Frozen Rhodes Cinnamon Rolls with Heavy Cream
Frozen Rhodes Cinnamon Rolls with Heavy Cream shows you how to effortlessly transform frozen cinnamon rolls into light, fluffy, and decadent oven-baked treats.
Frozen cinnamon rolls with heavy cream
Calling all ooey, gooey cinnamon roll lovers!
You have just discovered the cinnamon roll recipe that will change your life!
This version of the viral Tik Tok cinnamon rolls is the best one yet.
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Rhodes frozen cinnamon rolls have been a long-time staple at my house. I’ve ALWAYS got a bag or two in my freezer.
The reason for this is twofold: We eat a lot of chili, and at our house, chili night means cinnamon rolls, too. It’s a given.
Thanks to this recipe, you can use heavy cream and a brown sugar/butter hack to take those same frozen cinnamon rolls to new heights- I promise!
If you’re a skeptic like I was, you’re in for a big surprise followed by the wonderful realization that this frozen dough cinnamon rolls method may be how you make “homemade cinnamon rolls” forever and ever.
It’s sure been that way for me. Hallelujah!
Ingredients for Rhodes cinnamon rolls with heavy cream recipe
- Rhodes Frozen Thaw Rise and Bake Cinnamon Rolls: You’ll find these in the freezer section of the grocer, near the frozen rolls and frozen garlic bread.
- Whipping cream: aka heavy cream. Half and Half cannot be substituted for heavy whipping cream.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter for all my recipes.
- Brown sugar: Substitute light brown sugar if that’s what you have – it works just fine.
- Cinnamon:
Frosting
- Two packets of frosting from the Rhodes Frozen Thaw Rise and Bake Cinnamon Rolls
- Cream cheese: Soften on the counter to make stirring it easier.
- Vanilla extract
- Milk: Add this a little at a time until the frosting becomes the consistency you prefer.
- Kosher salt
Cooking tips
- If you don’t have a 10×14-inch baking pan for this recipe, you can substitute a standard 9×13-inch baking pan. However, be sure to add only 10 frozen Rhodes rolls instead of 12. Keep reading for more on this.
- Make sure your cream is at room temperature before pouring it over the cinnamon rolls so they don’t deflate.
- If your cinnamon rolls are consistently dry and chewy in texture, this is an indicator that you’re overbaking them.
How to make Rhodes cinnamon rolls with heavy cream
Spray a 10×14-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
If using a standard 9×13-inch pan, only use 10 cinnamon rolls; otherwise, the pan will overflow in the oven.
When I tested this recipe, I placed 12 rolls into a 9×13-inch baking pan, and the pan overflowed in the oven! This was not fun.
Here are the variations that are safe to use so your pan doesn’t overflow.
- 9×9-inch square or round pan: This size pan holds 6 baked Rhodes cinnamon rolls.
- 11×7-inch pan: This size baking dish holds 8 baked Rhodes cinnamon rolls.
- 9×13-inch pan: This size baking dish holds 10 baked Rhodes cinnamon rolls
Arrange all 12 cinnamon rolls into the suggested 10×14 prepared baking dish.
Cover with plastic wrap sprayed with nonstick cooking spray to prevent the rolls from sticking to it while rising.
Choose your preferred thaw-and-rise method from the back of the Rhodes bag.
The regular method takes 3-5 hours on the counter, and the refrigerated method takes 8-10 hours, perfect for overnight.
Once the rolls have nearly doubled in size, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (or 325 degrees F. if using a glass pan).
While the cinnamon rolls raise during that 2 hours time frame, let your whipping cream rest on the counter.
You don’t want the cream to be ice cold when you pour it over the raised cinnamon rolls.
If the cream is too cold, it can cause the rolls to deflate.
Lightly pour the whipping cream directly over the raised rolls, allowing them to rest for 5 minutes at this point.
In a bowl, combine 6 Tbs. pf the melted butter with the brown sugar and cinnamon; gently spoon this mixture over the rolls, using a spatula to spread it out evenly, if needed.
Bake the cinnamon rolls, uncovered, for 22-28 minutes or until golden brown and fully baked at the very center.
While the rolls cool a bit, prepare the frosting.
In a bowl, combine the contents of both packages of frosting (that came in the Rhodes bag) with 2 Tbs. melted butter, the cream cheese, pinch of kosher salt, and vanilla extract.
Add the milk a little at at time until the frosting reaches the desired consistency.
To tell if the rolls are fully baked at the very center of the pan, use two forks to gently pull apart a small area of the top of a roll.
If it looks like “dough” inside, return the rolls to the oven and continue to bake for a few more minutes.
They’re done if the area you pull apart looks like “bread” inside!
How to thaw frozen cinnamon rolls
The quickest way to thaw frozen cinnamon rolls is to heat the oven to 350 degrees for 3 minutes, then immediately turn off the heat.
Place the baking dish full of frozen cinnamon rolls into the warm oven for 1 1/2 – 2 hours.
