Make someone’s birthday wishes come true by waking them up with these extra soft & sprinkle-loaded birthday cake cinnamon rolls. Like a cross between cinnamon rolls and confetti cake, this extra-special breakfast treat is perfect for kicking off an extra-special day. Top with vanilla or cream cheese icing, and don’t forget the birthday candle!
*Wishes for a second helping.*
I originally published this recipe in 2013 and have since added new photos, success tips, and streamlined instructions. I’ve made very few edits to the original recipe, which are reflected in the printable recipe below.
Like a sprinkle-loaded stack of birthday cake pancakes, these Funfetti cake-inspired rolls are the happiest treat on your special morning. I make them a few times each year when a family birthday rolls around. And, on several occasions, I’ve made these INSTEAD of birthday cake, because… honestly… cinnamon rolls for dessert just makes sense.
And some people just don’t like cake. Yes, I know you’re out there! My team and I put together a collection of festive and fun desserts beyond traditional birthday cake if you need ideas!
One reader, Shannon, commented: “Oh my heavens, were these delicious. Used the overnight method to make them for my son’s 8th birthday… I’m so glad I tried this recipe—the dough was pillowy and soft, and the flavor was excellent. And the cream cheese frosting… wow. Smooth, creamy, and perfect for these rolls. A terrific birthday treat. ★★★★★“
You’ll Love These Birthday Cake Cinnamon Rolls
- Filling tastes like cake mix, but it’s not from a box
- Fluffy, buttery, and tender dough
- Loaded with colorful rainbow sprinkles, like a batch of confetti cupcakes
- Topped with cream cheese icing (and more sprinkles!)
- Almost like having confetti cake for breakfast
- You can freeze them to prep ahead for a special breakfast
The dough for these birthday cake cinnamon rolls comes from my raspberry sweet rolls. It’s my favorite dough, and I based my ultra-popular overnight cinnamon rolls recipe off of it, too. And it’s quite easy! If you’re afraid of working with yeast, please do not be intimidated; there is hardly any “work time” involved, just some “wait time” as the yeast does its job.
Patience is yeast’s best friend.
Are You a Yeast Beginner?
This Baking with Yeast Guide is a wonderful starting point. I answer many common yeast FAQs in easy-to-understand explanations, so you can learn the basics before beginning.
I chose to use this particular dough recipe as the base for these colorful rolls because I love how fluffy the end result is. The rolls are soft, tender, buttery, and sweet and truly make a wonderful “starter” dough recipe for any sort of filling. And I figured their fluffy, pillow-y texture and buttery taste would make the perfect base for a confetti cake center. Swirls of sprinkles and sweet dough—how can you go wrong?
Grab These Ingredients for the Sweet Roll Dough:
- Whole Milk: Whole milk is ideal for the richest-tasting sweet rolls. Buttermilk works just as well without any changes to the recipe.
- Sugar: You need white granulated sugar for the dough, both for flavor (these are sweet rolls, after all) and to feed the yeast. You’ll use some again in the filling.
- Yeast: You can use active dry or instant yeast. Follow the directions exactly as written regardless of which you choose.
- Butter: This is a rich dough, meaning it has fat to help guarantee softness. Use softened butter and, to help it blend easier, cut it into 4 pieces before adding.
- Vanilla: This is a new ingredient I use in the dough; the original recipe didn’t call for it. You also need vanilla in the icing. You can use vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
- Eggs: Like butter, eggs promise a softer, richer dough.
- Salt: Dough is bland without salt.
- Flour: Flour provides the dough’s structure. You can use either all-purpose flour or bread flour. You’ll notice the rolls are a little chewier if you use bread flour.
Here’s the dough:
I usually use a stand mixer to make this dough.
What if I Don’t Have a Stand Mixer? If you do not own a mixer, you can mix the dough together with a large wooden spoon/silicone spatula. It will take a bit of arm muscle. A hand mixer works, but the sticky dough repeatedly gets stuck in the beaters.
After the dough comes together, it will be a little soft and sticky—that’s normal. Knead the dough on a floured counter or keep it in the mixer for kneading—whichever method you use, it should be about 5 minutes of kneading. If you need a visual for doing so by hand, my How to Knead Dough tutorial will help.
Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover, and set it in a draft-free area to rise until doubled in size—it takes about 2 hours. After that, punch the risen dough down:
Roll it into a rectangle shape that’s about 12×18 inches in size. Then it’s time to fill it!
