Overnight Cinnamon Rolls are melt-in-your-mouth good! Rest the rolls overnight in the refrigerator and bake them in the morning without rising!
Our Overnight Cinnamon Rolls serve 12 and cost about $5.62 to make, which is only $0.47 per serving.
Our family enjoys these rolls year-round, but we especially love them for holiday guests and Christmas morning as a decadent breakfast to fill our home with heavenly smells. Additionally, we recommend our Overnight French Toast and Overnight Eggs Benedict Casserole when looking for ideas to feed a crowd.
Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
Cinnamon Rolls are a labor of love, and yet they are so worth the effort. However, we don’t always have the time to put in that effort to produce them.
Everyone wants them for breakfast, but no one wants to wake up at the crack of dawn to have the time it takes for the double rise in the dough.
We are happy to report we have a way to make this labor of love we call Cinnamon Rolls a little bit easier. You can also make them for a fraction of the cost you usually spend at your favorite bakery.
This recipe gives you rolls that are soft, fluffy, slathered with a layer of cream cheese frosting, and infused with cinnamon flavor in every bite. Prepping the rolls the day before and letting them sit overnight makes for a leisurely morning for you, allowing you to sleep in and have that same Heavenly taste you typically spend half of your day making!
Can cinnamon roll dough rise too long?
Yes, cinnamon roll dough can rise too long. Do not chill the dough longer than 24 hours. When the dough is left too long, the filling can begin to liquefy, causing it to seep out of the rolls, and we want all that cinnamon goodness left in the rolls!
How much will this Overnight Cinnamon Rolls recipe cost to make:
RECIPE COST: $5.62
PRICE PER SERVING: $0.47
- 3/4 cup whole milk – $0.09
- 1 1/2 Tablespoon yeast – $0.10
- 3 large eggs – $0.15
- 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour – $0.81
- 1/2 cup cornstarch – $0.20
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder – $0.33
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar – $0.12
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt – $0.01
- 18 tablespoons unsalted butter – $1.80
- 1 1/4 cup light brown sugar – $0.60
- 1 1/2 Tablespoon ground cinnamon – $0.12
- 3 ounces cream cheese – $0.75
- 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar – $0.36
- 1 Tablespoon milk – $0.01
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract – $0.17
To find out more about how we price our recipes, check out Budget Recipes Explained.
How to make Overnight Cinnamon Rolls recipe:
STEPS ONE AND TWO: Proof the yeast and mix the dry ingredients together.
STEPS THREE AND FOUR: Mix the dough and then knead for 5-8 minutes. Transfer the dough to a bowl to rise until doubled in size, abotu 2 hours.
STEPS FIVE AND SIX: Next, make the filling for the cinnamon rolls. Roll the dough into an 18-inch square and sprinkle the filling evenly over it before rolling the dough into a cylinder and cutting into 12 equal pieces. Cover the pan of cut rolls with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 8 hours. The next morning, heat the oven to 350 degrees F with the cinnamon rolls inside the oven. After the oven hits 350 degrees, bake for 28-38 minutes.
STEP SEVEN AND EIGHT: Finally, while the rolls are cooling, make the glaze. Spread the glaze over the rolls and serve.
Cook’s Tools:
- wooden ruler
- 9×13-inch baking pan
- medium bowl
- stand mixer
- liquid measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- instant-read thermometer
- measuring cups
- wire rack
- rolling pin
- pastry spatula
The Flavor and Recipe Variations
During the holidays, try adding ginger and nutmeg to the filling.
Also, if you love pumpkin, then use pumpkin puree instead of butter when filling the rolls. You’ll thank us later.
How long is it good for:
Serve: Because of the cream cheese glaze, we recommend leaving the cinnamon buns out no longer than 2 hours.
Store: Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat: place a cinnamon roll on a plate and microwave on 50% for 30-40 seconds.
Freeze: You can freeze these after baking, but before frosting with cream cheese glaze.
How to get the kids involved with this recipe:
Ages 2-3: Your kiddo will love helping you sprinkle the cinnamon roll filling over the dough.
Ages 4-5: Let them practice their counting skills while helping to measure and pour the ingredients for the dough, filling, and frosting. Teach them how to turn on and off the stand mixer to help mix the ingredients.
Ages 6-8: Teach your child how to roll out the dough evenly. Then using the ruler, teach her how to measure the dough to the correct size.
Ages 9-11: Supervise them while they prepare the entire recipe. Remember to have them read it twice before beginning the recipe.
Ages 12+: Let them prepare the entire recipe, unsupervised, while you do the happy dance in the corner!
More Breakfast recipes:
- Buttermilk Sheet Pan Pancakes
- Chocolate Glazed Biscuit Donuts
- Easy French Toast with Blueberry Syrup
- Eggs Benedict Breakfast Braid
- Grab and Go Yogurt Parfait Boxes
- Green Smoothie
- Homemade Buttermilk Syrup
- Homemade Granola
- Quick Monkey Bread from Scratch
- Red Velvet Buttermilk Waffles
- Simple Crock Pot Greek Yogurt
- Watermelon Smoothie
- Mango Banana Smoothie
Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
Recipe Cost $5.62 Recipe Serving Cost $0.47Equipment
- wooden ruler
- 9x13-inch baking pan
- Medium bowl
- stand mixer
- Liquid measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- instant-read thermometer
- measuring cups
- wire rack
- rolling pin
- pastry spatula
Ingredients
DOUGH:
- ¾ cup whole milk heated to 100 degrees
- 1 ½ Tablespoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 4 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 12 pieces and softened
FILLING:
- 1 ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
CREAM CHEESE GLAZE:
- 3 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 Tablespoon unsalted butter softened
- 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
PREP OVEN AND BAKING PAN:
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. When the oven reaches 200 degrees, turn it off.
- Line a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with parchment paper or foil, allowing excess foil to hang over pan edges. Grease parchment paper or foil and a medium bowl.
MAKE DOUGH:
- Whisk milk and yeast in a liquid measuring cup until yeast dissolves, then whisk in eggs.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix flour, cornstarch, baking powder, sugar, and salt until combined.
- With the mixer on low, add warm milk mixture in a steady stream and mix until the dough comes together about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium and add butter, one piece at a time, until incorporated.
- Continue to mix until dough is smooth and comes away from sides of the bowl, about 5-8 minutes. Transfer dough to the prepared bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in warm oven. Let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
FILL CINNAMON ROLLS:
- Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll dough into 18-inch square, and spread with softened butter. Sprinkle evenly with filling, and use your hands to pan the filling down gently.
- Starting with the edge nearest you, roll dough into a tight cylinder, pinch lightly to seal seam.
- Cut dough into 12 equal pieces. Transfer pieces to prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap chill in the refrigerator at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
BAKE:
- When ready to bake, place the cold cinnamon rolls in the oven. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F (with the cinnamon rolls inside). Once the oven reaches 350 degrees, bake for 28-38 minutes. When the rolls are done they’ll be golden brown and the filling will be melted. Start checking the rolls at 28 minutes.
- Transfer the rolls to a wire rack to cool while you make the glaze.
MAKE CREAM CHEESE GLAZE:
- Place cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixed fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds.
- Add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt and mix on the lowest setting until the mixture is combined. Then, increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes.
FINISH AND SERVE:
- Spread the glaze over the cinnamon rolls and serve immediately.
Jenn
Where has this recipe been all my life!? I’ve been searching for a prep-ahead cinnamon roll recipe since March and I’m so excited to try these! Thank you!
Jen
Asolutely delicious! I will definitely be making this again!
Jess Jankowski
Awesome!