Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls
Experiment

Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls

Back to Bakemix-ology

All the pillowy, swirled goodness of classic cinnamon rolls — with a cake mix doing the heavy lifting. Soft, fluffy, and totally doable on a weekend morning.

Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls
Prep30 min
Cook28 min
DifficultyMedium
Cal / serving~428

Servings

14

14 rolls · ~428 cal each · ~5990 cal total

Ingredients

  • 1 box yellow or white cake mix (15–16 oz)
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (plus up to ½ cup for kneading)
  • 2 tsp instant yeast
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1.19 cups warm milk (115–120°F)
  • 1 tbsp melted butter (dough)
  • ¾ cup butter, softened (filling)
  • 1 ½ cups brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp nutmeg (optional)
  • 2 cups powdered sugar (for glaze)
  • 3 tbsp milk (for glaze)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

You'll need

  • ·Large mixing bowl
  • ·9x13 baking pan
  • ·Rolling pin
  • ·Plastic wrap or kitchen towel
  • ·Measuring cups and spoons
  • ·Sharp knife or bench scraper

Instructions

  1. 1

    In a large bowl, whisk together cake mix, 3 cups flour, yeast, and salt. Stir in the warm milk and melted butter. Add milk 1 tbsp at a time if the dough looks dry, or sprinkle flour 1 tbsp at a time if sticky. Dough should be soft, tacky, and moldable — it bounces back slowly when pressed.

  2. 2

    Knead for 8–10 minutes until elastic and smoother.

  3. 3

    Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise at room temperature for about 1 hour, or until doubled.

  4. 4

    Mix softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg (if using) until completely combined.

  5. 5

    Roll dough into a 12×18" rectangle. Spread butter mixture evenly over the surface, leaving a small border at the edges. Roll tightly into a log and slice into 12–15 rolls. Place in a greased 9×13" pan.

  6. 6

    Cover and let rise 45–60 minutes at room temperature, until puffy and nearly doubled. Overnight option: after shaping, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, let rolls sit at room temp for 1–2 hours until puffy, then bake as directed.

  7. 7

    Bake at 350°F for 25–30 minutes, covering loosely with foil if tops brown too quickly.

  8. 8

    Let rolls cool 15–20 minutes. For a quick vanilla glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until smooth, then drizzle over warm rolls. For cream cheese frosting, beat 4 oz cream cheese with 4 tbsp butter, 1½ cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1 tbsp milk until fluffy.

Calorie estimates are approximate and calculated from ingredient quantities. Actual values may vary.