Baker’s Tip: If the dough keeps shrinking as you roll it out, stop what you’re doing, cover it, and let it rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten. I often do this when I’m making pizza dough. When you return to the dough, it should stretch out much easier.
Cake Mix Filling
Now let’s talk about the filling. The crème de la crème of today’s rolls. How did I achieve the cake batter flavor without cake mix? Well, I began thinking about the texture and taste of actual cake mix. Creamy, buttery, powdery smooth, vanilla-y, and sweet. (Everything we know and love about these cake batter chocolate chip cookies!) I took those 5 main attributes and brainstormed ways to get them without using a box mix.
For that creamy taste and texture, the secret ingredient is powdered coffee creamer. You could also use dry milk powder. For the buttery flavor, I used (surprise!) melted butter. For the powdery smoothness, I used all-purpose flour. For the vanilla flavor, I used vanilla extract. And for the sweetness, I used a mix of white and brown sugars. Voila! You have a cake batter filling without a box cake mix.
Stir in 1/2 cup of sprinkles, but do not use nonpareils (the little balls) in your homemade cake batter mix. I always say non! to nonpareils in baked goods because they bleed their colors in the oven. You can sprinkle nonpareils on top of the frosted rolls before serving, however!
Fill the Rolls
Spread softened butter all over the rolled-out dough, and then sprinkle with cinnamon, followed by the homemade cake crumbles. The butter will allow the crumbles to stick and the cinnamon is just necessary for cinnamon rolls, right?! I do not suggest leaving out the cinnamon as there may not be enough flavor without it. Plus, cake batter + cinnamon rolls… need I say more?
Use a very sharp knife to cut the roll into 12 rolls.
Arrange in a greased baking pan, cover, then let the rolls rise until a little puffy, about an hour. This is the 2nd rise. (Alternatively, you could let the rolls rise overnight. See Notes in the written recipe below for overnight instructions.)
Here are the sprinkle cinnamon rolls before and after that 2nd rise:
Then it’s time to bake. Your birthday breakfast is almost here!
The Icing on the Cake 😉
The original version of this recipe called for vanilla icing, but I really, really love these sweet rolls with cream cheese icing. It’s the same deliciously smooth and silky icing I slather on my classic cinnamon rolls, as well as my raspberry swirl sweet rolls.
But feel free to use vanilla icing if cream cheese frosting isn’t your favorite.
I love the pops of color inside the swirls of soft, fluffy dough—a gorgeous tie-dye effect. It doesn’t matter what birthday you’re celebrating, whether it’s their 5th or 95th; kids and kids-at-heart can’t help but smile when they see these. I mean, just look at them—this is a birthday party in a breakfast pastry!
Birthday Cake Cinnamon Rolls (Like Funfetti Cake!)
- Prep Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes (includes rises)
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours (or overnight)
- Yield: 12 rolls
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These birthday cake cinnamon rolls are like a cross between cinnamon rolls and confetti cake. The powdered coffee creamer is a non-negotiable in the filling, because it adds a creamy-like texture. Top the soft and sprinkle-loaded rolls with vanilla or cream cheese icing. You can make the birthday rolls within a few hours, or get started the night before using the overnight option in the Note below.
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, warmed to about 100°F (38°C)
- 2/3 cup (135g) granulated sugar, divided
- 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons (14g) active dry or instant yeast (2 standard size packets)*
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature and cut into 4 pieces
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 and 1/2 cups (563g) all-purpose flour or bread flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed
- 2 teaspoons canola, vegetable, or olive oil for bowl (or use nonstick spray)
Filling
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature & divided
- 2/3 cup (84g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (16g) powdered coffee creamer or nonfat instant dry milk (do *not* omit)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (85g) rainbow sprinkles (not nonpareils)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Cream Cheese Icing
- 4 ounces (113g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (30ml) whole milk or heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- optional: extra sprinkles for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: Whisk the warm milk, 2 Tablespoons sugar, and the yeast together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Cover and allow mixture to sit for about 5 minutes or until foamy on top. *If you do not own a mixer, you can do this in a large mixing bowl and in the next step, mix the dough together with a large wooden spoon/silicone spatula. It will take a bit of arm muscle. A hand mixer works, but the sticky dough repeatedly gets stuck in the beaters. Mixing by hand with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula is a better choice.*
- On medium speed, beat in the remaining sugar (which should be 1/2 cup/100g) and the softened butter until it is slightly broken up. Add the eggs, vanilla, and salt and beat on medium speed until combined. The butter won’t really be mixing into the mixture, so don’t be alarmed if it stays in pieces. Switch the mixer down to low speed and with it running, add 1 cup of flour at a time, making sure it’s fully incorporated before adding the next. After 4 cups have been added, add the last 1/2 cup and beat until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 3 minutes. Dough will be soft.
