Can I use canned cinnamon rolls?

Yes — two tubes of refrigerated cinnamon rolls work great cut into chunks, and you can use the included icing to finish. Day-old homemade rolls work too and soak up custard beautifully.

Do I have to soak it overnight?

No, but longer is better. A minimum of 30 minutes lets the custard absorb; an overnight soak gives the most even, custardy texture and makes the morning hands-off.

How do I know when it's done?

The center should be puffed and set, springing back when touched with no wet custard pooling. If the top is browning too fast, tent with foil until the middle cooks through.

Cinnamon Roll French Toast Bake

Name: Cinnamon Roll French Toast Bake
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 38 min
Total time: 93 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 roll cinnamon rolls, cut into chunks; 1 tbsp butter for the dish; 5 egg large eggs; 1.5 cup whole milk; 0.5 cup heavy cream; 0.25 cup packed brown sugar; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 0.25 tsp fine salt; icing from the cinnamon rolls, or a simple powdered-sugar glaze; maple syrup for serving

A make-ahead brunch casserole: cut-up cinnamon rolls soaked in a cinnamon-vanilla custard and baked until puffed, custardy inside, and golden on top.

a rectangular baking dish casserole of custard-soaked cinnamon roll chunks baked until golden and puffed (AI-generated editorial image) — Image: CinnamonRollsRecipe.com · AI-generated editorial (Flux)

Total time: 1 hr 33 min
Bake: 38 min
Yield: 10 servings
Level: beginner

The quick answer

A cinnamon roll French toast bake is cut-up cinnamon rolls soaked in an egg-and-milk custard and baked into a casserole. Let it soak at least 30 minutes (or overnight) so the custard fully absorbs, and bake until the center is set and no longer wet, about 35–40 minutes.

This is the dish that feeds a crowd on Christmas or a lazy Sunday with almost no morning effort. You tear cinnamon rolls — homemade or a couple of tubes of the refrigerated kind — into a baking dish, pour over a rich cinnamon-vanilla custard, and let it soak (overnight is ideal). In the oven it puffs and sets into something between French toast and bread pudding: custardy and soft in the middle, caramelized and golden on top, with the cinnamon swirl melting through every bite. A drizzle of the rolls' icing finishes it.

a serving scoop lifted from a cinnamon roll french toast casserole showing the soft custardy interior and cinnamon swirl pieces (AI-generated editorial image) — The soft, pull-apart crumb you're after.

Ingredients

Make

servings

Base

8 rollscinnamon rolls, cut into chunks — day-old homemade or 2 refrigerated tubes
1 tbspbutter for the dish

Custard

5 eggslarge eggs
1½ cupswhole milk
½ cupheavy cream
¼ cuppacked brown sugar
2 tspvanilla extract
1 tspground cinnamon
¼ tspfine salt

Finish

icing from the cinnamon rolls, or a simple powdered-sugar glaze
maple syrup for serving

torn cinnamon roll chunks arranged in a baking dish with egg custard being poured over them (AI-generated editorial image) — A look at the method — follow the steps below.

Instructions

Butter a 9x13 dish and scatter the cinnamon roll chunks evenly inside.
Chunks fill the dish in an even layer.
Whisk the eggs, milk, cream, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until smooth, then pour evenly over the rolls, pressing gently so they soak.
Custard coats all the pieces.
Cover and let soak at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate overnight for the best texture.
Rolls have absorbed most of the custard.
Heat the oven to 350°F. Bake uncovered until puffed, golden, and set in the center.
Center is set and springs back; no wet custard when nudged.
If the top browns before the center sets, tent loosely with foil and continue baking.
Top is golden, not dark; middle is cooked through.
Cool 10 minutes, then drizzle with the icing or glaze and serve with maple syrup.
Icing melts slightly over the warm bake.

Make ahead, store & reheat

Make ahead: This is built for making ahead: assemble the night before, cover, and refrigerate overnight, then bake straight from the fridge in the morning (add a few minutes). Let it sit 15 minutes on the counter while the oven heats.
Storage: Refrigerate covered up to 4 days.
Reheating: Microwave a portion 30–45 seconds, or warm the covered dish at 300°F for about 15 minutes.
Freezing: Freeze baked portions up to 2 months; thaw overnight and reheat.

Substitutions

Half-and-half instead of heavy cream
Chopped pecans or a streusel scattered on top before baking instead of a plain top

Troubleshooting

Center came out wet and eggy: It needed more time — bake until the middle is fully set, and next time soak longer so the custard distributes and cooks evenly.
Top burned before the middle set: Tent with foil once it's golden and keep baking; also check that your oven isn't running hot.
Too soggy overall: Use day-old or slightly dried rolls, which absorb custard better than very fresh soft ones, and don't overdo the liquid.

Tools I reach for

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Frequently asked questions

Can I use canned cinnamon rolls?: Yes — two tubes of refrigerated cinnamon rolls work great cut into chunks, and you can use the included icing to finish. Day-old homemade rolls work too and soak up custard beautifully.
Do I have to soak it overnight?: No, but longer is better. A minimum of 30 minutes lets the custard absorb; an overnight soak gives the most even, custardy texture and makes the morning hands-off.
How do I know when it's done?: The center should be puffed and set, springing back when touched with no wet custard pooling. If the top is browning too fast, tent with foil until the middle cooks through.

Nutrition (estimate): 1 serving (of 10) · ~420 kcal. Nutrition is an automated estimate and will vary with brands and exact quantities.

Food safety: don't taste dough containing raw flour or raw egg. Refrigerate anything with cream cheese frosting, and reheat leftovers until piping hot.