Easy Cinnamon Roll Casserole Recipe
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Cinnamon roll casserole is what I make when I want a warm breakfast on the table without standing over the stove all morning. It starts with store-bought cinnamon rolls, so most of the work is already done for you.
You cut the rolls, pour over a quick cinnamon custard, and bake. Since it can wait in the fridge overnight, it’s the one I make on holiday mornings and slow weekends.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It bakes from the fridge; assemble it the night before, cover it, and it goes straight into the oven in the morning with nothing left to prep.
- Almost no shopping list. Store-bought cinnamon rolls do the base, and the custard is just eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon you likely already have.
- The custard holds it together. Eggs and milk soak into the rolls and set into a soft, sliceable middle, closer to a bread pudding than a tray of separate buns.
- It feeds a crowd from one dish. Eight rolls cut down fill a 9 by 13 pan, which is enough for a full table without doubling anything.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.
- Cinnamon rolls. I use a package of frozen store-bought cinnamon rolls and save the icing that comes with them for the end. If you’d rather make the base yourself, my Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls work here too, though you’ll be starting a few hours earlier.
- Eggs and milk. Four eggs and half a cup of milk make the custard that soaks into the rolls and holds the casserole together. This is the part that turns separate rolls into one sliceable bake.
- Vanilla and cinnamon. Two teaspoons of each. The cinnamon on top of what’s already swirled into the rolls keeps the flavor from going flat once the custard is added.
- Maple syrup. A quarter cup, and it’s worth using pure maple syrup here. Its flavor runs right through the bake in a way pancake syrup can’t match.
- Butter. Melted, for greasing the dish so the edges lift out cleanly.
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Casserole
A complete printable recipe and the measurements in both US customary and metric are available in the recipe card below.
Grease the Dish
Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and brush a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with the melted butter, corners included. This is where the casserole tends to stick, so don’t skimp.
Cut and Arrange the Rolls
Cut each cinnamon roll in half, or into quarters if they’re on the larger side, and spread the pieces evenly across the dish. If the rolls are rock hard from the freezer, let them sit out for five to ten minutes first so the knife goes through cleanly.
Whisk the Custard
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon until smooth. You want it fully combined so no streak of egg sets on its own. Pour the custard evenly over the rolls, and take a second to cover every piece. Missed spots bake up dry.
Now you decide: cover and refrigerate overnight for a creamier, more evenly soaked result, or bake right away if you want it now.
Bake Until Golden and Puffed
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the rolls look puffed. If yours went in cold from an overnight soak, give it the full time and check the center rather than the clock.
Finish with Icing and Maple Syrup
Let it cool for about five minutes before you touch the icing. Warm rolls hold the drizzle where it lands, but hot rolls send it straight to the bottom of the pan. Drizzle the packaged icing over the top, then finish with the maple syrup and serve warm.
Recipe Notes and Expert Tips
- Don’t rush it with a hotter oven. The most common way this goes wrong is a wet center, and it usually means the top browned before the custard had time to set. Keep it at 350°F (180°C) and give the middle the minutes it needs.
- Check the center, not just the top. A toothpick pushed into the middle should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If it’s still wet, tent the dish loosely with foil and give it a few more minutes so the top doesn’t darken further.
- Go easy on the milk. More custard sounds richer, but too much liquid is the fast track to soggy. Half a cup for eight rolls is the ratio I stick to.
- The overnight soak is the upgrade. Resting it in the fridge overnight gives the custard time to work all the way through, so the finished bake is creamier and more even than one baked straight away. The trade-off is you commit the night before. It’s the same make-ahead trick behind my French Toast Casserole.
Recipe Variations
- An extra sprinkle of cinnamon over the top before baking pushes the spice forward. It’s how I make it when I want the cinnamon louder than the sweetness, and I’ve tested it that way plenty of times.
- Scatter a handful of chopped toasted pecans over the top before baking for crunch against the soft middle. I haven’t tested nuts in this exact bake, but a light layer on the surface won’t change the timing.
- Leave off the icing. Let maple syrup carry the finish on its own. The rolls already bring plenty of sugar, so it holds up without the glaze, and I’ve tested it this way when I want it less sweet.
- A thin cream cheese glaze in place of the package icing makes it taste closer to a classic frosted cinnamon roll. This one’s untested here, but a simple cream cheese glaze pours the same way the package icing does.
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover cinnamon roll casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. To reheat, warm individual portions in the microwave, or cover the dish with foil and heat in a low oven until the center reaches 165°F (74°C). It also freezes for up to 3 months, so thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating.
To get ahead before serving, assemble the whole casserole the night before. Cover it tightly and keep it in the fridge overnight, then bake it straight from cold in the morning, adding a few minutes since it starts chilled.
What to Serve With Cinnamon Roll Casserole
This is sweet and rich, so I build the rest of the table around it with something savory and something fresh. A savory egg bake balances all that maple and icing, and my Egg and Potato Breakfast Casserole can go in the oven alongside this one, which keeps a meat-free brunch simple.
A bowl of berries or sliced oranges cuts the sweetness, and strong coffee does the rest. If you’re feeding a bigger group, a batch of Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins gives the people who want to grab and go something to take with them.
FAQs
Almost always the oven ran too hot, so the top browned before the custard set in the center. Keep it at 350°F (180°C), check the middle with a toothpick, and if the top is done but the center isn’t, tent it with foil and give it a few more minutes.
Yes, and it’s the better way to do it. An overnight rest in the fridge sets the custard more evenly, and you just add a few minutes in the oven since it starts cold.
You can. Use unbaked homemade rolls in place of the package rolls and keep everything else the same. You’ll just be starting earlier, since the dough needs time to make and rise.
No. The rolls are already sweet, so you can finish with maple syrup alone for a lighter top, or use a simple cream cheese glaze if you want it tangier.
More Sweet Breakfast Recipes to Wake Up For
If this earned a spot on your weekend table, here’s where I’d send you next.
- Glazed Cinnamon Toast Crunch Donuts. I make these when I want that same cinnamon-sugar hit in something I can eat with one hand.
- Easy Strawberry Pancakes. On a morning with twenty minutes to spare, these are what I usually go for.
- Homemade Blueberry Muffins. The batch I bake when I want something to grab on the way out the door all week.
- Pumpkin Banana Bread. What I make when I want breakfast sorted for days, because it slices well for several mornings running.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- 8 frozen cinnamon rolls
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- Icing from the cinnamon roll tubes
Video
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with melted butter to ensure the casserole doesn’t stick.4 tablespoons butter
- Cut each frozen cinnamon roll in half (or quarters if they’re larger) and arrange the pieces evenly in the prepared dish.8 frozen cinnamon rolls
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon until the mixture is smooth and well combined.4 large eggs, ½ cup milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- Pour the egg mixture evenly over the cinnamon rolls. You can either cover and refrigerate overnight or bake immediately.
- Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cinnamon rolls are golden brown and puffed.
- Allow the casserole to cool slightly for about 5 minutes. Drizzle the icing from the cinnamon roll package over the top, then finish with a generous layer of maple syrup. Serve warm and enjoy!¼ cup maple syrup, Icing from the cinnamon roll tubes
Notes
Nutrition
can u use cinnamon raisin bread instead of cinnamon rolls
You can try it, but the egg mixture is made for the rolls, and bread may soak it up differently. If you try raisin bread, check the center before taking it out. Let me know how you get on!
Sooooooo good!!! And love that you can put it in the fridge overnite!! BONUS! for fresh “buns” in the morning!!
Thank You for the great idea!! Will be making it again!
Leaving it overnight feels like such a great win doesn’t it! So pleased you love it.