Do you remember having sleepovers at a friend’s house when you were younger and waking up to the wondrous scent of breakfast? No matter whose house I slept at, cinnamon rolls were always hot and ready. Best way to start the morning? Well, yeah. The warm, sweet smell was enough to get me out of bed in a heartbeat.
Now it seems like everyone is baking store-bought cinnamon rolls with heavy cream thanks to a viral TikTok trend. Here’s what we know about this breakfast hack.
What Is This TikTok Trend?
This TikTok trend is rumored to make cinnamon rolls even better than before. While I thought it was never possible, I’m willing to give anything a shot at least once. The best part? All you need is one extra step, and you’ll have the softest, most melt-in-your-mouth cinnamon rolls of all time.
You probably already have this secret ingredient in your fridge—it’s heavy cream! Let it soak into the cinnamon rolls while they’re baking to add that extra bit of moistness. You can also use this hack for homemade cinnamon rolls, but you’ve got to remember to make sure it’s warm if your dough is warm so you don’t affect the baking process. Cold heavy cream is perfectly fine for store-bought cinnamon rolls.
How to Make Cinnamon Rolls with Heavy Cream
Big thanks to TikTok users @manthacancook and @mississippi_kween for sharing this trend.
Ingredients
- 2 packages Pillsbury Grands Cinnamon Rolls
- 1/2 pint heavy whipping cream
Directions
Step 1: Open the cinnamon rolls
Lauren Habermehl For Taste Of Home
If you’ve made store-bought cinnamon rolls before, you’re already on the right track. Your cinnamon rolls don’t necessarily have to be Pillsbury. Place your cinnamon rolls in an oven-safe dish and set aside.
Step 2: Pour on the cream
Lauren Habermehl For Taste Of Home
In @mississippi_kween‘s TikTok, she uses a little more than half of a 16-ounce carton of heavy whipping cream to cover her cinnamon rolls. There is no set amount for this process, so use what you feel is best. Make sure each cinnamon roll is covered with heavy whipping cream.
Step 3: Bake as directed
Once you’re satisfied with your arrangement, simply follow the baking instructions on the package. Lean toward the longer amount of time for sufficient baking. You may even need to leave it in longer than the package says if the rolls are not yet baked all the way through.
Step 4: Top with icing
Once your cinnamon rolls are finished, pull them from the oven. They should be a fluffy, warm consistency. Don’t forget the icing!
Tips for Making TikTok Cinnamon Rolls
How do you spruce up TikTok cinnamon rolls?
Just add in a few extra ingredients! Combine 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 cup melted butter and 1/4 cup packed brown sugar in a bowl, then pour the mixture over the cinnamon rolls before baking. You could also add toasted pecans or walnuts to this mixture if you’re looking for a nice crunch.
After baking, top each cinnamon roll with homemade cream cheese frosting instead of the icing that comes with the packaging and you’ll have a treat that’s impossible to put down.
Can you use milk instead of heavy cream for these TikTok cinnamon rolls?
Sure! If you find that you don’t have a carton of heavy cream in the fridge, milk—especially whole milk—is a good alternative. The substitution might not give as rich of a flavor or make the cinnamon rolls rise as much, but it’ll still leave you with a tasty breakfast treat.
How do I store leftover TikTok cinnamon rolls?
Everyone loves a warm cinnamon roll, so we recommend eating this treat fresh from the oven for the best experience. However, if you find you have a few rolls leftover, either store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
When you’re ready to eat the leftovers, pop them in the microwave for 30 second intervals until they’re nice and warm again.
Does This TikTok Hack Work?
We asked Lauren Habermehl, one of our recipe developers, to put this hack to the test. “Of all of the crazy TikTok recipes I’ve seen, pouring copious amounts of heavy cream over unbaked Pillsbury cinnamon rolls takes the cake,” she says.
However, upon removing the rolls from the oven, any trace of skepticism vanished, and Lauren says she was transported to pure cinnamon roll bliss with just one bite.
Rather than make the bottom of the rolls soggy, the heavy cream got completely absorbed by the dough in the oven. “The end result is an enriched cinnamon roll that’s not unlike a brioche,” Lauren says. “They’re rich, tender, and totally indulgent.”
If you like your cinnamon rolls to be soft and gooey, this TikTok hack is for you.
