Hawaiian Roll Cinnamon Rolls

Soft, pillowy texture combined with a butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon filling, a decadent brown sugar glaze, and an amazing cream cheese frosting makes these cinnamon rolls a perfect breakfast, snack, or dessert.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 346kcal

Author Anne Clark

Equipment

9x13-inch baking pan or casserole dish
measuring cup(s)
measuring spoons
Small mixing bowls

Ingredients

12 King's Hawaiian Rolls

Brown Sugar Sauce

8 Tablespoons butter, melted see notes below
¼ cup light brown sugar, packed see notes below
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon see notes below

Filling

4 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Icing

4 ounces softened cream cheese
4 Tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1-4 Tablespoons milk (if needed)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F. For the Hawaiian Rolls, do not separate each roll, rather use a sharp serrated knife to slice the entire bundle of rolls in half horizontally. Try to make sure the bottom half isn't too thin. Set the rolls aside.
12 King's Hawaiian Rolls
Make the "Brown Sugar Sauce" by combining the melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir until well blended. Spread 4 tablespoons of this mixture onto the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking pan. Set the remaining mixture to the side for now. Place the bottom half of the rolls in the pan.
8 Tablespoons butter, melted, ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Make the "Filling" by first brushing the melted butter on the bottom half of the cinnamon rolls. In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle on top of the melted butter making sure to go all the way to the edges of the rolls. Place the top half of the rolls on top of the bottom half.
4 Tablespoons butter, melted, 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, ⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Stir the remaining "Brown Sugar Sauce" then pour it all over the top of the rolls. Use a spoon or pastry brush. Some of this mixture will run over into the pan and this is fine.
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the rolls are crispy and golden brown. For my oven, I bake them 13 minutes. While the rolls are baking, make the icing.
Make the "Icing" by combining softened cream cheese, softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt in a small bowl. Use an electric mixer or a whisk in order to get the icing nice and creamy (the consistency of honey). If the icing is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time to get the correct consistency.
4 ounces softened cream cheese, 4 Tablespoons butter, softened, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, pinch of salt, 1-4 Tablespoons milk (if needed)
Remove the rolls from the oven when they are done. Let rest 5 minutes. Pour the icing on top of rolls while they are still warm. Serve immediately!
Tips - To keep the Hawaiian Roll Cinnamon Rolls from sticking to the pan, don't let them completely cool in the pan. Transfer them to a plate or platter immediately after icing them. The brown sugar sauce that you put in the bottom of the pan in Step 2 practically turns into candy while baking! Scrape it off and save it...it's delicious to snack on!

Notes

Ingredient Notes

Because butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon are called for multiple times in the recipe, for planning purposes, you will need a total of:

16 Tablespoons of butter (or 1 cup)

½ cup+ of light brown sugar (a little more than ½ cup)

2-½ teaspoons of ground cinnamon

What to Serve With Them

Pair your Hawaiian Roll Cinnamon Rolls with a hot cup of coffee or a tall glass of cold milk. Garnish with chopped pecans for an added nutty crunch. Oh, and I would not turn down of scoop of vanilla ice cream next to one of these rolls!

Recipe Tips

When slicing the bundle of rolls in half, try not to get the bottom half too thin. I like to place toothpicks along the center cutting line to use an a guide for the knife.

Use a 9x13-inch pan. If you double the recipe, use either two 9x13-inch pans or a larger baking dish such as an 11x15-inch pan.

Make sure the cream cheese icing isn't too thick or too thin...it should be the consistency of honey.

Nutrition