↓
 

Lady Behind the Curtain

Bringing the simplicity of entertaining into your life

Grandma’s Gooey Cinnamon Rolls + Video

Lady Behind the Curtain Posted on by
Jump to Recipe

Grandma’s Gooey Cinnamon Rolls + Video: Have you ever tasted a warm, gooey cinnamon roll that takes you back in time? The kind that reminds you of your grandmother’s kitchen and the comforting aromas that filled the air? Well, these are not your average cinnamon rolls. They are Depression-era cinnamon rolls, a scrumptious and humble treat that has a story to tell. During the Great Depression, people had to get creative with their limited resources, and these cinnamon rolls were born out of necessity. But they have stood the test of time and continue to be a beloved comfort food for many. First-time bakers love this recipe!

Grandma's Gooey Cinnamon Rolls
During the holidays my grandma always made these gooey cinnamon rolls.  You could say they were a Christmas Tradition and always requested.  In fact, we would have family and friends call ahead and reserve a roll for them before we ran out!  I love that there is NO rising involved.  YEP, that’s right, NO YEAST!  Just buttery goodness!  Unlike the typical cinnamon roll that is sliced before baking these rolls are sliced after they bake.  It’s because of that little difference that these rolls stay doughy on the inside and flaky on the outside, just like they should be!

How to Make Delicious Pie Crust Cinnamon Rolls In Advance

Grandma's Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

These old-fashioned rolls essentially fry in butter, so leave your calorie-counting app alone for this one! Watch the full “how-to” video below.

REFRIGERATOR: Make the cinnamon rolls completely (through step #8). Cover with plastic wrap and foil. As long as the rolls are stored in an airtight environment, they should stay fresh for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

FREEZER: Make the cinnamon rolls completely (through step #8). Simply covering the baking pan won’t be enough for the freezer. I recommend wrapping the pan with plastic wrap and then wrapping it again with foil. Having an airtight container will stop ice crystals from forming. The cinnamon roll will stay fresh for up to 3 months in the freezer. TO BAKE: Place the wrapped cinnamon roll pan in the refrigerator the night before to defrost. Preheat oven to 375°. Remove plastic wrap and foil. Bake 47 to 50 minutes or until light and crispy.

LEFTOVER PIE CRUST DOUGH: We tend to make more pies during the holiday season than at any other time of the year. Start collecting leftover pie scraps and placing them in a freezer-safe plastic bag. Once you have enough dough, make this cinnamon roll recipe. It’s a great way to use leftover dough.

How to Make Grandma’s Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

These old-fashioned cinnamon rolls are just like my grandma used to make.  They often refer to these rolls as pie crust or pie dough rolls.  At the top of our easy recipes list, made with a flaky pie crust. Back in the depression, moms and grandmas would make cinnamon rolls from scraped pie dough.  All the kids would wait by the oven in anticipation of devouring them!  They bring back sweet memories of Christmas with my grandma.  If you were lucky, you would be the first to know the rolls had been taken out of the oven and get more than one! This recipe not only holds wonderful memories of the holiday season. It’s also on top of family favorites.

Grandma's Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

This recipe was originally created for leftover pie dough. With a few simple ingredients, you can make these amazing cinnamon rolls from scratch. You will have enough dough for 16 large rolls or 32 small rolls.

GRANDMAS GOOEY CINNAMON ROLLS INGREDIENT LIST-full recipe below in recipe card

  • 6¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 cup shortening
  • 2¼ cups cold water to 2 1/2 cups
  • 2 cups unsalted soft butter at room temperature
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon cinnamon

GRANDMA’S GOOEY CINNAMON ROLLS INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 375°.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt.
  3. Cut in the shortening until pieces are no larger than pea size.
  4. Stir in water; dump dough onto a floured surface and separate into 4 equal parts.
  5. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough one at a time onto a lightly floured surface into a 13×12-inch rectangle.
  6. Slather 1 stick of softened butter on top of the rectangle. Sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar filling: 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar on top of the butter, then 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
  7. Roll so that the roll is 13-inches long. Close the ends by pinching the dough together.
  8. Place the whole thing (do not cut) in a 9×13-inch cake pan seam down; repeat for the next 3 rolls.
  9. Bake 47 to 50 minutes or until light, crispy, and golden brown.
  10. When finished baking, carefully take it out of the pan to cool on a large cutting board or foil on the counter.
  11. When cool, with a sharp knife, slice each roll into 4 large cinnamon rolls (about 3-inch pieces) or 8 small rolls.

