Cinnamon Rolls are a favorite in our house. We seem to always get the cravings on Sunday afternoons, so after church when we’re all home being lazy, I’ll often whip up a batch. There have been lots of times where I would have loved to make them for breakfast, but who wants to get up at the crack of dawn so they’ll actually be ready in time for breakfast?? Even if you don’t mind, by the time they’re ready to eat, you’ve got a kitchen full of dirty dishes. I’ve tried putting my everyday cinnamon roll recipe in the fridge over night and I haven’t had any luck. Actually, I’ve tried a few different recipes and none of them really turn out all that well. So when I saw a recipe for overnight cinnamon rolls in my new favorite cookbook, it instantly caught my attention. I tweaked the dough just a little and then used my own filling recipe. The cinnamon rolls were were just as I imagined they would be: soft, fluffy, full of flavor, and mouthwateringly delicious. The dough takes a bit longer than my other recipes, but it works out perfectly since you can whip them up up after dinner and pop them in the fridge before bed. In the morning, they just need to sit out for about an hour (so you can either sleep in some more or take a shower and get dressed!) and then pop them in the oven.
Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
Recipe from Family Meals, Williams-Sonoma
Dough
1 T active dry yeast
1/2 C warm water (105 deg F)
4 1/2 C all-purpose flour (22 1/2 oz)
1t kosher salt
4 large eggs
1/4 C sugar
1/2 C (1 stick) real butter at room temp
Filling
1/2 C (1 stick) real butter at room temp, divided
3/4 C packed brown sugar
1 T cinnamon
Glaze
1 C powdered sugar
2 T butter, melted
2 T milk or cream
1 t vanilla extract
In the bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle the yeast over the water, allow to bloom for a few minutes, then whisk until smooth. Whisk in 1/2 C of the flour. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm spot for about 30 minutes.
Add the eggs, sugar, butter, salt, and remaining 4 cups flour to the yeast mixture. Fit the mixer with the dough hook and knead on medium speed until smooth 10-12 minutes. Add a bit more flour to reduce stickiness if needed.
Cover with plastic wrap, set in a warm spot and let rise until doubled, about 2 hours.
While dough is rising, prepare filling. Take 2 T of the stick of butter and set aside. Beat remaining butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together until combined and slightly fluffy, about 1 minute. It will be rather thick.
Butter a 9×13 baking dish. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Roll out into a rectangle about 15×10 in. Spread filling onto dough. Use a spoon (or your fingers) to spread it out evenly and then roll up length-wise.
Do you all know the trick to cutting cinnamon rolls? If not, go grab your dental floss! A piece of thread works fine too.
First score the rolls so you know you’re going to cut evenly. Then slide the thread underneath the rolls, cross over the top and pull. You’ll get razor sharp cuts without smashing your pretty dough.
You can cut the rolls to your liking. This will make 12 small rolls, 10 medium ones, or 8 large rolls. I made 10, but put 2 in a little dish to cook separately.
Place cut side up in baking dish. Melt the reserved 2 T butter and brush on top of rolls. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight.
The next morning, remove from refrigerator and let rise until half again as high, about 1 hour.
While rising mix glaze ingredients until combined.
Preheat the oven to 350. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes. If you get impatient and wait about 47 seconds like I did then your glaze will instantly melt and fall into the crevices between the rolls. Then you’ll stick your finger in the little well so you can taste it and you’ll burn yourself and possibly let out an expletive. You’ll be so hurt you’ll have to stuff a cinnamon roll in your mouth to comfort yourself. And possibly another one because the first one was too hot to enjoy. Not that I have experience with any of this. Just trust me and let the rolls cool off a bit.
Then spread the glaze over them and serve.
Don’t have time for overnight cinnamon rolls? Try my “every day” quicker version instead!
Questions & Reviews
I just made these this morning and they were delightful. Instead of using the glaze thought I just took a tub of cream cheese frosting and spread that over the top.
lovely breakfast,lunch dinner food!hehe:)
Those cinnamon buns look so good! They would be great for breakfast tomorrow.
Oh my god, this looks too amazing.. Drooling..
http://scentofinspiration.blogspot.com/
Dental Floss! Who knew!!!
Yum!! I am so going to make these soon!! That tip about the floss is great!
Those look awesome!
Nom nom nom – thank you for this recipe! LOVE the tip about the dental floss!
These are fabulous! I have searched endlessly for a cinnamon bun recipe that works for me, and that I enjoy, and so far I’ve tried 6. This one was by far the best! I added a little extra filling and made it into a paste with softened butter, and whipped cream. SO Gooey and delicious! THANKS!
How great it would be to wake up to these!
These look yummy. My grandma makes fantastic cinnamon rolls and uses a penuche frosting (couldn’t really call it a glaze) made with brown sugar. They are rich, but soooo good.
Awesome! I too have tried my standard bread dough recipes in an overnight form, and wound up with giant poofy air bubble filled rolls…so I will definitely give this one a try. It’s perfect for those 9:00 a.m. church schedule Sundays.
Sara, these are wonderful! I love how perfectly cut they are (great tip on using floss).
Yum!
Yes Carly, you ARE weird! What’s the other super yummy thing that you don’t like?? I know there’s something but I can’t remember…
Would you believe I don’t like cinnamon rolls? Yeah I’m weird. But my mom did make these last night so I’m sure all my siblings loved them this morning.
These look fantastic! Thanks so much for sharing. The smell must have been heaven in the morning!
They look so good! I can prepare everything the night before and have fresh rolls in the morning!
Mmmmmmmm….I can almost smell them! Can’t wait to try this recipe!
I have to say that WS cookbook looks pretty good but I think this one looks way better.
I love what you wrote about waiting 47 seconds for the rolls to cool and soothing your wounds with more rolls. haha hilarious!
These rolls look perfect. I’m definitely going to bookmark this one!
These are for breakfast in the morning! Thanks for the recipe.
Yum! I love finding a new cinnamon roll recipe!
My husband is going to beg for these!
Thank you so much for posting this recipe!! I’m going to make them tonight. I love recipes with common ingredients that are already in the kitchen and fridge.
YUM! Holy moly these look amazing and sound heavenly. I have never made cinnamon rolls from scratch and now I’m anxious to try these this weekend!
Maybe if I make them up Saturday night I can convince my husband to bake them up Sunday morning for my birthday! Hmmm…. 🙂 Can’t wait to try them.
– Jennifer
Thanks for this. I love cinnnamon rolls, but like you hate the wait. I am excited to try these for breakfast this Sunday morning. Thank You- Angela
I love overnight cinnamon rolls! I’ve been using The Pioneer Woman’s and it’s amazing, but the recipe makes a million, so I’ll have to try this on to see how they compare… 🙂
Try almond extract in the glaze. Holy foodgasm…
They look good! What a great morning treat!
These look wonderful! I never have good results with cinnamon rolls. Maybe I need to try the overnight kind like this. I’m so hungry for one now! 🙂
I haven’t had breakfast yet, you’re killing me!!These look fantastic!