Funfetti Cinnamon Rolls (2024)

About these Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon rolls are undoubtedly an extensive baking project. But they’re meant to be FUN. And these Funfetti Cinnamon Rolls are just that.

Making the dough, letting it rise, rolling it out, adding filling and rolling them up, baking and glazing feels like an elegant art project. And just because the process is extensive, that doesn’t mean it’s difficult. Just follow the directions step by step and you’re in for 12 wonderful, baked, delicious cinnamon rolls.

These Funfetti Cinnamon Rolls are glazed in a sweet, homemade cream cheese frosting, and of course, extra sprinkles on top. Bite in and notice the confetti colors embedded throughout, too. These are just so FUN!

Looking for other cinnamon roll flavors? Also check out these Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls or these Cinnamon Rolls with Apple Pie Filling, that you'll love, too!

Recipe Ingredients

• Active Dry Yeast - To give our cinnamon rolls rise. Be sure to check the date to ensure it's not expired!
• Almond Extract - Has a strong, sweet flavor that shines in these Funfetti Cinnamon Rolls.We use it in the dough, filling and frosting.
• All Purpose Flour - The base or our dough. I’ve not tried any substitutes.
• Sprinkles - We’ve got sprinkles everywhere in these Funfetti Cinnamon Rolls. In the dough, the frosting, and on top.Use cylinder or confetti sprinkles. These will give the best result in both color and texture.
• Cream Cheese - Cream cheese gives the frosting little more depth of flavor rather than just straight sweetness. Be sure to let it sit out and soften.
• Powdered Sugar - Makes the frosting sweet and a smooth texture as compared to the granular result you’d get with regular sugar.

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

How to Make This Recipe

Make the dough

1. Whisk dry active yeast into warm almond milk. The milk needs to be between 110°F and 115°F. Use a meat thermometer to determine the temperature. Let the yeast dissolve and set aside.
2. Add the butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Cream together using an electric mixer (hand or stand mixer). Pour the yeast and milk mixture in with eggs and salt. Beat together again.Add the almond extract and stir.
3. Gradually add flour into the bowl and fold together until a dough forms. You’ll need to use at least 4 cups of flour. If the dough is still sticky, add additional flour into the dough in 1 tablespoon increments.Add the sprinkles into the dough.
4. Knead for 6-8 minutes. Continually fold the dough in half toward your body, then pushing down and away with the heel of your hand.
5. Next, take a clean mixing bowl and spray it with cooking spray. Place the kneaded dough ball in the greased mixing bowl. Cover it with a saran wrap or a linen towel, and let it rise for 2 hours in a warm place.
6. After the dough has risen (about 3-4x in size), it’s time to punch it down and roll it out. Flour your surface once more. Using a rolling pin, glass jar, or wine bottle, flatten the dough until it’s about ¼” thick. It shouldn’t be so thin enough that you can see through it, but thin enough to hold the filling and roll without tearing.

Make the filling & assemble

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.To make the filling, add everything into a bowl and mix it together until a sugary, crumbly texture is made.
2. Then, use a rubber spatula to spread it evenly on the rolled out dough. You’ll have to work it and spread it around a bit. Leave about ½” inch around the edges so it's easier to roll.
3. Then roll your cinnamon rolls. Starting at the shorter side of your rectangle, begin to carefully roll into a log shape. Be sure to do this slowly to ensure the filling stays in place. Roll it tight enough so the filling doesn’t seep out.
4. Once you’ve formed the Funfetti Cinnamon Roll log, use a serrated knife, and slice the log into 12 even cinnamon rolls.

Bake and frost

1. Time to bake! Generously coat a 9x13 pyrex dish with cooking spray.
2. Place the funfetti cinnamon rolls into the pans in three rows of four and bake for 25-28 minutes. If needed, broil the rolls for 1-2 minutes at the end for the extra golden brown coloring.
3. While the rolls bake, make the frosting. Gather all of the frosting ingredients and combine them together in a mixing bowl. Beat (an electric hand mixer works best) until smooth.
4. Once the rolls are finished baking, top them with icing! I like to frost when the rolls are still warm so it melts a bit creating a glazed consistency. If you’d prefer thicker frosting, let the Funfetti Cinnamon Rolls cool before adding the cream cheese frosting.

Tips for Success

Check out this Taste of Home post on the 19 Tips for Making the Ultimate Cinnamon Rolls. Here are my biggest tips:

• Roll your Funfetti Cinnamon Rolls tightly! If you fail to roll your cinnamon roll tightly, the delicious sweet, sprinkle filling will just seep onto the bottom of your baking pan.
• The rise is essential in achieving a fluffy texture. You can still bake cinnamon rolls that don’t rise, but your end product is likely to be very dense. Before calling it quits completely, you could also try dissolving additional yeast and incorporating it into the dough to see if it will rise at all.
• If your cinnamon rolls are tough, you most likely used too much flour. This dries out the dough and, as a result, it will not bake properly. You do need a floured surface when kneading and rolling out the dough to prevent sticking, but try your best not to get an excessive amount of flour incorporated into the dough itself.

What type of sprinkles should I use?

How do you store them? Can you freeze them?

How do you reheat cinnamon rolls?

If you’d like to enjoy it warm, reheat in the oven (or toaster oven) at 350° for 10 minutes. If you plan to reheat, store the Funfetti Cinnamon Rolls separate from the frosting and add the frosting once you've reheated it.

Can I let cinnamon rolls rise overnight?

You can prep the cinnamon roll dough in advance and let it rise in the bowl overnight, just ensure that the saran wrap is completely covering the bowl so no moisture escapes. Alternatively, you could also let the dough go through the first rise, roll out and form the cinnamon rolls then cover the entire pan of raw cinnamon rolls with saran wrap, then bake in the morning.

Funfetti Cinnamon Rolls

It’s called FUNFETTI for a reason. These Funfetti Cinnamon rolls are so fun to make and turn out so pretty. Glazed with a cream cheese frosting and extra sprinkles, get ready for a sweet confetti baking project.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cinnamon roll | Calories: 571kcal | Carbohydrates: 88g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 381mg | Potassium: 95mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 45g