Use Canned Cinnamon Rolls For The Absolute Best Crust On Pies

The best winter-friendly desserts embody warmth, richness, sweetness, and delicious spices. The A-list lineup of holiday baking spices includes beloved classics like nutmeg and allspice, or the extra powerful flavors of cloves and star anise. But the star atop the Christmas tree of spices is, of course, cinnamon. A great way to incorporate the tasty bark into your bakes is by using canned cinnamon rolls, which are super versatile and easy to use.

From cinnamon roll French toast to cinnamon roll pull-apart monkey bread, there are so many ways to use canned cinnamon rolls to create delectable desserts and breakfasts. But really, what better way to incorporate the warmth of cinnamon and the decadent richness of icing than turning an ordinary holiday pie into a gooey cinnamon roll masterpiece? A cinnamon roll pie crust is also a great timesaver and is sure to be a hit with your family or guests, too. 

A cinnamon roll pie crust is an excellent, flavorful addition to a variety of pies, including sweet and tart maple apple pie, rich pecan pie inspired by pecan cinnamon rolls, or even an ultra chocolatey custard pie. Just pair one of your tried and true pie-filling recipes with this crust technique, and you'll take your party pastry to a whole new level.

Start by popping open your can of cinnamon rolls, and set aside the tub of icing. Take a round of dough, and roll it flat on a floured surface. Roll the cinnamon roll rounds out to about ⅛ of an inch to best match the thickness of a pie crust without totally deflating their fluffiness, or tearing the dough. Cinnamon rolls contain yeast, which causes the dough to rise more than yeastless pie crust, so your cinnamon roll crust may end up slightly thicker than a standard crust.

Lay the first flattened cinnamon roll in the center of the greased pie plate, then place the rest around it and up the sides, slightly overlapping them to prevent gaps. Press the dough rounds together with your fingers, then brush egg wash over the whole crust to seal it together. Next, pile in the filling, and drizzle over some of the icing to fully incorporate the signature flavors.

Topping the pie with cinnamon roll dough can be tricky because it has a shorter baking time than standard crust, so the flattened rolls can brown and burn too quickly, meaning the top of your pie is hard and crunchy, while the bottom is still raw. Instead cover the top of the pie with a thin regular pastry crust, or a Dutch pie crumb topping. After baking, finish with an extra drizzle of icing for an easy, scrumptious cinnamon roll pie.