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★ Why You’ll Love this Recipe ★
Quick and Easy
Just 5 minutes of prep! Using canned Pillsbury cinnamon roll dough keeps this cinnamon roll casserole super simple while still making breakfast feel a little special.
Feeds a Crowd
This cinnamon roll breakfast casseroles makes 12 servings, so there’s plenty to share with family and friends. It’s an easy way to serve a warm breakfast without making individual cinnamon rolls.
Perfect for Special Mornings
This recipe is especially popular around Christmas—many families come back to make it year after year! It’s also great for Easter, Mother's Day, a baby or baby shower, or weekend brunch.
For a full brunch spread, serve it with maple-ginger fruit salad, berry salad with honey-lime dressing, or my Eggs Benedict casserole.
Make It Ahead
Want an easier morning? Assemble this cinnamon roll breakfast casserole the night before, refrigerate, then pop it in the oven when you're ready. It's especially handy when you have overnight guests or a busy holiday morning.
★ Ingredients You'll Need ★
The shortcut to make this French-toast-like casserole, in no time flat, is starting Canned cinnamon rolls make this casserole quick and easy.
Here's what you'll need:
- Pillsbury cinnamon rolls. I use Pillsbury Grands, but other canned cinnamon rolls work too. Size can affect bake time.
- Eggs and heavy cream. Create the creamy coating. Milk or non-dairy milk can be substituted for the cream.
- Flour. Helps the egg mixture cling to the cinnamon rolls and prevents an overly eggy texture.
- Butter. For coating the baking dish and adding buttery flavor.
- Vanilla, cinnamon sugar and nutmeg. Add extra warmth and cinnamon flavor. Nutmeg is optional.
- Pecans. Optional, for a little crunch.
- Icing. Use the icing included with the cinnamon rolls to drizzle over the casserole after baking.
★ How to Make this Recipe ★
Making cinnamon roll casserole is quick and easy. Here are the basic steps:
- Mix eggs, cream, flour, cinnamon sugar, nutmeg and vanilla.
- Cut cinnamon rolls into eight pieces each.
- Coat pieces in the egg mixture.
- Spread in a buttered baking dish. Add pecans if desired.
- Bake until golden and cooked through.
- Cool slightly, then drizzle with icing.
★ Tips & FAQs ★
Tip: Use a pizza cutter to quickly slice the dough.
Yes. Assemble the casserole, cover and refrigerate overnight for up to 24 hours. Bake when you're ready to serve.
A 9x12 baking dish works best for this recipe. You can also use a 9x13-inch dish; just check for doneness a few minutes early since the casserole will be slightly thinner. For best results, use a glass baking dish.
Yes. Pillsbury Grands or regular canned cinnamon rolls will work. Smaller cinnamon rolls may cook faster, so adjust the baking time as needed.
Yes. You can substitute regular milk or non-dairy milk for the heavy cream. Heavy cream or even half and half will give you the richest result.
Use the amount of eggs and cream called for and don't skip the flour. The flour helps the egg mixture cling to the cinnamon rolls, keeping the casserole soft and moist without becoming overly eggy or soggy.
Check a piece near the center. The dough should be cooked through and lightly golden with no raw dough in the middle. Cover loosely with foil if the top browns too quickly.
★ More Cinnamon Recipes ★
Love cinnamon? You'll love these other baked treats:
Want more easy breakfast ideas?
- Browse all my easy breakfast recipes
Easy Cinnamon Roll Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 17.5 oz Pillsbury Grands cinnamon roll dough (regular 12.4oz cinnamon rolls work too)
- ¼ cup butter melted
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 2 tablespoon cinnamon sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg optional
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans optional topping; add before baking to toast
Toppings
- icing from cinnamon roll dough package
- powdered sugar optional, to taste
- maple syrup optional, to taste
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Instructions
- Prepare baking dish and oven. Melt butter and coat a 9x12 baking dish with the melted butter. Note: there will be a generous amount of butter!Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Make egg coating. In a bowl, beat together eggs, cream, flour, cinnamon sugar, salt, vanilla, and nutmeg (optional).
- Slice dough. Open canned cinnamon rolls, slice each cinnamon roll like a pizza, into eighths.
- Coat dough. Place cinnamon roll pieces into the bowl of egg mixture and toss to thoroughly coat.
- Add dough to pan. Pour dough pieces, coated in egg mixture, into the greased baking dish and spread out evenly. Any remaining egg mixture. Pour or brush egg mixture on top of areas that look like they might get dry.
- Add pecans. (optional) Sprinkle dough with chopped pecans.
- Bake. Place casserole dish on the center rack of the oven and bake for 18-25 minutes or until pieces of dough are light golden brown. (See notes)
- Add icing. When all dough is set, remove casserole from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes to prevent icing from absorbing into the dough.Warm icing from cinnamon rolls in microwave for 15 seconds; pour evenly over cinnamon roll pieces.
- Add extras. (optional) Sprinkle with powdered sugar or top with maple syrup if desired. Serve warm. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Check for doneness. Bake time can vary depending on your pan and the size of the cinnamon rolls. Check a piece in the center—it should be fully cooked with no raw dough. Smaller or deeper pans may need more time.