Every Way to Make Cinnamon Rolls
Skillet Cinnamon RollsI love using cast iron to get a nice crust on these skillet
cinnamon rolls. The pan also makes an impressive serving dish on the table without it looking as if you tried too hard. —Danielle Williams, Newport, Rhode Island
Mini Maple Cinnamon RollsMaple syrup sweetens these lovely little cinnamon buns. I make the dough in my bread machine before popping the rolls in the oven. My husband prefers them warm. —Juanita Carlsen, North Bend, Oregon
Can't-Eat-Just-One Cinnamon RollsMy cinnamon rolls have been known to vanish quickly. Once I dropped off a dozen rolls for my brothers, and they emptied the pan in 10 minutes. —Regina Farmwald, West Farmington, Ohio
Chocolate Chip Caramel RollsAs a teenager, I keep active with sports and friends, but baking is my favorite hobby. My five older brothers eat these delicious breakfast rolls right out of the oven! —Julia Holm, Northfield, Minnesota
Caramel-Pecan Cinnamon RollsThese irresistible rolls are perfect as an
Easter brunch idea! - Louis Jacobsen, Dallas, Wisconsin
Overnight Cinnamon RollsI like to try different fun fillings in these soft rolls, and each one is packed with cinnamon flavor. They are definitely worth the overnight wait. —Chris O'Connell, San Antonio, Texas
Gingerbread Cinnamon RollsThese cinnamon rolls are sure to please anyone who has a sweet tooth. They're just the thing for a Christmas morning treat. Be sure to eat them while they're still warm—they're best that way! The dough for these rolls is sticky, so don't worry if your fingers get messy. —Andrea Price, Grafton, Wisconsin
Pretty Pumpkin Cinnamon BunsI make sticky buns and cinnamon rolls quite often because my husband loves them. One day I had some fresh pumpkin on hand and decided to try pumpkin cinnamon buns. We loved the results! —Glenda Joseph, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
Giant Cinnamon RollThis must-try cinnamon roll is all about the pillowy texture, the sweet spices and the homemade caramel drizzle. —
Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Air-Fryer Bourbon Bacon Cinnamon RollsThis recipe is the perfect combination of savory and sweet. The bourbon-soaked bacon adds a smoky, savory, bold taste to the cinnamon rolls. The ginger and pecan topping makes for a crunchy, spicy finish. —Shannen Casey, Citrus Heights, California
Sticky BunsIt's impossible to eat just one of these soft, yummy sticky buns—they have wonderful old-fashioned goodness. Use the conventional method or your bread machine to make the dough. —Dorothy Showalter, Broadway, Virginia
Toffee Apple Cinnamon BunsThis recipe was my dad’s favorite growing up. He would sit and watch his mom sprinkle the dough with sweet filling, carefully roll it up and cut it into rounds. The anticipation waiting for them to come out of the oven was almost more than he could bear. —Jeanne Holt, Mendota Heights, Minnesota
Cappuccino Cinnamon RollsDistinctive coffee flavor accents the filling of these ooey, gooey rolls. The glaze goes on while they are still warm—they won’t last long!.
