When the holidays roll around, I need an easy and reliably delicious breakfast that I can whip up when family visits– expectedly or unexpectedly. This cinnamon roll french toast casserole is made with premade cinnamon rolls, so it’s ridiculously easy to make, but it also looks absolutely amazing. And I love that I don’t have to wake up early to make it!
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What’s in This Cinnamon Roll French Toast Casserole?
For those of you opposed to store-bought dough… look away now! This french toast casserole recipe totally uses store-bought cinnamon roll dough, and I’m 100% okay with it. This cinnamon roll french toast was made for those mornings when you don’t want to get up before 8! My kids ask for this recipe time and time again, and I always oblige. How can I not when it’s this easy and delicious.
- Butter: Unsalted butter keeps this casserole nice and moist.
- Cinnamon Rolls: I recommend Pillsbury Grands! for the best results. You’ll need 2 tubes. Make sure to save the frosting to top of your finished casserole!
- Eggs: Add richness to the casserole and help bind everything together.
- Heavy Cream: Hydrates the casserole to give it a pudding-like texture.
- Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon adds a touch of warmth and enhances the flavor of the filling.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the sweetness of the casserole.
- Maple Syrup: Pure maple syrup adds sweetness and a breakfast-y flavor to this casserole.
- Pecans: I like to top my casserole off with some chopped nuts, but you can certainly leave them out.
Variations To Try
There are tons of fun cinnamon roll flavors out there. I know Pillsbury makes a hot cocoa flavor and a pumpkin spice one. Both would make amazing casseroles!
And if you prefer a more traditional bread pudding-style approach, you can chop up the premade cinnamon rolls into cubes before placing in the pan. Easy peasy!
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How to Store and Reheat
Once baked, I have found that this casserole keeps best covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I like to reheat it in a 350°F oven (covered with foil to protect the frosting) for about 30 minutes.
How to Freeze
Freeze cinnamon roll french toast casserole tightly wrapped in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil for up to 2 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
This cinnamon roll french toast casserole is a great complement to recipes like Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole or Baked Eggs. Every savory breakfast needs a sweet companion! So if you’ve got a big family to feed or a bunch of guests over for the holidays, make sure you have plenty of food. I mean, you can never have too much food on the holidays!
Notes from the Test Kitchen
When I first made this I made it with regular cinnamon rolls and 8 fit into a 6×9-inch baking dish. When I made it again, I used 10 Grands in a 9×13-inch baking dish. You can do either!
5-Star Review
“I made this during Christmas while we were snowed in our cabin and it was a HIT! My kids just loved it. Delicious, gooey, and packed full of cinnamon. I was nervous about using syrup since I was using the icing too but it’s definitely a finishing touch to the French toast flavor. I’ve made it 3 times since and it never disappoints. I will make it again and again and AGAIN!” -Karen
Cinnamon French Toast Casserole Recipe
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Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter 57 grams, melted (½ stick)
- 35 ounces Pillsbury Grands! Cinnamon Rolls 992 grams (2 (17.5-ounce) tubes)
- 6 large eggs 300 grams
- ½ cup heavy cream 114 grams
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 6 grams
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 8 grams
- 1 cup pure maple syrup 312 grams, divided
- 1 cup chopped pecans 114 grams
- Frosting from the cinnamon rolls warmed
Recommended Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F
- Pour the melted butter into a 9×13-inch (3-quart) baking pan and spread to coat.¼ cup unsalted butter
- Cut the dough into 8 rounds (if it's not already segmented into rounds) and place the cinnamon rolls into the bottom of the baking dish. Set icing aside.35 ounces Pillsbury Grands! Cinnamon Rolls
- In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Add in the cream, cinnamon, and vanilla until well blended.6 large eggs, ½ cup heavy cream, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Pour the egg mixture over the rolls; it's okay if it completely covers the roll
- Pour ½ cup of maple syrup over the rolls and sprinkle with pecan bits.1 cup pure maple syrup, 1 cup chopped pecans
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Pour the extra ½ cup of maple syrup over the cooked rolls and drizzle with the warmed icing.Frosting from the cinnamon rolls
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
Nutrition Information
How to Make Cinnamon Roll French Toast Casserole Step by Step
Prep the Pan: Preheat your oven to 375°F Pour ¼ cup of melted unsalted butter into a 9×13-inch (3-quart) baking pan and spread to coat.
Spread Out the Rolls: Cut 35 ounces (2 tubes) of Pillsbury Grands! cinnamon roll dough into 8 rounds (if it’s not already segmented into rounds) and place the cinnamon rolls into the bottom of the baking dish. Set icing aside.
Make the Custard: In a medium bowl, beat 6 large eggs. Add in ½ cup of heavy cream, 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, and 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract until well blended.
Coat the Rolls: Pour the egg mixture over the rolls; it’s okay if it completely covers the roll
Top the Casserole: Pour ½ cup of maple syrup over the rolls and sprinkle with 1 cup of pecan bits.
Bake the Casseroel: Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
Ice the Casserole: Pour the extra ½ cup of maple syrup over the cooked rolls and drizzle with the warmed icing from the cinnamon roll tubes.
I took this out after the alloted time but most of the rolls were not cooked at all. Only the ones around the edges. So it definitely needed more time and/or a higher temp.
Hi Rachel, oven temperatures can vary by up to 25°F! We recommend investing in an oven thermometer to ensure your oven is at the correct temperature!
I made a small one, cutting the ingredients in half. I did melt some butter adding brown sugar making a thick syrup. I drizzled that over everything right before I baked it. It made it a crispy sweet crunchy topping. I didn’t bake it with syrup either and it was plenty sweet enough for my family. This will be a new regular in our house. Thank u very much for this recipe’!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your experience, Angela!
Can I make this in a cookie sheet pan?
We recommend using a pan with high sides to keep the filling from overflowing all over your oven!
Excellent Recipe!! Everyone loved this delicious breakfast!
Thanks for sharing, Stacie!
This was our Christmas morning breakfast and it was a very special treat! I cut the ingredients in half to use just one tube of cinnamon rolls. I subbed fat free half and half for the heavy cream and also used sugar free syrup. Absolutely delicious! Thank you!
Thanks for sharing, Kathy!