Gooey Oreo cinnamon rolls are classic cinnamon rolls filled with chocolate sandwich cookies. The easy recipe has that cookies and cream taste you love and is iced with a simple vanilla glaze. You will also love the overnight, make ahead option for these Oreo stuffed buns!
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Oreo cinnamon rolls are an Oreo cookie fan's dream breakfast. They are the cookies and cream treat you never knew you needed; soft, gooey buns, glazed with an easy icing and topped with more sandwich cookies.
This recipe doesn't fit into my healthy category, but instead is indulgent and perfect for breakfast, a celebratory brunch or a holiday morning like Easter or Christmas.
If you are craving other twists on the classic cinnamon roll, try my funfetti cinnamon rolls recipe, apple cider cinnamon rolls recipe, chocolate swirl bread rolls or small batch cinnamon rolls.
why you will love these oreo stuffed buns
- Soft and fluffy ~ the dough is made with bread flour, kefir {or milk} and melted butter, which all add to the softness of the homemade rolls.
- Cookies and cream flavor ~ the use of crushed chocolate sandwich cookies {like Oreos} brings that classic cookie flavor you love.
- A "breakfast" that also doubles as dessert!
- Overnight option ~ I don't know about you, but making cinnamon rolls the morning you want to serve them means a lot of time in the kitchen. These Oreo cinnamon rolls can be prepped up to the baking stage and then stored in the refrigerator overnight.
ingredients and substitutions
Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.
- Kefir ~ I love the slight tang, protein and softness that kefir brings to these rolls. Buttermilk, whole milk or 2% milk will work as well.
- Dry active yeast ~ this is the magic ingredient that gives the Oreo cinnamon rolls their soft and fluffy texture.
- Granulated sugar ~ brings a tiny bit of sweetness and helps to activate the yeast.
- Bread flour ~ adds moistness and softness to the classic rolls, if you have it I highly recommend using it. {King Arthur Bread Flour is what I use}. I've also tested this recipe with all-purpose flour and it works fine. See notes in the recipe card for the correct amount.
- Kosher salt ~ if you only have table salt, start with half the amount.
- Large eggs ~ 2 are needed, they should be room temperature.
- Unsalted butter ~ gets melted for the rolls. If you only have salted, omit the kosher salt. You will want room temperature butter for the filling and easy vanilla icing.
- Ground cinnamon and brown sugar ~ for that classic cinnamon roll filling. If you prefer a more Oreo flavored filling, omit the cinnamon and replace it with cocoa powder. Unsweetened, Dutch or black cocoa powder will all work.
- Oreo cookies ~ needed for the cookies and cream flavor! I love Back to Nature's chocolate sandwich cookies and Trader Joe's Jo Jo's are also a good substitution.
- Confectioners' sugar, vanilla and milk {not shown} ~ needed for the icing.
Pro tip ~ to quickly bring eggs to room temperature, place them in a bowl of warm tap water for 5-10 minutes.
how to make gooey cinnamon rolls
This recipe starts with a homemade dough made with yeast. I made this recipe with my KitchenAid mixer, but I do like making this dough by hand as well {see this recipe for step-by-step directions for making without a mixer}.
In the bowl of a stand mixer add the warm kefir, sugar, yeast and melted and slightly cooled unsalted butter and give it a little stir. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes.
Add the eggs, bread flour and kosher salt, and beat at medium speed with the dough hook until a soft dough forms.
If the dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl after 4-5 minutes, add up to 3 tablespoons of additional flour.
Grease the bowl you mixed the dough in {no need to wash it} and place the dough in the bowl, cover and let rise about 1 hour or until double in size. You will notice I moved the dough into another bowl, but that is only because my mixing bowl doesn't fit in my toaster oven}.
how to stuff and shape the oreo cinnamon rolls
Now remove the dough from the bowl and roll it into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface. I like the narrow side to be about 12 inches and the long side about 16-18 inches.
Spread the cinnamon filling over the dough, covering almost to the very edge. Then sprinkle the crushed Oreo cookies over the top of the cinnamon. Tightly roll the dough starting from a long side until you create a log. Using dental floss, cut the log into 12 equal pieces and place them in a prepared 9x13 pan.
Place the dough back in your warm spot and allow it to rise a second time, about 30 to 45 minutes until the rolls have doubled in size {if your kitchen is warm, it may not take this much time}.