- Knead the dough: Keep the dough in the mixer (and switch to the dough hook if you used the paddle) and beat for an additional 5 full minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 5 full minutes. (If you’re new to bread-baking, my How to Knead Dough video tutorial can help here.) If the dough becomes too sticky during the kneading process, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour at a time on the dough or on the work surface/in the bowl to make a soft, slightly tacky dough. Do not add more flour than you need because you do not want a dry dough. After kneading, the dough should still feel a little soft. Poke it with your finger—if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise. You can also do a “windowpane test” to see if your dough has been kneaded long enough: tear off a small (roughly golfball-size) piece of dough and gently stretch it out until it’s thin enough for light to pass through it. Hold it up to a window or light. Does light pass through the stretched dough without the dough tearing first? If so, your dough has been kneaded long enough and is ready to rise. If not, keep kneading until it passes the windowpane test.
- 1st Rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or use nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise in a relatively warm environment for 2 hours or until double in size. (I always let it rise on the counter and it takes about 2 hours. For a tiny reduction in rise time, see my answer to Where Should Dough Rise? in my Baking with Yeast Guide.)
- Grease the bottom and sides of a metal or glass 9×13-inch baking dish or line with parchment paper.
- Roll out the dough: Punch down the dough to release the air. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough into a 12×18-inch rectangle. Make sure the dough is smooth and evenly thick. If the dough keeps shrinking as you roll it out, stop what you’re doing, cover it lightly, and let it rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten. When you return to the dough, it should stretch out much easier.
- Make the filling: Melt 2 Tablespoons (28g) of the butter. Reserve the rest for step 8. Whisk the flour, sugar, brown sugar, powdered coffee creamer, and salt together. Using a fork, mix in the melted butter and the vanilla extract until crumbly. Mix in the sprinkles. (*You will use the cinnamon in the next step.*)
- Spread dough with the remaining butter (6 Tablespoons). Sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon, and then the sprinkle filling mixture evenly on top. Tightly roll up the dough to form an 18-inch-long log. With an extra sharp knife, cut into 12 even rolls, about 1.5 inches each. Arrange in the prepared baking pan.
- 2nd Rise: Cover the rolls tightly and allow to rise until puffy, about 1 hour. (Or use the overnight option in the Notes below.)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Bake for about 25–28 minutes or until they are lightly browned on top. About halfway through baking time, tent a piece of aluminum foil over the pan to prevent the tops from browning too quickly. Remove pan from the oven and place pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes as you make the icing.
- Make the icing: In a medium bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, cream/milk, and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 1 minute. Spread the icing over the warm rolls, garnish with extra sprinkles if desired, and serve immediately.
- Cover leftover frosted or unfrosted rolls tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions – Overnight: To prepare the night before serving, prepare the rolls through step 8. Cover the rolls tightly and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. (16 hours max. 8–12 hours is best, but 16 hours is OK if absolutely needed. Do not exceed 16 hours.) The next morning, remove from the refrigerator and allow to rise on the counter for 1–2 hours before continuing with step 10.
- Make Ahead Instructions – Freezing: You can freeze cinnamon rolls for up to 3 months, and I recommend a few different methods for freezing cinnamon rolls. The first method is to freeze them after shaping, before they’ve had their 2nd rise (step 8). Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then let rise for 1.5–2 hours at room temperature before baking. The second method is to par-bake the risen rolls for 10 minutes, let cool completely, then cover and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. Finish baking for 15–20 minutes. You can also freeze fully baked cinnamon rolls. See How to Freeze Cinnamon Rolls for more details about all of these methods.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Stand Mixer | Rolling Pin | 9×13-Inch Glass Baking Pan or Metal Baking Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls
- Milk: I recommend using whole milk for the best, richest-tasting dough. You could also use buttermilk. Reduced-fat, low-fat, or nondairy milk works in a pinch. Do not use nonfat milk.
- Yeast: You can use active dry or instant yeast in this recipe. Follow all of the same instructions. If using active dry yeast, the rise times are usually slightly longer. Reference my Baking with Yeast Guide for answers to common yeast FAQs.
- Vanilla: I love using vanilla bean paste in this recipe because it combines both extract AND vanilla bean seeds, and tastes phenomenal in the dough AND icing. You can, of course, use pure vanilla extract instead.
