Blackstone Smashed Cinnamon Rolls (Viral Griddle Method)
Smashed cinnamon rolls are the rare viral griddle recipe that’s actually better than the original. Take a can of refrigerated cinnamon rolls, press each one flat on a buttered griddle — same move as a smash burger — and the swirl caramelizes against the steel while the inside steams soft. You get crispy, buttery, caramelized edges the oven version has never dreamed of, in a fraction of the time, with icing melting into every crevice.
The whole thing takes ten minutes and one can of dough, which is why it has become the default “the griddle’s still hot” breakfast-dessert. Low heat is the entire skill: cinnamon sugar burns fast, so this cooks at smash-burger patience, not smash-burger temperature.
Ingredients
- 1 can refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing (8-count, Grands-style)
- 2 tbsp butter
- Parchment paper squares (for smashing)
Optional finishers: chopped pecans, a pinch of flaky salt on the icing, or a drizzle of maple syrup.
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat low
Heat the Blackstone to low — 300–325°F. This is the coolest cook on our dessert list, and it’s not negotiable: the dough needs time to cook through before the sugar on the surface scorches.
Step 2: Butter the surface
Melt the butter across the cooking zone. The rolls fry gently in it — that’s where the crispy edge comes from.
Step 3: Smash
Place the cinnamon rolls on the butter a few inches apart. Set a parchment square over each and press flat with a burger press or sturdy spatula — down to about ½ inch, like a thick pancake. Peel the parchment off.
Step 4: Cook side one
Let them cook 3–4 minutes until the bottom is deep golden brown and the edges look set. Resist the urge to raise the heat — color should build slowly.
Step 5: Flip and finish
Flip each roll and cook 2–3 minutes on the second side, until both faces are caramelized and the center springs back when pressed. If the outside is browning faster than the inside is cooking, drop the heat and dome them for the last minute.
Step 6: Ice while warm
Move the rolls to a plate and spread or drizzle the included icing over them while they’re hot, so it melts into the swirls. Serve immediately.
Tips
Low and slow wins. Every failed batch of smashed cinnamon rolls died the same way: heat too high, burnt sugar bottom, raw center. 300–325°F, verified with an infrared thermometer if you have one.
Parchment is your release agent. Raw dough sticks to a bare press. A parchment square between roll and press gives you a clean smash every time — the same trick as smash burgers, and the same press works.
Don’t over-smash. Half an inch is the target. Paper-thin rolls cook fast but lose the soft, doughy middle that makes the contrast work.
Warm the icing. Set the icing cup near (not on) the griddle while you cook. Warm icing pours; cold icing tears the surface of a hot roll.
More flat-top sweets: Blackstone Dessert Recipes · Blackstone Breakfast Recipes · Blackstone French Toast
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you cook canned cinnamon rolls on a Blackstone griddle?
Yes — smashed flat, they cook better than they bake. Press each roll to about ½ inch on a buttered 300–325°F surface and cook 3–4 minutes per side. The direct steel contact caramelizes the cinnamon swirl into crispy edges the oven can’t produce.
What temperature do you cook cinnamon rolls on a griddle?
300–325°F — low. Cinnamon roll dough is loaded with sugar that scorches quickly, and the smashed roll needs 6–8 total minutes to cook through. Low heat lets the inside finish before the outside burns.
Why smash the cinnamon rolls flat?
Thickness. A full-height canned roll burns on the outside long before the center cooks on a griddle. Smashed to ½ inch, the heat reaches the middle in minutes while the flattened swirl caramelizes against the steel — crispy edges, soft center.
How do you know when smashed cinnamon rolls are done?
Both sides deep golden brown and the center springs back when pressed — about 3–4 minutes on the first side and 2–3 on the second. If you’re unsure, tear one open: the middle should look like soft baked dough, not wet batter.