7 Clever Ways to Upgrade Canned Cinnamon Rolls

There's nothing like the aroma of cinnamon rolls baking in the morning. When you’re craving that fresh-baked goodness without the hassle of making dough from scratch, these canned cinnamon roll hacks will have everyone convinced you're a pastry pro.

Pro Tip: These tricks work best with the type of canned cinnamon rolls that you can unroll and customize.

1. Add Fresh Fruit for a Sweet Twist

Add a burst of flavor by mixing chopped fresh fruit with a sprinkle of cinnamon and brown sugar, then stuff it inside the rolls. You’ll cover two food groups (fruit and cinnamon rolls)! Try an apple, pear, or persimmon, or even a handful of frozen blueberries (make sure they’re drained). Mix with a tablespoon of brown sugar and a teaspoon of cinnamon. Unroll the dough, press in the fruit, and re-roll. Bake according to the package directions. Feeling extra fruity? Add more fruit on top as they bake for even more flavor.

2. Pantry Power-Up

Dig into your pantry and grab those last bits of spices, dried fruit, nuts, and chocolate chips to mix into your cinnamon rolls. Unroll the dough and sprinkle in flavors like cardamom, raisins, and toasted almonds; nutmeg and chocolate chunks; or chopped dates and walnuts. Roll it all back up and bake as directed.

3. Better with Bacon

For a complete breakfast, add a slice of bacon to each roll. It's the ultimate sweet and salty combo (if you've had a maple-bacon doughnut, you get it). Partially cook the bacon until it's just shy of crispy, so your rolls don’t end up greasy and the bacon still has a satisfying crunch. Place the nearly-crisp bacon on the dough, roll it up, and bake according to the package instructions.

4. Monkey Around

Transform your cinnamon rolls into monkey bread—the perfect finger food for a group or a solo binge in front of the TV. It’s pull-apart cinnamon bread, but with a twist. To make it extra indulgent, stuff each roll with a piece of cream cheese. Slice an 8-ounce block of cream cheese into small cubes, one for each cinnamon roll. Take three cans of cinnamon rolls, flatten each roll, place the cream cheese in the center, and seal the dough around it. (If you prefer, you can skip the cream cheese and simply roll each cinnamon roll into a ball.) Place the dough balls in a lightly greased Bundt pan, bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 40 minutes, until golden brown. Drizzle with the included icing and enjoy.

5. The Pie's the Limit

Turn cinnamon rolls into a delicious pie crust. Slice the dough into ½-inch thick rounds, then press them flat-side down into a 9-inch pie plate, covering the bottom and sides completely. Choose your favorite pie filling, like Apple Pie Filling, Peach Pie Filling, or Sweet Potato Pie, and pour it over the dough. Bake according to the pie recipe instructions.

6. Waffling Around

7. Incredible Icing

The frosting that comes with store-bought rolls can sometimes feel a bit too, well, *store-bought*. Take a few extra minutes to whip up your own icing for a truly transformative result. Start with classic Cream Cheese or Chocolate Frosting, or get adventurous with flavors like Eggnog Frosting or Maple Buttercream Frosting.

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