Vanilla Pudding Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
These vanilla pudding cinnamon rolls are incredible! Fluffy and soft, the dough is a dream to work with and the frosting is perfection.
This recipe for my tried-and-true vanilla pudding cinnamon rolls is amazing!
The vanilla pudding makes the dough extremely soft and pliable. Once baked, the cinnamon rolls are so softy and fluffy!
Cinnamon Roll Dough with Pudding
This recipe has gained fame and fortune (ok, just fame) because of the secret ingredient:
Vanilla pudding.
Homemade or boxed, store bought pudding can be used.
Boxed pudding: 3.5 ounce box of instant vanilla pudding.
Homemade pudding: about 2 1/4 cups of cooked and mostly cooled vanilla pudding.
Other than the pudding, the dough is really straightforward. The dough is soft and supple and needs to rise until doubled before rolling out into cinnamon rolls.
Rolling Out Cinnamon Rolls
Pat the dough into a large rectangle and slather with butter and then an healthy sprinkle of cinnamon and brown sugar.
Roll up the dough into a log. Take care not to pull and stretch the dough while rolling or the rolls can shrink while baking.
Using a super sharp serrated knife or piece of thread or unflavored dental floss, cut the log into 1 or 1 1/2-inch pieces.
Place the cinnamon rolls on a greased baking sheet and let rise until doubled.
Bake until puffy and golden. PERFECTION.
When to Frost Cinnamon Rolls
There are two schools of thought on when to frost a cinnamon roll. Neither is wrong, so go with your heart!
- Let the rolls cool for 5-10 minutes and then frost. RESULT: ooey gooey frosting oozing into every crevice of the cinnamon rolls.
- Let the rolls cool completely before frosting. RESULT: fluffy frosting complimenting the pillowy soft cinnamon roll.
Reviews for Vanilla Pudding Cinnamon Rolls
These cinnamon rolls have been a tried-and-true favorite for more than a decade. Here are a few rave reviews from many of you who have fallen in love with them over the years:
Cooke F.: I have made these cinnamon rolls for the last 7 Christmas morning breakfasts. My family is addicted. Soooo good.
Kristina: The best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever made!
Gina: I’ve made these lots and they turn out perfect every time. They are the BEST. So decadent. Rave reviews from family, friends and coworkers. Thank you! 🙂
Kathy W.: I thought I had the best cinnamon roll recipe in North America but I was sadly mistaken. I made these this morning and they are to die for! No kidding. I just about made myself sick eating these delicious and gooey cinnamon rolls.
How to make these cinnamon rolls ahead of time
This post on making cinnamon rolls ahead of time applies perfectly to any sweet roll!
Vanilla Pudding Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Rolls:
- ½ cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons active dry yeast or 1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3.5 ounce package instant vanilla pudding (see note)
- ½ cup (113 g) butter, melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 to 7 cups (852 to 994 g) all-purpose flour
Filling:
- 1 cup (227 g) butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups (424 g) brown sugar
- 4 teaspoons cinnamon
Frosting:
- 8 ounces (227 g) cream cheese
- ½ cup (113 g) butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups (342 g) confectioner’s sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine water, yeast and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Set aside.
- In a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook), take pudding mix and prepare according to package directions. Add butter, eggs and salt. Mix well. Then add yeast mixture. Blend.
- Gradually add flour; knead until smooth. Do not overflour the dough! It should be very soft but not sticky. Place in a greased bowl.
- Cover the dough and let rise until doubled (if using boxed pudding, it may take quite a while to double because of the cold milk – see note below).
- Roll out the dough on a lightly greased or floured surface to about 34 X 21 inches in size. Take 1 cup soft butter and spread over surface.
- For the filling: in a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the top of the buttered dough. Roll up very tightly. With knife put a notch every 1 1/2 inches. Cut with thread or serrated knife.
- Place on lightly greased cookie sheet about an inch apart. Cover and let rise until double again.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Remove when they start to turn golden (don’t overbake). Frost warm rolls with cream cheese frosting (combine butter and cream cheese and mix well, then add vanilla and sugar and mix again, then add milk for desired consistency).
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
Recipe originally posted September 2008; updated August 2022 with new photos, recipe updates, etc.
