Go from savory store-bought pizza dough to sweet breakfast bliss with a 35-minute recipe for Pizza Dough Cinnamon Rolls.
My thought process leading up to this latest creation was simple: Leftover pizza dough is sitting in my fridge. It’s 8 a.m. I love carbs. I love butter. Hello, Pizza Dough Cinnamon Rolls.
As history has shown, I’m all for baked goods that don’t involve yeast (see examples 1 through 789 here). There’s no proofing. There’s no rolling. Heck, there’s even no mixing if you go the store-bought pizza dough route.
And since I’m always in need of a new way to use up leftover pizza dough, ditching savory for sweet seemed like the perfect solution to the morningtime munchies.
Pizza dough brushed with butter, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, and drizzled with vanilla glaze? I’ll skip the pepperoni any day for that.
So next time you’re stocking up on store-bought pizza dough, or whipping up a yeast-free DIY batch, double-up and keep one in the freezer for a 35-minute journey to the ultimate Pizza Dough Cinnamon Rolls.
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Ingredients
For the cinnamon rolls:
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing pan
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 pound homemade or store-bought pizza dough, at room temp
For the glaze:
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temp
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 Tablespoons hot water (until desired consistency)
Instructions
Make the cinnamon rolls:
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Grease an 8×11-inch baking dish with unsalted butter.
- In a small bowl, stir together the cinnamon and sugar.
- Lightly flour your work surface then roll out the dough into a 16×10-inch rectangle. Brush the dough all over with the melted butter then sprinkle it with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Starting at the long end closest to you, tightly roll the dough into a log. Cut the log into 12 rolls, about 1 1/2-inches each. Arrange each roll in the prepared baking dish about 1 inch apart.
- Bake the rolls for 20 to 25 minutes until the dough is fully cooked. (See Kelly’s Notes.) Remove the rolls from the oven and let them cool slightly while you make the glaze.
Make the glaze:
- In a medium bowl, stir together the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Whisk in the hot water 1 tablespoon at a time until the glaze reaches your desired consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the slightly warm cinnamon rolls and serve immediately.
Kelly’s Notes:
- Pizza dough is easier to roll out when it’s at room temperature versus when it’s cold.
- Pizza dough gets crispier on the edges than traditional cinnamon roll dough so when in doubt, underbake the rolls to guarantee they remain soft.
- Unlike cinnamon rolls made with traditional dough, these rolls are denser in consistency and chewier in taste as a result of the pizza dough.
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
Doesn’t pizza dough have yeast?
Yes, some brands do.
I’ve been looking for a dairy and egg free cinnamon bun recipe to accommodate my daughters allergies, I substituted her vegan butter and they came out great! These were so easy and delicious!
Yay! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Amanda!
These needed to be left to rise for about 20-30 minutes before baking. It makes them less dense. Also, cutting with dental floss is much easier than a knife.
Thanks for your notes, Donna!
came out awesome I cut the baking time so they were soft and not hard drizzled glaze twice to keep them soft.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Jean!
Great simple recipe for even luddites like myself! Wife keeps buying pizza dough & this helps move it out of the fridge ;) Thanks for sharing the recipe!
You are so welcome, Jon! I’m thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe!