The Gooey Addition That Makes Store-Bought Cinnamon Rolls Taste Divine

Cinnamon rolls are the embodiment of a divine treat — sweet, creamy glazing atop warm, buttery spirals filled with cinnamon-spiced sugar. As great as they are, though, not many people have the time to make old-fashioned cinnamon rolls at home every day, or even an opportunity to visit a bakery for hot-and-fresh rolls.

Enter canned cinnamon rolls, which are a godsend for those of us who might have too much on our plate. You can buy them at just about any grocery store and bake them in an oven until they're warm. Alas, there's a catch: Though they're generally tasty and relatively serviceable, they can't hold a candle to the homemade stuff. But you can get it pretty close with a small upgrade: Dipping the rolls in caramel for an extra-sweet, gooey glaze! Aside from giving the canned cinnamon roll a brand-new dimension of flavor, the candied scent of hot caramel is pretty much on-brand for cinnamon rolls. Pair it with a cup of coffee, and you have an excellent on-the-go breakfast!

Let's say you've already gotten a can of cinnamon rolls in hand. The first order of business is to get your caramel sauce ready. Either homemade caramel sauce or something bottled is fine (we recommend the former for flavor). Give the bottom of a baking pan a thin glaze of the sauce and spread it around with a spoon until it evenly coats the surface.

Next, take your cinnamon rolls out of the can and lay them on the caramel. Now, just bake the rolls as usual. When the rolls are nice and warmed up (which should take no more than 20 minutes), flip them up, and check the caramel glazing — it should be glossy and the distinct caramel scent should waft right at you, mingling with the mouthwatering smell of fresh cinnamon rolls.

You can serve the caramel-coated rolls right away ... or you can touch them up even further. Top them with a smattering of crushed nuts (any will do, like pecans, peanuts, or almonds). The nutty and earthy flavor will perfectly complement the rolls. While we wouldn't go as far as saying these upgrades will make store-bought a good replacement for homemade, experiment with different upgrades to canned cinnamon rolls, and your ready-made treats will certainly come close.