Use grocery store prepared pizza dough to make the easiest air fryer cinnamon rolls ever! They’re incredibly soft on the inside with crispy caramelized tops. Make them for your next special breakfast or brunch!
I have a confession to make.
I didn’t plan to make cinnamon rolls. Not really. I was deep in the middle of testing every single button on the Cosori TurboBlaze for an honest review, and somewhere between proofing whole wheat dinner rolls and culturing cashew yogurt from scratch, a rogue thought hijacked my brain:
What if I used grocery store pizza dough to make cinnamon buns?
What happened next was nothing short of spectacular.
FYI, this article includes Amazon affiliate links which you can use to find the products I’m talking about. When you do, I may earn a small commission from your purchase; this is a great no-cost way to support my work. Don’t worry, you never pay more because of this.
I worked with Cosori to produce the video above but they have not sponsored this blog post.
The Beauty of Store-Bought Dough
Let’s be real for a second: making yeasted dough from scratch is rewarding. My vegan cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting is a potluck classic for a reason. But it’s also time-consuming. Sometimes you just want a warm, gooey cinnamon roll without waiting for hours for dough to rise twice. That’s where pizza dough swoops in to save the day.
Most grocery store pizza doughs are incidentally vegan—just flour, water, yeast, and salt. Sometimes oil. They’re also incredibly forgiving and perfect for sweet applications. The slight elasticity and chewiness you love in pizza crust? That translates into cinnamon rolls with the most satisfying pull-apart texture.
The Secret to That Caramelized Top
Here’s where things get really interesting. Most cinnamon roll recipes call for icing. And I love a good cream cheese glaze as much as the next person. But for this air fryer version, I wanted something different.
Instead of icing, I added a second layer of vegan butter, maple syrup, and brown sugar right before baking. As the rolls cook, that mixture bubbles and caramelizes into a sticky, crispy, almost-toffee-like topping. It’s slightly burnt in the best possible way; like the crispy edges of a cinnamon French Toast.
Does it look intense? Yes. Is it absolutely addictively delicious? Also yes.
Why the Air Fryer Works Wonders
Traditional oven-baked cinnamon rolls can take 20–25 minutes, and they heat up your whole kitchen in the process. The air fryer, on the other hand:
- Cooks faster – These rolls are done in about 13–15 minutes.
- Creates incredible texture – The circulating hot air gives the tops a beautiful caramelized crunch while keeping the inside soft and tender.
- Doesn’t heat up your space – Perfect for warm days or small apartments.
- Proofs the dough too – If your air fryer has a proof setting like the Cosori TurboBlaze (affiliate link) does, you can proof and bake in the same appliance.
What to Serve Alongside
These cinnamon rolls are incredible on their own, but if you’re feeling extra, here are some ways to level them up:
- Vegan cream cheese spread – The cultured cashew cheese from my video would be divine here.
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream – Because why not?
- Fresh berries – The tartness balances the sweetness beautifully.
More Air Fryer Adventures Await
If you’re loving this recipe, you should see what else I’ve been up to with the Cosori TurboBlaze. I’ve made:
- Vegan Nashville Hot “Chicken” with Corn Ribs & Biscuits
- Eggplant unagi with charred bok choy and air fryer fried rice
- Watermelon jerky and banana chips
- Cultured cashew yogurt and cream cheese
- Fluffy whole wheat dinner rolls from scratch
The versatility of this machine continues to surprise me. It’s not just an air fryer. It’s a bread proofer, a yogurt maker, a dehydrator, and a tiny convection oven all in one. Check out the Cosori TurboBlaze here.
Easy Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls (using pre-made pizza dough)
This recipe transforms simple grocery store pizza dough into incredibly soft, caramelized cinnamon rolls in the air fryer. The brown sugar and maple syrup topping caramelizes to create a deliciously crispy and sweet top.
Ingredients
For the Dough & Filling:
- 350 g (about 12 oz) prepared pizza dough (from the grocery store deli), chilled
- 2 tbsp vegan butter, softened
- 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
For the Topping (Just Before Baking):
- 2 tbsp vegan butter (melted or softened, to dollop on top)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp brown sugar, optional
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled pizza dough into a rough rectangle, about ¼-inch thick.
- Add the Filling: Spread the 2 tablespoons of softened vegan butter evenly over the dough. Sprinkle over the cinnamon and then the brown sugar. Leave one edge uncovered.
- Roll and Cut: Starting from one long edge, tightly roll the dough into a log, ending at the uncovered edge. Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 6 equal pieces.
- Prep for Proofing: Place the rolls, cut-side up, into a parchment-lined baking pan that fits inside your air fryer basket (I used a 7 ¼-inch round pan). Place the pan in the air fryer basket.
- First Proof: Cover the pan with a reusable cover or use a large freezer bag to wrap it loosely. Set the air fryer to the "Proof" setting (90°F) and let the rolls proof for 1 hour, or until they have filled the pan.
- Add Topping: After proofing, remove the cover. Smear the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegan butter over the tops of the rolls. Drizzle with the maple syrup and sprinkle with the final tablespoon of brown sugar.
- Bake: Preheat the air fryer to 375°F. Carefully place the pan back into the basket and bake for 13-15 minutes. Keep an eye on them; they are done when they are puffed, golden, and the top is bubbling and caramelized. If they seem to be browning too fast, reduce the temperature slightly. Let them cool for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
The top will be caramelized and might look slightly dark, but this adds an incredibly addictively delicious flavor! But if you want to avoid over-browning, skip the last minute brown sugar sprinkle.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 270Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 271mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 4gSugar: 11gProtein: 4g
Nutritional Information automatically calculated by a plugin and may not be correct.
