These Funfetti Cinnamon Rolls taste just like soft, fluffy birthday cake in cinnamon roll form! Packed with rainbow sprinkles and topped with sweet vanilla glaze, these Birthday Cake Cinnamon Rolls are perfect for birthdays, brunch, and celebrations.
These Funfetti Cinnamon Rolls skip the traditional cinnamon filling and instead feature a soft vanilla birthday cake-inspired filling packed with colorful rainbow sprinkles.
Why You’ll Love These Funfetti Cinnamon Rolls
- Soft and fluffy bakery-style texture
- Packed with colorful rainbow sprinkles
- Tastes like birthday cake
- Perfect for birthdays and brunch
- Fun for kids and adults
- Easy make-ahead breakfast recipe
Ingredients
Funfetti Cinnamon Rolls Dough
- 1 cup lukewarm milk : almond, oat, regular, etc
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup melted butter (regular or vegan)
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 3 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon yogurt (only needed if using gluten-free flour)
- 2 ½ cups regular all-purpose flour or 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (Recommended: Cup4Cup gluten-free flour)
Filling
- ⅓ cup softened butter, regular or vegan
- ¼ cup sugar
- 4 tablespoon rainbow sprinkles
Cream Cheese Icing
- 2 tablespoon softened butter, regular or vegan
- 2 oz cream cheese, regular or vegan
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
How To Make Birthday Cake Cinnamon Rolls
Prepare the Dough: In a large bowl, mix warm milk, melted butter, maple syrup, and salt. Sprinkle the yeast on top, stir gently, and let sit for 10 minutes until foamy.
Form the Dough: Add the flour (2 ½ cups regular or 2 cups gluten-free) and mix until a dough forms. If using gluten-free flour, work in the yogurt with your hands to help bind the dough.
First Rise: Form the dough into a ball, cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size.
Roll Out the Dough: Place the dough on a floured surface and roll it into a ¼-inch thick rectangle. Spread softened butter, then sprinkle sugar and rainbow sprinkles evenly.
Shape the Rolls: Roll the dough into a log and slice into 10 pinwheels. Alternatively, you can use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into long strips (see image) and then roll them into pinwheels. Place the pinwheels in a baking dish, cover, and let rise for another 30 minutes.
Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 35 minutes (regular) or 25–30 minutes (gluten-free) until golden brown.
Prepare Icing: While the rolls bake, use an electric hand mixer to blend softened butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar.
Cool & Serve: Allow rolls to cool slightly before frosting. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
For a quicker version, use the following dough recipe and follow these steps:
No-Yeast Dough Ingredients:
¾ cup almond or oat milk (regular milk also works)
½ cup melted butter (regular or vegan)
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
2 cups all-purpose or gluten-free flour (Recommended: King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten-free flour)
1 tablespoon yogurt (plain and unsweetened)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Mix milk, melted butter, and baking powder in a bowl. Add flour and mix until a thick dough forms. If using gluten-free flour, add yogurt to bind the dough.
Roll dough into a ¼-inch thick slab on a floured surface, then spread butter, sugar, and sprinkles.
Roll into a log, slice into 10–12 pieces, and place in a greased round dish.
Bake for 20 minutes. Optionally, broil for 1–2 minutes for extra color.
Cool slightly before adding icing.
Yes! You can refrigerate unbaked funfetti sweet rolls overnight and bake them fresh in the morning.
Absolutely! Store baked and cooled rolls in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat before serving.
These rolls are inspired by the soft, fluffy texture of classic cinnamon rolls but feature a sweet vanilla birthday cake filling with rainbow sprinkles instead of traditional cinnamon sugar.
If you loved these birthday cake cinnamon rolls, here are some other recipes you will love:
Cinnamon Rolls
Funfetti Loaf Cake Recipe
Funfetti Donuts
Funfetti (Birthday Cake) Pancakes
Funfetti Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Easy Funfetti Cinnamon Rolls
- 1 cup warm (not hot) milk regular milk or non-dairy
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup melted butter regular or non-dairy
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 3 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon yogurt plain and unsweetened
- 2 ½ cups regular all purpose flour or 2 cups gluten-free all purpose flour
Sweet Rolls Filling
- ⅓ cup softened butter regular or non-dairy
- ¼ cup sugar
- 4 tablespoon rainbow sprinkles add more as needed
Cream Cheese Icing
- 2 tablespoon softened butter regular or non-dairy
- 2 oz cream cheese regular or non-dairy
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Easy Funfetti Sweet Rolls Recipe
- Prepare the dough by mixing the warm almond milk, melted vegan butter, maple syrup, and salt together. Sprinkle the active dry yeast evenly across the top of the mixture, stir gently, and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
- Add the flour (2 ½ cups of regular flour or 2 cups of gluten free flour) and mix until a dough forms. If you are using gluten-free flour, use your hands to work in the non-dairy yogurt into the dough to help the dough together.
- Leaving the dough in the bowl, form it into a round mound and cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Allow it to sit for an hour. I like to sit my bowl on top of an oven preheated to 350. The warmth from the oven helps the dough rise faster. Note, if using gluten free all purpose flour, the dough will rise slightly less than the dough containing gluten.
- After the dough has risen for an hour place it on a floured surface and roll the dough into a ¼ inch oval or rectangle (add more flour if the dough is too sticky to roll). Spread the softened vegan butter to cover the dough. Top with the sugar and rainbow sprinkles.
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- Roll the dough into a log and cut it into about 10 pinwheels. Alternatively, you can use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into strips and then roll each individual strip into a pinwheel (see images above). Place the pinwheels into a baking dish so that they are close but not touching. Cover them with a towel and set aside for another 30 minutes. Note, if your rolls are gluten free, they won't be as voluminous as rolls with gluten in them, but they'll be every bit as delicious!
- Remove the towel and bake the rolls in the oven for about 35 minutes for regular funfetti rolls or 25-30 minutes for gluten-free funfetti rolls (or until they are golden).
- While the rolls are baking, make the vegan cream cheese frosting by using an electric hand mixer to mix together the softened vegan butter, powdered sugar, and vegan cream cheese. Allow the rolls to cool and spread the icing over the rolls. Enjoy!
Dudley says
It's all good!
Noey says
Did you test this recipe with any specific gluten free flours? If my gluten free blend doesn’t include xanthan gum how much should I add?
JillianGlenn says
Hi Noey, thanks for your question! I've tested this with King Arthur Gluten Free All Purpose Flour and Cup4Cup! Can't speak for any other flours. I hope this helps!!
Stephanie says
I use my own version of gluten free flour blend & yes if it doesn’t have xanthum you will have to add that in. 1/4 tsp for every cup of flour used according to Google.
Rob says
What brand/type of vegan butter do you use? The ones I have tried taste funny.
Jillian Glenn says
Earth Balance, Miyokos, or Country Crock Plant Butter are my favorites!
Ali says
Do you think if we evenly swap butter and milk in, it will still work?
Thanks!
Jillian Glenn says
Absolutely!
Marie says
I think steps 3 and 4 are showing up backwards on my end. Step 4 discusses leaving the dough in the bowl to rise, but step 3 has me rolling out the dough and adding the sprinkles already. Wanted to give a heads up in case these need to be flipped! ?
Jillian says
Thanks for pointing this out!! I've fixed the steps 🙂
Jade says
delicious and easy!