Air fryer cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting made with refrigerated pizza dough in just 30 minutes. They are mildly sweet, quick, and easy, making the perfect coffee treat or snack.
Do you love cinnamon rolls? Well, me too!
They make a cozy breakfast or snack that pairs well with a cup of milk, tea, or coffee. But yes, if made from scratch they become a labor of love!
The thing is you won't have to worry about ours! They are semi-homemade, saving you time while achieving maximum flavor!
Moreover, if you live in a small space (like a college dorm) where there is no oven, you can still make these... in the air fryer!
Awesome, right?!
You can also choose a different glaze every time, almost making a brand new recipe using almost the same ingredients and cooking method.
Ready for the best air fryer cinnamon rolls ever?
Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls
Our air fryer cinnamon roll recipe put a twist on the homemade cinnamon rolls and has many pros, among them the following:
- Semi-homemade (We used a can of refrigerated pizza dough, but you can use canned bread dough or puffy pastry, but you'll have to adjust the cooking time).
- Quick and easy (The making process is quite simple, requiring no special skills. As if it wasn't enough, these air fryer cinnamon rolls are ready in 30 minutes from beginning to end).
- Versatile (Thus, perfect for breakfast, brunch, or as a sweet snack)
- The recipe calls for 10 simple ingredients.
- Kids can make them on their own and vary a few ingredients to make them different every time (new toppings).
- Super tasty!
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the Cinnamon Rolls:
- ⅓ cup dark brown sugar, packed (or light brown sugar although the flavor will just be a little less rich).
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature to make mixing an easy task)
- 1 ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1-2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, to prevent sticking
- 1 (13.6-ounce) can of refrigerated premade pizza dough (you can use a puffy pastry or bread dough, but you may have to adjust the cooking time.
For the Icing:
- 4 ounces cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
- 1 cup powdered sugar (It will dissolve fast making the icing smooth. If you don't have it at home, run granulated sugar in a food processor until becoming like a fine powder)
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream (or whole milk, half-and-half, or plant-based milk)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon white vinegar (it will add an extra “tang” to the cream cheese frosting and balance the sweetness. You can leave it out if you prefer!)
How to Make Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls
This is a simple process that saves you a lot of time because you don't have to make the cinnamon roll dough from scratch. Follow the steps below to un-roll the dough, spread the filling, cut it into slices, and cook in the air fryer.
- Prepare the cinnamon rolls: Turn on your air fryer and preheat it to 350 degrees F.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine well brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and cinnamon until resembles wet sand. Reserve! PIC. 1
- Lightly flour your working area and roll out the pizza dough. NOTE: One long side of the rectangle must face you! PIC. 2
- Using a metal spatula, evenly spread the filling mixture across the entire dough, including the edges, but be careful not to tear the dough. PIC. 3
- Starting from the bottom edge closest to you, tightly roll the dough into a log shape. When it’s all rolled up, position the log seam side down. PIC. 4
- Using a sharp knife, gently slice the roll into 2-inch thick pieces or 8 slices. Please be careful not to smash the dough!!! PIC. 5
- Lightly grease a round 8-inch baking pan with butter or line with parchment paper. Then, arrange the cinnamon rolls in the pan, but make sure they are about ¼-inch apart from each other. Alternatively, if your air fryer is small, you can line the inside of the air fryer with parchment paper and place the cinnamon rolls directly in the basket. PIC. 6
- Air fry them for 17-20 minutes, or until their centers are cooked through and golden brown along the edges.
- Remove air fryer cinnamon rolls from the basket and allow them to cool. Meanwhile, prepare the icing!
- Prepare the icing: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese and butter on high speed until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar and beat on medium speed until smooth and no clumps remain. It will take about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the heavy whipping cream and beat on medium speed for another 2-3 minutes, or until fully incorporated.
- Add the vanilla extract and vinegar and beat on medium speed until homogeneous, about 30 seconds. PIC. 7
- Lastly, top our air fryer cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting and serve. PIC. 8
Tips for Making Cinnamon Rolls in Air Fryer
- If you don't spread the mixture all the way to the edges of the dough could result in dry spots in the cinnamon rolls.
- If your cinnamon rolls are becoming too brown on the top, loosely tent them with aluminum foil and continue air frying until the centers are cooked through.
- Their icing won’t be stiff like a cake buttercream. Instead, it will be smooth, light, and spreadable! If you prefer to have them drizzled, stir in about 3-5 tablespoons of any milk of your choice to thin the icing.
- Because we use pizza dough instead of bread dough or even puffy pastry, our air fryer cinnamon rolls may have a tendency to spread and “unroll” a bit. In order to prevent this is to place them close together in the pan or air fryer basket (about ¼ inch apart) and not too far apart.
- An 8-inch round pan is used in this recipe. However, you can use any size of pan that fits your air fryer. If you have a smaller air fryer, you can line the basket with parchment paper and place the cinnamon rolls directly on top.
Can you use Aluminum Foil or Parchment Paper in the Air Fryer?
Although heavy-duty aluminum foil can be used in the air fryer to replace a baking pan, I'd suggest using a type of parchment paper that is made for the air fryer and fits right over the holes of your air fryer.
