Slow Cooker Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
It's pretty hard to find a better breakfast option than cinnamon rolls, and we're a fan of the sweet confection in any way, shape, or form. While the most common method for making cinnamon rolls is to bake them in an oven, this recipe utilizes another handy kitchen appliance: the slow cooker. Recipe developer Deniz Vergara brings us this recipe for slow cooker cinnamon rolls. She tells us that the major benefit to using a slow cooker is to cut down on the dough rise time, which is often very intimidating for home bakers.
"I make these cinnamon rolls for Father's Day and Christmas morning, but they are also a great addition to a brunch spread," Vergara says. "There is something special about eating freshly made cinnamon rolls." We couldn't agree more — cinnamon rolls are delicious enough on their own, but homemade cinnamon rolls take on a whole new level of decadence.
Gather your ingredients for slow cooker cinnamon rolls
To make these slow cooker cinnamon rolls, you can start by gathering your ingredients. For this recipe, you will need whole milk, active dry yeast, sugar, salt, unsalted butter, egg, flour, cinnamon, brown sugar, powdered sugar, maple syrup, almond extract, and vanilla extract.
But wait, there's more! You'll need a few appliances and additional ingredients. Grab your stand mixer, slow cooker, non-stick cooking spray (for greasing), and parchment paper. It's best to get all of this out now so you have it handy during cooking.
Prepare and knead the dough
Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the milk, active dry yeast, and sugar. Let this mixture sit until it is foamy, which takes about 5 minutes. Then, add in the sugar, salt, butter, egg, and 2 cups of flour. Using the dough hook attachment, process until it is all combined. Then, gradually add in the remaining flour, ¼ cup at a time, while the mixer is spinning, until a soft dough forms.
Not sure what to look for? "Dough will be ready when it gently pulls away from the sides of the bowl," Vergara advises. "Use your judgement and really feel the dough. It should not be dry. It should spring back when you touch it with your finger and it should feel like play dough in your hands."
Then, flip the dough out of the bowl and knead it on a floured surface for one minute. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
Form the rolls
Next, prepare your slow cooker by greasing a sheet of parchment paper with non-stick cooking spray and placing it in the bottom of the appliance.
Then, roll the dough into a 8x12-inch rectangle. In a small bowl, add the cinnamon and sugar. Spread the softened butter on top of the dough and then sprinkle it with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Using your hands, roll the dough into a tight cylinder, creating the classic cinnamon roll spiral. Then, slice about 10 cinnamon rolls from the cylinder.
Place the cinnamon rolls inside the slow cooker and add a paper towel underneath the lid to catch the condensation. While you can certainly make cinnamon rolls without a slow cooker, Vergara tells us, "I love the slow cooker method for these because you don't have to allow the dough to rise at all which saves tons of time." She further explains, "Because we cook the cinnamon rolls on low, the rise is kind of built-in to the cooking process. I think that the rising process can be a turn-off for many people, especially when things have to rise twice, which can take about 3-4 hours total, so I hope this recipe can help more people make amazing cinnamon rolls at home."
Turn on slow cooker and prepare the icing
Once you cover the slow cooker with a lid, turn it on low and cook for 2 ½ hours. When the time is up, remove the cinnamon rolls from the slow cooker using the parchment paper. Then, prepare the icing by whisking the powdered sugar, maple syrup, almond extract, vanilla extract, and milk. Once it is smooth, drizzle it over the cinnamon rolls and enjoy them right away.
While these are perfectly delightful to serve on their own, Vergara tells us, "I typically serve these on their own with coffee for the adults, but if you have them as part of a brunch spread, you could serve with hard boiled eggs, breakfast meat and fruit."
- For the dough
- ¾ cup whole milk (between 110-115 F)
- 1 packet active dry yeast
- ¼ cup + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, divided
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 large egg
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- For the filling
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- For the icing
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Pour the warm milk into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook or paddle attachment. Whisk in the yeast and 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar. Let it sit until the yeast is foamy, about 5 to 10 minutes.
- On low speed, beat in the remaining ¼ cup of sugar, the salt, butter, egg, and 2 cups of flour until combined. The dough will be wet. While continuing to beat on low speed, add the remaining flour ¼ cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, then knead for 1 minute. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
- In the meantime, line a slow cooker with greased parchment paper.
- Roll the rested dough out in a 8x12-inch rectangle. Spread the softened butter on top. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together, then sprinkle on top of the butter. Roll the dough up tightly along the long side, then cut into 10 even pieces and place them inside the lined slow cooker. Place a paper towel (not a cloth towel) right under the lid of the slow cooker — this will help keep condensation from dripping onto the cinnamon rolls while they cook.
- Turn your slow cooker on low and cook for 2 ½ hours or until the rolls are fully cooked through. They will be golden around the edges and soft in the middle. Once they're done, remove the rolls from the cooker right away by lifting out the parchment paper.
- For the icing, whisk the powdered sugar, maple syrup, extracts, and milk together until smooth. Drizzle over the warm rolls and enjoy right away.
| Calories per Serving | 304 |
| Total Fat | 10.9 g |
| Saturated Fat | 6.5 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 42.7 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 47.7 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.3 g |
| Total Sugars | 24.8 g |
| Sodium | 162.7 mg |
| Protein | 4.4 g |