NOTE: DON’T BE WORRIED WHEN BAKING, IF IT LOOKS LIKE ALL THE BUTTER HAS COME OUT, IS HASN’T. THE ROLLS ESSENTIALLY FRY IN BUTTER.

SPECIAL OCCASION?

PEACH COBBLER: Did you know you can have cinnamon rolls for dessert? Sure, you did, but maybe you just needed a friendly reminder. This is by far my favorite way to have them. Serve a scoop of your favorite vanilla ice cream, a spoonful of fresh fruit (like peaches), and a freshly baked cinnamon roll. It’s like having a deconstructed peach cobbler!

DO YOU HAVE A SWEET TOOTH? These cinnamon rolls are not that sweet. Add a touch of sweetness with a vanilla cream cheese icing drizzle or a cream cheese buttercream dip.

HOW TO MAKE STORE-BOUGHT PIE CRUST CINNAMON ROLLS

Grandma's Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

If you’re in a pinch for time, you can make cinnamon rolls using store-bought pie crust dough. I personally don’t like store-bought pie dough. Nothing compares to homemade pie crust. But that’s me…this is about you. Start following recipe instructions at step #5

GRANDMA’S GOOEY CINNAMON ROLL FAQs

CAN I USE LIGHT BROWN SUGAR AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR GRANULATED SUGAR?

Yes, adding brown sugar will add a little bit of a caramel flavor to the cinnamon rolls.

CAN I USE BUTTER AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE VEGETABLE SHORTENING?

Yes, substituting butter for shortening will give the rolls a nice buttery flavor. However, keep in mind that shortening will hold its shape better than butter during baking. The filling already provides a beautiful butter flavor and flaky crust.

CAN THESE CINNAMON ROLLS BE MADE IN ADVANCE?

Yes, since there’s no yeast, you can make the rolls the day before, store them in the refrigerator, and pop them in a preheated oven the next morning. Since the filling and dough will be ice cold, you might need to allow a few extra minutes of baking.

FOR A SWEETER CINNAMON ROLL, CAN I ADD A GLAZE?

Yes, if you like your cinnamon rolls sweeter, you can make a glaze from powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk or water. Drizzle it over the rolls or serve it on the side for dipping. A cream cheese buttercream frosting would be delicious, too!

Grandma's Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

Grandma's Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

Yield: 16 Large Rolls or 32 Small Rolls

Just like Grandma used to make with her leftover dough. Super easy and VERY delicious!

Ingredients

  • 6¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 cup shortening
  • 2¼ cups cold water to 2 1/2 cups
  • 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt.
  3. Cut in the shortening until pieces are no larger than pea size.
  4. Stir in water; dump dough onto a floured surface and separate into 4 equal parts.
  5. Roll each part, one at a time, into a 13x12-inch rectangle.
  6. Slather one stick of softened butter on top of the rectangle. Sprinkle 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar on top of the butter, then 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
  7. Roll so that the roll is 13-inches long. Close the ends by pinching the dough together.
  8. Place in a 9x13-inch cake pan seam down; repeat for the next 3 rolls.
  9. Bake 47 to 50 minutes or until light and crispy.

NOTE: Don't be worried when baking; if it looks like all the butter has come out, it hasn't. The rolls essentially fry in butter.

  1. When finished baking, carefully take it out of the pan to cool on a large cutting board or foil on the counter.
  2. When cool slice; cut each roll into 4 for large cinnamon rolls and 8 for small cinnamon rolls.

