Kick off the Halloween season with candy corn cinnamon rolls

As we near Halloween, you might find yourself in need of a leftover candy corn recipe. Fear not! We have the perfect Halloween breakfast for you: candy corn cinnamon rolls.

Because the holidays can get busy and temperatures can vary drastically, I opted for a yeast-free, quick cinnamon roll. There’s no need to wait for the dough to rise — and no compromise in taste or texture.

To make these candy corn cinnamon rolls, you’ll need:

Dough

• 4 cups all purpose or bread flour 
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons pink Himalayan salt 
• 6 tablespoons salted butter, softened and cubed
• 1 ½ cups milk
• 2 eggs

Filling

• 2 tablespoons salted butter, softened – reserved for spreading on rolled dough 
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¾ cup brown sugar 
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt 
• ½ – 1 cup candy corn, set aside to add separately

Secret weapon

• ½ cup heavy whipping cream, warmed to room temp

Frosting

• 1 package cream cheese, softened
• ⅓ cup vanilla sauce*
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• Pinch of pink Himalayan salt 

Vanilla sauce

• ½ cup sweet condensed coconut milk 
• ¼ cup evaporated coconut milk
• ½ vanilla bean, split

The vanilla sauce I used in another recipe was yummy, so I decided to use some here, too. To make the sauce, combine evaporated coconut milk and ½ cup sweetened condensed coconut milk in a saucepan. Split half of a vanilla bean pod and scrape out the seeds into the saucepan. (Throw in the pod, too, for an added dose of vanilla.) Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Then, bring it down to medium-low for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can cook it down longer if you want a thicker consistency. It will thicken as it cools, too. Because you’re going to add the mixture to cream cheese, let it cool, or even make it the night before and refrigerate in an airtight container.

With the candy corn cinnamon rolls, you start working a bit backward. First, grease your baking dish with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Make the cinnamon sugar filling by whisking white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle half over the bottom of the pan with the melted butter.

Next, you’ll prep your secret weapon. Place a half cup of heavy whipping cream on top of the oven as you preheat it to 400 F. No need to cook it; you just don’t want it to be cold when you pour it over the rolls before baking.

MORE: Looking for another leftover candy corn recipe? Try these candy corn stuffed cookies

Next, make the dough. Whisk the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder and salt) in a bowl. Some roll recipes call for bread flour; most call for all-purpose. Just like a favorite cookie recipe of mine, you can mix 2 cups of each, as well. What’s the difference? Bread flour has a higher protein content and gives dough a little more rise — a consideration because we’re skipping yeast. But, again, not necessary — just an option.

Cut in the softened butter with a pastry cutter or your hands. Beat the eggs and milk together before adding them to flour mixture. Stir until a soft dough forms. If you’re using a stand mixer, the paddle attachment works perfectly for this.

Here’s a handy tip for rolling out dough: To avoid dough sticking to your countertop, place a large piece of waxed paper down first and flour that as if it were the counter. Place the dough on top, lightly flour it, then add another layer of waxed paper. Then begin rolling it out. Even if the dough is a little wet, it’s still easier to add a little more flour to the dough inside the wax paper than to try to get it off a sticky counter or rolling pin! You’re shooting for a one-half-inch-thick rectangle.

My stainless steel baking scraper is the best tool for the next stage. I found mine at Dollar Tree. It has a built-in ruler, so you can make sure the dough is the right thickness. Too thin, and your candy corn will melt into all the cinnamon sugar goodness at the bottom of the pan.

Once you’ve rolled out the dough, brush the surface with 2 tablespoons softened butter. After that, sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar filling mixture.

Now, for the festive part: Sprinkle candy corn evenly and place a layer of waxed paper over it. Then, press your hands down gently, slightly marrying the candy corn to the dough. Don’t use the rolling pin: That would combine the filling into the dough.

When you roll your log, use the waxed paper on the counter as a guide to lift the long side of the dough toward the other side. Once you complete the log roll, keep the sealed side down.

Using the cutter, cut 1-inch rolls. Don’t be timid — you’re slicing through the candy corn. Place the rolls in a pan and pour the secret weapon on top to cover the dough.

MORE: Sweet potato pecan rolls give the cinnamon roll a much-needed fall makeover

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven. Put a drip pan or foil on the rack below in case any gooeyness spills over. (Burnt sugar is tough to clean from the bottom of an oven.)

As they’re baking, whip the softened cream cheese with a pinch of salt. Add the vanilla sauce and powdered sugar. Continue whipping until smooth.

Let the candy corn cinnamon rolls cool for a few minutes before adding the frosting, or it’ll melt right in.

You can sprinkle the entire pan with some candy corn garnish, or place a few on top of each roll. Either way, I know you’ll enjoy this festive twist on a classic and delicious breakfast dessert.

Pair these candy corn cinnamon rolls with another fall favorite: a homemade pumpkin spice latte.