Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding

If you’ve never tried bread pudding made with cinnamon rolls, you’re in for a treat. It takes two already amazing things and combines them into one incredible dessert.

The cinnamon rolls soak up a creamy custard mixture and bake until golden and puffy. The texture is soft and rich in the middle with slightly crispy edges.

Then you top the whole thing with a simple cream cheese glaze that makes it taste like the best bakery dessert you’ve ever had.

You can use store-bought cinnamon rolls or homemade ones. Either way, the result is delicious.

This recipe is easy to follow and doesn’t need any fancy equipment or techniques. Let’s get into it.

Why You’ll Love It

Cinnamon Rolls Get a Serious Upgrade – Instead of just unrolling a can of cinnamon rolls and calling it a day, you are transforming them into a rich, custardy bread pudding that feels like a completely different and way more impressive dessert.

That Cream Cheese Glaze Changes Everything – The tangy cream cheese glaze drizzled over the warm pudding mimics the best part of a cinnamon roll but in a creamy, pourable form that soaks into every crack and crevice of the dish.

Perfect Make-Ahead Brunch Dish – You can cube the cinnamon rolls and assemble the whole thing the night before, then just pop it in the oven in the morning so you have a warm, show-stopping brunch ready without any stressful morning prep.

Recipe Ingredients

For the Bread Pudding

• 6 large Cinnamon Rolls (store-bought or homemade, cut into cubes)
• 4 large Eggs
• 1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream
• 1 cup Whole Milk
• 1/3 cup Light Brown Sugar (packed)
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
• 1 pinch Fine Salt

For the Cream Cheese Glaze

• 4 oz Cream Cheese (softened)
• 1 cup Powdered Sugar
• 3 tbsp Whole Milk
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Spread the cinnamon roll cubes evenly in the dish.

Step 2

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, whole milk, light brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until completely smooth and well combined.

Step 3

Pour the custard mixture evenly over the cinnamon roll cubes. Press the pieces down gently with a spatula so they absorb the liquid. Let the dish sit for 20 minutes, pressing down once or twice more during this time.

Step 4

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is golden brown and puffed up and the center is set with just a very slight jiggle. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean.

Step 5

While the bread pudding bakes, make the cream cheese glaze. Beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract, and beat until creamy and pourable. If the glaze is too thick, add milk one teaspoon at a time.

Step 6

Let the bread pudding cool for 10 minutes, then drizzle the cream cheese glaze generously over the top. Serve warm in scoops.

My Tips

Let the Cinnamon Rolls Go Stale a Bit

If your cinnamon rolls are fresh and soft, they’ll turn mushy once the custard hits them. You want them slightly dried out so they can soak up the liquid without falling apart completely.

Cut them into cubes and leave them spread out on a baking sheet for a few hours, or even overnight. If you’re short on time, toss them in the oven at 250°F for about 15 minutes to dry them out a little.

This is the same idea behind any good bread pudding. Slightly stale bread holds its shape and absorbs the custard evenly instead of turning into mush at the bottom.

The 20-Minute Soak Really Matters

Don’t skip the 20-minute rest after pouring the custard over the cinnamon roll cubes. This is when the bread actually absorbs the egg mixture, and it’s what gives you a creamy, custardy center instead of dry bread floating in liquid.

When you press the pieces down with your spatula, you’ll notice some cubes try to float back up. That’s normal. Just press them down again halfway through the soak so every piece gets fully saturated.

If some cubes on top still look dry after 20 minutes, spoon some of the liquid from the edges of the dish over them. You want everything evenly soaked before it goes in the oven.

Don’t Overbake It

Start checking at 40 minutes. The center should have a very slight jiggle when you gently shake the pan – like jello, not like liquid. It will firm up more as it cools, so pulling it out at the right moment is key.

If you wait until the center looks completely solid in the oven, it’ll be overcooked by the time you serve it. You’ll end up with a dry, rubbery texture instead of that soft, custardy inside.

The edges and top should be golden brown and slightly puffed. If the top is browning too fast before the center sets, loosely tent it with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.

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• Biscoff Fudgy Brownies
• Burnt Basque Cheesecake
• Dubai Chocolate Bars
• Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes
• Tres Leches Cake

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Pillsbury cinnamon rolls from a can for this?

Yes, absolutely. Store-bought cinnamon rolls from a can work great for this recipe. Just bake them according to the package directions first, let them cool a bit, then cut them into cubes before using them.

You can set aside the little icing packets that come with them or skip them entirely since this recipe already has a cream cheese glaze on top.