Hey Mel – I am so impressed with your baking skills. I was definitely not making homemade cinnamon rolls in college, so you go, girl! I’m glad you loved these (thank A. Marilyn!).
I needed a dessert for FHE tonight so I decided to give these a try. I pulled them out of the oven while my group was here- I had complete confidence that they were going to be amazing and they were! Your recipes are no-fail and I love it. Thank you for sharing!
Anonymous – thanks for commenting! I’m glad these cinnamon rolls were a hit. Thanks so much for letting me know.
I stumbled upon your blog while looking for a cinnamon roll recipe. I made these tonight and the whole family loved them! I am looking forward to trying more of your recipes!
Celia Marie (W.) B. – thank you for your comment! I’m glad these cinnamon rolls delivered great results for you.
These really were heavenly. Best cinnamon roll I’ve made yet and I’ve tried lots of recipes.
These really were heavenly. Best cinnamon roll I’ve made yet and I’ve tried lots of recipes.
These really were heavenly. Best cinnamon roll I’ve made yet and I’ve tried lots of recipes.
These really were heavenly. Best cinnamon roll I’ve made yet and I’ve tried lots of recipes.
Turned out wonderful! My husband said “you’ve found your recipe, don’t try any others now!” 🙂 Thanks again!
Okay… They are baking as I speak (type).>>They look good, but I think my beginner level in baking may have “messed” up the cinnamon rolls. I’ve posted pics at my blog… Just waiting for the final picture!>>I don’t know what I did wrong but they were VERY runny when I put the filling in. I think I would use less butter next time.>>Thanks!>Monica
Monica – did you melt the butter before spreading it on the dough? If so, that may have made the filling extra runny. I only ever use softened butter to spread on the dough before adding the cinnamon and sugar – it helps keep everything together before baking. I’ll check out your blog for pictures!
wow, thanks for the quick response!!! I’m making them NOW. I’ll be sure to post some pictures on my blog when it’s all done!>>http://www.thepedigofamily.blogspot.com>>Monica
Monica – yes, the 2 tablespoons of yeast is correct. I promise it doesn’t make them too “yeasty” but it does help them rise quickly. Let me know if you have any other questions!
NICE!! I have a weakness for cinnamon rolls!!!
OMG! I’m in love with these too! I can almost smell them baking in the oven. Note to self…. Must make these!
OMG! I am drooling over my keyboard right now! Yum!
Elizabeth – I love it when people check back in and let me know they have made and loved a recipe, so thanks for letting me know! Your comment made my day.
Thanks for posting these Melanie, we really liked these. I think I may have found THE one recipe! You can read about them on my blog 🙂
Thanks! I had a similar recipe but it wanted the dough made in a bread machine which I don’t have. These turned out amazing and my kids had so much fun helping! Thanks- I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes!!
Oooo I love that you put pudding in it! I bet these are the best! Anything covered in cream cheese icing is a definite winner!
My thighs, my thighs! Oh wait, that’s My eyes, my eyes! Either one and that roll looks sinful!!
I finally got around to making these tonight – they are so fluffy and delicious! Definitely a keeper. Thanks so much for another winning recipe!
I must leave this blog post immediately or I shall have to abandon my diet for these wonderful looking cinnamon rolls. I’m bookmarking this one to make for holidays this year!!
Hillary – I probably need to be more specific in the recipe but when buying a vanilla pudding mix, don’t buy the cook and serve, buy the non-cook vanilla pudding (the one where you just add cold milk to the mix). All you will need to do then is add the milk to the pudding mix, stir together, and add to the rest of the ingredients. Let me know if you have other questions!
Tricia – three yums is a good thing! Thanks for letting me know you liked your first batch of these beauties.
These look sooo yummy!! I’ll have to make them soon! You have so many yummy looking recipes with things that I usually have on hand! I love that!>>Come on over to my blog and enter my giveaway! htpp://mycozycreations.blogspot.com
Anonymous – thanks for checking back in. I’m glad to know the reason for the confusion. Anyway, I hope you liked the cinnamon rolls!
Darrin and Britta – hey, thanks for checking back in and letting me know these turned out for you. Just knowing you made a batch makes me start craving them again!
Oh man, your rolls look terrific. I’m going to have to make cinnamon rolls soon!
