How to Make King’s Hawaiian Rolls 10x Better

When I was a kid, we would have  cinnamon rolls every Thanksgiving and Christmas morning and I fondly recall waking up to the smell of them filling the house. Homemade cinnamon rolls are a labor of love with a warmth and aroma that's hard to top—they're pure comfort food.

But let's be real. Life is busy, and even my mom couldn't be bothered with rolling dough on the days she was already cooking a big holiday meal, so we always had  canned cinnamon rolls . They were quick, easy and still warm and delicious. All you have to do is pop the can, bake and drizzle on the ready-made icing—that's a win! While homemade rolls might reign supreme for taste, canned cinnamon rolls are full of nostalgia for me. 

I still make canned cinnamon rolls, but when I have a little more time, I like to make something a little more homemade. Recently, content creator @that40yearguy shared a hack that turns King's Hawaiian Rolls into stuffed cinnamon rolls, and I have to try this right away!

Related: The Viral Recipe That Has Us Rushing to the Store to Buy King's Hawaiian Rolls

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How to Turn King's Hawaiian Rolls Into Cinnamon Rolls

King's Hawaiian rolls are a weekly staple in my house. The soft, fluffy, slightly sweet dinner rolls are known for their distinctive golden crust and my kids devour them. 

The rolls have a subtle sweetness that pairs beautifully with savory dishes, making them a staple for holiday meals and easy game-day appetizers. You can halve the entire package, layer on your favorite sandwich toppings, add the top and bake until warm and toasty. 

Because of their sweetness, these handy rolls can also be turned into quick-and-easy treats, as evidenced by these shortcut King's Hawaiian roll "cinnamon rolls."

To make the King's Hawaiian Cinnamon Rolls, you start by melting one stick of butter in the microwave. While the butter melts, grease a small baking dish. Place the package of rolls in the dish and cut small "X" shapes into the top of each one, going about halfway through the roll. 

Mix a quarter cup of brown sugar and two teaspoons of cinnamon into the melted butter. Pour that on top of the rolls and then use a stand mixer to mix one package of room-temperature cream cheese and a quarter cup of powdered sugar. Once the mixture is smooth, add an egg and blend again.

Place the cream mixture in a Ziploc bag and cut off one corner of the bag, creating a DIY piping bag. Pipe the cream cheese into the "X" shape in the rolls. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes and then enjoy a "cinnamon roll" that tastes almost homemade! 

The rolls soak up the buttery brown sugar and cinnamon mixture and the filling turns into a cheesecake-like filling as the rolls bake. This creamy, buttery breakfast is just the thing to celebrate the holidays. They pair well with a cup of coffee or tea or a mug of hot chocolate for the kiddos. We can imagine serving these on Christmas morning because it's a fun and easy dish but it also feels special. If you're hosting a holiday brunch this year, this is also a recipe to keep in mind. 

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