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You are here: Home / Recipes / Easy Cinnamon Rolls using Frozen Bread Dough

Breakfast Recipes
Published: May 1, 2017 | Last Updated: February 18, 2021 | Author: Lois

Easy Cinnamon Rolls using Frozen Bread Dough

Cinnamon Rolls made using Frozen Bread Dough is a great way to enjoy the taste of homemade cinnamon rolls without the stress of working with a yeast dough like a few of our other Best Cinnamon Roll Recipes. Let me show you a very easy way to bake semi-homemade cinnamon rolls for your family.

How to make easy cinnamon rolls using frozen bread dough from Walking on Sunshine.

This recipe tastes as good as homemade cinnamon rolls with homemade cream cheese frosting, only without all the work involved with a traditional yeast roll recipe.

This recipe is also another Christmas Breakfast Recipe that’s perfect all year long. It’s even great if you want to make something special for the weekend for your family. Maybe you’re celebrating a birthday or family is coming over to visit.

Another great cinnamon roll recipe idea is Easy Cinnamon Roll Bread that’s a quick bread recipe that tastes just like you baked homemade cinnamon rolls. There’s even a delicious glaze drizzled on top!

Make sure you check out my Homemade Cinnamon Rolls using Biscuits. This recipe uses canned refrigerator biscuits as the dough base for cinnamon rolls. Or my Crescent Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls. Both recipes help you get cinnamon rolls on the table without much work! Easy!

Bread Dough Recipes

There’s nothing wrong with yeast dough!  I love creating yummy breads like my Amish White Bread recipe and my Homemade Cinnamon Rolls recipe.

Both of those recipe use a yeast dough but sometimes we just don’t have all the time required to make homemade bread dough recipes. Which is why I like using Rhodes Frozen Bread Dough.

Rhodes Frozen Bread Dough

This recipe uses Rhodes Frozen Bread Dough which is perfect when you don’t have the time to make homemade dough.  Or maybe you haven’t quite mastered working with a yeast dough recipe.  

Your family will love the taste of these cinnamon rolls and you’ll love that you can have them on the breakfast table without all the fuss of a traditional cinnamon roll recipe that uses yeast dough.

Cinnamon Rolls with cream cheese icing.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

Affiliate Disclosure:  This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, click here.

  • Parchment Baking Sheets – waxed paper works too when you’re rolling out the frozen bread dough.
  • Rolling pin – invest in a good rolling pin. I have a few that I love to use.
  • Pastry brush – to help spread the butter. Make sure you use a silicon pastry brush.

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Ingredients

Exact measurements are listed below in the recipe card. Make sure you scroll down to print and save the recipe for later!

For the Cinnamon Rolls:

  • Melted butter
  • Brown sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • 1 loaf frozen bread dough; thawed – seen not above for how to thaw the dough.

For the Frosting:

  • Cream cheese; softened
  • Butter; softened
  • Powdered sugar
  • Vanilla
  • Milk – you’ll need just a few drops to get the consistency of the frosting right.

How to Thaw Frozen Bread Dough

To use Rhodes Frozen Bread Dough, remove a loaf from the freezer the night before you plan on making the cinnamon rolls.  Wrap the loaf of dough in plastic wrap and let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator. 

Continue with the recipe as directed once the dough is defrosted. 

Frozen Bread Dough

Directions

Once the frozen dough is thawed, roll out the dough into a rectangle shape. You can see that I’m rolling the dough right out on a piece of waxed paper. You can also roll it out on a floured surface or even use parchment baking sheets.

Roll out the dough into a rectangle shape.

Spread with the melted butter. You can use a knife, but I really like using a pastry brush.

Spread melted butter over the thawed frozen bread dough using a pastry brush.

Spread with the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture.  You can add chopped pecans too!

Spread brown sugar cinnamon mixture over dough using a pastry brush.

How to Roll up the Dough

Starting from end start rolling the dough up.

Starting at one end roll the thawed frozen bread dough into a cylinder shape.

Make sure you tuck the ends under and press the seam firmly. 

Frozen bread dough filled with cinnamon, sugar, butter rolled up and ready to slice.

How to Slice the Cinnamon Rolls

I like to use a serrated knife to cut the cinnamon rolls.  Some people like to use dental floss.  I’ve never tried that method. If you do, make sure you use the unflavored dental floss, okay?

Depending on how thick you slice the rolls, you should be able to get eight to ten nice sized cinnamon rolls. 

Cinnamon Rolls Sliced on Parchment Paper from WOS

Rising Instructions

You can cover the rolls loosely with plastic wrap if you want. But make sure you place them in a warm, draft-free area in your kitchen. I like to place them either on the stove top or inside the microwave…but do not turn the microwave on, okay?

