Storebought cinnamon rolls + heavy cream + homemade vanilla bourbon
icing = a treat so easy and delicious they’re almost too good to be true.
inspiration
My roommate had to go gluten-free recently (may God be with her) and she was determined to find a recipe for cinnamon rolls that didn’t taste and feel like sand. She invited over a couple of our baking extraordinaire friends and they managed to make cinnamon rolls that could have passed for regular ones (and I’m picky, so it means something when I say that). Our friend—now roommate—Emma made her own recipe for the brown butter cream cheese icing, and it was spectacular.
A few days later, I went to Trader Joe’s right in time for their fall items drop. One of their items this fall is bourbon-steeped vanilla beans, and with cinnamon rolls already on my mind, I thought they’d be a delicious addition.
But here’s the thing: I do not understand yeast. Bread-making is not my strength. I knew if I tried to make my own rolls from scratch it would end in disappointment. This is where the viral heavy cream trick comes in. It turns out pouring a cup of heavy cream over uncooked storebought cinnamon roll dough yields rolls that are giant and fluffy and delicious. Easy cinnamon rolls with vanilla bourbon icing are out-of-this-world delicious and the perfect treat to welcome autumn.
why i love this recipe
easy: No yeast, no measuring flour, no trying to roll dough around a messy filling. Even the icing comes together quickly and in one bowl.
autumnal: cinnamon, vanilla, and bourbon are the coziest combination and perfect for crisp fall mornings or as a treat during a viewing of your favorite Halloween movie.
the icing: you guys, it is so good. Full credit to Emma, who this recipe belongs to. I made the tiny changes of adding a pinch of salt and ½ a vanilla bourbon bean for depth and complexity, and it’s perfect.
details
First, brown the butter while your oven is preheating. Like I’ve said before, there is no reason to find browning butter intimidating; it is very easy as long as you watch it closely and don’t walk away! The browned butter can chill in the fridge while the rolls are baking.
Pouring heavy cream over storebought cinnamon rolls is a viral internet trick, but it’s way more than a fad: in my opinion, it should just be part of your cooking knowledge. Don’t skip this part! It’s so easy—you just pour a cup over the rolls as evenly as you can, and then pop them in the oven and bake.
details, continued
The icing comes together super fast and in one bowl—you literally just put all of the ingredients together and mix until combined. You can do it by hand, but I use a mixer because it’s faster. I would recommend adding the powdered sugar last and a little at a time. Otherwise the powdered sugar will fly everywhere. It is very important that the cream cheese is room temperature and the brown butter is cool and solidified—it won’t mix properly otherwise.
Let the rolls cool a bit before you ice them. They can be warm, but if they’re too hot the icing will melt into them. (Although that’s not necessarily a bad thing.)
cook’s notes
cinnamon rolls: use 2 packages of Pillsbury grands
vanilla bourbon beans: can be found at Trader Joe’s. If you can’t find them, use 1 teaspoon of vanilla bourbon flavoring. If you’d rather skip the bourbon altogether, that’s fine too. Just swap for the same amount of plain vanilla.
salt: don’t skip it! Not enough people recognize the power of salt, especially in desserts.
reheating: while I am a proponent of reheating most things in the oven, these heat so well in the microwave for thirty to sixty seconds.
leftovers: keep for 4-5 days, tightly wrapped/covered and refrigerated.
I hope you love easy cinnamon rolls with vanilla bourbon icing! Looking for another delicious dessert? Try raspberry danish blondies, espresso pistachio chocolate chunk cookies, or baked pumpkin donuts with chocolate ganache.
easy cinnamon rolls with vanilla bourbon icing
Ingredients
Method
- Prepare oven and icing ingredients. Preheat oven to 350F. If your cream cheese isn’t already out and warming up, cut it or tear it into small chunks and set them on a plate so it reaches room temperature faster. To brown the butter, place it in a small pan over medium-high heat. It will melt, then it will begin to foam. Cookfor about 5 minutes, stirring every so often, until the little bits at the bottom of the pan turn a nice amber color and the liquid is a medium brown. Once the butter reaches this point, remove it from the heat quickly, pour into a heat-proof bowl, and let it cool. I stick it in the fridge to speed up the process—it should be ready by the time the rolls are done.
- Bake the rolls. Spray a baking dish with high sides with baking spray. Separate the cinnamon rolls from each other gently and arrange them in the dish. Don’t squish them in—make sure they have an inch or two to expand. Use two pans if you must. Pour the heavy cream evenly over the rolls and bake for about 25 minutes. (Start checking them at 20.)
- Make icing. When the rolls come out of the oven, make the icing while they cool. Combine the cooled, solidified brown butter with the cream cheese in a mixing bowl. If using extract, add it now. If using a vanilla bean: we are only using half, so cut it in two width-wise and set one aside for later. Slice the one you are using open length-wise and scrape the brown flecks into the mixing bowl. Add a little powdered sugar, then mix with a hand-mixer on medium until combined and smooth. Add powdered sugar, a little at a time, until it’s all mixed in. At this point it will be very thick, almost like a paste. Add milk a tablespoon at a time to loosen it until you’ve reached the desired consistency. Taste and adjust as needed.
- Ice and serve. Once the cinnamon rolls are cool enough—they should be warm, not hot—generously spread the icing on them and serve immediately.