—Sherri Cox, Lucasville, Ohio
Pumpkin Eggnog RollsI needed to use up some eggnog, so I swapped it for milk in my sweet roll
recipe. Even people who usually don’t go for eggnog go back for seconds of these yummy frosted treats. —Rebecca Soske, Douglas, Wyoming
Red Velvet Cinnamon RollsTurn a box of red velvet cake mix into this easy dessert—or breakfast! The icing tastes good and makes a pretty contrast with the rolls. —Erin Wright, Wallace, Kansas
Sweet and Spicy Chocolate Chip Cinnamon RollsThe addition of spicy chocolate cinnamon cane sugar adds a little bit of heat and an extra punch of cinnamon and chocolate to the filling of these cinnamon rolls originally shared by Patty Wynn of Pardeeville, Wisconsin. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Caramel Pecan RollsSoft and sweet, these rolls will get a lip-smacking smile from everyone. They rise nice and high, hold their shape and have a gooey caramel sauce that's scrumptious. There's no better way to start the day! —Carolyn Buschkamp, Emmetsburg, Iowa
Best Cinnamon RollsWhen I married him, I discovered that my husband's family has the best cinnamon roll recipe! I asked his mom how to make homemade cinnamon rolls, and I've been making them ever since. Serve them with scrambled eggs, and you have a filling breakfast. As a variation, you can replace the filling with a mixture of raisins and pecans. —Shenai Fisher, Topeka, Kansas
Cinnamon Roll Cherry CobblerRed Hots and canned cherries flavor this memorable dessert from my childhood. I hadn’t had it in years, so when I found my mother’s recipe, I had to make it to see if it’s as good as I remembered. It is! —Betty Zorn, Eagle, Idaho
Tender Pecan Sticky BunsThese homemade caramel rolls have the old-fashioned goodness my family craves. Tender and nutty, the buns disappear fast on Christmas. —Julia Spence, New Braunfels, Texas
Bacon Cinnamon BunsI absolutely love bacon! I also love recipes that blend sweet and savory flavors, so I put chopped bacon in traditional cinnamon buns for a finger-licking-good combination. —Danielle Williams, Newport, Rhode Island
Gooey Lemon RollsMy mother made these hard-to-resist rolls when I was young. I always warm up after having one, and so will your family. —Cora Patterson, Lewiston, Idaho
Cinnamon Bun CookiesI love cinnamon rolls, but working with yeast can be scary. These cookies give you the taste of a cinnamon roll in cookie form—no yeast required! They look like flattened cinnamon rolls and feel special enough to serve around the holidays. —Erin Raatjes, New Lenox, Illinois
Caramel-Pecan Sticky BunsMy mother used to make delicious cinnamon rolls when I was a child. Later, she taught my sister and me to make them. I've since added the caramel and pecans. These scrumptious sticky buns are a huge hit wherever I take them. —Judy Powell, Star, Idaho
Multigrain Cinnamon RollsThis simple and easy-to-work with recipe is sure to become a family favorite. And the wholesome cinnamon rolls will fill your kitchen with a wonderful, warm aroma. —Judy Eddy, Baldwin City, Kansas
Special Cinnamon RollsI found that adding instant pudding mix to my mom's delicious roll recipe really enhances the flavor. —Brenda Deveau, Cyr Plt, Maine
Cranberry-White Chocolate Cinnamon RollsA basket of warm cinnamon rolls is a sure way to impress family and friends. Add cranberries and chocolate to the ingredient mix, and these treats are irresistible.—Meg Marriott, Tacoma, Washington
Cinnamon Chocolate Chip RollsI started adding chocolate chips to my cinnamon rolls because several children didn't like the raisins in them. The chocolate and cinnamon are a fun flavor combination. My family loves them, and so does my Sunday school class. —Patty Wynn, Pardeevlle, Wisconsin
Favorite Frosted Cinnamon RollsI serve these yummy frosted rolls warm from the oven as a Christmas morning treat at our house. Even if you are not accustomed to working with yeast dough, you'll find this dough is easy to handle. —Julie Sterchi, Jackson, Missouri
Slow-Cooker Cinnamon Roll PuddingA slow cooker turns day-old cinnamon rolls into a comforting, old-fashioned dessert. It tastes wonderful topped with lemon or vanilla sauce or whipped cream. —Edna Hoffman, Hebron, Indiana
Brunch Cinnamon RollsA biscuit-textured cinnamon bun with the ease of food processor preparation. This family-friendly breakfast bun is glazed with maple and vanilla flavors to accent the cinnamon and nuts.—Rita Vogel, Malcom, Iowa
Iced Cinnamon Potato RollsThis recipe comes from my mother-in-law, who remembers making these rolls often. Now I make them often. Maybe they'll be a hit with your family, too! —Jonas Schwartz, Berne, Indiana
Autumn Sweet Rolls with Cider GlazeI love cooking with pumpkin because it’s versatile, colorful and nutritious. Combining it with chopped apple and cider gives these glazed rolls their autumn appeal. —Jennifer Coduto, Kent, Ohio
Molasses-Pecan Sticky BunsAs much as I like making yeast breads, I enjoy watching others enjoying my baking even more. These soft, tender rolls are loaded with the gooey goodness of molasses.—Shirley Saylor, Felton, Pennsylvania
Bite-Sized Cinnamon Roll CookiesIf you love cinnamon rolls and spiced cookies as much as I do, make this bite-sized version that combines the best of both worlds. — Jasmine Sheth, New York, New York
