When the cinnamon-butter filling meets the cut surface of the rolls, it settles into the little creases between them instead of disappearing into a pan. Keeping the rolls connected makes these King’s Hawaiian Cinnamon Rolls easier to fill as one even layer, and the sweet bread turns warm and tender in the oven.
I like the contrast of the buttery brown sugar filling with the tangy cream cheese icing. The rolls bake covered first so they warm through without drying out, then spend just a few uncovered minutes in the oven. Let them rest briefly before icing, and you get soft pull-apart pieces with a glossy topping.
Kitchen Note
Stir the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt until the mixture looks evenly damp, with no dry sugar pockets. Those little patches are easy to miss, but they won’t melt into the same smooth filling as the rest.
Save these King’s Hawaiian Cinnamon Rolls for a cozy bake: buttery cinnamon filling, soft pull-apart rolls, and cream cheese icing.
Why These Cinnamon Rolls Go Into the Pan as One Slab
It can seem easier to separate the rolls before adding the filling, but keeping them joined gives you one broad, level cut surface to work on. The filling spreads in a continuous layer, and the top half goes back on as a single piece. That means less fussing with individual rolls and fewer chances to press the soft bread out of shape.
The connected slab also keeps the sweet rolls close together as they bake. Their sides stay tucked against one another, so the centers warm gently while the exposed cut surface holds the cinnamon filling. You still get distinct rolls when you pull them apart, but the filling has had a chance to melt between the layers first.
Use a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion for the horizontal cut. A straight downward press can compress the soft rolls, making the two halves harder to separate cleanly. If a few edges look uneven, don’t worry; the icing covers the top, and the filling doesn’t need a perfectly smooth surface to spread well.
The Sweet Rolls and Cream Cheese Make the Difference
- King’s Hawaiian Original Sweet Rolls — Their tender, lightly sweet crumb is the base of the dish, and the connected package is what lets you fill the rolls in one pass. A similar connected sweet-roll slab can work, but individual buns are harder to slice and fill as a group. Stick with the package size here so the filling and baking time stay in balance.
- Unsalted butter — Softened butter blends smoothly with the brown sugar and cinnamon, then gives the filling its rich, spreadable texture. Unsalted butter also lets the small amount of kosher salt stay in your control. A standard grocery-store butter is fine; it doesn’t need to be a specialty brand.
- Light brown sugar and cinnamon — Light brown sugar gives the filling a soft molasses note without taking over the sweet rolls. Regular ground cinnamon is exactly right; a fresh, fragrant jar makes a difference, while an expensive specialty cinnamon isn’t necessary.
- Cream cheese — This gives the icing its slight tang and thicker body, which keeps it from tasting like plain powdered sugar glaze. Use softened cream cheese so it beats smooth with the butter. Neufchâtel can stand in, though the icing will be a little softer and less rich.
- Powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla — Powdered sugar makes the icing smooth, milk loosens it enough to spread, and vanilla rounds out the tang of the cream cheese. Ordinary powdered sugar and vanilla extract work well; there is no need for a premium brand.
How to Fill and Bake the Rolls Without Drying Them Out
Cut the Connected Slab and Set Up the Pan
Heat the oven to 350°F, then lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Keep the rolls attached and use a serrated knife to slice horizontally through the entire slab. Set the bottom half cut-side up in the dish; keeping that flat face up gives you room to spread the filling without the rolls shifting around.
Spread the Cinnamon Butter in an Even Layer
Stir the softened butter with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt until evenly combined. Spread the mixture over the cut surface of the bottom half, reaching across the slab so every roll gets some filling. If the butter is too firm to spread, it can drag the soft bread; let it soften before mixing rather than pressing hard with a knife.
Warm the Rolls Covered, Then Uncover
Set the top half back in place and cover the dish loosely with foil. Bake for 10 minutes, then uncover and bake for 2 to 4 minutes more, until the rolls are warm through and the filling is melted. The foil protects the tops while the center warms; during the uncovered finish, keep an eye on the bread so it doesn’t dry out or brown too much.
Beat and Spread the Cream Cheese Icing
Let the rolls rest for 5 minutes while you beat the softened cream cheese with the remaining butter until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until the icing looks creamy, with no visible cream cheese lumps. Spread it over the warm rolls; they’ll soften the icing just enough to settle into the surface without turning it into a thin glaze.
Two Easy Ways to Change the Finish
Use salted butter instead
Keep the butter quantity the same, but leave out the kosher salt if you use salted butter for both the filling and icing. The finished rolls will taste a touch saltier, and the cinnamon-sugar flavor may seem less pronounced, but the filling and icing will still come together smoothly.
Put the icing on the side
Make the icing as usual, but serve it in a small bowl instead of spreading it across the warm slab. Each person can add as much as they like, and the exposed tops stay a little less sweet. This also keeps any rolls you plan to save from getting coated in icing right away.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftover rolls in a covered container for up to 3 days. The bread will firm up in the fridge, and the icing will become less soft.
- Freezer: Freeze the baked rolls without icing, wrapped well, for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw them in the refrigerator, then make the icing fresh.
- Reheating: Warm refrigerated rolls in a 350°F oven, covered loosely with foil, just until warm. Avoid heating them uncovered for too long, which dries the bread; the icing will soften as the rolls warm.
Questions That Come Up With King’s Hawaiian Cinnamon Rolls
Kings Hawaiian Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Lightly coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with the nonstick cooking spray.
- Keeping the rolls connected, use a serrated knife to slice the slab horizontally into a top half and a bottom half.
- Place the bottom half cut-side up in the baking dish.
- Stir 6 tablespoons of the softened butter with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt until evenly combined, then spread over the cut surface.
- Set the top half in place, cover loosely with foil, and bake for 10 minutes; uncover and bake for 2 to 4 minutes more, until the rolls are warm through and the filling is melted.
- Let the rolls rest for 5 minutes.
- Beat the cream cheese with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter until smooth.
- Beat in the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth, then spread the icing over the warm rolls.
