Cheater Cinnamon Rolls

Partly inspired by an episode of Barefoot Contessa where she made cheater “sticky buns” using puff pastry, baker Wee Eats wanted the same flavors minus the use of sticky buns. In fact, she absolutely “abhors” nuts in her baked goods. Instead, she decided to to fill her puff pastry with cinnamon, letting the cinnamon sugar leak into the bottom of a muffin cup and caramelizing the floor of the roll.

Instead of the soft, sweet chew normally associated with a fresh cinnamon roll, these guys have a slight crunch to them. We got the recipe in all its glory for you, straight from the mouth/fingers of Wee Eats:

Just thaw the pastry dough overnight in the fridge, and assemble 30 minutes before your company arrives.

Puff Pastry Cinnamon Rolls

– 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
– 2 Tbsp butter, softened or melted
– 1/4 C brown sugar
– 1 tsp cinnamon (more if desired)

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Unfold puff pastry sheet and spread with softened or melted butter.

2. Sprinkle brown sugar over sheet of puff pastry (I just sprinkle enough to cover it evenly, I don’t really measure), then sprinkle with cinnamon, leaving about 1/2 inch along the side farthest from you.

3. Tightly roll pastry from the side closest to you. Press the “clean” edge into the roll to seal. Cut into 6 pieces and place in muffin cups, cut side up.

4. Bake 20 – 30 min @ 375F until golden brown. Cool on wire rack about 10 minutes before eating (just so they don’t burn you as you shovel them into your mouth).

**Your average puff pastry package will come with 2 sheets of pastry dough. Each sheet will give you 6 rolls, so one package will yield 12 rolls.