Notes

HOW TO MAKE GRANSMA'S GOOEY CINNAMON ROLLS IN ADVANCE

REFRIGERATOR: Make the cinnamon rolls completely (through step #8). Cover with plastic wrap and foil. As long as the rolls are stored in an airtight environment, they should stay fresh for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

FREEZER: Make the cinnamon rolls completely (through step #8). Simply covering the baking pan won't be enough for the freezer. I recommend wrapping the pan with plastic wrap and then wrapping it again with foil. Having an airtight storage will stop ice crystals from forming. The cinnamon roll will stay fresh for up to 3 months in the freezer. TO BAKE: Place the wrapped cinnamon roll pan in the refrigerator the night before to defrost. Preheat oven to 375°. Remove plastic wrap and foil. Bake 47 to 50 minutes or until light and crispy.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment and rate the recipe card so others can enjoy the recipe too!♥

© Sheryl

SIGN UP FOR THE LADY BEHIND THE CURTAIN NEWSLETTER


NEWSLETTER: Receive (twice a month) seasonally themed newsletters full of recipes, tips, and tricks. Click here for the Newsletter→CURTAIN CALL NEWSLETTER

THANKS FOR VISITING♥

Grandma's Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

Comments

Grandma’s Gooey Cinnamon Rolls + Video — 104 Comments

  2. These look exactly like my nana’s cinnamon rolls……and I mean exactly! It was the only recipe that my daughter didn’t get before she passed away in 1999 and of course that’s the one the family always asks for at Christmas. I’m so happy to have found it – I’m going to surprise everyone and make them for Christmas eve. Thank you!

    Reply ↓

    • Hi Kalamity Kelli,
      You just brought tears to my eyes. I’m so excited you get to make these for your family and bring back sweet memories of your nana. 🙂

      Reply ↓

      • I told my daughter today and she got so excited I thought SHE was going to cry – these are well loved in my family. I can’t wait to make them – in the next few days for sure and then again on Christmas eve for my mother. She will probably try to take the pan to church with us! 🙂 I am a pinner for RecipeNewZ and I not only pinned this to my personal recipe board, I also pinned it to RecipeNewZ and I am sure you will get lots of traffic from it over the next few days – that board has lots of followers and more every day – I just love the owner of the site. She’s as sweet as she can be!

        Reply ↓

  3. Sheryl, these sound great! I have fabulaour memories of cinnamon rolls with both of my Grandmas. One having to do with a camping trip when I was a kid, and the oven in the trailer was broken (we didn’t discover this until my Grandma and I had already made the rolls), so we ended up cooking them on the BBQ and they were great! And my other Grandma is a cinnamon roll queen, though unfortunately she won’t be making them anymore as she is too sick 🙁 Thank you though for sharing, and for helping me remember good times!
    Featuring you from Scrumptious Sunday #41! http://iamaddictedtorecipes.blogspot.ca/2012/12/scrumptious-sunday-40-and-41-features.html

    Reply ↓

    • You are welcome. It seems my grandma wasn’t the only grandma to make these cinnamon rolls. I’m so glad I could bring you some sweet memories. 🙂

      Reply ↓

  4. I just made them! They are fantastic!! I’m going to post later (maybe tomorrow) and post a link back to yours for the recipe. I just love how they taste and I swear, they taste just like Nana’s!! Thank you for the sweet memory.

    Reply ↓

  6. I feel a bit like a stalker – so sorry! I made those lovely rolls and they turned out so well I blogged a post about them and sent everyone here for the recipe – I looked at my clicks and it shows you are getting some pretty good traffic from my blog so I thought I would say thank you and let you know that I sent everyone to you for the actual recipe, just showed them the picture of mine – and I talked really nice about ya! 🙂

    Reply ↓

  7. These are almost like my grandmother used to make. When she baked pies and had a bit of pie dough leftover, she used to let me make cinnamon rolls like these out of it. That was 57 years ago. Wow…..brings back memories.

    Reply ↓

    • My Mom did the same thing. She would take her leftover pie dough and make these for us. We could hardly wait for them to come out of the oven! I think I will make some for my granddaughters on Christmas eve. Maybe start our own tradition! 🙂

      Reply ↓

  8. I was so excited to see these rolls. They really are just like my Grandma made too, only my Grandma’s been gone for 35 years. I thought they were lost to me. Thank you so much for bringing these and her back into my life.