- Powdered Coffee Creamer: This ingredient is important in the filling. It adds a creamy-like consistency and taste to the filling, which helps the filling replicate cake mix or cake batter. If you don’t have it, you can use the same amount of nonfat instant dry milk instead.
- Alternate Icing Option: Instead of cream cheese icing, you can top the warm rolls with vanilla icing.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hi! Can you substitute sourdough starter for the yeast? If so, how would you adjust the recipe? Thanks so much!
Hi Jane, we haven’t tested sourdough starter here. Let us know if you do.
These look amazing but wondering if there is any way i could alter the rolling process to make smaller rolls for young kids? I fear they’re too large for a 3-5 year old. Thanks
Hi Beth, these should work great as mini cinnamon rolls. You can try cutting the rectangle of dough into two in order to make two 14-inch logs so that you can make more, smaller cinnamon rolls. Let us know how they turn out!
We’ve made this a new family tradition! These are so delicious and turn out perfect every time.
This was amazing! However, being the creative baker I love being. I used Droste cocoa powder alongside the cinnamon to sprinkle, and substituted vanilla for vanilla rum in a couple of areas such as the topping and the icing, I also used marscarpone cheese 2tbsp, as well as greek yogurt in the icing again 2tbsp and absolutely phenomenal results. Made for Sunday Funday at work but I only was able to get one, gone in less than 20 minutes. Thank you so much for the receipe and the inspiration. I love your work.
I want to make your cinnamon rolls for our upcoming Farmer’s Market. It’s Winter now n time for delicious homely bakes.
These are delicious! They didn’t turn out quite right for me though. Will you please help me to troubleshoot for next time? I did the make ahead par-bake, and everything seemed to be working out, but when I took them out of the freezer they were pretty flat. When I baked them, the edges puffed up, but the center remained flat, dense and doughy. I did halve the recipe in a 9 x 9 pan so there was some extra space- would that cause them to spread out instead of puff up? Any other thoughts on what happened?
Hi Marie! The extra space could be the culprit. You want them to touch after rising. Dough will also collapse if it has been over-proofed.
This was insanely delicious and the perfect birthday treat for my little one!
Oh my heavens, were these delicious. Used the overnight method to make them for my son’s 8th birthday. I’ve made several of Sally’s variations/flavors of sweet rolls, but I’ve had my eye on this recipe for awhile. I was hesitant to buy the powdered coffee creamer in order to try these. Don’t let that stop you! I’m so glad I tried this recipe — the dough was pillowy and soft; the flavor was excellent. And the cream cheese frosting… wow. Smooth, creamy, and perfect for these rolls. A terrific birthday treat.
So happy to hear that these were a hit for your son’s birthday, Shannon!
Are there any substitutes for the milk powder I can use to make this dairy free? Can I just use a dairy free milk?
Hi Jenny, are you able to find any dairy-free instant milk powders? This ingredient is important in the filling. It adds a creamy-like consistency and taste to the filling, which helps the filling replicate cake mix or cake batter. If you don’t have it, you can use the same amount of nonfat instant dry milk instead.
Hi Lexi!
I’ve looked online and I can’t find any non-dairy alternatives for this ingredient, at least nothing I can get soon enough. I was hoping to make these for my birthday brunch but I’m trying to keep things DF because of some of my guests. I may have to skip this recipe this time and find other occasion to make them! I can just make the easy cinnamon rolls for the brunch and make those DF. Those are soooo yummy.
Made these last night! The whole family loved them!
I have a Braun hand mixer and it comes with a dough hooo. I have used it for everything from bread, rolls, bagels, pizza dough, brioche, and of course cinnamon rolls. It is a very hard working appliance in my kitchen. I gave my Kitchenaid mixer to my daughter, which was a mistake, but this has been a great replacement. Love your recipes and I have your cookie cookbook. Have told my granddaughter about your website and I think she will love your recipes. Keep up the good work.
Hi! Can these be made gluten free?
Hi Cassandra, we haven’t tested this recipe with GF flour, so are unsure of the results. If you try it, please let us know how it turns out!
I made these for my daughter’s 4th birthday breakfast, and they were incredible. Tasted so much like funfetti birthday cake and also cinnamon rolls at the same time.
Hi Sally,
I absolutely love your recipes! They are my go-to every time I want to bake! Your cinnamon rolls are a big hit in my house, so when I so this version, I knew I had to make them. I made them for my brother’s anniversary using the freezing method where you bake it for 10 minutes, then freeze. I left them in the fridge overnight to thaw, but now I found out that my brother won’t be celebrating until tomorrow. Would it be better for me to leave them in the fridge for another 24 hours or to bake them?
