Easy Funfetti Cinnamon Rolls
Posted on 4/23/2014 by Kiley
I have been wanting to make Funfetti/Cake Batter Cinnamon Rolls for quite awhile now. I am not sure why it has taken me so long to do it; probably because I thought it would be a pain and I never thought I had enough time to make them. If you remember, I made and posted about No Yeast Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Rolls- they are so simple! That is the base for this recipe, and I can’t wait to continue sharing it with you below!
These cinnamon rolls are easy, quick, and delicious- full of yummy Funfetti and cinnamon flavor that makes them, in Efrain’s opinion, better than any Cinnabon he has ever had! They are light and fluffy, and not overly sugary like some cinnamon rolls can be. You get just the right amount of the Funfetti flavor and the cinnamon sugar combined to make a delicious breakfast that will have you wanting to go back and have another!
I can go on and on about these cinnamon rolls. I am considering making them again this weekend because they are that good! Seriously though, the prep work for these is so easy. I made them in under an hour and a half, which may seem like a long time, but it is not even close to the time required to make cinnamon rolls with yeast and all the time required for those to rise! You probably have everything in your pantry already, all you have to do is set aside a weekend morning (or get up a little early in the week) and you are good to go!
I really love the pops of color that come from the sprinkles in the rolls- they really add to the overall yummy effect of them! :) The rolls tasted just as wonderful the next day after being heated up in the microwave. They kept their flavor, and it felt like I was eating cake as part of breakfast! The cream cheese frosting provides just enough extra flavor without taking over the cinnamon rolls, complementing them well. I had been a bit worried about that, but these turned out so amazing that you need to try them soon! This was actually my first time making a cinnamon roll recipe with cream cheese frosting, and I have to say I am impressed! Not usually a cream cheese fan, I found that the slightly tangy flavor contrasted incredibly well with the sweet and cake flavor of the rolls.
Ingredients
Cinnamon Rolls:
1 ¼ cup Funfetti cake mix
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
1 ¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon sprinkles
1 ¼ cup buttermilk
5 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling:
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 tablespoons butter, softened
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons sprinkles
*Icing:
3 ounces cream cheese
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, preferably softened
1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425F and grease a standard pie pan.
Place the Funfetti mix, flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer.
Add in the buttermilk and melted butter to the flour mixture. Using the dough hook attachment, mix on a low-medium speed until a soft dough forms. Alternatively you can use a wooden spoon and then knead the dough by hand for at least 2 minutes.
Lightly flour your work space/counter top and put the dough onto the surface.
Roll the dough out into a 12 x 9 inch rectangle about ½ an inch thick.
In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon and mix. Using a pastry brush, brush the melted butter all over the dough rectangle, and then sprinkle the dough with the cinnamon-sugar. Cut the softened butter into pea sized pieces and drop them all over the dough. Finish by sprinkling the sprinkles all over the dough, trying to cover the entire area.
Carefully grab either end of the longest length and begin to roll away from you. Keep rolling until you have a 12 inch log.
Cut the log into 10 even pieces, about 1 1/2 inches.
Place in the oven for 18-22 minutes until they have risen and are golden brown. Tent the rolls with foil after 15 minutes to prevent the tops from browning too much. Lightly touch the rolls and make sure they are firm before taking out of the oven.
Once the rolls are out of the oven, being to make the icing. Place the cream cheese and butter into a bowl, and beat together with a mixer until they are combined and creamy. Add in the vanilla extract and the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. Beat everything together until it forms a smooth and well mixed icing.
Spread the icing all over the rolls while still warm. After icing, let cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan until they are able to be taken out without breaking apart.
These should keep in an airtight container in the fridge or on the counter for up to 4 days.*
Notes:
*Depending on your preference (due to the cream cheese icing) these can be stored in the fridge or on the counter, whatever you are most comfortable with.
*You can use powdered buttermilk and water in place of real buttermilk.
*This frosting recipe can be halved, as it makes about 2 cups and is more than enough for these rolls, unless you love the frosting (as I did in this case!)
*This recipe is a Rooks to Cooks original. All photographs and the recipe are copyright Rooks to Cooks, and may not be used without permission.
