Overnight Cinnamon Roll Recipe
Soft and fluffy overnight cinnamon rolls can be prepped the night before and baked in the morning! Top with a rich cream cheese frosting for the best breakfast.
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 ¼ cups warm milk , 105-110°F
- 1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast , about 2 1/4 teaspoons
- 8 Tabelspoons granulated sugar , divided
- 1 large egg , at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter , melted
- 4 cups all-purpose flour , plus more or less as needed
Filling
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 1 ½ Tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 6 Tablespoons salted butter , softened (do NOT melt)
Frosting
- 6 Tablespoons salted butter , softened
- 3 ounces cream cheese , softened
- 1 1/2- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Milk or heavy cream , as needed
Instructions
Dough
- In a small bowl, stir together the warm milk, yeast, and 1 Tablespoon sugar. Let sit 5 minutes, or until bubbly.
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg. Whisk in the remaining 7 Tablespoon sugar and salt. Whisk in the melted butter and yeast mixture. Add two cups flour and stir until smooth. Add the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time. Knead 5 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, add 1 to 2 Tablespoons flour, but the dough should be soft. Don't overdo it with flour.
- Once dough is smooth and soft, cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot. I like to turn my oven to 175°F and then turn it off. Place the bowl in the oven with a small bowl of hot water to help it rise faster.
Filling:
- In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Once your dough has doubled in size, punch it down. On a lightly-floured surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle approximately 15x20 inches. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Spread softened butter onto the dough with a brush.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the top. You don't need to use it all. Gently press the sugar down into the butter. Roll the dough up tightly starting at the shorter side. Pinch the sides together at the end.
- Using a large, serrated knife or a long piece of floss, cut the dough in half and then in half again, making 4 pieces. Cut each piece into 3 or 4 1-inch pieces, making either 12 big cinnamon rolls or 16 medium rolls. Place dough rolls, swirl-side up, 1 inch apart onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I like to put the 12 big ones on a baking sheet and the ends in a small pan. At this point if you wanted to bake, you can let the rolls sit for 1 hour, or until rolls have doubled in size.
- Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator up to 16 hours. In the morning, pull them out onto the counter and let them rise 1 to 2 hours, or until doubled. It is normal for there to be a little liquid, but if there's too much, get a paper towel and dab it out.
- Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown on top. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes before frosting.
Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer. You can add milk to thin it out or powdered sugar to thicken it until you reach your desired consistency. I like to place a dollop on each roll and let sit a minute and then spread over the warm cinnamon rolls.
Notes
Yeast. Make sure you are starting with fresh yeast. I used active dry yeast, not instant yeast or rapid rise yeast.
Warm milk. Check the milk temperature to make sure it isn't too hot. It should be at 105-110°F (bath water temp) when you proof the yeast.
Flour. I like to replace 1-2 cups of flour with bread flour or kamut if I have on hand.
Quick rise. To help the dough rise faster, preheat the oven to 175°F and then turn it off. Then place the covered bowl of dough in the oven along with a small bowl of hot water.
Slice. When cutting the cinnamon rolls into sections using a sharp knife or some people like unflavored dental floss to cut into even sections.
Extra rolls. This recipe makes about 16 medium rolls, however, I usually end up doing about 12 larger ones.
Freezing the cinnamon rolls: You can freeze the rolls after they have been baked and cooled. Simply place in a freezer container or zip top bag, then set out to thaw overnight. Warm individual rolls in microwave for 10 to 20 seconds or in the oven at 175°F for 5 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 495kcal, Carbohydrates: 73g, Protein: 15g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 55mg, Sodium: 253mg, Potassium: 330mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 37g, Vitamin A: 537IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 61mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
