Slow Cooker Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

It's pretty hard to find a better breakfast option than cinnamon rolls, and we're a fan of the sweet confection in any way, shape, or form. While the most common method for making cinnamon rolls is to bake them in an oven, this recipe utilizes another handy kitchen appliance: the slow cooker. Recipe developer Deniz Vergara brings us this recipe for slow cooker cinnamon rolls. She tells us that the major benefit to using a slow cooker is to cut down on the dough rise time, which is often very intimidating for home bakers.

"I make these cinnamon rolls for Father's Day and Christmas morning, but they are also a great addition to a brunch spread," Vergara says. "There is something special about eating freshly made cinnamon rolls." We couldn't agree more — cinnamon rolls are delicious enough on their own, but homemade cinnamon rolls take on a whole new level of decadence.

To make these slow cooker cinnamon rolls, you can start by gathering your ingredients. For this recipe, you will need whole milk, active dry yeast, sugar, salt, unsalted butter, egg, flour, cinnamon, brown sugar, powdered sugar, maple syrup, almond extract, and vanilla extract.

But wait, there's more! You'll need a few appliances and additional ingredients. Grab your stand mixer, slow cooker, non-stick cooking spray (for greasing), and parchment paper. It's best to get all of this out now so you have it handy during cooking.

Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the milk, active dry yeast, and sugar. Let this mixture sit until it is foamy, which takes about 5 minutes. Then, add in the sugar, salt, butter, egg, and 2 cups of flour. Using the dough hook attachment, process until it is all combined. Then, gradually add in the remaining flour, ¼ cup at a time, while the mixer is spinning, until a soft dough forms.

Not sure what to look for? "Dough will be ready when it gently pulls away from the sides of the bowl," Vergara advises. "Use your judgement and really feel the dough. It should not be dry. It should spring back when you touch it with your finger and it should feel like play dough in your hands."

Then, flip the dough out of the bowl and knead it on a floured surface for one minute. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes.

Next, prepare your slow cooker by greasing a sheet of parchment paper with non-stick cooking spray and placing it in the bottom of the appliance.

Then, roll the dough into a 8x12-inch rectangle. In a small bowl, add the cinnamon and sugar. Spread the softened butter on top of the dough and then sprinkle it with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Using your hands, roll the dough into a tight cylinder, creating the classic cinnamon roll spiral. Then, slice about 10 cinnamon rolls from the cylinder.

Place the cinnamon rolls inside the slow cooker and add a paper towel underneath the lid to catch the condensation. While you can certainly make cinnamon rolls without a slow cooker, Vergara tells us, "I love the slow cooker method for these because you don't have to allow the dough to rise at all which saves tons of time." She further explains, "Because we cook the cinnamon rolls on low, the rise is kind of built-in to the cooking process. I think that the rising process can be a turn-off for many people, especially when things have to rise twice, which can take about 3-4 hours total, so I hope this recipe can help more people make amazing cinnamon rolls at home."

Once you cover the slow cooker with a lid, turn it on low and cook for 2 ½ hours. When the time is up, remove the cinnamon rolls from the slow cooker using the parchment paper. Then, prepare the icing by whisking the powdered sugar, maple syrup, almond extract, vanilla extract, and milk. Once it is smooth, drizzle it over the cinnamon rolls and enjoy them right away.

While these are perfectly delightful to serve on their own, Vergara tells us, "I typically serve these on their own with coffee for the adults, but if you have them as part of a brunch spread, you could serve with hard boiled eggs, breakfast meat and fruit."