- For a softer casserole, loosely cover with foil while baking to help retain moisture.
- Add a pinch of salt to the egg and cream mixture to balance the sweetness and enhance the flavors.
Susan says
If you're choosing to make the cinnamon roll dough yourself, at what point do you add all the ingredients? Do you let the dough rise twice or...
Thank you.
Angela G. says
Hi Susan, If making your own dough, complete the process of kneading and rising per the recipe you're using then cut dough into pieces and follow the recipe just like you would using store-bought dough.
LM says
I made 2 pans for a gathering and have one whole pan left(everyone liked it, I was worried one wouldn’t be enough so I made two). From what I ate of the first one, it was doughy. Can I put the other one in the oven to warm up/cook more?
Angela G. says
You can try to heat it again and cook it more. Cover with foil so it doesn't become dry and heat until the dough pieces in the center are fully baked. You may need to carefully cut into the center to check the inside of one of the pieces of dough.
RP says
Best and easiest recipe out there. I've been using this recipe for years!!
Michelle C. says
The recipe shows using 17.5 oz tubes of Pillsbury Grands Cinnamon Rolls, but under “The Size of your Cinnamon Rolls Matters” it says if you choose cans larger or smaller than the 12.4 oz standard size keep an eye on it since it can under or overcook. What size should I be using for the 18-25 minutes @ 350 degrees, the 12.4 oz or 17.5 oz?
Angela G. says
I've founds the Grands require about the same cook time as standard cinnamon rolls as long as you cut them into pieces and spread them out evenly. It's still good to check on them about 5 minutes earlier than the end of the bake time just to see how the dough is cooking. I break open a piece in the center of the casserole and if it's no longer doughy, it's time to come out of the oven. Hope this helps. Due to the nature of it being in pieces, it's not super precise.
Lisa says
Can I put this in a crock pot?
Angela G. says
You could, yes. Be sure the oil the inside of your crockpot with butter or cooking spray. Then cook on low for 2 hours or until dough balls are fully baked.
Ashley says
If you prepare this ahead of time to cook the next morning do you go ahead and put the liquid on the cinnamon rolls and let it sit like that? Just wondered if that would make it soggy. Thank you
Angela G. says
Hi Ashley, Yes, go ahead and add the cream mixture. The dough won't get soggy since it will not have been baked yet. Thanks for asking!
Diane says
Could I just use cinnamon french toast sticks instead? Do you have a recipe for french toast that is similar to this?
Angela G. says
Yes, you could use French toast sticks cut into pieces, instead. Or better yet, use pieces of fresh bread. You'll be coating the pieces in a cinnamon-egg mixture so you don't need to start with French toast already made. You could use any kind of white or wheat bread or even croissants would be very good. You can try using bakery sliced cake breads as well. Those come in many flavors so you can use what sounds good to you!
Shelly says
Will this be ok if it is baked the day before and then just heated up in a microwave? Thinking of making this for tailgating.
Angela G. says
Hi Shelly! I think it will be fine to make the day before to take tailgating. Just let it get to room (or outdoor) temp and serve. I wouldn't microwave it. Might get chewy.
Christina says
Can I make this the night before and just leave in the fridg to cook in the morning?
Angela G. says
Yes, you can make this the night before. Prepare it but don't bake it. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate then bake in the morning.
Kim says
How long for a bake time if preparing the night before?
Angela G. says
You may need to add just a minute or two more but since bake time varies greatly due to a variety of factors it's best to check a piece of dough in the middle of the casserole to make sure it's fully cooked before pulling from the oven. Thanks for asking!
Rebecca says
I’m currently making this recipe for the fifth time because all of my boys love it! But with it being so delicious and awesome, I have to make two casseroles. Either way, this is a hit! Thanks much!!!
Sarah Lawerance says
Is this something that you could make ahead of time and freeze? If so how would you do that?
Angela G. says
Yes. Prepare the recipe but do not bake it. Cover it tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, defrost then bake as directed.
A. Hill says
I have made this 4 times now. 2 were for a school breakfast and it was the first thing gone. I had so many mom’s asking me for the recipe. I also made it for my husbands work and those boys ate it up so fast.
Thank you for posting such and easy and awesome dish.
Angela G. says
So glad you have enjoyed this dish! Thanks for the kind words. 🙂
Donna Comstock says
Took to church breakfast, gone in 15 minutes, you know it’s good when you are asked for the recipe.
Donna Comstock says
Took this to church breakfast and I received rave reviews, thank you
The biggest compliment was 6 different people asked for the recipe.
Lisa S says
What do you do with the extra butter?
Angela G. says
All of the butter is melted and used to coat the pan. Any "extra" butter — anything that pools up in the pan — is fine to leave there. It's just a generous amount of butter so the casserole doesn't stick and also will add to the overall flavor of the dish.
Kay Harris says
These were delicious! I used Carmel Macchiato coffee creamer instead of heavy cream. Thanks for posting this recipe!