Elevate Canned Cinnamon Rolls With A Warm Bourbon Glaze

Cinnamon rolls baked from a can are surprisingly good; however, adding just one extra ingredient can vastly elevate the convenient treat. And this ingredient is a fun boozy one — a warm bourbon glaze. In the past, we've delved into how brushing your favorite bourbon onto homemade brownies gives it a boozy twist and enhances the flavors. Now, you can do the same by adding bourbon or a bourbon glaze to canned cinnamon rolls. 

First, grab some bourbon, and you might want to check out our list of the top 10 bourbons to use when baking. To complement cinnamon rolls, it's best to choose a warm bourbon that is spice-forward and has strong notes of caramel and vanilla. Then, bake the canned cinnamon rolls, following the instructions on the packaging. Next, incorporate the bourbon.

There are a few ways to add bourbon to your dish. Perhaps the simplest way is to mix the bourbon directly into the packaged icing that comes in the can. Stir in about a splash or 1 teaspoon of bourbon into the icing to start. Give it a taste and adjust it to suit your palate. For boozier glazing, add more bourbon — we tend to go heavier and add at least 1 tablespoon of bourbon. Then, spread the bourbon-infused glaze over the freshly baked cinnamon rolls and enjoy.

Another way to elevate canned cinnamon rolls with a warm bourbon glaze is to make the glaze from scratch. You can follow our recipe for a simple vanilla glaze for cinnamon rolls, which calls for sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla flavoring. But instead of adding vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, add bourbon to the glaze. Again, start with 1 teaspoon, give it a taste, and go from there. 

Additionally, there are other ways to incorporate bourbon into canned cinnamon rolls. A viral trick that has spread across social media around 2023 was to soak canned cinnamon rolls in heavy cream. As the rolls absorbed the cream, they became fluffier, softer, and bigger. You could add a splash of bourbon into the heavy cream, so the rolls will soak up the boozy flavor while baking. 

Finally, you can brush bourbon directly over the baked cinnamon rolls before glazing them. The rolls themselves will taste lovely from bourbon's warm flavor and delicious tasting notes. Note that you can apply our bourbon-glaze tips for not just canned cinnamon rolls, but ones made from scratch as well. To guide you on your cinnamon roll baking journey, we've compiled 20 tips for the best homemade cinnamon rolls.