Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls: Tips And Techniques For The Perfect Treat

For a homemade yeast roll, these Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls are relatively quick to make and the result is a super soft cinnamon roll. Top these homemade sweet rolls with a cream cheese frosting for a delicious breakfast, brunch or afternoon snack.

What is the secret ingredient for amazing cinnamon rolls?

How do you make cinnamon rolls better? The secret ingredient is boxed cake mix!

Using a yellow cake mix creates a soft and tender cinnamon roll that will soon become a favorite among the whole family.

How else do you make a cinnamon roll better?  The second secret ingredient is in the frosting. Top your cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting from scratch.

The combination of these two secrets is dynamite!

Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls

I have seen recipes for Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls being shared on social media and other blogs and I, honestly, thought it was a fairly new way to make a yeast cinnamon roll. Then Barbara found this recipe in the Pot ‘O Gold Cookbook that our great-aunt gave our grandma for her 60th wedding anniversary almost 20 years ago.

So we had to try it and see if all the buzz was for real.

This recipe did not disappoint. These tasty cinnamon rolls using cake mix are super soft and only made better with this Cream Cheese Frosting.

Don’t have time to make breakfast rolls from scratch? Try these Quick Cinnamon Rolls using refrigerated crescent rolls.  Or, if you have plenty of time go all out and try Grandma’s Butterscotch Pecan Rolls for the ultimate treat.

How To Make Cinnamon Rolls with Cake Mix

Step by Step Instructions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water; add cake mix and flour and stir until a dough forms.
2. Knead for 5 minutes.
3. Let rise until doubled in size in a warm place.
4. Split dough into half.
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each half to 1/4 inch thickness.
6. Brush with melted butter.
7. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle the mixture on the dough.
8. Roll dough up tight like a jelly roll; cut into 1 inch slices.
9. Place in a greased 13 x 9 inch rectangle pan; bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.
10. Let cool for 5 minutes, and top with cream cheese frosting or a homemade glaze.

For the full instructions and ingredient amounts for tasty cinnamon rolls using cake mix, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post. 

What ingredients are needed to make cinnamon rolls from scratch?

Yellow Cake Mix, boxed

Yeast

Water

All-purpose flour

Melted butter

Brown sugar

Cinnamon

The great thing about this yeast recipe is that it is relatively fast for a homemade cinnamon roll. You only let them rise one time, much different than yeast roll recipes we typically make.

As with all yeast dough recipes, the amount of flour could vary from time to time.  This is a stickier dough; however, if it is so sticky that it is sticking to your fingers, you may need to add a bit more flour than the recipe calls for.

One quick note, the last couple of times I have needed a yellow cake mix I had a hard time finding it in the grocery store. Maybe it is just in our hometown but just in case, here is a link to some good options.

Recipe FAQs

• Substitute a white cake mix for yellow, if needed.
• Just like any other yeast dough recipe, the amount of flour needed can vary from day to day.  If the dough seems super sticky, add a little bit more flour and knead until it’s soft but not completely sticking to your fingers.
• When rolling out the dough, flour the rolling pin and the work surface so the dough doesn’t stick.
• Spread the melted butter and sprinkle the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture all the way to the edges of the dough.
• Roll the dough up tightly and pinch the edges so that the cinnamon roll holds together.
• This tasty cake mix cinnamon roll recipe makes enough for (2) 13 x 9 inch baking dishes or (4) round cake pans.
• Just like when baking biscuits, arrange the cinnamon rolls so that the edges are touching in the pan.
• We love to pour homemade cream cheese frosting over the warm cinnamon rolls for a decadent treat.

Our Favorite Old Fashioned Breakfast Recipes

Egg in a Basket

Chipped Beef Gravy

Overnight French Toast Casserole

Amish Baked Oatmeal

Loaded Breakfast Meat Casserole

Swedish Pancakes

Easy Waffles

Why do the bottom of my cinnamon rolls keep burning?

The bottom of your cinnamon rolls might be burning because of the high sugar content in the rolls. The sugar caramelizes during baking, which can cause the bottom to burn. To prevent this, try placing a baking sheet or aluminum foil underneath the pan to create a barrier and reduce direct heat exposure. Additionally, lowering the oven temperature slightly and moving the rack to a higher position can help prevent the bottoms from burning while still allowing the rolls to cook thoroughly.

Pantry Staples and Equipment

Check out our Amazon store to find the pantry staples and kitchen utensils needed to make this recipe. I love using my Kitchen Aid with my dough hook to take all the work out of kneading.

Linking up to Weekend Potluck over at The Country Cook!