    Reply ↓

    • Hi Charlie, The dough is like a pie crust dough. From the other comments I guess it was common to use up the extra pie crust and make cinnamon rolls. I was a kid so I didn’t pay that much attention. I just knew they were good! 🙂

      Reply ↓

  12. These were made by my Grandma as well, We called them Brimble Bobs. The only difference was the sugar, we used brown sugar and sliced them into 1 inch pieces. They are still a holiday favorite.

    Reply ↓

  13. Oh Sheryl, thankyou for a sweet memory. My Mama used to call these “Teasers”. She made the best pies in the world because her crust was always wonderfully flaky and delicious. With the leftover dough from the pie, she would make these little rolls. The divine smell of cinnamon would draw us in. We would have a afternoon snack of a glass of cold milk and a Teaser roll knowing we would have the main event after supper. This sweet memory is just one more thing to be thankful for this holiday season.

    Reply ↓

  14. Your grandma made these for my family(hubby& 4kids) when I had gallbladder surgery, 9/82. They were so good & I’m excited to have the recipe! We LOVED your grandma! Thank you for all your wonderful recipes. My hobby is reading & collecting recipes, but I do cook a lot of them too.

    Reply ↓

  16. My aunt used to make something similar with biscuit dough. Lots of butter, sugar and cinnamon rolled into a tube then baked. The only difference was that she used an apple cider vinegar and sugar mix to pour over top and make a sauce. She, and her mother before her, called it a vinegar roll. It was absolutely delicious. I remember it from when I was a very little girl and I was born in 1941! I can make the roll but have never been able to get the sauce right. Do you or anyone else know the recipe for the sauce? I’d give a lot to be able to make this again.

    Reply ↓

    • Hi Cathy, I never use salted butter in baked goods. It adds way too much salt. I would rather add my own salt, that way I can control it myself. 🙂

      Reply ↓

  18. My mom use to make these with left over pie dough. I didn’t know so many other people made them too! My mom passed away in 2005 and I haven’t made them but now I’m going to have to give it a go!

    Reply ↓

  19. These rolls looks so yummy! Have made Cinnamon Rolls and Sticky Buns before. Even made Cinnamon Bread. Every time I make these goods I use yeast. Can’t wait to make these and try them! Since so many people are raving about them I’d give it a try. Thanks for sharing.Sheryl.

    Reply ↓

  21. Would it be possible to substitute the shortening for something else? I try not to use it when baking. Thank you

    Reply ↓

    • Hi Alison, You can use butter but be aware that it might change the texture of your dough. Shortening is 100% fat and butter is about 85% fat and 15% water. It will for sure change the to a more intense butter flavor.

      Reply ↓

  22. i have been looking for 40 years for the cinnamon rolls they made at my grammer school. This is them, cant wait to make them.

    Reply ↓

  24. Did I read correctly somewhere among the comments that I can buy boxed pie crusts and just add the butter & cinnamon sugar and roll up and get cinnamon rolls done that way?

    Reply ↓

  28. I, too, was born in 1941, 16 days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Mother turned her pie crust scraps into these delectable treats when I was a little child. Nothing went to waste. So, so glad I found THE recipe. You’ve made a lot of us very happy… Thank You!

    Reply ↓

  29. Can’t wait to make these! Have you ever drizzled icing on after? My husband loves the icing on cinnamon rolls and I’m wondering if that would make these too sweet.

    Reply ↓

  30. Well I made these tonight. I did everything right and to a T. I felt these aren’t sweet enough for me. Lol big girl here!! So I added some royal icing drizzled on top. Are these to be a bit doughy? My top was golden brown and crispy so I took it out exactly 50 min. I’m leaving in a pan as I am taking into work. They can cut what they want. Does it sound like I did right? I will make again for sure. Just need sweeter. FOR ME!

    Reply ↓

    • Hi Nieece, It sounds like you did it right. Yes, the rolls are on the doughy side and not as sweet as most rolls.

