These sticky, gooey and soft bacon cinnamon rolls are surprisingly easy, quick and have the wow factor with crunchy delicious bacon making the best sweet and salty snack or desert. You can use Pillsbury, Cinnabon or most store-brand cinnamon rolls. If you are looking for a sweet breakfast recipe idea or snack to impress – look no further!
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Why This Recipe Works
- This recipe is surprisingly easy and has a sweet and salty wow factor that sets it apart from your standard cinnamon rolls – like seriously, who doesn’t love bacon???
- You can use Pillsbury, Cinnabon or most store-brand cinnamon rolls as your base.
- You can make these ahead of time (even the night before) and pop them in the oven when you are ready!
How many cinnamon rolls in a can?
In your standard 12.4 oz can of cinnamon rolls from Pillsbury there are 8 rolls. I used Safeway Signature Kitchen’s Brand Cinnamon rolls and they also contain 8 rolls at 12.4 oz.
Is Pillsbury the best store bought option?
Personally, I think you can’t go wrong with Pillsbury which is available in most local stores. Pillsbury also has special cinnamon rolls with Cinnabon icing which are very popular. You can use either option for this recipe. I have also had very good luck with Safeway Signature Kitchen’s Brand Cinnamon rolls. Safeway is one of my local stores so I do enjoy their products.
How long do Pillsbury cinnamon rolls bake for?
The Pillsbury directions indicate they should be cooked for 13-17 minutes. Specifically, Heat oven to 400 degrees F (375 degrees F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease round cake pan. Place rolls in pan, cinnamon topping up. Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until golden brown.
Can I refrigerate cinnamon buns and rolls before baking?
Absolutely! You can prepare these rolls ahead of time, even the night before, and then pop them in the oven when you are ready. If starting from cold, you will likely need to increase the baking time by 1-2 minutes.
How do you make sticky buns taste better?
Um, BACON! Duh! Adding the bacon to this recipe takes it to a whole other level of sweet and salty decadence. And trust me, you will impress all of your guests.
How to make bacon cinnamon rolls with bacon inside?
The trick to making these bacon cinnamon rolls is to pre-cook the bacon to render (melt out) some of the fat before rolling in the cinnamon roll (however, the bacon must still be malleable).
How do you roll a cinnamon bun?
When you crack open the can of cinnamon rolls, each roll will unravel into a long thin strip. You roll the cinnamon bun by rolling it back into the pinwheel shape. However, you can lay these out in long strips on a plate or sheet pan so they will be ready to wrap with the bacon when it is done pre-cooking.
How to make this recipe
- Put 8 slices bacon in skillet. Place 2 slices bacon to the side.
- Add about ½ cup water to skillet.
- Turn on high heat and bring water to a boil. This might sound weird to “boil bacon” but you are rendering (cooking out) the fat and it will make it crispier when you cook it in the rolls.
- Cook bacon until you start to see a little bit of brown caramelization on the edges. You want to render a good amount of the fat out so the bacon will crisp up more when cook in the roll. However, you still need to bacon to be malleable so you can roll it in the cinnamon bun. IMPORTANT: Make sure you don’t skip this step as cooking the bacon enough is important so you don’t have bacon mush in your rolls – you have been warned!
- Once bacon is done, move to a plate covered in a paper towel and cover with another paper towel. Using a spatula or second plate, press out some of the grease on to the paper towels.
- Set bacon aside.
- Open cinnamon roll package and unroll the cinnamon rolls in a line on a plate.
- Lay a slice of bacon over each one.
- Roll up each cinnamon roll so the bacon is like a pinwheel inside.
- Place each individual cinnamon roll in a cupcake hole of a cupcake tray.
- Cook on 375 degrees (dark pan) or 400 degrees (light pan) for 13-17 minutes (or as directed on the cinnamon rolls as the packages can vary).
- You want your bacon to be crispy on the outside, it will still be slightly soft on the inside.
- While the rolls are in the oven, sauté your remaining two slices of bacon until crispy.
- Wring out excess grease between 2 paper towels as directed above.
- Cut or break up bacon into crispy crumbles.
- When cinnamon rolls are done, remove from oven and transfer each roll onto a plate.
- Smother in icing (included in cinnamon roll package).
- Top with crispy bacon.
- Fend off anyone in the vicinity from stealing your delicious bacon cinnamon rolls! Enjoy!
Note: It is very important to use Center Cut Bacon (see notes in recipe).
Related Recipes
For a delicious egg breakfast option to go with these cinnamon rolls, you will love my Egg Casserole Bake.
Another wonderful breakfast option if you are looking for something a little lighter to enjoy, check out my Mexican Fruit Cup.
For a kid-friendly, healthy snack, check out my Edible Cookie Dough. It is amazing with pretzels for dipping!
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Bacon Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- Cupcake tray, sauté pan or skillet
Ingredients
- 1 8 count package (12.4 oz) Pillsbury or Safeway Signature Kitchen’s cinnamon rolls. Most store brands will work. Look for 8 rolls and approx. 12 oz.
- 10 Slices Center cut bacon. Note: CENTER CUT is important. It is better because it is less fatty and the bacon will crisp better and cook more evenly. You can use regular bacon but it is not ideal. Typical package is 12 oz.
Instructions
- Put 8 slices bacon in skillet. Place 2 slices bacon to the side.
- Add about ½ cup water to skillet.
- Turn on high heat and bring water to a boil. This might sound weird to “boil bacon” but you are rendering (cooking out) the fat and it will make it crispier when you cook it in the rolls.
- Cook bacon until you start to see a little bit of brown caramelization on the edges. You want to render a good amount of the fat out so the bacon will crisp up more when cook in the roll. However, you still need to bacon to be malleable so you can roll it in the cinnamon bun. IMPORTANT: Make sure you don’t skip this step as cooking the bacon enough is important so you don’t have bacon mush in your rolls – you have been warned!
- Once bacon is done, move to a plate covered in a paper towel and cover with another paper towel. Using a spatula or second plate, press out some of the grease on to the paper towels.
- Set bacon aside.
- Open cinnamon roll package and unroll the cinnamon rolls in a line on a plate.
- Lay a slice of bacon over each one.
- Roll up each cinnamon roll so the bacon is like a pinwheel inside.
- Place each individual cinnamon roll in a cupcake hole of a cupcake tray.
- Cook on 375 degrees (dark pan) or 400 degrees (light pan) for 13-17 minutes (or as directed on the cinnamon rolls as the packages can vary).
- You want your bacon to be crispy on the outside, it will still be slightly soft on the inside.
- While the rolls are in the oven, sauté your remaining two slices of bacon until crispy.
- Wring out excess grease between 2 paper towels as directed above.
- Cut or break up bacon into crispy crumbles.
- When cinnamon rolls are done, remove from oven and transfer each roll onto a plate.
- Smother in icing (included in cinnamon roll package).
- Top with crispy bacon.
- Fend off anyone in the vicinity from stealing your delicious bacon cinnamon rolls! Enjoy!
Sara
These bacon cinnamon rolls are awesome! My family was fighting over them. I have made cinnamon rolls with bacon before and the bacon was never crispy. The key to this recipe is precooking the bacon. Thank you for combining my favorite things in the best way possible!
Aubrey
Thanks Sara!!! Everything is better with bacon right? 😂
Annalyn
These bacon cinnamon rolls are incredible!!! I served them with our breakfast and my family thought I was a kitchen wizard!