not frozen or warm.
Best pan to use - Puff pastry cinnamon rolls can be made on a metal sheet pan with parchment (as shown in the photos), in a lined muffin pan with one cinnamon roll per cup, or a half batch could be made in an 10 inch round baking pan.
Spacing - Place your cinnamon rolls about 2 inches apart on a lined baking sheet. Puff pastry "puffs up" (hence the name) as it bakes, so your rolls will need room to expand.
Icing - Start without about 1 tablespoon of milk and add more as needed to achieve your desired consistency. Keep in mind that the icing will get thinner when drizzled over hot cinnamon rolls.
Storage
Your cinnamon rolls will keep for up to 3 days stored in a tightly sealed container at room temperature.
To freeze after baking, allow to cool completely, then transfer the sheet pan to the freezer to allow rolls to freeze solid. Then, transfer frozen cinnamon rolls to a freezer safe container. To thaw, transfer to the counter top to bring to room temperature for about 1 hour. Baked cinnamon rolls will keep for about 1 month in the freezer.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, prepare the cinnamon rolls as directed below. Before baking, cover with plastic wrap (to prevent drying out) and refrigerate overnight.
Yes, they can be frozen before or after baking. To freeze before baking, prepare your cinnamon roll log, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then continue with the recipe as written. Dough will keep for about 2 months in the freezer.
Yes, my previous version of this recipe prepared the cinnamon rolls in a lined muffin pan instead of on a sheet pan. Line a muffin pan with paper liners, then place one cinnamon roll in each cup. Bake as directed in the recipe card.
Yes, ½ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts can be added on top of the cinnamon sugar mixture before rolling.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Puff Pastry Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
- 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
Icing
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1.5 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Roll out thawed puff pastry sheets onto a lightly floured surface to about 12 inch squares. Brush each sheet with melted butter.
- In a small bowl, add brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to combine. Sprinkle sugar mixture evenly over dough.
- Starting at one side, roll each sheet into a log. Using a serrated knife, slice each log into 8 even rolls (for 16 rolls total) and place about 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for about 20-22 minutes, or until tops are lightly browned and centers look set. Remove from oven.
Icing
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, add confectioner's sugar, milk, and vanilla. Stir until mixture is fully combined and smooth. Add more milk as needed to achieve desired consistency.
- Drizzle over warm cinnamon rolls and serve immediately.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Cinnamon rolls can also be baked in a lined muffin pan. Line a muffin pan with 16 liners, place one cinnamon roll in each cup, then bake as directed above.
- For added crunch, add ½ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts over the cinnamon/sugar mixture.
- Leftover cinnamon rolls will keep for 3 days in a tightly sealed container at room temperature.
- Prepared, unbaked rolls can be frozen for up to 2 months in a freezer safe container.
- Baked rolls can be frozen for up to 1 month in a freezer safe container.
Dear Heather,
What lucky timing for me that you posted this recipe! Today is my husband's birthday and I want to make his day as special as possible under our current conditions. Cinnamon rolls are one of his favorite treats - He woke up an hour ago to a lovely platter of these gems... and they are gone. All of them. I can attest (from the one I got to eat;) that these are swoon worthy and will make you go weak in the knees! THANK YOU!!!
Thank you for the great review, Belle! Hope your husband has a wonderful birthday!