At the end of that time, they will almost be doubled in size, filling up the pan.
Why add heavy whipping cream to cinnamon rolls before baking?
This is the secret weapon for making and baking cinnamon rolls that are wonderfully soft and tender.
The bread dough absorbs the cream as the rolls bake, making for super moist rolls that are ooey-gooey and wonderful.
Should frozen cinnamon rolls touch when you put them in the pan?
When placing the frozen cinnamon rolls into the baking dish, always leave one-two inches of space around each roll.
This empty space around each roll allows for them to expand and raise in the pan.
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Get warm, homemade cinnamon rolls on the table in just over an hour- start to finish! And, rest assured you will always be successful with this fool-proof recipe. Speedy Cinnamon Rolls are tender and light, the most wonderful cinnamon rolls, topped with creamy maple frosting.
Here’s how to make the Best Cinnamon Roll Frosting in 5 minutes with four staple ingredients from your pantry.
A giant skillet sized cinnamon roll is a perfect way to serve breakfast or brunch. Cut a small sliver or a big slice and you still get all of the layers in whatever serving size you choose.
Rhodes Cinnamon Rolls with Heavy Cream
Ingredients
Cinnamon Rolls
- 1 12 count bag Rhodes Frozen Thaw Rise and Bake Cinnamon Rolls
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1/2 cup butter divided use, melted and cooled just slightly
- 1/2 cup brown sugar preferably dark
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
Frosting
- both packets of frosting that come in the Rhodes cinnamon rolls bag
- 2 oz. cream cheese softened
- tiny pinch of kosher salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2-4 Tbs. milk
Instructions
Make and Bake the Cinnamon Rolls
- Spray a 10×14-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. **If using a standard 9×13-inch pan, only use 10 cinnamon rolls or your pan will overflow in the oven.
- Arrange all 12 cinnamon rolls into the prepared baking dish; cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray to prevent the rolls from sticking to the plastic wrap while rising.
- Choose your preferred thaw-and-rise method from the back of the Rhodes bag. The regular method takes 3-5 hours on the counter and the refrigerated method takes 8-10 hours, perfect for overnight.
- Once the rolls have nearly doubled in size, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (or 325 degrees F. if using a glass pan)
- Lightly pour the whipping cream directly over the raised rolls, allowing them to rest for 5 minutes at this point.
- In a bowl, combine 6 Tbs. pf the melted butter with the brown sugar and cinnamon; gently spoon this mixture over the rolls, using a spatula to spread it out evenly, if needed.
- Bake the cinnamon rolls, uncovered, for 22-28 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown and fully baked at the very center. While the rolls cool a bit, prepare the frosting.
Prepare the Frosting
- In a bowl, combine the contents of both packages of frosting (that came in the Rhodes bag) with 2 Tbs. melted butter, the cream cheese, pinch of kosher salt, and vanilla extract; add the milk a little at at time until the frosting reaches the desired consistency.
- Spread the frosting over the rolls.
Can you leave the cooked cinnamon rolls out overnight on the counter? or refrigerate and heat in morcrowave in the morning. thx. robin. these are deliscious.
Hi Robin –
Just to be safe, I’d probably refrigerate the leftover cinnamon rolls since there’s lots of dairy involved. They reheat in just a few seconds in the microwave – you’ll swear they are freshly baked!
Chef Alli
I think I would add more cinnamon. I like the idea of pecans and brown sugar on the bottom.
Hi Cheryl –
I hear you! That’s one of my favorite things about cooking – how we can take a recipe and adjust it to be our own!
Let’s Keep Cookin’,
Chef Alli
The rolls should rise for at least 6 hours in a warm room. You should definitely double-up and use Heavy Whipping cream, instead of just milk in the icing. Yummy!
These were wonderful@ Thank you!
Hi Emily-
Thanks so much for letting me know how you adjusted the recipe to make it work better. Love the idea of the heavy whipping cream in the icing, too. So glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Your fan,
Chef Alli
Made and yum, yum!!!! My hubbie was a scratch baker for 40 years and he was impressed.
Hi Darlene –
I’m happy to learn this recipe was a success for you. And, I’m thrilled your Hubbie gave a thumbs up – you’ve made my entire week!
Thank you for letting me know – I so appreciate it.
Sincerely,
Chef Alli
Can you put pecans and brown sugar in the bottom of pan also?
Hi Tracy –
I haven’t tried that, but I certainly can’t think of any reason that wouldn’t work just perfectly! Why didn’t I think of THAT??
Let’s Keep Cookin’,
Chef Alli
Can I use half and half cream instead of whipping cream?
Hi – I have not tried this recipe using half and half. I hesitate to say that it would work fine since half and half is quite a bit thinner in consistency than whipping cream so it may make your rolls soggy. Or, it might work just fine – I truly don’t know! Half and half would save a lot of calories, for sure, but I’m just not certain it would work.
Sorry I can’t fully answer this questions for you,
Chef Alli