Allow the cinnamon rolls to rise until they are doubled in size. This could take 60 minutes or more. It all depends on how warm your kitchen is. 

Frozen bread dough thawed and rolled with cinnamon sugar and butter in pan ready to rise from Walking on Sunshine

Baking Instructions

See how much they’ve grown! They’re perfect and ready for the oven. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes or until they’re slightly browned and the centers are set.

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls risen and ready for the oven from Walking on Sunshine

Cream Cheese Frosting Instructions

Prepare the cream cheese icing by combining the icing ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Allow the cinnamon rolls to cool slightly before adding the icing.

Baking Tip: If you add the cream cheese icing too soon, you’ll have a gooey mess on your hands. So be patient and wait about 20 minutes. 

Cinnamon Rolls from Frozen Bread Dough plated from Walking on Sunshine

Cinnamon Rolls made using Rhodes Frozen Bread Dough is easy! If using yeast dough is scary, try this recipe! Your family is going to love them!

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls from Frozen Bread Dough closeup from Walking on Sunshine

Looking for MORE Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Ideas? 

  • Overnight Cinnamon Rolls – these rolls rise in the refrigerator overnight and bake in the morning. Perfect for when busy holiday mornings. 
  • Freezer Friendly Cinnamon Rolls – I gave these as gifts a few years ago to family and friends. Free printables available too! 
  • Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Casserole – uses refrigerator cinnamon rolls to create a delicious casserole that’s easy to put together! 
  • Cinnamon Roll French Toast – combines both my love of French toast and cinnamon rolls in one easy recipe that’s ready in under 20 minutes!

Frequently Asked Recipe Questions

How do you thaw and rise frozen bread dough quickly?

Place the frozen dough on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. But first you should spray the plate and the plastic wrap with non-stick baking spray so the dough doesn’t stick as it defrosts. Microwave the dough on high for 25 seconds. Remove the dough, flip and return to the microwave for another 25 seconds. You can also use the defrost setting for 3 to 5 minutes.

Where do you purchase frozen bread dough?

Frozen bread dough can be found in the freezer section of your local grocery store or big box store like Walmart.

Did you make this recipe? Let me know in the comments and don’t forget to rate it!

Almost from Scratch Cinnamon Rolls made with Frozen Bread Dough from Walking on Sunshine Recipes
How to Make Easy Cinnamon Rolls using Frozen Bread Dough

How to Make Easy Cinnamon Rolls using Frozen Bread Dough

Yield: 8 - 10 cinnamon rolls depending on how thick you slice them.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Rising Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

An easy recipe for almost homemade cinnamon rolls using frozen bread dough!

Ingredients

For the cinnamon rolls:

  • 1 loaf frozen bread dough; thawed
  • 4 tbsp melted butter
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon

For the icing:

  • 4 ounces cream cheese; softened
  • 1/4 cup butter; softened
  • 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • Few drops of milk if necessary

Instructions

For the cinnamon rolls:

  1. On a floured surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle.
  2. Spread the melted butter on top of the bread dough.
  3. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon together and spread it over the top of the butter on the bread dough.
  4. Beginning at one end, roll the dough up into a log.
  5. Slice the log into 2 inch thick rolls and place in a greased pan.
  6. Cover with a cloth and allow the rolls to rise in a warm area until they have doubled in size. Depending on how warm your kitchen is, this could take 60 minutes.
  7. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until they are browned.
  8. Allow to cool slightly before adding the cream cheese icing; about 20 minutes.

For the cream cheese icing:

  1. In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the softened butter.
  2. Add the vanilla.
  3. Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
  4. Frost the cinnamon rolls after they've cooled for about 20 minutes.

Notes

How to Defrost the Dough

  1. Remove a loaf from the freezer the night before you plan on making the cinnamon rolls. Wrap the loaf of dough in plastic wrap and let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator. 
  2. Continue with the recipe as directed when the dough is defrosted. 
  3. You may need to add a few drops of milk to the icing while mixing if it's not creamy enough.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 293Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 155mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 0gSugar: 32gProtein: 2g

The nutrition information is calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you, please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator.

© Lois
Cuisine: American / Category: Breakfast

This recipe has been updated since it first appeared in 2017 with new photos and a new printable recipe card that includes nutritional information. I hope you enjoy the updates as much as I enjoyed working on them! 


41 Comments

About Lois

Originally from Queens, NY, Lois now calls northeastern PA home. You can find her blogging over at Walking on Sunshine where she shares a little of her life, but more importantly what’s for dinner at her house tonight.

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Comments

  1. Danielle says

    January 6, 2021 at 3:23 am

    Hi, these look delish! Can the frozen bread loaf be put in a gallon size ziplock baggie to thaw overnight in the fridge or do you use plastic wrap because it has to be tight against the dough? Thanks!