      Reply ↓

  32. My family is from the south but I live in the north now. My Momma had 8 children. So she knew h stretch a dollar. She made these alot. Sometimes she made these with Cocoa and sugar.We call them cinnamon or Cocoa rolls.When she passed some were afraid no one knew how to make these or her no bake cookies. I feel blessed because I do

    Reply ↓

  34. OMG! So happy I found this recipe. My mother made them every Christmas morning until her passing. Since then my version never was like hers. Going to give this a try. Thanks!!

    Reply ↓

  36. Hello- This is a first for me! I’ve never in my 53 years come across anyone that knew about this recipe! My grandmother and my mother made these and probably my great grandmother etc. I’ve never seen them done in a pan with multiple rolls, we have always baked just one or 2, but there is nothing like these, it’s our favorite! Where are you from, I’m from Dallas TX.

    Many thanks!

    Reply ↓

    • Hi Sabrina, I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. I live in Arizona but my Grandma was from Oklahoma. ♥ So I grew up eating amazing Southern food.

      Reply ↓

  37. sorry to be dumb….for shortening, do you mean like crisco? I’m not sure I’ve seen a brick vegetable shortening. thanks, can’t wait to try.

    Reply ↓

    • Hi Tracey, Yes, Crisco. Look by the containers of Crisco for bricks in regular and butter flavor. If not then you can measure it out….I just love the convenience.

      Reply ↓

  38. My mom also made these. This recipe brought back so many memories! Like others have mentioned, my mom also made them with sugar and cocoa as a special treat. I always preferred the cinnamon but never turned down the cocoa ones.

    Reply ↓

  39. Oooh these are a must make! My mom made these from her amazing pie dough scraps and called them doodads. That’s what her mom and HER mom called them. I often thought that she should just make a double crust, skip the apples or whatever and just make these!! My friend’s mom/gram made these too and they were called dough daddies. So funny that this recipe has a history in so many peoples’ hearts! <3

    Reply ↓

  40. Hi! Thank you for this recipe. Reminds me of Christmas time growing up. I made this today using lard instead of shortening. Turned out fantastic and flaky but a bit dry. I’m wondering if the lard has something to do with that. We dipped our pieces in apple butter and ooooooolala that helped! Thank you!

    Reply ↓

  41. Oh my gosh, my mother and grandmother made these and also called them “doodads”! Linda’s comment from September 2021 made me so happy. And thanks for this recipe!

    Reply ↓

  42. I’m 74, & my mommy& grandmother made these & I still do. My green kids & my husband love them, as do I, but we call them “Cinnamon Kisses”. Soooo good!

    Reply ↓

  44. Hello.
    I have made these every year on Thanksgiving and Christmas
    for my family. I learned from my grandmother, I am passing the tradition down to my daughters and my Granddaughter. Everyone that has visited my house during the holidays always look for my pie crust cinnamon rolls. I have never seen anyone else make these til I taught them.

    Reply ↓

  47. Hi Sheryl,
    I read the different names these wonderful cinnamon goodies and loved them all but wondered if anyone else called them Crackers. My mother made them with leftover pie crust scraps and I dearly loved them. I am now 84 (1940) years old and these
    stories brought tears to my eyes remembering her. She died in 1992 and I miss her so much to this day. I’m sure she got the recipe from her mother since I have never seen it written down. Thanks for the trip down a lovely memory lane. By the way, she rolled them out in a small rectangular shape and then rolled them in from opposite sides until they met in the middle then crimped the unrolled ends.That way they baked all the way through (not doughy in the center) and were heavenly. All our foremothers were so creative!! God bless you for this wonderful gift of reliving the days that were so much kinder, gentler and thankfully slower.

    Reply ↓

  50. My full Czech grandmother made almost this exact type cinnamon roll and I always thought as a child it was a Czech recipe. After coming here and reading all the comments, I see now that during her era, this was a common American recipe people used with leftover pie crust dough, so not so much Czech related. Such an interesting bit of information, thanks for sharing everyone! And thank for this recipe!

    Reply ↓

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

HTML tags allowed in your comment: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

↑ Skip to Recipe