It keeps the air circulating and you won't have anything sticking to the bottom.
I have a 1-pound bag of pre-made pizza dough, can I use that in this recipe?
Yes, you can! Just make sure to roll it out into a large ¼-inch thick rectangle and increase the filling recipe by about 15% to avoid dry cinnamon rolls.
Can I use storebought icing for this recipe?
Yes! A cream cheese icing is more suitable for this recipe.
What is the vinegar for in the icing?
Although the vinegar adds an extra “tang” to the cream cheese frosting to balance the sweetness, you can leave it out!
Can I use melted butter for the filling of my air fryer cinnamon rolls?
No, because melted butter will result in a slightly soggy and wet cinnamon roll.
Can I use low-fat cream cheese?
Although you can use low-fat cream cheese, full-fat cream cheese is a better choice because it will produce a smoother texture.
I don’t have heavy cream. What else can I use?
Heavy cream is the best choice because it creates a light and fluffy texture in the cream cheese icing. However, you can use milk, half and half, or any dairy-free alternative.
Can I just place the cinnamon rolls in air fryer without a pan or parchment paper?
You could, but you will end up with a mess! The butter and sugar drippings will the bottom of your air fryer.
Variations for Pizza Dough Cinnamon Rolls
Dough: Although you can make the cinnamon roll dough from scratch, puffy pastry, bread dough, or our pre-made pizza dough make quick options.
- Glaze: We used a soft glaze, thinner than buttercream, but you can use melted peanut butter, melted Nutella, a chocolate sauce made with a mixture of melted chocolate and coconut oil, etc
- Toppings: Chopped nuts to sprinkle on top, finely diced apples for an “apple pie” flavored cinnamon roll, cooked chopped bacon, fruit spreads or preserves, dulce de leche spread, caramel spread, etc.
How to Store Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
These cinnamon rolls are best served right away while warm, just like these quick cinnamon rolls.
However, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. You can reheat them in the air fryer at 350 degrees F for 5 minutes, or in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Moreover, if you have extra icing, store it in a separate airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Finally, to freeze our air fryer cinnamon rolls, wrap them in foil and place them in a freezer bag. They keep well for up to 2 months.
More Snack Recipes with Cinnamon:
- Cinnamon muffins
- Apple crumb muffins
- Cinnamon cookies
- Apple cider baked donuts
- Rabanadas
- Cinnamon snack toast
PIN & ENJOY!
Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- Medium mixing bowl
- Large wood spoon to mix filling
- Metal spatula for spreading filling
- Large sharp knife
- Round 8-inch baking pan
- Stand mixer with a paddle attachment or hand mixer
Ingredients
For the Cinnamon Rolls:
- ⅓ cup dark brown sugar packed, (or light brown sugar although the flavor will just be a little less rich).
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature to make mixing an easy task)
- 1 ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1-2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour to prevent sticking
- 1 13.6-ounce can of refrigerated pre-made pizza dough (you can use a puffy pastry or bread dough, but you may have to adjust the cooking time)
For the icing:
- 4 ounces cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
- 1 cup powdered sugar (It will dissolve fast making the icing smooth. If you don't have at home, run granulated sugar in a food processor until becoming like a fine powder)
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream (or whole milk, half-and-half, or a plant-based milk)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon white vinega (it will add an extra “tang” to the cream cheese frosting and balance the sweetness. You can leave it out if you prefer!)
Instructions
- Prepare the cinnamon rolls: Turn on your air fryer and preheat it to 350 degrees F.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine well brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and cinnamon until resembles wet sand. Reserve!
- Lightly flour your working area and roll out the pizza dough. NOTE: One long side of the rectangle must face you!
- Using a metal spatula, evenly spread the filling mixture across the entire dough, including the edges, but be careful not to tear the dough.
- Starting from the bottom edge closest to you, tightly roll the dough into a log-like shape. When it’s all rolled up, position the log seam side down.
- Using a sharp knife, gently slice the roll into 2-inch thick pieces or 8 slices. Please be careful not to smash the dough!!!
- Lightly grease a round 8-inch baking pan with butter or line with parchment paper. Then, arrange the cinnamon rolls in the pan, but make sure they are about ¼-inch apart from each other. Alternatively, if your air fryer is small, you can line the inside of the air fryer with parchment paper and place the cinnamon rolls directly in the basket.
- Air fry them for 17-20 minutes, or until their centers are cooked through and golden brown along the edges.
- Remove air fryer cinnamon rolls from the basket and allow them to cool. Meanwhile, prepare the icing!
- Prepare the icing: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese and butter on high speed until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar and beat on medium speed until smooth and no clumps remain. It will take about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the heavy whipping cream and beat on medium speed for another 2-3 minutes, or until fully incorporated.
- Add the vanilla extract and vinegar and beat on medium speed until homogeneous, about 30 seconds.
- Top our air fryer cinnamon rolls with icing and serve.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
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John / Kitchen Riffs says
I think everyone loves cinnamon rolls. I know I sure do! This is such a terrific looking recipe -- thanks!