Chocolate Chip Crescent Roll Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon rolls made with crescent rolls will be your new best brunch idea! These chocolate chip crescent roll cinnamon rolls take less than 10 minutes to prep and seconds to eat! Perfect with your morning coffee or on the go breakfast.

Guys. These crescent roll cinnamon rolls are really good.

For some reason, I didn’t expect them to be as good as they were. Maybe because they’re a shortcut recipe (if you haven’t tried homemade cinnamon rolls with heavy cream, you need to! On a day you have more time…).

Sometimes that happens to me. I go in with mediocre expectations and come away fully impressed. I like when it happens.

I hadn’t had a decent cinnamon roll in a long time. I used to enjoy stopping at Cinnabon at the mall every once in awhile. Then I realized they’re like 1,000 calories so I cut out that treat.

These cinnamon rolls using crescent rolls are much smaller than a Cinnabon, but they’re only about 200 calories each. MUCH better.

Regardless, I’m happy about these. The melty chocolate in the center is delicious. They were best right out of the oven but the next day, I put one in the microwave for 9 seconds (not ten. nine.) and it was just as good.

Really easy + really good = a winner. Try them.

Similarly, try these easy chocolate chip cream cheese danish, too.

Tools you’ll need

• 8″ Round Pan – You can use a dark, non-stick pan or a glass dish.
• Pastry Brush – To brush the melted butter on the dough. I like silicone because it’s easy to clean.
• Cutting Board – I like to roll the dough out on a board instead of directly on the counter.

Ingredients

• Crescent Rolls – I use Pillsbury Crescent Roll Rounds, which can sometimes be hard to find. You can use regular crescent rolls, just pinch the seams together.
• Butter – I use salted butter to balance the sweetness of the recipe.
• Sugar – Granulated white sugar.
• Cinnamon – If you can, opt for a high quality cinnamon like ceylon for the best flavor.
• Mini Chocolate Chips – If you don’t have mini chocolate chips you can chop up some regular sized chips, or even a chocolate bar.
• Powdered Sugar – Sometimes called confectioners’ sugar or icing sugar. Same thing.
• Milk – I use 2% because that’s what we keep on hand.
• Vanilla Extract – Pure vanilla extract, not imitation, will give the best flavor.

How to make Crescent Roll Cinnamon Rolls

1. STEP ONE: First, carefully unroll a crescent roll dough onto a clean, flat surface. Gently brush the melted butter over the entire dough.

2. STEP TWO: Next, in a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon & sugar and sprinkle evenly over the melted butter.

3. STEP THREE: Then, sprinkle the mini chocolate chips evenly over the entire thing.

4. STEP FOUR: Finally, gently roll up the dough, slice into 8 even rounds, and place into a greased 8″ round baking dish. Bake in a preheated 375° oven for 12-14 minutes or until just golden. You want them to be a bit gooey.

5. STEP FIVE: While the rolls are baking, make the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla over low heat until fully combined. Immediately brush over the cinnamon rolls when you take them out of the oven and enjoy!

What to serve with Cinnamon Crescent Rolls

Serve these Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Rolls for breakfast with Ham & Potato Breakfast Casserole and some fruit!

If you need other savory options to balance the sweet, try my sheet pan eggs, birds’ nest breakfast cups or, another way to use crescent rolls, my crescent roll breakfast pizza.

If you want additional sweet options, try my hawaiian roll french toast or an easy apple strudel.

If you don’t want a cheater recipe, try these gluten-free cinnamon rolls.

How to reheat and store Crescent Roll Cinnamon Rolls

How to store leftovers

Leftovers are best stored at room temperature in an airtight container. They’ll keep for up to 3 days, but they’re best served immediately.

Can I freeze crescent roll cinnamon rolls?

You can. Bake them, let them cool, cover them tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Move them to the fridge to thaw when you’re ready to enjoy them.

How to reheat them

I reheat mine in the microwave. Because they’re so small, they don’t need much time – just about 10 seconds should do.

FAQs

Is there a difference between crescent rolls and croissants?

They’re both moon shaped, but they’re not the same texture. Crescent rolls are more bread-like than croissants, which are light and flaky.

I can’t find Pillsbury Crescent Rounds, can I use regular crescent rolls?

Sure can. The crescent rounds are “straight” while regular crescent rolls are triangles. If you have regular crescent rolls just roll out the sheet, pinch together the seams and proceed with the recipe.

Need more Cinnamon Roll ideas? Try these:

• Cinnamon Roll Cake
• Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake
• Cinnamon Roll Cookies
• Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze

5 from 1 vote

Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Rolls

Created by Melissa Williams | Persnickety Plates

Servings: 8 rolls

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 25 minutes mins

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Cinnamon rolls made with crescent rolls will be your new best brunch idea! These chocolate chip crescent roll cinnamon rolls take less than 10 minutes to prep and seconds to eat! Perfect with your morning coffee or on the go breakfast.

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Ingredients

  

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For the cinnamon rolls

• ▢ 8 ounce Crescent Roll Rounds or regular Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons salted butter melted
• ▢ ¼ cup granulated white sugar
• ▢ ½ Tablespoon cinnamon
• ▢ ¼ cup mini chocolate chips

For the glaze

• ▢ ½ cup powdered sugar
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon milk I use 2%
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375° F and spray an 8-inch round pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
• On a large cutting board, carefully roll out the crescent roll dough.
  8 ounce Crescent Roll Rounds, 2 Tablespoons salted butter
• Use a pastry brush to coat the dough with melted butter.
• In a small bowl, add the cinnamon and sugar and stir to fully combine. Sprinkle evenly over the dough.
  1/4 cup granulated white sugar, 1/2 Tablespoon cinnamon
• Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips evenly across the dough.
  1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
• Gently roll up the dough and slice into 8 even rounds. Arrange them into the prepared pan, about 1″ apart.
• Sprinkle the top of the rolls with any leftover cinnamon/sugar mixture and/or chocolate chips (that might have slipped out during the “roll-up” phase).
• Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the tops just start to brown.
• While the rolls are cooking, make the vanilla glaze.
• In a small saucepan, add the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until fully combined and all the lumps are out.
  1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon milk, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• When the rolls are done, brush immediately with the glaze.

Video

Notes

One 8 ounce can of dough should be used. If using classic crescent roll dough, pinch together the seams before brushing the butter on. 

Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Reheat in the microwave for 5-10 seconds.

Very slightly adapted from Diethood via A Night Owl

⭐️ Final Step! Please let me know how you liked this recipe by leaving a review and rating below. Your feedback supports my small business and allows me to continue providing free, high quality recipes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 208kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 251mg | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 100IU | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Originally published July 5, 2013