**This also works well for those who make cinnamon rolls from scratch!**
Thanks to FredMeyer for the idea! Kroger makes Ooey Gooey Jumbo Cinnamon Rolls, which come with a cinnamon mixture to put on top of the rolls before you bake them. We have tried them two times now and love how much it adds to the taste! The two downsides to the pack they sell, is that they only come in a pack of four rolls. This becomes an issue with a family of five! Also, every time I’ve tried to buy more, they have been sold out.
I was craving these rolls and decided to figure out how to make the top mixture. For those who make cinnamon rolls from scratch – kudos to you! I have not mastered making cinnamon rolls from scratch so we usually buy them. We like the big fluffy rolls, so we bought Pillsbury Grands which come in a pack of five.
If you are one that doesn’t buy store bought and prefers to make your own, trust me this trick will work with yours also!
Before putting the rolls in the oven, mix together this topping and spread it on top.
Butter, Cinnamon and Sugar topping
- ¼ cup butter (we used sweet cream butter)
- 1.5 tbls cinnamon
- 1 tbls brown sugar
Make sure the butter is room temperature and soft, but not completely melted. You want to keep some firmness to the butter or it won’t spread well on the rolls. You can either leave the butter on the counter for a few hours or simply warm it in the microwave for 15 seconds at a time until it is at the desired softness. Another trick that helps is to set the butter (still in the wrapper) on top of the stove while the oven is preheating. Just turn the butter onto each side until they have softened.
To bake the rolls, I prefer to use a pie pan as it keeps their shape mostly round. I previously used 8×8 square baking pans, but then the rolls around the edge become half square and half round. Obviously this does not impact the taste, I just prefer round rolls. Plus, an 8-9 inch pie pan fits five large cinnamon rolls around the perimeter really well without forcing them to squish together.
Mix the butter, cinnamon and sugar well with a spoon or whisk. Evenly distribute the mixture on top of the rolls and spread with a knife, before putting them in the oven. Follow the instructions on the package for the amount of time needed to bake. Our oven tends to run hot, so we always reduce the time by a minute or two so we can check them first, to prevent over baking.
While baking, the butter mixture melts on the top and around the sides. This adds a sweet crunch on the top and bottom of the rolls. The butter also bakes into the bottom of each roll and almost caramelizes it.
Cream cheese frosting hack:
Often with store bought cinnamon rolls, the small container of frosting that comes with is not enough to cover each roll, at least the amount we prefer. So how do we get more out of it?
Add cream cheese!
You’ll need:
- 2 oz cream cheese
- 1 tbls sugar (or to taste)
- 1 container of provided frosting
Warm the cream cheese in the microwave until it is soft, or if you’ve left it out, wait until it is soft enough to mix well without clumps. It will take less than 30 seconds to warm in the microwave, as it is a small amount of cream cheese. Add the sugar, and frosting from the container. Whisk together until creamy and smooth.
The sugar is optional as the amount of sugar already included in the provided frosting may make it sweet enough, even when mixed with the cream cheese. One of my children is not a fan of the cream cheese mixture when it is on the tart side, so I add just a touch more sugar to sweeten it.
Adding the cream cheese not only enhances the flavor to make it more like a rich cream cheese frosting, it also bulks it up so that you have more to work with.
When I make these again, I’ll try a batch of frosting without the store bought addition for those who make them from scratch. Likely it’ll be a combination of cream cheese, butter and sugar.
Frosting the rolls:
After removing the rolls from the oven, let them cool for at least five minutes before frosting. You’ll notice the top is a darker brown and slightly crunchy. Though it looks dark due to the cinnamon and brown sugar – it is not burnt. The crunch is not hard on the teeth and remains easy to eat – crunch on the outside, soft in the middle!
We love our cinnamon rolls completely covered with frosting. This frosting recipe provides just enough to cover all of the rolls with the perfect amount. Add equal amounts of frosting to the top of each, then spread with a knife. You will have plenty of frosting for not only the top, but around the edges as well.
The end result?
These are absolutely delicious! I literally kept saying “Mmmmm. Oh my, mmmmm.” There is something about the butter that bakes into the bottoms. It adds a slight crunch and reminds me of a sweet, caramelized buttery cookie. The frosting is just the right amount of tart cream cheese to sweet ratio and compliments the flavor of the whole cinnamon roll really well!
I will never make cinnamon rolls the regular way again. This is the new way!!
When you try it, let me know what you think in the comments below!
photofilledadventures.com 