Whenever I have leftover pie crust, I make roll-ups! Pie Crust Roll-Ups are bite-sized pie crust rolled up with butter, sugar, and cinnamon. They are like cinnamon buns but smaller and with pie crust instead of bread dough…they’re absolutely delicious! These are great because they are done baking in about 20 minutes and you can snack on them while waiting for your pie to finish. Full disclosure: I make these all the time in regular double crust batches…not just when I have “leftover” crust. They are that good!
I was struggling with where to categorize these as they are not pie but also not cookies. I finally landed on the cookie section because you eat them more like a cookie rather than pie.
Ingredients
The ingredients for roll-ups are very simple. They include the following:
Pie Crust
You may use leftover pie crust scraps or make pie crust specifically to make these treats. If using scraps, press them back together to form a ball you can then roll out again.
Softened Butter
Use as much or as little butter as you prefer. The butter should be softened enough to brush on and spread easily over the crust. I always use salted butter in my recipes (unless otherwise noted) but that is my personal preference. You can certainly use unsalted too.
Cinnamon and Sugar
Sprinkle on as much cinnamon and sugar as you desire. Begin with a generous layer of sugar and then sprinkle the cinnamon on last.
Pie Crust Process
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie dough into a large rectangle or circle (as close as you can get). Try to not press too hard with the rolling pin. Start from the center and work toward the edges, turning your crust every so often to make sure it isn’t sticking. Do your best to roll in one direction as rolling back and forth could possibly result in a tough crust.
Spread the softened butter all over the dough using a brush or your hands. Sprinkle generously with sugar and then with cinnamon.
Using a pizza wheel or knife, cut the dough into 1-2 inch strips vertically. Working column by column, roll about 4-5 inches of each strip into even sized bites and cut. Place the cut rolls on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper and bake for about 20 minutes or until the crust is light brown and the filling is bubbly. (If you are making these along with a pie, you can also bake them while the pie is baking. If the oven temperature is higher for your pie, adjust the time down so they do not burn.) Enjoy!
How do I soften butter in the microwave?
To make sure your butter is easy to spread over the crust (or if you’re in a rush and can’t wait for it to soften), you can use your microwave to achieve the desired consistency. Place butter in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it on the defrost setting in 10 second increments until softened.
Should I let the Pie Crust chill in the refrigerator?
Allowing your pie crust to chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to rolling it out is very beneficial. It aids in strengthening the structure of the crust by hardening the fats in the dough before baking. Additionally, it relaxes the dough’s gluten by giving it time to rest prior to rolling.
How long do these last?
Store roll-ups in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Tips
- Measure correctly – I highly recommend using a kitchen scale when baking. Because baking measurements need to be exact, using a scale helps to measure as precisely as possible. It quite honestly was a complete game changer for me when I first started using one! I would be lost without it now.
- Pie crust – It is important to use “ice cold” water when making your crust. The fat in the crust tends to warm as it is mixed with the flour. In order to achieve maximum flakiness, we need to prevent the fat from melting. Hence, the “ice cold” water. I typically fill a bowl with ice and water while collecting the rest of my ingredients so that it is nice and chilled when I am ready to begin. For more pie crust tips, please see our crust post.
- Round edges – Right after you shape your dough into a disc, run the edges of the disc along a hard surface or counter to smooth them. Smoothing them prior to wrapping in plastic wrap and refrigerating will result in a rounder crust when you roll it out.
My Preferred Tools
You may already have many of these items in your kitchen. I recommend the following for this recipe:
- Baker’s Half Sheet – to bake roll-ups
- Pastry Cutter – to cut Crisco into flour in crust
- Rolling Pin – to roll out pie crust
- Pizza Cutter – to cut crust into strips
- Kitchen Scale – precisely measure ingredients
- Pastry Brush – to spread butter
If You Enjoyed These, Try Our
Pie Crust Roll-Ups
Pie Crust Roll-Ups are bite-sized pie crust rolled up with butter, sugar, and cinnamon. They are like cinnamon buns but smaller and with pie crust instead of bread dough...they're absolutely delicious!
Ingredients
- DOUBLE CRUST:
- 2 2/3 cups (320 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup (184 g) Crisco
- 8-10 Tbsp cold water (ice water)
- FILLING:
- 8 Tbsp (1 stick) salted butter, softened
- Sugar & Cinnamon to taste
Directions
- Step 1 CRUST: Measure flour and salt together with whisk in mixing bowl. Cut in shortening (Crisco) with pastry cutter until crumbly and about the size of peas (do not overwork). Sprinkle in water 1 Tbsp at a time and mix until dough forms a ball. Split into two even balls. (If using leftover pie dough, press together into a ball and reduce the amounts of butter, sugar, and cinnamon accordingly.)
- Step 2 Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Step 3 On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie dough into a large rectangle or circle (as close as you can get). Spread the softened butter all over the dough using a brush or your hands. Sprinkle with sugar and then with cinnamon.
- Step 4 Using a pizza wheel or knife, cut the dough into 1-2 inch strips vertically. Working column by column, roll about 4-5 inches of each strip into even sized bites and cut.
- Step 5 Place rolls on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the crust is light brown and the filling is bubbly. Enjoy!
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