Can you put cinnamon rolls in a waffle maker?

Yes — it's one of the best cinnamon roll shortcuts. Press a refrigerated or homemade cinnamon roll in a greased, preheated waffle iron for 3-4 minutes until golden. The edges caramelize and the middle stays soft.

Do I use canned or homemade rolls?

Both work. Refrigerated rolls make it a two-minute breakfast; unbaked homemade rolls give a richer waffle. Either way, grease the iron well and cook until deep golden.

Why did my waffle stick?

The cinnamon sugar caramelizes and sticks to a dry iron. Grease it generously before every batch and let the waffle set for a few seconds before lifting it out.

Cinnamon Roll Waffles

Name: Cinnamon Roll Waffles
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 4 min
Total time: 11 min
Yield: 8 waffles
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 can refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing; nonstick spray or melted butter for the iron; 0.75 cup powdered sugar; 1.5 tbsp milk; 0.5 tsp vanilla extract

Press cinnamon rolls in a waffle iron for crisp-edged, caramelized cinnamon roll waffles in about 4 minutes — the fastest cinnamon roll trick there is.

golden cinnamon roll waffles cooked in a waffle iron (AI-generated editorial image) — Image: CinnamonRollsRecipe.com · AI-generated editorial (Flux)

Total time: 11 min
Bake: 4 min
Yield: 8 waffles
Level: beginner

The quick answer

Cinnamon roll waffles are made by pressing a cinnamon roll flat in a preheated waffle iron and cooking 3-4 minutes until golden and caramelized. Use refrigerated or homemade rolls, grease the iron so the sugar doesn't stick, and don't overcrowd — one roll per waffle section. Warm the icing to drizzle on top.

This is barely a recipe and completely a revelation: put a cinnamon roll in a waffle iron and close the lid. The roll flattens into a golden waffle with deeply caramelized cinnamon-sugar edges and a soft middle, cooking in a fraction of the oven time. Refrigerated rolls make it a two-minute breakfast; homemade rolls make it a special one. Warm the included icing (or whip up a quick glaze) to pour into all those crispy waffle pockets, and you've turned a can of cinnamon rolls into something that feels like a diner special.

a fork cutting a bite from a cinnamon roll waffle showing the crisp waffle-grid texture and cinnamon swirl (AI-generated editorial image) — The soft, pull-apart crumb you're after.

Ingredients

Make

waffles

Waffles

1 canrefrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing — 8-count, or homemade rolls
nonstick spray or melted butter for the iron

Optional quick glaze

¾ cuppowdered sugar
1½ tbspmilk — plus more to thin
½ tspvanilla extract

a cinnamon roll being pressed flat inside an open waffle iron (AI-generated editorial image) — A look at the method — follow the steps below.

Instructions

Preheat the waffle iron to medium-high and grease it well with spray or melted butter — the cinnamon sugar caramelizes and will stick otherwise.
Iron is fully heated.
Separate the cinnamon rolls. Place one roll in the center of each waffle section, leaving room, since they spread.
One roll per section, not crowded.
Close the lid gently (don't force it) and cook until golden brown and cooked through.
Deep golden with crisp, caramelized edges; no raw dough in the center.
Carefully lift out each waffle with a fork or tongs — they're soft when hot and firm up as they cool slightly.
Waffle holds together and releases cleanly.
Warm the included icing (or whisk the quick glaze) and drizzle over the waffles. Serve right away.
Icing settles into the waffle pockets.

Make ahead, store & reheat

Make ahead: Best made fresh and hot. You can keep cooked waffles warm in a 200°F oven for up to 20 minutes while you finish the batch.
Storage: Refrigerate cooled waffles up to 3 days; they lose crispness but reheat well.
Reheating: Re-crisp in a toaster or toaster oven; skip the microwave, which makes them soft.
Freezing: Freeze cooled waffles flat, then bag up to 2 months and reheat straight from frozen in a toaster.

Substitutions

Homemade cinnamon rolls, unbaked and pressed in the iron instead of refrigerated cinnamon rolls
Cream cheese glaze warmed until pourable instead of the included icing

Troubleshooting

Waffle stuck to the iron: Grease the iron generously before each batch — the sugar in the rolls caramelizes and grips. Let the waffle set a few seconds before lifting.
Center is doughy: Cook a little longer and don't press too thin too fast; thicker rolls need the full 4 minutes. Keep the lid closed until deeply golden.
Burned edges: The cinnamon sugar browns fast — lower the heat to medium and check early; every waffle iron runs differently.

Tools I reach for

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Frequently asked questions

Can you put cinnamon rolls in a waffle maker?: Yes — it's one of the best cinnamon roll shortcuts. Press a refrigerated or homemade cinnamon roll in a greased, preheated waffle iron for 3-4 minutes until golden. The edges caramelize and the middle stays soft.
Do I use canned or homemade rolls?: Both work. Refrigerated rolls make it a two-minute breakfast; unbaked homemade rolls give a richer waffle. Either way, grease the iron well and cook until deep golden.
Why did my waffle stick?: The cinnamon sugar caramelizes and sticks to a dry iron. Grease it generously before every batch and let the waffle set for a few seconds before lifting it out.

Nutrition (estimate): 1 waffle (of 8) · ~190 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.