Pudding Cinnamon Rolls

Indulge in soft, fluffy pudding cinnamon rolls made with instant pudding mix for extra moisture and flavor. These easy homemade rolls are rich, tender, and topped with a sweet glaze—perfect for breakfast, brunch, or holiday baking.

Course Bread/Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Resting time 1 15

Total Time 50

Servings rolls

Calories 222kcal

Author Leigh Anne Wilkes

Equipment

Ingredients

2 cups milk
1 3.4 oz. pkg instant vanilla pudding or butterscotch pudding
2 .25 oz. pkgs active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water 110-115 degrees F
1/2 cup butter melted
2 eggs
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
7-8 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp butter, melted

Frosting

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

In a mixer bowl, combine milk and pudding and beat for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until it thickens slightly.
I large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water Let sit for 5 minutes to allow yeast to proof.

Frosting

Add in 1/2 cup butter, eggs, sugar, salt and 2 cups flour. Mix on medium speed for 3-4 minutes.
Add in pudding mixture and beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough, it will still be slightly sticky.
Place dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic and not sticky.
Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to grease top and cover and let rise in a warm place until double. About 1 hour.
Punch down down and turn onto a floured surface. Divide dough in half and roll out each section to a 17 x 12 rectangle. Brush with 2 Tbsp.melted butter, each half with 1 Tbsp.
Mix together brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over dough. Roll up dough, jelly roll style. Cut each roll into 16 slices. Place slices from each roll into a greased 13 x 9. You will need two 13 x 9 pans.
Cover and let rise until double, about 30-45 minutes.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
While cinnamon rolls are baking, make frosting.
In a large saucepan, combine the brown sugar, cream and butter. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove form heat and beat in powdered sugar until creamy. Frost rolls while warm.

Notes

Use instant pudding mix Make sure you’re using instant pudding, not cook-and-serve. It blends easily into the dough and is the secret to those ultra-soft, tender rolls.
Don’t add too much flour The dough should be soft and slightly tacky, not stiff. Adding too much flour will make your rolls dense instead of light and fluffy.
Let the dough rise until doubled Be patient with the rise time. A full rise gives you that pillowy texture you want in a great cinnamon roll.
Roll evenly for consistent baking Try to roll your dough into an even rectangle so your rolls are uniform in size and bake evenly.
Use dental floss to cut the rolls Slide unflavored dental floss under the dough and pull it across the top to cut clean slices without squishing the rolls.
Don’t overbake Bake just until the tops are lightly golden. Overbaking will dry them out and you’ll lose that soft, gooey texture.
Frost while warm Spread that amazing brown sugar frosting on while the rolls are still warm so it melts slightly into all the swirls—this is what gives you that caramel-like goodness.
Make ahead option After shaping the rolls, cover and refrigerate overnight. Let them come to room temperature and rise slightly before baking the next day.
Reheat for that fresh-baked feel Warm leftovers in the microwave for 15–20 seconds to bring back that soft, just-baked texture and gooey frosting.

Recipe from Taste of Home

Nutrition