Thank you!
Hi Raquel! Sorry for the delayed reply. We would proceed with baking the cinnamon rolls and then you can reheat the next morning. Hope they were a hit and that this info helps for next time!
My son will love these! Any plans to add nutritional label style info to your recipes? I want to make so many things, but I’m calorie counting would be curios to know so I may adjust my portions.
We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
I am going to make this for our family’s New Year’s brunch! They love your funfetti cookies and this recipe will add to the fun!
Could I possibly put all the ingredients in my bread machine on the dough cycle and start on Step 5 for the Birthday Cake Cinnamon Rolls? I make other cinnamon rolls with the dough cycle.
Hi Lisa, we haven’t tested this recipe in a bread machine so unfortunately we cannot offer advice on how best to use it for these cinnamon rolls. Let us know if you do give anything a try!
Hey Sally, would you happen to have a brownie recipe that calls for coco powder instead of chocolate bars ?
Hi Rhonda! This fudge brownies recipe is an old favorite. Feel free to use regular chocolate chips and/or nuts in the batter instead of peanut butter chips.
This is so what I’m baking for my birthday tomorrow
Thanks Sally
Thanks
Absolutely delicious!! Only problem I encountered was that mine weren’t completely baked through (baked for 28 minutes, 350). Maybe because my dish was cold from being over-nighted? What should the internal temp be when finished? But the outer edges that were properly baked tasted sooo good!!
Hi Viviane! Glad you enjoyed these. Covering the rolls after you notice the tops browning can help bake them a little more evenly. Typically yeast bread items are done when an instant read thermometer reads the center of the pan as 195°F (90°C).
Could I use malted milk powder instead of the creamer?
Hi Deborah, that should be fine.
Hi! Do you prefer to use bread flour or AP flour for this recipe? Thanks!
Could I follow this recipe and place each (smaller cuts) roll into a cupcake liner and bake them like that?
Hi Kim, that should work, although we’re unsure of the exact bake time. Let us know if you try it!
Looking forward to making this for Easter Sunday (I frequently go to your site when asked for desserts…and I am using quite a few recipes for various obligations on Sunday 😉 ). Do you think I could use chocolate cake batter in place of vanilla batter for the filling and then a chocolate icing on top? Thanks for the great recipes and inspiration!
Hi Francesca, we can’t see why not! We’d recommend following the recipe note that mentions swapping the first 6 ingredients from the filling recipe and using 3/4 cup of yellow cake mix — but using chocolate cake mix. Let us know what you try!
A friend’s daughter is celebrating her first birthday in the coronavirus quarantine so thank you for instructions on how to make ahead. I was able to make and assemble these, drop them off for them to enjoy the morning of her birthday!
Also, the recipe is easy to follow!
Excellent recipe! Very tender and delicious bread recipe. I followed the recipe exactly except I used all the sprinkle filling instead of only 3/4. thank you 🙂
We have been making this recipe for 7 YEARS! It is our go to recipe for birthdays and celebrations. I’m here again because, of course, my kids request it for St. Valentine’s Day. I have made it many times, and not always exactly followed the instructions, but its always turned out wonderful! Thank You Sally, I will be back!
Can this be made with cake flour instead of AP flour?
Cake flour is used more for cakes and cupcakes, not for yeasted cinnamon rolls. You want a higher protein flour such as all-purpose.
Just made these for breakfast and I am SPEECHLESS!! After testing multiple cinnamon roll recipes online, this takes the “cake” by far 😉 I allowed them to rise overnight and the dough practically tripled in size! Everything about them is pure perfection- the flavor, the dough, the appearance. Thank you for the wonderful recipe, as well as all the others which are proving to be flawless every time.
Mollie
I made these yesterday for Mother’s Day and my mom and sister loved them! Thanks for much for the great recipe!
These are wonderful! I made them on Tuesday and froze them to eat today while company was here; everyone loved them, especially my 5 year old daughter! I also want to thank you for your clear directions and tips – this was one of the best doughs I’ve ever worked with and I truly believe it’s because you made it so clear to follow. I’m hooked and now I want to try the raspberry sweet rolls!! 🙂 Thank you!
Could I use instant pudding mix instead of powdered milk?
Hi Alex, we haven’t tested the recipe that way, so are unsure of how they would turn out. If you try it, please report back!