Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls
Enjoy these warm, gooey air fryer cinnamon rolls in the time it takes to preheat an oven!
Ingredients
- 1 can cinnamon rolls 2.5-2.75 inches (6.35-7 cm) in diameter (5 count; use large cinnamon rolls like Pillsbury Grands Cinnabon cinnamon rolls; I used these)
- cooking oil spray (non-aerosol)
Instructions
- Mist your air fryer tray or air fryer basket with cooking spray.
- Place your cinnamon rolls in a single layer on the air fryer tray or basket, leaving some space between them. You may need to cook them in batches if you have a small air fryer.
- Place the cinnamon rolls in the top rack position of the air fryer. Air fry for 8 minutes at 350°F (175°C). Gently flip the cinnamon rolls and air fry at 350°F (175°C) for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- To finish, snip a corner of the icing packet that came with the cinnamon rolls and drizzle it over the tops. Enjoy!
- Oven directions: For best results, follow the oven directions on your cinnamon roll packaging. My cinnamon roll package suggests baking them in a 350°F (175°C) preheated oven for 18-20 minutes. For a dark cookie sheet, they recommend baking at 325°F (163°C). Drizzle with icing after baking.
Notes
This is a level 3 recipe (weight maintenance and active lifestyles). I’m going to answer a big question here. Can you eat cinnamon rolls every day as part of a healthy diet?
My short answer is no, if you’re trying to follow recommendations for added sugars. This may come as a surprise if you’ve adopted a misunderstanding of the philosophy that “all foods can fit.”
There is no one way of healthful eating that is a best fit for everyone. For example, someone recovering from an eating disorder may have cinnamon rolls as a challenge food. In that case, perhaps enjoying cinnamon buns every day is helping with recovery goals.
In general though, it’s best that we get most of our calories from nourishing whole foods, not ultra-processed dessert foods. I used organic cinnamon rolls in this recipe, but don’t let the organic health halo fool you. They are still almost entirely composed of white flour, white sugar, and added oils, just like other cinnamon rolls.
One large cinnamon roll contains about 24 grams of added sugar. The AHA recommends that women and children limit added sugars to 25 grams per day, and men limit to 36 grams. To “fit” a sugary cinnamon roll into your diet daily, you would need to cut out nearly all other sources of added sugar.
IMVHO, this is not realistic for most people (at least in the U.S.). There are small amounts of added sugar in most condiments, flavored yogurts and oatmeal, microwave foods, etc. If you buy any ultra-processed foods at all, it’s highly likely you’re getting other sources of added sugar in the diet.
It’s likely OK to fit a cinnamon roll in once in a very great while, if you wish. However, I don't recommend eating them daily. (Bummer! Haha)
(Note: there are smaller canned cinnamon rolls available with less added sugar per roll. However, these tend to come in larger quantitites, and people typically have more than one.)
Nutrition information is for one serving of Immaculate Baking Company cinnamon rolls (includes icing). Exact nutrient info will depend on the brand of cinnamon rolls you are using.
Nutrition
Calories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 4gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4.5gSodium: 760mgFiber: 2gAdded Sugar: 24gIron: 2% DV