Empty Tomb Rolls

Empty Tomb Rolls

Bake Empty Tomb Rolls for a warm, shareable treat; follow simple steps to create hollow, cinnamon-sugared rolls.

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Yield12

Ingredients

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat & Prepare the Tin

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray so each cup is lightly slick and ready; while the oven warms, set out your small glass jar of melted butter, a small ceramic bowl for the cinnamon-sugar, and an empty plate for the thawed Rhodes rolls — this is a quick, practical setup to keep everything within reach and tidy on the painted pine wood surface.

Step 2: Whisk Cinnamon Sugar & Flatten Rolls

In a small ceramic bowl whisk together ½ cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon until evenly blended, creating a fine, fragrant sandy mixture that clings when tapped; using a rolling motion with your palms, flatten each thawed Rhodes roll into a small soft circle on the painted pine surface so they are thin enough to wrap but still pillowy and elastic.

Step 3: Dip the Marshmallows

Pour the ½ cup melted butter into a clear small glass jar and place it beside the cinnamon-sugar bowl; dip each jumbo marshmallow into the melted butter until fully coated, then immediately roll it in the cinnamon-sugar so the exterior becomes glossy wet butter speckled with gritty brown sugar crystals that catch the light.

Step 4: Assemble & Seal the Rolls

Place each coated marshmallow in the center of one flattened roll, fold the dough over the marshmallow, and pinch the seams tightly to seal — you should end up with small, irregular dough pockets with no visible marshmallow, smooth seams, and a buttery, sugar-dusted exterior ready for a second coating.

Step 5: Re-coat the Assembled Rolls

Roll each sealed dough pocket again through the melted butter and then the cinnamon-sugar so the outer surface is evenly glossy, gritty, and ready to bake; arrange the finished, coated pockets into the greased 12-cup muffin tin so each cup cradles one roll and the tin shows a neat grid of dough mounds ready for the oven.


Step 6: Bake, Rest, and Reveal

Bake the filled muffin tin for 10–15 minutes until the rolls are golden brown and slightly cracked; remove from the oven and let them cool just enough to handle, then gently lift a few rolls to reveal the hollow interior — a delicate, steamy empty center contrasted with a crisp, cinnamon-sugared shell — and serve while warm for the best texture and aroma.


Notes