When the Oreo cinnamon rolls are close to the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake until the edges are lightly brown. If you want to check by temperature, the homemade rolls internal temperature should be 190°F.
make ahead overnight option
You can prepare the Oreo cinnamon rolls up until the second rise, then loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Pull the rolls out of the refrigerator when you wake up. Start the coffee and preheat the oven, then bake.
You can also bake the rolls and allow them to cool {don't glaze them yet}. Then cover them tightly and store at room temperature for up to one day. Gently rewarm them {tightly wrapped with foil and warmed at 300°F for 10-15 minutes}. Then add the glaze and serve.
tips for the best soft and gooey rolls
- Use a thermometer to check the temperature of your kefir {or milk}. If the liquid is too hot, it can kill the yeast. If it's too cold, it won't activate the yeast.
- Don't add too much flour when kneading the dough! The dough is very sticky to start and you may be tempted to add extra flour. Be patient; if you add too much flour the rolls will be dense instead of soft and fluffy. I typically 2 - 3 tablespoons of additional flour.
- Create a warm environment for the cinnamon rolls to rise if your kitchen is cold like mine. I usually create a warm environment in our Breville Smart Oven. A regular oven also works. Preheat the oven to the lowest temperature setting {ideally less than 200°F, you really don't want it warmer than about 90°F in there}. Leave the oven on for 2-3 minutes, then turn off the oven, but leave the door closed. When the dough is ready to rise, place it in the barely warm oven.
- Use very soft room temperature butter for the filling. Your finger should be able to press all the way through the butter without any resistance. This allows you to easily spread the butter over the dough without risking tearing the dough.
- I like a rough chop on the Oreo cookies {and crush mine with a rolling pin in a zip-top bag}, which can make them a little bit trickier to roll. If you'd like the Oreo in the middle part of the rolls to be finer; use a food processor to crush the sandwich cookies.
frequently asked questions
how to know when dough is done rising
The dough should have doubled in size at the end of the first rise. You can gently press two fingers into the dough; if the indent stays in place the dough is ready. If the indents don't stay, let it rise a little longer.
why did my cinnamon rolls turn out dry?
The most common reason for dry cinnamon rolls is that too much flour is added. I know I sound like a broken record, but a kitchen scale is truly your best friend in baking. This is the scale I use in my kitchen.
Another reason cinnamon rolls can turn out dry is that they are over baked. Using a thermometer is a great way to check if the Oreo cinnamon rolls are done baking. 190°F is what the internal temperature should be when they are finished.
can oreo cinnamon rolls be make without a mixer?
Yes! This simple yeast dough can come together easily with a bowl and a spoon. Then you knead it by hand. No fancy equipment needed. For more step-by-step directions, check out my sweet pull apart bread post.
how to store
Store in an airtight container or tightly wrapped at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
The Oreo rolls can be frozen. Freeze in an airtight container or wrapped tightly and in a zip top bag for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and rewarm following the instructions below. If you know you will be freezing the rolls, I would wait to put the icing on until after you have rewarmed them.
how to rewarm cinnamon rolls
Gently rewarm the Oreo cinnamon rolls by tightly wrapping them with foil and warm them in a 300°F oven for 10-15 minutes. This works for both cinnamon rolls frozen with icing/glaze or without.
Remember to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram if you make these Oreo Cinnamon Rolls. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!
more breakfast options
- Funfetti Cinnamon Rolls
- Chocolate Swirl Bread Rolls
- Cherry Almond Scones
- Healthy Breakfast Cookies
- Cherry Pop Tarts
If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating. I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!
Oreo Cinnamon Rolls
recipe created and tested by:
I highly recommend using weight (metric) measurements when available for more accuracy and the best results.
Please note
When using 2x or 3x ingredients, the grams DO NOT adjust, you will have to manually do that.
