Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links from which I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

These shortcut cinnamon rolls are made with Rhodes frozen dinner rolls and canned frosting for the easiest, no-fuss, homemade cinnamon rolls that that taste like you spent hours making them. No mixer, no kneading, and no rolling required.

These rolls are soft, fluffy, and EXTRA gooey (emphasis on extra if you didn’t catch that). A simple, buttery, sugary mixture goes down under the rolls to give them those gooey, sticky, caramelized bottoms. It’s basically like making a whole entire pan of those very center bites of the cinnamon roll–which is the best part, if you ask me.

The hardest part of this recipe is the waiting. Everything else is easy, peasy. It’s pretty much a dump–wait (to rise)–and bake situation. These rolls proof in the fridge overnight and are ready to bake after just about an hour of rest time at room temperature (or try my favorite hack for speeding this part up).

cinnamon rolls frosted in a white ruffled edge ceramic dish

These cinnamon rolls are JUST as good, if not better, than the ones you’ll spend hours slaving over making the dough, waiting to proof, and rolling out. They’re so incredibly soft, gooey, sticky, and perfectly cinnamon-sweet.

The inspiration for this recipe came from my mom. She always used to make the BEST gooey cinnamon rolls by using the Rhodes frozen bread dough (thawed, then rolled out). When I recently started making these frozen dinner rolls, I couldn’t help thinking of those mouthwatering cinnamon rolls so I asked her for the recipe for the gooey caramel sauce and started testing out these shortcut cinnamon rolls.

Serve them with my favorite Egg, Bacon, and Veggie Bake (also really easy) for Saturday brunch or Christmas morning breakfast. Paired together, these two dishes make the best savory and sweet combination that will make everyone run for seconds… and maybe thirds.

frosted cinnamon roll being pulled out of a pan with gooey caramel sauce dripping from bottom

Why you’ll love this recipe:

The easiest, shortcut cinnamon rolls recipe
Gooey + sticky caramelized bottoms, soft + fluffy centers, and vanilla frosted tops
No yeast, no mixer, no knead, & no rolling out
Like having a whole pan full of the middle parts of the cinnamon roll
Homemade cinnamon roll look and taste, without all the work!

Ingredients

Rhodes Frozen Dinner Rolls: These frozen dinner rolls are so good already–who knew that they were so versatile? These rolls make the best EASY cinnamon rolls… that all taste like the best, soft, gooey, bite in the very middle of the cinnamon roll.

Butter: You can’t have cinnamon rolls without butter, right? I always use salted butter. Especially for sweet/dessert recipes, the little touch of salt helps bring out the flavors and balance the sweetness.

Brown sugar: Since these are shortcut rolls and there is no rolling involved, there’s no cinnamon-brown sugar-buttery filling, so I made sure that the rolls would get coated in that mixture instead. The brown sugar also helps make the delicious caramel-y gooey sauce at the bottom of the pan.

Cinnamon: Extra cinnamon in the brown sugar butter coating AND in the gooey sauce. Enough said.

Corn syrup: A little bit of corn syrup helps give the gooey caramel sauce the perfect smooth, sticky texture and helps it stick to the bottoms of the rolls.

Water: A little water to provide some moisture and thin out the caramel sauce.

Vanilla frosting: I contemplated using a from-scratch recipe versus canned frosting, but after I tested these rolls out with Great Value Vanilla Frosting and had several people asking me “how I made the frosting” I knew I needed to just stick to the can for this one! This store-bought frosting is *surprisingly* delicious. Definitely worth the time saved.

Equipment

2 cup glass liquid measuring cup
9″x 13″ casserole pan (I recommend glass or ceramic)
Silicone spatula
Offset spatula for frosting

angled side view of a pan of cinnamon rolls with frosting

How to Make Rhodes Rolls Cinnamon Rolls

Make the filling/coating. In a glass measuring cup, melt the butter, then mix in the brown sugar and cinnamon.
Add the rolls. Add 24 frozen rolls to a buttered casserole dish (I find that glass or ceramic works best). Pour over the butter-brown sugar-cinnamon filling and quickly toss to coat the rolls. Spread out the rolls as evenly as possible in the pan.
Make the gooey caramel sauce. In the same measuring cup, melt the stick of butter, then mix in the rest of the caramel sauce ingredients (brown sugar, cinnamon, water, and corn syrup. Pour this around the rolls.
Let the rolls rise. Cover the rolls and stick them in the refrigerator to chill for at least 8-16 hours, then let them continue to rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours (or in a slightly warm oven for 45-60 minutes)
Bake and frost. Bake the uncovered rolls at 350˚F for 25-35 minutes, until edges are slightly browned and centers are set (see notes and tips for how to test for doneness). Let the rolls cool for at least 15 minutes before frosting and serving.

collage of photos showing step by step process of making the recipe

Notes & Tips

Tips for Success

Longer chill time = better: During my recipe testing, I found that the rolls baked up much nicer when they sat in the refrigerator a little longer. This is because it allows all of the rolls to thaw more evenly, so that the ones in the middle of the pan are not still partially frozen when ready to bake. I recommend letting them chill for 16 hours if you can, or even up to 24 hours at the most.

Keep in mind the temperature of your refrigerator: This is related to the above tip. If your refrigerator tends to be colder, like mine, you will need to account for a little more time for chilling and baking. If your refrigerator is warmer, the rolls will proof much faster and likely bake closer to 25 minutes.

Testing for doneness: I feel like it can be so hard to tell when dinner rolls are done baking. If you’re like me, you tend to keep them in the oven longer than what is probably needed *just in case* they’re not done. My new favorite tip for baking bread and rolls is to check the internal temperature. Make sure to test the very inside of a middle roll. The temperature should read between 195-200˚F right before taking them out of the oven.

cinnamon roll made with rhodes rolls frozen dinner rolls frosted and on a white plate with a fork

Modifications for Cinnamon Rolls with Rhodes Rolls

Substitutions

Rolls: I have only tested this recipe with Rhodes Frozen Dinner Rolls, but in theory this recipe works with any frozen (raw) dinner roll. The chill/rise time and bake time may vary, though.

Frosting: Use any kind of store-bought vanilla frosting (or cream cheese frosting, although I’ve never been a big fan of the cream cheese flavored frosting in a can). Or if you’re feeling extra, you can also make your own icing or cream cheese frosting!

Dairy free: Substitute the butter for your favorite DF or vegan butter!

Gluten free: I actually tried this by substituting the rolls for these Canyon Bakehouse Brioche Rolls when my friend who is GF came over while I was testing the recipe. These rolls are pre-baked, so I just skipped the chill time and went straight to the baking.

pan of sticky rolls with frosting with several dished out and a plate with one to the side

Additions

Nuts: If you’re a sticky bun fan, you could definitely add chopped pecans or walnuts to the caramel sauce on the bottom of the pan. You will want to wait to add the rolls until after you’ve poured the sauce in the dish.

Fruit: I think these could be really good with small diced apple pieces mixed in OR if you used a can of apple pie filling added to the brown sugar-cinnamon-butter filling. I haven’t tested it this way, so let me know if you get creative and try this!

Storage

These cinnamon rolls are best served and eaten fresh on the same day they were baked. I found that they tend to dry out really quickly. I recommend storing them in the refrigerator for up to three days. Let them come to room temperature before re-serving.

single roll on a small scalloped white plate with casserole pan in background

Other Recipes You Might Like…

Print Recipe