No Oven, No Air Fryer: The Small Appliance That Makes Cinnamon Rolls 5x More Gooey

You might assume that rice cookers are one of those single-use kitchen gadgets. It's right there in the name: Rice cookers cook rice. That's it. Right?

Wrong. Rice cookers aren't just a kitchen gadget for lazy cooks who want to make rice. It's possible to bake in a rice cooker, and it may even include a specific setting to do so. In many Asian countries, such as China and Japan, ovens are rare — while rice cookers abound. Creative home cooks have been dreaming up rice cooker recipes for years. No, treats baked in a rice cooker won't come out exactly the same as those baked in an oven, but that's not always a bad thing. The tight space and steamy environment make for light, fluffy, and ultra-moist bakes, just the qualities you'd want from cinnamon rolls.

While rice cookers aren't exactly the de facto method for cooking cinnamon rolls, this isn't an untested technique. Some food bloggers and Redditors have tried the trick with impressive results. One Redditor, who noted that they'd recently moved to Japan, posted their results on the r/ricecookerrecipes subreddit. "They don't look that great but cooked perfectly," wrote the poster. 

The pictured rolls — which, despite the poster's protestations, look great — are smushed together in a domed shape. The effect is more like a swirly loaf of cinnamon roll bread than a classic pan, and commenters loved it. "You've singlehandedly managed to destroy the problem of crispy corners," one commenter wrote. "Hats off to you!"

There isn't one single method for making rice cooker cinnamon rolls. You don't need to use a special recipe: One Redditor used a modified recipe for Japanese milk bread, and you can always experiment with pre-made rolls. Keep in mind that you may end up with leftover dough, though. Rice cookers can vary in size, and most won't have as much room as a standard baking tray. You may want to halve the ingredients or freeze leftover dough for later.

Once you've assembled the rolls, grease the inside of the cooker and place them inside. Avoid crowding the bowl. If your recipe requires proofing, switch the cooker to "keep warm" for a few minutes, then turn it off and let the dough proof from residual heat. For the most decadent canned cinnamon rolls, consider splashing in some heavy cream before cooking them.

Next, the tricky part: baking. If your cooker doesn't have a baking mode, use the standard "cook" setting. Remember, the rice cooker may take longer than a standard oven, and you'll need to keep an eye on the automatic shut-off. Be prepared to restart the cycle again, and consider flipping the rolls halfway through. Remove them when they look puffy and lightly browned.