Ingredients
sweet bread rolls
- ¾ cup warm kefir* 100-110°F 180mL
- ¼ cup granulated sugar 50g
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast 10g
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled 56g
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 3 cups bread flour** 390g
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
oreo cinnamon filling
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature 85g
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon***
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar 67g
- 16 Oreo cookies crushed ~220g
vanilla frosting
- ¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature 56g
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar 180g
- 1-2 tablespoons half and half or milk
- 1-2 crushed oreo cookies for garnish
Instructions
- (I like to turn on my Breville toaster oven to 120°F while I am mixing and kneading the dough. Turn it off when it reaches temperature and keep the door closed. This creates a warm environment for letting the dough rise)
- In the bowl of a stand mixer add the warm kefir (¾ cup/180mL), sugar (¼ cup/50g), yeast (1 tablespoon/10g) and melted and slightly cooled unsalted butter (¼ cup/56g) and give it a little stir. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes.
- Add the eggs (2 large), bread flour (3 cups/390g) and kosher salt (1 teaspoon), and beat at medium speed (4 on KitchenAid mixer) with the dough hook until a soft dough forms, about 8 minutes. If the dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl after 4-5 minutes, add up to 3 tablespoons of additional flour. *If you do not have a stand-mixer with a hook attachment, knead the dough by hand in this step. You can see this post for the how to. When kneading by hand, add flour as necessary, but try to add as little as possible. (I typically use less than 2 tablespoons flour for kneading)
- Grease the bowl you mixed the dough in (no need to wash it) and place the dough in the bowl, cover and let rise about 1 hour (I place it in the slightly warm toaster oven), or until double in size.
- While the dough is rising, prepare the filling. In a bowl combine the room temperature unsalted butter (6 tablespoons/85g), cinnamon (2 teaspoons), brown sugar (⅓ cup/67g) and mix until thoroughly combined. Set aside. Crush the Oreo cookies (16 cookies) with either a food processor or by placing in a zip top bag and crushing with a rolling pin.
- Grease a 9x13 baking pan with butter or cooking spray and set aside or line the pan with parchment paper.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and roll it into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface. I like the narrow side to be about 12 inches and the long side about 16-18 inches.
- Spread the cinnamon filling over the dough, covering almost to the very edge. Then sprinkle the crushed Oreo cookies over the top of the cinnamon. Tightly roll the dough starting from a long side until you create a log. Using dental floss***** (or a sharp knife), cut the log into 12 equal pieces and place them in the prepared pan. Alternately, you can cut 12 long strips of dough and roll each length of dough individually or cut them traditionally and place them in a buttered muffin pan (they will bake faster in a muffin pan; check them at 12 minutes).
- Place the dough back in your warm spot and allow it to rise a second time, about 30 to 45 minutes until the rolls have doubled in size (if your kitchen is warm, it may not take this much time). When the Oreo cinnamon rolls are close to the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake for about 18-25 minutes, until the edges are lightly brown. If you want to check by temperature, the sweet rolls internal temperature should be 190°F.
- When the rolls are done, remove the pan from the oven and place the pan on a wire cooling rack. Allow to cool for a couple minutes while you prepare the frosting.
- In a small bowl, mix the butter (¼ cup/56g) and vanilla (1 teaspoon) until combined. Add the confectioners’ sugar (1 ½ cups/180g) and mix it in until you have a very thick and clumpy paste. Then add 1-2 tablespoons of half and half (or milk) and stir until a thick frosting forms.
- Spread the frosting over the warm rolls. The vanilla icing is thick and the warmth of the rolls helps to thin it as you spread it on (top with 1-2 more crushed Oreo's if desired) and enjoy!
Notes
You can also prepare the rolls up until the second rise, then loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Pull the rolls out of the refrigerator when you start the coffee and preheat the oven, then bake.
Nutrition
The nutrition information is based on third-party calculations, is an estimate only and may not be entirely accurate. Actual nutritional values will vary based on brands used and portion sizes.
Kathleen says
Oh my goodness, you had me at cinnamon rolls, but adding the Oreo centers, yummy, can't wait to make these for my boys! And kefir -- love it! We don't use enough of it!
Tasia says
Your boys are going to love them!! Thank you Kathleen! And yes, kefir is such a great way to add moisture and nutrition ;-).
Michelle says
Wow, what a fantastic mash up of two of my kids' favourite things!!
Tasia says
Thanks Michelle, my girls love both too!
Pam says
Made them with the cocoa powder instead of cinnamon in the filling and they were gone by mid morning! I guess I have to make them again 😉
Tasia says
Hi Pam, thank you for coming to leave a review! I'm so happy to hear they were loved!