Rainbow Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

Written by on in Dessert, Uncategorized

There’s no better way to celebrate a child’s birthday than with rainbow sprinkles! But what if we combine birthday cake, cinnamon rolls, the best frosting, AND rainbow sprinkles? Well, then you have my Rainbow Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting! While it might be time-consuming, you’ll enjoy the effort with every bit of gooey, colorful, cinnamon goodness.

Rainbow Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
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Rainbow Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe by The Cooking LawyerCourse: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium
Servings

15

servings
Prep time

1

hour 

30

minutes
Cooking time

15

minutes
Total time

1

hour 

45

minutes

Ingredients

  • Rainbow Cinnamon Rolls

  • 1 package active dry yeast

  • 1 tsp sugar

  • 1.25 cups of water between 100 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit

  • 2.25 cups all-purpose flour, sifted and reserving 1/4 of a cup

  • 1 box white cake mix

  • 2 TBS rainbow sprinkles

  • 1/4 stick of unsalted butter, softened (total needed – 1 stick or 1/2 cup if making the cream cheese frosting)

  • 2 TBS cinnamon

  • 1/4 cup of brown sugar

  • Frosting

  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened

  • 3/4 of stick of unsalted butter, softened (combined with cinnamon rolls, you are using a stick of butter, or half a cup)

  • 2 1/3 cup of confectioner’s sugar

  • 1 tsp vanilla

  • pinch of salt

Directions

  • Cinnamon Rolls
  • Using a thermometer, to verify the temperature, mix yeast, 1 tsp of sugar, and 100 to 110 degree water until yeast dissolves.
  • In large mixing bowl, add flour, cake mix, and sprinkles.
  • Add yeast-water mixture to the large bowl.
  • Knead the dough until the dry ingredients are absorbed and dough is formed. Create a ball of dough. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and place somewhere warm for 1-2 hours.
  • After the dough has proofed, spread out the flour on a clean, hard surface, like a countertop. Take the ball of dough and roll out with a rolling pin. You want one layer about 1/4 in in thickness.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Spread the 2 oz. of softened unsalted butter in a thin, even layer on the dough.
  • Mix cinnamon and light brown sugar together in a bowl. I find it’s easier to mix it with a fork due to the consistency of brown sugar.
  • Add an even layer of the cinnamon mixture onto the dough.
  • Take the long end and carefully begin rolling to the other end.
  • Slice in 1/2 inch pieces placing each piece into a buttered pie dish. I put about 5-6 pieces in each pie dish so they have room to expand as they bake. The most important part is to have even pieces for even baking.
  • Bake for 15 minutes.
  • Cream Cheese Frosting
  • I usually make the frosting while the cinnamon buns are baking. In large, mixing bowl, add cream cheese, butter, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla, and salt.
  • Using a hand mixer, combine until frosting comes together.
  • Frost cinnamon rolls when they come out of the oven for ooey gooey cinnamon rolls.
  • Garnish with more rainbow sprinkles to maximize the fun! Enjoy!

Notes

  • I should probably have rated this recipe as “hard” since I broke my foot in the middle of making it and had to go get x-rays. (I should store my sugar in tupperware instead of changing to giant glass mason jars; though I learned that the glass is stronger than bone since the jar stayed in tact and my foot did not). I also learned that this particular dough does not overproof. Whereas the goal was to let rise for an hour, and then rise again for 15 minutes after I cut them into rolls, I let it proof for 4 hours while my foot was being treated. As a result, cut out that extra 15 minute proofing. They came out fine as you can see in the picture!