Why You Need A Cast Iron Skillet For The Perfect Store-Bought Cinnamon Rolls

While homemade cinnamon rolls are undeniably better than store-bought ones, not all of us have the time or energy to bake them. From kneading to letting the dough rise to prepping the filling and rolling everything up, making homemade cinnamon rolls is a time-consuming activity, which is why we are big fans of the ones you just pop in the oven. They may not taste as good as from-scratch rolls, but there are a few adjustments you can make to take them to the next level. One of the easiest tricks to making store-bought cinnamon rolls taste homemade is by baking them in a cast iron skillet, which gives them a perfectly crispy outside and a soft, pillowy inside.

There are a few benefits to baking your store-bought cinnamon rolls in cast iron. Number one, cast iron is really good at distributing heat evenly. This means that the flavor and texture of your rolls will be consistent throughout the entire pan. Number two, cast iron retains heat better than other materials: When it is hot, it stays hot — even if the oven temperature fluctuates a little — which means your rolls will have plenty of time to get caramelized and crispy.  You may be used to using a metal pan, and while this gets the job done, it has a tendency to dry out the edges of the cinnamon rolls. For an extra tasty and fluffy dessert or breakfast, trust us: Cast iron is the way to go.

Before you throw your cinnamon rolls into the skillet, think about what it was previously used for. While we do want you to use your cast iron skillet more often, if the last thing you made was a reverse sear steak, we don't recommend making cinnamon rolls right away. While your rolls aren't doomed, if your skillet hasn't been properly seasoned, they might retain some of the steak's flavor. To avoid any risk of creating any unwanted combinations, buy one cast iron skillet for baking and one for cooking.

Once you've got the proper skillet ready to go, be sure to grease it so your rolls don't stick. For this, you can use a cooking spray to grease the bottom and sides of the skillet. Then, when you're placing the rolls into the pan, be sure not to overcrowd it as this might prevent some of the rolls from expanding and becoming super fluffy and light. Let them bake for the required amount of time, and watch your average store-bought rolls become a true thing of beauty.