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I don’t always plan ahead when it comes to dessert. Or breakfast. Or anything, really. But sometimes, something dangerously easy comes along—and next thing you know, I’m preheating the oven and pulling out the crescent rolls like I had it all together.
These Pecan Cream Cheese Rolls are that kind of recipe. Warm, gooey, sweet-but-not-too-sweet, with toasted pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a little hidden cube of cream cheese inside that melts into the dough like a dream. Oh—and did I mention the whole thing bakes in cream soda?
Yes, ma’am. Cream soda.
Don’t ask me how it works. Just know that it does. Like magic.
Why These Rolls Deserve a Spot on Your Table
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Made with crescent dough – So no rising, no proofing, no drama.
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Cream cheese filling – It melts right into the roll and gives it that tangy, creamy surprise in the middle.
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Nutty, sticky topping – Brown sugar + pecans + melted butter = heavenly.
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Cream soda bakes into a syrup – Sounds wild, but it becomes this buttery, caramel-y sauce that hugs every bite.
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Serve ‘em warm – And you’ll understand why folks scrape the baking dish clean.
Ingredients (A Grocery Store Dream)
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8 oz refrigerated crescent roll dough
– Pillsbury, store-brand, whatever’s on sale. Just make sure it’s the regular kind, not the garlic butter one. (Been there.) -
1 cup pecan pieces
– I like them roughly chopped for more texture. Toast them beforehand if you’ve got the time. If not, no worries. -
½ cup brown sugar
– Light or dark, both work. Dark will be a little deeper and richer. -
1 teaspoon cinnamon
– Don’t skip this. It makes the whole house smell like fall. -
2 tablespoons butter (melted)
– For the filling mix. -
4 oz cream cheese, chilled and cut into 8 cubes
– Keep it cold so it’s easier to slice and stuff. You can use full-fat or light, but I say go full-fat or go home. -
6 tablespoons butter (melted)
– For pouring over the top. Don’t be shy. -
½ cup cream soda
– Trust the process. It bubbles into a sweet glaze while it bakes.
How to Make the Magic Happen
Step 1: Prep your pan and oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease an 8×8-inch baking dish really well. We’re talking corners, edges, all of it. These rolls are sticky in the best way.
Step 2: Make the pecan sugar mix
In a small bowl, stir together the pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons of the melted butter. It should smell like every cozy bakery you’ve ever walked into.
Step 3: Cut the cream cheese
Chop your cream cheese into 8 little cubes. Not too big, not too small—just enough to melt into the center of each roll and make people go, “Ooh, what is that?”
Step 4: Fill and roll
Pop open your crescent dough and separate into triangles. At the wide end of each one, place a cube of cream cheese and a spoonful of that pecan sugar mix. Then roll it up gently, tucking in the sides if you can, and place it in your greased baking dish.
Step 5: Drench it in love
Pour the remaining 6 tablespoons of melted butter over the top of all the rolls. Then sprinkle the leftover pecan sugar mix on top. You want those crunchy little sugar crumbles in every bite.
Step 6: The secret ingredient
Now—brace yourself—pour the cream soda around the rolls. Not on top. Just around the edges and in between. I know. It feels weird. But that sweet soda turns into this caramel-y, buttery syrup that bubbles up and bakes into the bottom of the rolls like a warm hug.
Step 7: Bake and wait (the hardest part)
Pop the dish in the oven and bake for 30–35 minutes. The tops should be golden and puffed, and your house will smell like you’ve been baking all day—even though we both know you haven’t.
Let them cool for a few minutes before diving in. But not too long. They’re best warm, with the filling still a little gooey and the edges sticky and caramelized.
Serving Ideas (But Honestly, Just Grab a Fork)
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Perfect as-is, warm from the oven.
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Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and call it dessert.
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Serve with coffee for a sneaky-sweet breakfast.
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Bring to brunch and pretend you spent hours on it (your secret’s safe).
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Leftovers? Pop ‘em in the microwave for 15 seconds and it’s like fresh-baked again.
Final Thoughts from the Messy Side of My Kitchen
I’m not saying this is a classy dessert.
I am saying it’ll have your family licking their forks, sneaking seconds straight from the pan, and maybe even arguing over the last roll. It’s sweet, sticky, a little messy, and completely delicious. Just like life, right?
So next time you’re standing in the kitchen thinking “I want something warm and cozy but I don’t want to work for it”—make this.
And if you do? Let me know how it turns out. Did you add chopped apples? Did your uncle ask for the recipe? Did your kids fight over the last one like mine always do?
Either way—I hope you enjoy every bite.
Love from my little kitchen to yours,
Pecan Cream Cheese Rolls
Ingredients
- 8 oz refrigerated crescent roll dough
- 1 cup pecan pieces
- 0.5 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp butter, melted (for filling)
- 4 oz cream cheese, chilled and cubed
- 6 tbsp butter, melted (for topping)
- 0.5 cup cream soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease an 8x8-inch baking dish.
- Mix pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons melted butter in a small bowl.
- Separate crescent dough into triangles and place a cube of cream cheese and a spoonful of pecan mixture on each.
- Roll up each triangle and pinch to seal. Place rolls seam-side down in the baking dish.
- Pour remaining melted butter over the rolls and sprinkle any leftover pecan mixture on top.
- Gently pour cream soda around the rolls in the pan.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
Notes