Hawaiian Roll Cinnamon Rolls
Grab a bag of Hawaiian sweet rolls and you're halfway to making these shortcut pastries. A hack that's great for dorm rooms, baking with kids and anyone who doesn't have time for kneading and rising yeasted dough.
Equipment
- 1 12-cup Muffin Tin
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 2 Small Mixing Bowls
- 1 Parchment Paper Sheet large enough to unroll the Hawaiian rolls
- 1 Sharp Knife For cleanly slicing the rolled dough
Ingredients
Main
- 3 sticks 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the muffin tin
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar plus more for dusting
- 1/4 cup ground cinnamon
- 24 Hawaiian sweet rolls such as King's Hawaiian Original Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- For the rolls: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with butter and dust with granulated sugar. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Cut the entire pack of rolls in half horizontally (keeping all top and bottom halves separately intact). Open up the rolls like a book on a piece of parchment so they are laying cut-side up. Spread 2 sticks (1 cup) of the butter over the cut side of both halves. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the butter on the bottom half of the rolls, then top with the top half of the rolls, creating a cinnamon-sugar sandwich.
- Using a rolling pin, flatten the rolls. Spread the remaining 8 tablespoons butter on top and coat with the remaining cinnamon-sugar. Starting with the long end closest to you, use the parchment paper to roll up the rolls into a tight jelly roll. Slice the roll into 12 slices and place a slice into each cup of the prepared muffin tin. Bake until golden brown and bubbling, about 20 minutes.
- For the glaze: Meanwhile, mix the confectioners' sugar, butter and vanilla in a small bowl. Add hot water 1 tablespoon at a time until the glaze reaches the desired consistency.
- Cool the rolls in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a plate. Drizzle with the glaze and serve warm.
Notes
Ensure your butter is truly at room temperature for easy and even spreading; cold butter will tear the delicate rolls. When flattening the rolls, aim for a consistent thickness to ensure even baking and a beautiful spiral. The parchment paper is crucial for tightly rolling the 'dough' – use it to help guide and compact the roll. For an elevated touch, consider adding a tiny pinch of fine sea salt to the cinnamon-sugar mixture to balance the sweetness, or incorporate a touch of orange zest into the glaze for brightness. If a richer glaze is desired, swap a tablespoon of the melted butter for cream cheese and whisk thoroughly.