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Test Kitchen Approved

Lazy Cinnamon Rolls

Time: 4 hours

Yield: 12 servings

About

Everyone loves cinnamon rolls but very few people want to put in the work to make them at home. And we can't blame them; it's a lot of rolling. Lazy Cinnamon Rolls uses refrigerated biscuit dough as the base for all the cinnamon-sugar goodness and then bakes the rolls in the slow cooker, so you don't even need to stress about it! A drizzle of cream cheese frosting and some pecans for an added crunchy texture make Lazy Cinnamon Rolls feel like a high-effort breakfast (or dessert) while you barely need to lift a finger.

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Ingredients

  • For the cinnamon rolls:
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 (16.3-ounce) cans refrigerated Southern homestyle biscuits, biscuits separated and cut into fourths
  • 1 stick salted butter, melted
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2/3 cup half-and-half
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped
  • For the frosting:
  • 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons half-and-half, plus more, to taste

Directions

Step 1 -Line the bottom and the sides of a 6-quart slow cooker with foil.

Step 2 -Lightly coat the foil with cooking spray.

Step 3 -In a small bowl, add the granulated sugar, the brown sugar, and the cinnamon and whisk to combine.

Step 4 -In a large bowl, add the biscuit pieces and 1 stick of the melted butter and toss to coat.

Step 5 -In batches, add the buttered biscuit pieces to the cinnamon-sugar mixture and toss to coat.

Step 6 -Transfer the coated biscuit pieces to the prepared slow cooker and continue to toss and coat until all of the biscuit pieces are in the slow cooker.

Step 7 -Sprinkle any of the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture over the top of the biscuit pieces in the slow cooker.

Step 8 -In a bowl, add the eggs, the salt, 2/3 cup of the half-and-half, and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla and whisk to combine.

Step 9 -Pour the egg mixture over the biscuit pieces in the slow cooker.

Step 10 -Sprinkle the biscuit pieces evenly with the pecans.

Step 11 -In a bowl, add the cream cheese and the remaining softened butter and use an electric handheld mixer on medium speed to beat until thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds.

Step 12 -Add 1 cup of the powdered sugar and the remaining vanilla to the cream cheese mixture and beat until smooth, about 1 minute.

Step 13 -Gradually add the remaining powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of the remaining half-and-half, alternating between the two and beating on high after each addition until a smooth, creamy, and slightly loose frosting forms, about 1 minute. If the frosting still seems too thick, add the extra half-and-half, a little at a time, until the frosting reaches the desired consistency.

Step 14 -Drizzle 1/2 of the frosting over the biscuit pieces in the slow cooker. Cover the remaining frosting and set it aside.

Step 15 -Cover the slow cooker and cook on low until the center is set and the bottom just starts to brown, about 3 hours 30 minutes-4 hours.

Step 16 -Drizzle the cinnamon rolls with the remaining frosting.

Step 17 -Serve warm.

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