Give Cinnamon Rolls A Brownie-Style Twist With Just One Trick

There's nothing better than a warm, fluffy cinnamon roll fresh out of the oven — or so we thought. While digging for unexpected fillings to add to cinnamon rolls, we found a handful of clever options, from cookie butter to maple cream and bacon. But there was one filling that especially stood out to us: brownie batter.

You may have only ever considered using a brownie mix to make, well, brownies. But what if we told you there was a way to add that brownie batter to cinnamon rolls before baking? This trick is easier than it sounds and it will leave you with the sweetest, most indulgent dessert (or breakfast treat) ever. You can start this recipe with homemade cinnamon rolls, but in the famous words of Ina Garten, "store bought is fine."

In fact, it'll make the whole process quicker, meaning you can get to eating them sooner. Once you've assembled your favorite boxed brownies and your favorite store-bought cinnamon rolls, mix in the brownie batter with the other ingredients. Roll out the cinnamon roll dough and spread the brownie batter all over it to make sure each section is evenly coated. Roll it back up, break them into their pre-portioned pieces, bake, and enjoy.

If you've given these brownie cinnamon rolls a try with store-bought rolls and boxed brownie mix and you loved them, you might be intrigued to try making them from scratch. We won't lie: Store-bought might be fine, but homemade takes this decadent dessert to the next level. And while it certainly will take a bit of extra time, it will be well worth the effort.

Before even thinking about whipping up the brownie batter, you'll want to begin preparing the cinnamon rolls. Because homemade cinnamon rolls begin with the dough, you'll want to allot enough time for it to rise before you begin assembling everything. When the dough is almost done rising, you can start mixing up your favorite brownie recipe in addition to the cinnamon filling, which you'll spread onto the dough first.

Once everything's ready to be assembled, follow the same technique as you would when using store-bought ingredients to roll everything up. After they're done baking, you can stick to a traditional cinnamon roll icing or you can go the extra mile and make a rich chocolate ganache to pour over the top. It's your choice, but we highly recommend the chocolate.