Lazy Day Bacon Cinnamon Rolls (2 Ingredient Recipe)
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My Bacon Cinnamon Rolls are where salty and sweet meet for a show-stopping breakfast treat! And I’m not exaggerating — between the melty icing, sweet cinnamony seasonings, and smoky bacon bits, there’s almost too much flavor going on to fit in one sweet bun! But we make it work, and this is sure to be one of your (and your family’s) all-time favorite Pillsbury Grands cinnamon rolls recipes from here on out!
Who knew that a can of cinnamon rolls could taste like this? Once you add the bacon chunks, you will be obsessed with these gooey cinnamon rolls.
I think that these would be super fun to make for a weekend treat or a great surprise for your better half on your wedding anniversary!
The sweetness of the cinnamon roll paired with the crumbled bacon slices is literally the perfect combination.
There are not many cinnamon roll recipes like this – and you’ll be thinking about this recipe for a long time after eating it. If you’re a bacon lover, you will love these sweet cinnamon rolls!
Consider this your warning – this is the best cinnamon roll recipe out there! I even like this recipe better than some homemade cinnamon rolls that I’ve had – yes, they’re that good!
Bacon Cinnamon Rolls
Picture this: it’s Saturday morning, you’re still in your pajamas, and you get breakfast cooking away in the oven in less than 10 minutes.
That’s the beauty of my lazy day bacon cinnamon rolls!!
They’re soft and tender, with a golden brown exterior coated in a luscious icing, with pops of crispy crumbles to break up the sweetness… and they’re quick!
Did you know that basically all of my recipes with bacon bits are totally tasty? The list goes on: mac and cheese, bread, breakfast casserole…
There are no rules! I add them to everything!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Store-Bought Cinnamon Rolls – I always default to making my recipes with Grands cinnamon rolls.
There are other brands out there and they’ll surely work, but these are my go-to! A lot of people use Pillsbury cinnamon rolls. - Bacon – I’ll go ahead and say alternatives to pork are okay to use–turkey, meat alternative, and so on — but be really aware of the difference in texture.
The turkey kind never really crisps up, and won’t have the same texture of pork bacon cinnamon rolls.
You can also save time with the making of the salty bacon by buying it already crumbled and cooked at the store.
You can also cook bacon and use slices of bacon – it’s totally up to you. I like to buy the crumbled because there isn’t any bacon grease to worry about!
You can also use a homemade frosting to frost cinnamon rolls, or any other flavors that you want.
The soft dough and crushed strips of bacon go with just about any flavor and taste!
Since the cinnamon sugar filling is already added to the store-bought rolls – you really don’t have to do too much to this recipe!
Before Making Recipes With Bacon Bits…
…you should know that we’re not talking about using the bottled, non-refrigerated crumbles you find by the salad stuff in the grocery store.
No, we’re using the crispy homemade stuff! Thick cut, ideally, to really give it some body.
(All this said I have made these with convenient bacon crumbles from Costco before and they were also amazing!!)
Some cinnamon rolls with bacon don’t even break it into bits! Instead, they unroll the roll, lay a slice or two along the cinnamon-coated side, and roll it right back up inside of the bun!
Use whichever method you like, or maybe make a combination of the two to try them both out!
Tricks for Homemade Pillsbury Grands Cinnamon Rolls Recipes
- Pay attention to the icing that comes with the rolls!
I always kick myself for the time when I sent my husband to the store to get ingredients for some homemade recipes with Grands cinnamon rolls, and he came back with the kind with orange icing!
It still ended up tasty, but not exactly what I had in mind.
These tubed treats come with orange icing, cream cheese icing, strawberry and cream icing, extra rich buttercream icing, and their original icing (that’s vanilla).
I usually make my cinnamon rolls with bacon with the vanilla icing, but I’ve tried it with the cream cheese icing, too–and it’s just as delicious!
You could also drizzle with pure maple syrup or even make your own maple cream cheese frosting!
Some people also like to add a cinnamon sugar mixture on top – so do what you want and enjoy. New recipes like this are fun!
- You can add all kinds of texture and flavor between the layers.
