Ooey – Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

A nighttime cookbook endeavor, ends up producing these grown up and sophisticated cinnamon rolls.

byDeena Wachtel

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Sometimes cookbooks call to me in the middle of the night and I’m helpless to stop it. And who am I to stop it?

Last night, for example, the bookFrequently Asked Questions

Can I use homemade dough instead of puff pastry for these cinnamon rolls?

Yes, but the character of the roll will change significantly. Puff pastry is the secret ingredient here — it creates a crispy, toffee-crunchy exterior that traditional enriched dough won’t replicate. If you use yeast dough, you’ll get a softer, more classic cinnamon roll texture but lose the quick 20-minute bake time.

How do I get the cinnamon rolls out of the muffin tin without them sticking?

The recipe calls for placing a teaspoon of the butter-cinnamon-sugar mixture in the bottom of each muffin compartment before adding the rolls. This pan sauce caramelizes during baking and helps release the rolls cleanly. Turn them out individually onto a serving plate as soon as they come out of the oven — don’t let them cool in the pan or the caramel will set and stick.

How long do puff pastry cinnamon rolls keep, and can I make them ahead?

These are best eaten the day they are baked — puff pastry softens as it sits and loses its signature crunch. You can assemble the uncut log the night before, wrap it tightly in plastic, and refrigerate overnight. Slice and bake fresh in the morning; the cook time of 15–20 minutes at 375°F stays the same.

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View Comments (1) View Comments (1)

Puff pastry standing in for yeasted dough is genius. Cinnamon rolls in 20 minutes, no proofing. Mine came out rougher than the photo but buttery enough that it didn’t matter.

Marcello

April 5, 2026 at 2:00 pm

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