Wow! You were not kidding when you said 24 very large rolls. I made these for a meeting at my work and one girl went for seconds and tried for thirds, but I told her no. Another girl texted me and said “that cinnamon roll was AMAZING!!” The cream cheese frosting is the best I’ve made. I was just eating it off a spoon at one point.
Oh how I love your blog! These are in the oven now, I can’t wait to try them along with the hot hoagies for dinner, looks so good! I didn’t roll my dough out big enough, it only made 16 but I cut the butter down and the sugar so we’ll see how they turn out! Thanks for all your wonderful recipes and aunt Marilyn’s too, (BTW I have an Aunt Marialyn too! :))
I found your blog while searching for an icing recipe for some cinnamon rolls I made tonight. The rolls were almost done baking, when my husband asked where the icing was. 🙂>>I’ve added sugar free pudding (just the dry mix) to chocolate chip cookies and that was good. Thank you for the icing recipe it helped make a Thursday night special. – Suzanne
Anonymous – I’m so glad you liked these! Great tip for letting them do the final rise in the fridge overnight. I’m definitely going to have to store that tip away for the future. Thanks!
Geri – great question. I’ve never timed it exactly…but my kitchen is usually right around 70 to 72 degrees and the first rise (in the bowl) takes about an hour and 15 minutes and the rise for the rolls in the pan is right around 45 minutes to an hour. A lot of that will depend on the temperature of your kitchen (and how big you like your rolls to rise) but there is quite a bit of yeast in the recipe, so the rising time should be fairly “quick” as far as yeast doughs go. Let me know if you have any other questions!
I’ve been meaning to comment about these cinnamon rolls for awhile now, but your email about the cookbook giveaway gave me the “final push” I needed :). These are, without a doubt, the best cinnamon rolls I have ever had! I came across your blog when I did a search for cream cheese frosting and I am oh so very glad I did. The recipe made a little more than my husband and I could eat on our own, so we brought a few over to my in-laws’ house. My mother in-law absolutely loves them. I made them again for her birthday in February, and I’m planning on making them for Mother’s Day. Thank you, thank you, thank you for this wonderful recipe!!
Thanks for posting these! The addition of pudding is so intriging. I am excited to try them out! YUM!
Anonymous – yes, the 1/2 cup water is correct, but that is because you actually mix the vanilla pudding according to the package directions before mixing it with the other dough ingredients, so you have the additional liquid of the milk in the pudding adding to the dough and helping absorb the 6 cups flour. Does that make sense? I guess, officially, the milk called for on the pudding package should be added into the ingredient list of the recipe. I can’t remember how much exactly it calls for on the pudding package, but it should be about 2 cups of milk. Let me know if you have any other questions. I hope they turn out for you!
Anonymous – glad you liked this recipe…thanks for letting me know!
made these today, so yum. linking your recipe on my blog! thanks.
I am making these rolls for work on Monday. Do you think it’s possible to make the dough on Sunday night and put the rolls in the fridge overnight? If so, would I have to change the rising times at all, or can they just go from fridge to oven? Thanks so much – I can’t wait to have these!
i think i’m in love with all cinnamon rolls, but if there are everything you say they are, i may stop all those other affairs. 🙂
jt – so glad you liked these. Thanks for letting me know!
Stephanie – I’m all about helping with pregnancy cravings. I know how they go. 🙂 I’m glad that this hit the spot and were a hit at playgroup. Thanks for letting me know!
Cant wait to try these! The cinnamon roll is my all time favorite sinful thing to eat. I believe I have an addiction…. hey btw, did you get my email last week?
Kia – wow! With as many times as you will have made these, you should be the expert! You can answer any questions anybody else has. 🙂 I’m so glad you (and your mother-in-law) liked them!
i love anything with cinnamon and vanilla! yum!
Hi! I have been planning on making these for several days and I was just wondering a few things. So by prepare the pudding you mean I need to cook it and let it set for 1/2 hour-1 hour? Or do I just add the milk to the pudding mix and not cook it at all? Thanks!
you should try out for the next food network star…you are so good at describing the food in a way that makes me hungry!
PS – so glad you liked these cinnamon rolls. I don’t have a bread maker either so I’m always looking for bread recipes that don’t require one. Anyway, thanks for checking in and letting me know you made these and enjoyed them!