In addition to the bacon-y bits, what else can we fit between that delicious dough?
What about toasted nuts, for example? Almonds, walnuts, and pecans all pair nicely with the pork and become so addictive when they’re roasted. Maybe even try candied nuts!
And what about apples? Just like my apple pie version, you can layer chunks of cinnamony apples right on top of the dough alongside the crumbles.
Storing and Reheating Recipes with Grands Cinnamon Rolls
Bacon cinnamon rolls need to be refrigerated (because of the meat) and will last for up to a week in the fridge.
You can store them in an airtight container or wrap them in aluminum foil or plastic wrap as well.
Reheat in the oven at 350°F until the dough is warmed through and the icing is melted.
But I will say — this is absolutely a recipe to enjoy fresh. The crispy bacon and golden buns are never the same after reheating.
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Pie Dish – This is my everyday round baking dish, but it’s pretty enough to use for guests too.
- A Sharp Knife – The fastest way to get crumbles for recipes with bacon bits.You’ll also use this to cut the cinnamon roll dough.
Some people like to have a wire rack to place rolls to let them cool down, but that’s up to you.
Bacon Cinnamon Rolls Recipe FAQ
This is a variation that adds spiced chai mix to the dough and is topped with an espresso cream cheese icing!
It’s definitely a unique recipe full of spiced fall flavors, but hard to make with pre-made tubed dough.
5 — that’s why Pillsbury grands cinnamon rolls recipes usually say they’re 5 servings.
The smaller size (not the Grands size) comes with 8, and this recipe works with those, too.
Rolls are nice and doughy, and very cinnamon-heavy.
Buns, on the flip side, are flipped upside down for a soft, gooey top and more bready bottom. They’ll usually have nuts, while rolls almost never do, and are more brown-sugary than cinnamon. Some people refer to them as sticky buns as well.
A large bowl of fresh fruit pairs really well with this recipe. You could also cook a few extra pieces of bacon the next time that you make this recipe as well.
You really don’t have to serve anything with this recipe – just enjoy the flavor!
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Other Easy Dessert Recipes With Cinnamon
Lazy Day Bacon Cinnamon Rolls (2 Ingredient Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 tube store bought cinnamon rolls with icing , (such as Grands)
- 1 cup bacon crumbles, approximately 1 pound cooked and crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (or 325°F if using a glass pan). Spray a 9″ round pan (or square) with non-stick spray and set aside.
- Remove cinnamon rolls from packaging, being careful not to separate the cinnamon rolls from one another. Place on a clean counter top or cutting board and unroll the dough almost completely. Sprinkle bacon crumbles on top and use hands to gently press bacon into dough.
- Roll dough back up. If any of the filling sticks to the counter, just gently scrape it off the counter with a spatula and press into the cinnamon roll.
- Once rolled back up, separate into 5 cinnamon rolls and place into prepared pan. Bake according to package directions.
- Remove from oven and spread icing over top immediately.
- Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally Published August 2015, updated and republished August 2024
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Salty, sweet and simply amazing! I love bacon on everything so these were perfect! So easy to make as well.
The perfect mix of salty and sweet! I ADORE this recipe. It’s awesome for breakfast
The cinnamon rolls are all ready rolled up tight. I couldn’t find a way to unroll them. Oh well….
Worked perfectly! I used a sharp knife to re-separate the rolls. Also I added a tsp of pure maple syrup to the icing for a maple-bacon flavor. So easy and delicious.
Hi Celestial!
We’re so glad it turned out well.
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn
Loved this recipe from Donna and Chad! The Lazy Day Bacon Cinnamon Rolls were a breeze to make, and they turned out incredibly delicious.
Hi Leona!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn
I know this will be AMAZING! But, hear me out…I’m going to unroll, add bacon and diced apples (with a little more cinnamon sugar), maybe a few toasted chopped pecans, THEN…place in baking dish and pour in about 1/4 c to 1/3 c cream around the rolls. I can’t wait to try this! Thanks for the inspiration!
Hi Amanda!
Glad that you enjoyed!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn