These are the easiest cinnamon rolls you will make all year. Take a pack of Hawaiian Rolls and slice the whole package in half. Spread cream cheese on both sides before drizzling the buns with a brown sugar spread and smashing the bread back together. Separate each roll and dip them into a custard mixture for a few seconds, then sear them in a pan. Roll the rolls in cinnamon sugar and dive into these delicious ooey-gooey Hawaiian cinnamon rolls. The only trouble is inviting enough people over to enjoy them with.
The reason I love this breakfast/brunch/dessert treat is not only for how easy they come together, but how much of a crowd pleaser these are. Everyone wants to sink there teeth into a gooey cinnamon roll and these take a fraction of the time.
There’s nothing like using a Hawaiian roll in a recipe. It does so much. The texture, the flavor, the price are all so worthy of making a delicious recipe from. It’s a brioche roll which means the dough is enriched with butter and milk. It also conveniently happens to be the same dough you make cinnamon rolls out of. A perfect match!
Hawaiian rolls are made with pineapple juice, so you don’t need too much sugar to make these cinnamon rolls tasty. I know the recipe contains a brown sugar swirl and a cinnamon sugar coating…lol, but you only need a block of softened cream cheese to give the cream cheese frosting effect.
Prep the sliders ahead to form a more solid glue to each roll. This will help the roll stick together with the filling as the filling solidifies in the fridge. If you’re making these for a party, dip them into the custard and cook them on a buttered sheet tray in the oven at 375° F for 20 – 25 minutes, flipping halfway. Dust them in sugar and wham! Hot and ready cinnamon rolls!
Hawaiian Cinnamon Rolls
For custard:
- 1 package of King’s Hawaiian Rolls
- 2/3 cup half and half
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons butter, cubed
For filling:
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
For cinnamon sugar:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Preparation
- In a bowl, mix together the melted butter, cinnamon and brown sugar until it forms a paste. Set aside. Mix together the cinnamon sugar in a large bowl and set aside.
- Cut the Hawaiian rolls in half and spread softened cream cheese on both sides of the rolls. Drizzle the cinnamon swirl all over the cream cheese and sandwich the top and bottom buns together. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the half and half, eggs, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Dip each chilled roll into the custard mixture for 15 - 30 seconds.
- Preheat a large saute pan over medium-low heat for 1 minute.
- Add one cube of butter to the pan and sear rolls in the pan in batches like French toast until golden brown on at least 3 sides. Around 4 - 5 minutes each batch. Be sure to wipe out the pan with paper towel between batches to avoid burning the sugar.
- Remove stuffed toasts to the cinnamon sugar bowl and toss until fully coated then place on a serving plate. Serve warm!
Recipe adapted from Bad Batch Baking