Sweet RollsMake-AheadVegetarian
Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
Soft, pull-apart cinnamon rolls you shape the night before and bake in the morning, finished with a tangy cream cheese icing. Proofing cues work in any kitchen.
By Molly
Updated · Published
- Prep
- Cook
- Total
- Yield
- 12 rolls
- Level
- Weekend project
Every ingredient in grams and cups
Cinnamon rolls have a reputation for eating a whole morning. This version moves the work to the night before. You make and shape the dough after dinner, the rolls rest in the fridge while you sleep, and breakfast is mostly waiting for the oven.
The overnight rest isn’t only for convenience. A slow, cold rise gives the dough a deeper, almost buttery-yeasty flavor, and chilled rolls hold their shape, so the swirls come out neat.
Yeast dough is easier to judge by look and feel than by the clock, because kitchens vary so much in temperature. Each rise below says what the dough should look like when it’s ready, so you can follow the dough and not the timer.
Why this recipe works
A cold, slow rise builds flavor
In the fridge, yeast works slowly and produces flavorful by-products that a quick rise can't. The cold also firms the butter in the filling so the swirls stay defined.
Butter added after the dough forms
Fat coats flour proteins and slows gluten formation. Kneading first and adding soft butter gradually gives you a strong but tender dough that rises high and pulls apart in soft layers.
Floss makes clean cuts
A knife can squash the roll and smear the filling. Floss slides through and leaves perfect round spirals.
Icing on warm rolls
A slightly warm roll melts some of the icing into the crevices, so every bite has some, while the top keeps a thick layer.
How to make overnight cinnamon rolls
What the key stages should look like. The complete method, with weights and timers, is in the recipe card.
Step 5: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into an 18 × 12-inch (46 × 30 cm) rectangle with a long side facing you
Step 7: Arrange the rolls cut-side up in the pan, 3 by 4.
How to know it’s done
- After the first rise, the dough has doubled and a floured finger pressed in leaves a dent that springs back slowly.
- Before baking, the rolls look puffy, have risen about 50%, and are touching their neighbors.
- Baked rolls are deep golden on top, the center roll is no longer doughy at the bottom, and the internal temperature is 190°F (88°C).
Tips for success
- If your kitchen is cold, put the covered bowl in the oven with just the light on, or with a pan of steaming water on the rack below.
- For the softest sides, brush the baked rolls with 1 tablespoon melted butter before icing.
Swaps & variations
- Same-day rolls
- Skip the fridge. After shaping, let the rolls rise at room temperature until puffy, 45 to 60 minutes, then bake as directed.
- Active dry yeast
- Use the same weight (7 g) and dissolve it in the warm milk with a pinch of the sugar for 5 minutes before adding. The first rise may take 15 to 20 minutes longer.
- Simple glaze
- Whisk 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons (30 g) milk and ½ teaspoon vanilla.
Make ahead, storage & reheating
- Make ahead
- Shaped, unbaked rolls keep in the fridge for up to 16 hours. To freeze, wrap the shaped rolls tightly for up to 1 month, thaw overnight in the fridge, then do the morning rise and bake.
- Store & reheat
- Keep iced rolls covered at room temperature for 1 day or in the fridge for up to 4 days. Rewarm individual rolls in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make these without a stand mixer?
Yes. Mix the dough in a large bowl with a wooden spoon, then knead by hand on the counter for 12 to 15 minutes, working the butter in gradually. Sticky dough at first is normal, so resist adding too much flour.
My rolls didn't rise in the morning. What happened?
Cold dough takes longer to wake up. Give them another 30 minutes somewhere warm. If they still don't move, the yeast may have been old or the milk too hot, above 120°F (49°C).
Why did the filling leak out?
The butter was melted instead of soft, or the rolls were cut too loose. Use very soft but not liquid butter, and roll tightly.
Helpful guides
- CollectionA Make-Ahead Brunch Menu for a Relaxed MorningA brunch menu you prep the night before. Overnight cinnamon rolls, a cheddar herb strata and yeasted waffles, with a timeline so everything is ready together.
The recipe
Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
Soft, pull-apart cinnamon rolls you shape the night before and bake in the morning, finished with a tangy cream cheese icing. Proofing cues work in any kitchen.
By Molly · https://breakfastbake.com/recipes/overnight-cinnamon-rolls/
- Prep
- Cook
- Total
- Yield
- 12 rolls
- Level
- Weekend project
Scaled recipe: times and pan sizes may need adjusting. Grams are the most accurate way to measure a scaled recipe.
Ingredients
Dough
Filling
Cream cheese icing
Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook (or a big bowl and strong arms)
- Digital kitchen scale and instant-read thermometer
- Rolling pin and ruler
- 9 × 13-inch (23 × 33 cm) baking pan
Method
Make the dough
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add the warm milk and eggs and mix with the dough hook on low until a shaggy dough forms, about 2 minutes.
With the mixer on medium-low, add the soft butter a tablespoon at a time. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, slightly tacky and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled, 1 to 1½ hours.
Shape
Grease a 9 × 13-inch (23 × 33 cm) pan. Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt for the filling.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into an 18 × 12-inch (46 × 30 cm) rectangle with a long side facing you. Spread the soft butter all the way to the edges, leaving a ½-inch strip bare along the far long edge, then sprinkle the filling evenly and press it in.
Roll the dough up tightly from the long side nearest you and pinch the seam closed. Cut into 12 equal rolls about 1½ inches (4 cm) wide with unflavored dental floss or a sharp serrated knife.
Arrange the rolls cut-side up in the pan, 3 by 4.
Overnight rise and bake
Cover the pan tightly and refrigerate for 8 to 16 hours.
In the morning, take the pan out of the fridge and let the rolls rise somewhere warm until puffy and touching, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) while they rise.
Bake for 24 to 28 minutes, until golden brown. Tent with foil after 15 minutes if the tops are browning too fast.
Ice and serve
Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla, adding milk a teaspoon at a time until the icing is thick but spreadable.
Let the rolls cool for 10 minutes, then spread with icing. Some will melt into the swirls, which is what you want.
Weights use the Breakfast Bake weight chart: flour is spooned into the cup and leveled (1 cup = 125 g).
Rate & review
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