This slow cooker 3-ingredient cinnamon roll packets recipe is my absolute favorite weekend morning shortcut, and it actually came from our sweet neighbor across the street. She showed me how she makes these little foil packets on busy Sundays so her kids wake up to the smell of warm cinnamon rolls without her being stuck in the kitchen. Everything—store-bought cinnamon roll dough, the icing that comes with it, and a splash of heavy cream—goes right into foil packets and then into the slow cooker. A couple of hours later, you get the softest, fluffiest cinnamon rolls, all gooey and swirled with cinnamon, with hardly any effort and almost no cleanup.
Serve these cinnamon roll packets straight from the slow cooker while they’re still warm and extra soft, spooning any melted icing from the bottom of the foil over the top. They’re perfect with hot coffee, a latte, or a big glass of cold milk. For a slightly more balanced brunch, add a simple bowl of fresh berries or sliced fruit on the side. If you’re hosting, keep the slow cooker on warm and let everyone grab a packet as they roll out of bed, family-style, for a relaxed weekend morning.
Slow Cooker 3-Ingredient Cinnamon Roll PacketsServings: 6
Ingredients
2 (12–13 oz) cans refrigerated cinnamon roll dough with icing (8-count each)
1/3 cup heavy cream
Nonstick cooking spray (for misting the foil)
Directions
Lightly crumple and then flatten 6 pieces of aluminum foil (each about 10–12 inches long) so they’re flexible but still able to hold their shape. Mist the center of each piece with nonstick cooking spray to help keep the rolls from sticking.
Open the cans of refrigerated cinnamon roll dough and separate the rolls, reserving the icing cups that come in the cans. You’ll use all of the dough and all of the icing in this recipe.
Place 2–3 cinnamon rolls in the center of each piece of greased foil, arranging them so they’re just touching. This helps them bake up into one soft, pull-apart packet while still showing those pretty cinnamon swirls on top.
Spoon a generous amount of the packaged icing over the tops of the unbaked rolls in each foil packet, dividing it evenly between all of the rolls. Don’t worry if some icing drips down the sides; it will melt and coat the rolls as they cook.
Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of heavy cream over the icing and rolls in each packet. The cream soaks into the dough as it cooks, making the cinnamon rolls extra tender and fluffy, like a bakery-style roll without any extra work.
Bring the long sides of each foil piece up and over the rolls and fold them together to seal, then fold up the short ends so you have loosely sealed packets. Leave a little room inside each packet for the rolls to puff and expand as they cook.
Place the foil packets in a single layer in the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. It’s okay if they’re close together or gently leaning on each other, but avoid stacking them so they cook evenly.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the cinnamon rolls are puffed, cooked through, and lightly golden on the edges. The icing will be melted and glossy, and the packets will smell like a bakery.
Carefully lift the hot foil packets out of the slow cooker using tongs or oven mitts. Open the packets cautiously, watching for steam. Serve the cinnamon rolls straight from the foil, spooning any melted icing pooled in the packet over the tops.
If desired, switch the slow cooker to WARM to hold any remaining packets for up to 1 hour. Keep the packets loosely closed so the rolls stay soft and don’t dry out.
Variations & Tips
For extra indulgence, sprinkle a few chopped pecans or walnuts over the rolls before drizzling on the cream, then seal and cook as directed. If you like things a bit less sweet, use only half of the icing in the packets and save the rest to drizzle over the cooked rolls right before serving. You can also swap heavy cream for half-and-half for a slightly lighter version, though the texture will be a bit less rich. To make smaller portions for kids, cut each raw cinnamon roll in half and arrange 3–4 halves in each packet instead of whole rolls. For easy cleanup, line the bottom of the slow cooker with a single sheet of foil or a slow cooker liner before adding the packets. If your slow cooker runs hot, start checking the packets around the 1 hour 45 minute mark to avoid overcooking. Leftover packets reheat well: place the foil packet back in the slow cooker on WARM for 30–45 minutes, or open the packet and rewarm the rolls in a 300°F oven for 5–8 minutes until soft and warm again.
