Who doesn’t love buttery cinnamon rolls? The aroma of this homemade treat is incredible, but preparing it may be a little time-consuming. Here, you’ll learn how to make the process quicker using an air-fryer. We also offer some easy recipes for the ultimate cinnamon roll experience.
Air-Frying vs. Baking Cinnamon Rolls
People usually bake cinnamon rolls so the dough can cook thoroughly. However, baking doesn’t give them that golden brown color as frying does. Also, the baking process takes a lot longer compared to an air-fryer. Air fryers use circulating heat and create a fully browned outer edge on the rolls by leaving the interior soft and fluffy.
How to Make Air-Fryer Rolls
Apart from getting an air-fryer, you can shorten the process by using canned rolls instead of making them from scratch. Farwin Simaak, founder of Love and Other Spices, shares a recipe for air-fried cinnamon rolls. Instead of using the icing in the can, she makes her own homemade cream cheese glaze. For this recipe, you can skip preheating your air-fryer, as the outside of your rolls will cook faster than the inside.
Air-Fried Cinnamon Rolls With Cream Cheese Glaze
Ingredients:
- 1 (17.5 oz.) can cinnamon rolls, like Pillsbury
- 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 2 oz. unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Pinch of cinnamon (optional)
Directions:
Separate the dough rolls from the can. Put parchment paper or grease the air-fryer and place the rolls inside, leaving space between each one. Leave them in for about six minutes at 350°F. Then, flip them and cook for another four minutes until they’re brown on top. Once done, remove them from the air-fryer and let cool for a few minutes.
For the cream cheese glaze, mix together the cream cheese, softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon until the mixture gets creamy. Put it on top of the rolls while they’re still warm. Voilá!
Upgrading Air-Fried Canned Cinnamon Rolls
Canned cinnamon rolls can be just as tasty if you get creative with the flavors. Here are three simple ideas:
1) Top the rolls with pie filling before putting them in the air-fryer. Simply put 1 tablespoon of your jarred pie filling of choice on each roll and then air fry. The filling will become gooey, and the chunks of fruit will add a crunchy texture.
2) Mix in about ½ teaspoon of lemon or orange zest with the icing for a refreshing taste. You can also squeeze in a bit of the juice. It makes the flavor more intense.
3) If you want to get crazy with the toppings, sprinkle chopped bacon or mini chocolate chips over the rolls. Sprinkles are also a great option for extra sugary flavor and color.