    Reply
  2. Jessica says

    November 24, 2020 at 12:08 pm

    My grandma used to make these and were my favorite! I’ve tried several times using the Rhodes frozen dough but each time, the dough is super tough and elastic. I’ve tried flour and a lot of muscle but with no success. Should i warm up the dough a little bit? It also does not rise very well. Any suggestions? Thank you!

    Reply
  3. Cassie says

    November 4, 2020 at 11:28 pm

    What size pan do you use with this recipe?

    Reply
    • Lois says

      November 10, 2020 at 7:36 am

      I tried to email you personally a few times Cassie, your email always came back to me. For this recipe you can use an 8 inch pie plate or a 8X8 baking pan, even a 9X12 baking pan will work. It really depends on how thick you slice the cinnamon rolls. Thanks for visiting!

      Reply
  4. Pat says

    October 2, 2020 at 6:59 am

    Love using frozen dough. What makes the roll kind of tough when cooled

    Reply
    • Pat says

      October 2, 2020 at 7:07 am

      ‘I was told to oil table before rolling out instead of flour which is less messy but would that make a difference in texture

      Reply
      • Lois says

        October 4, 2020 at 9:12 pm

        I have never heard of this so I’m not sure if that’s making your dough tough. Try it next time with just a little flour when rolling out the dough to see if that helps. That is how I work with bread dough. Thank you for visiting.

        Reply
  5. Madelaine says

    April 23, 2020 at 4:58 am

    Hallo :-). Just need advice, first in the recipe the instructions says to wait a bit before pooring over the frosting, that it should first otherwise you will have a goey mess, but at the bottom of the recipe it says to poor it over immediately when its hot?

    Reply
    • Lois says

      April 23, 2020 at 10:00 pm

      I sent you a personal email as well Madelaine. The recipe doesn’t say to pour over immediately when it’s hot. I recommend waiting for the rolls to cool slightly. I hope this helps you!

      Reply
  6. Lea says

    March 24, 2019 at 5:02 pm

    Made these today for my Sunday school class. They were delicious. One guy ate 3!! I doubled the recipe and had lots of icing left over. I laid the frozen bread loafs (2) out on Friday evening. Then on Saturday evening I made the rolls, then refrigerated them overnight then took them out of the refrigerator about an hour before I planned to bake them. They rose in the refrigerator quite a bit. I baked them for about 18 minutes, then covered with the icing. The only problem I had was in rolling them out. Because of the yeast when I would roll the dough it sprang back, lol. But I finally won the battle. I think next time, and there will be a next time, I will put some caramel in the icing.

    Reply
    • Lois says

      March 24, 2019 at 8:11 pm

      Love the idea of adding caramel to the icing! Thank you so much for coming back and letting me know how the recipe came out for you!

      Reply
  7. Marisa Franca says

    February 23, 2019 at 3:27 pm

    YUM!! I can smell them now! Love the cinnamon smell plus bread baking. There is nothing better!! And what a fantastic idea to have the frozen bread dough ever ready so that you can whip up a batch of sweet rolls in no time at all. I’m putting frozen bread dough on my grocery list.

    Reply
  8. Debbie says

    February 23, 2019 at 2:26 pm

    What are the approximate dimensions of the rectangle once rolled out? Sorry, but I need specific instructions. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Lois says

      February 23, 2019 at 3:48 pm

      Hi Debbie, I’ve never measured the dough when making cinnamon rolls, but I would think rolling the dough out into a 12 X 9 inch rectangle would be good. Let me know how the recipe works for you! Thanks for visiting.

      Reply
      • Edna says

        December 15, 2019 at 7:27 pm

        Can you use pizza dough for this recipe to instead of frozen bread dough?

        Reply
        • Lois says

          December 16, 2019 at 10:21 am

          I sent you a personal email Edna replying to this, so please check your spam folder to make sure you received it. I have never tried this recipe using pizza dough, but I do think you could! I would love for you to let me know how it turns out for you. Thank you for visiting.

          Reply
  9. Veena Azmanov says

    February 22, 2019 at 5:26 pm

    I make cinnamon bread but never made it with store-bought bread. This would be perfect for those lazy weekends when you just too lazy to move a muscle. Can’t wait to try.

    Reply
  10. Jolina says

    February 22, 2019 at 9:45 am

    I don’t mind making bread with yeast though I love using frozen bread dough sometimes. So convenient in a pinch! Homemade cinnamon rolls are the best, and kitchen just smells so amazing!

    Reply
    • Lois says

      February 23, 2019 at 3:49 pm

      I enjoy baking with yeast as well and I enjoy having a shortcut recipe on hand as well too! Thanks for visiting.

      Reply
  11. Denise says

    February 22, 2019 at 8:08 am

    I love that you used frozen dough for these because I am not much of a baker. My 14 yo son would love me forever if I make these. I am going to give this a try this weekend!

    Reply
    • Lois says

      February 23, 2019 at 3:49 pm

      Would love for you to comment back on how they turned out for you. Thank you for visiting.

      Reply
  12. Gloria says

    February 21, 2019 at 5:05 pm

    I love having cinnamon buns on the weekend. These look super delicious. Using store-bought dough makes things easier to prepare too. Can’t wait to give these a try.

    Reply
    • Lois says

      February 23, 2019 at 3:50 pm

      Thanks for visiting Gloria!

      Reply
      • Donna says

        March 27, 2019 at 3:10 pm

        I am making cinnamon rolls from Rhodes bread dinner rolls is a recipe still the same for everything

        Reply
        • Lois says

          March 28, 2019 at 12:01 am

          I’ve never made this recipe using dinner rolls, so I can’t really answer your question. If you have the Rhodes frozen bread loaves, that would be better. Thank you for visiting.

          Reply
  13. AK says

    February 10, 2019 at 6:53 pm

    Approximately how many will 1 load make?
    I’m am needing to make about 48 cinnamon rolls.

    Reply
    • Lois says

      February 11, 2019 at 5:30 pm

      Depending on how thick you slice them, you could get anywhere from 8 to 12 rolls per frozen loaf of bread. Hope that helps you! Thank you for visiting.

      Reply
  14. Kristin says

    February 5, 2019 at 1:21 pm

    We love breakfast at our house! These look amazing and so doable for me! I’m inspired! Thank you for linking up at Share Your Style. I will be sharing your post tomorrow as one of my features!

    Reply
    • Lois says

      February 6, 2019 at 8:02 am

      Thank you for featuring my recipe! Love joining your parties!

      Reply
  15. jami says

    January 23, 2019 at 2:16 pm

    how long usually does it take dough to double in size ?

    Reply
    • Lois says

      January 23, 2019 at 2:46 pm

      Hi Jami! Depending on how warm your kitchen is, they should double in size in about an hour. Thank you for visiting!

      Reply
  16. Trish says

    January 12, 2019 at 12:17 pm

    Once these have baked can you freeze any leftovers (without the icing)? My little one loves cinnamon rolls finally and i would like to make a big batch and just warm them up in the microwave in the a.m. for quick breakfast. Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Lois says

      January 12, 2019 at 1:07 pm

      Yes! You could definitely freeze these BEFORE baking! Once you have the cinnamon rolls put together and sliced, place them in the freezer on a baking tray that’s been lined with parchment paper. Freeze for about 30 minutes and then remove from the tray and place in a freezer-safe bag or container. When you’re ready to serve them to your little one, just remove the number of rolls you need and allow them to defrost and come to room temperature before baking. Thank you for visiting!

      Reply
  17. Karen Franco says

    December 24, 2018 at 12:24 pm

    You should include instructions for thawing the dough

    Reply
    • Lois says

      December 24, 2018 at 7:20 pm

      To use a frozen dough loaf, remove a loaf from the freezer the night before you plan on making the cinnamon rolls. Wrap the loaf of dough in plastic wrap and let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Continue with the recipe as directed when the dough is defrosted.

      Thank you for visiting Karen!

      Reply
      • Laura Adams says

        April 16, 2020 at 5:29 pm

        Hi Lois, I just wanted to add a tip that I’ve been using for years: I thaw two loaves at a time in my microwave. I rub butter or shortening lightly all over the frozen loaves, to keep them from forming a crust on top, then place in a small Pyrex baking dish that fits in my microwave. I microwave on ‘3’ power, in 90-second increments – it usually takes about 4 1/2 minutes to thaw pretty well, then I let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes, and it’s ready to proceed with a recipe. Works like a charm! Thanks for this recipe!

        Reply
        • Lois says

          April 17, 2020 at 7:59 pm

          Thank you so much for the great tip! I’ll have to try that sometime soon. Thanks for visiting.

          Reply
  18. Lauren @ My Wonderfully Made says

    September 19, 2017 at 6:19 pm

    Mouth is watering here! I love this because I am a failure with any yeast dough so I COULD do this!

    Reply
  19. Tracy @ Our Simple Homestead says

    August 31, 2017 at 11:02 pm

    This is a great quick breakfast. They look yummy!!!

    Reply
  20. Sandra Lee says

    August 30, 2017 at 5:03 pm

    Yeast and I don't get along very well and this is an awesome shortcut. Thank you!

    Reply
  21. Bev Carter says

    May 1, 2017 at 11:00 pm

    Wow, these cinnamon rolls look so yummy. Like the fact that they use frozen dough. Easy to make.
    Hugs,
    Bev

    Reply

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