Overnight Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
We’ve been making these melt-in-you-mouth overnight cinnamon rolls on the regular but there’s something new and wonderful about this recipe. Did you notice the fluffy cream cheese crown of irresistible decadence on the top? That my friends is the same frosting I used on my wildly popular pumpkin cake and it will change your life.
The part that touches the cinnamon rolls melts a bit, sinking into every groove and the top stays whipped and gorgeous.
This is also an overnight cinnamon rolls recipe (meaning, there is a make-ahead option!) I’ve had so many curious folks asking if my maple cinnamon rolls would work overnight, so I’m sharing my tips and tricks (and it couldn’t be easier!). These are perfect for holidays, house guests, and you of course ;).
I’ll always remember the first time I brought a batch of my cinnamon rolls to my sister’s house and how quickly they were eaten by the children (and my sister!). They’ve been in high demand ever since ;).
Ingredients for Overnight Cinnamon Rolls:
1 cup warm milk (not hot)
1/2 Tbsp active dry yeast (we use Red Star Brand)
4 Tbsp granulated sugar, divided
3 cups (plus 2 to 4 Tbsp) all-purpose flour *measured correctly, divided (*see notes below)
1 large egg, room temp
2 Tbsp unsalted butter melted (1 Tbsp for batter and 1 Tbsp to grease pans)
1/2 tsp salt
For the Cinnamon Roll Filling:
7 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened, divided (6 Tbsp for filling and 1 Tbsp to brush tops)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
For the Cream Cheese Icing:
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar
How to Make the Best Overnight Cinnamon Rolls:
1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, add 1 cup warm milk and sprinkle with 1/2 Tbsp yeast. Let sit uncovered for 7 minutes at room temp. Add 1/2 cup flour, 2 Tbsp sugar and whisk until blended. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 35-45 min (or in a 100˚ oven for 25 min). It will look puffy (**See Important Note Below).
2. Whisk in 1 egg, remaining 2 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp melted butter and 1/2 tsp salt.
3. Using the dough hook on speed 2, add remaining 2 1/2 cups flour (1/2 cup at a time) letting it blend with each addition. Add more flour 1 Tbsp at a time just until dough is no longer sticking to fingertips or the walls of the bowl as it mixes then knead/mix for 10 min. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temp 2 hours (or in a 100˚ oven for 1 hr). Dough should double in size.
4. Generously dust flour over a clean work surface and place dough in the center. Sprinkle dough with flour (just enough to keep the rolling pin from sticking) and roll into even 17″x10″ rectangle. Dot the top of dough with 6 Tbsp softened butter and spread it out gently with a spatula.
5. Stir together 1/4 cup sugar and 1 Tbsp cinnamon and sprinkle ALL OF IT evenly over buttered dough. Roll the dough up starting with one of the longer sides, keeping a tight roll. Once it’s rolled up, push ends in slightly to make them a little more uniform then slice into 12 equal sized cinnamon rolls.
This tip is GOLD: use unflavored floss to prevent squishing your rolls. Slide it under the roll, then bring it up, cross it at the top and pull both ends to cut through the roll easily then repeat.
6. Butter sides and bottom of a 9×13 baking pan with 1 Tbsp butter and evenly space cinnamon rolls in pan, cut-side down. If making overnight cinnamon rolls, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate (up to 18 hours). Remove from refrigerator and keeping them covered, let cinnamon rolls rise at room temp 1 to 1 1/2 hours (or in a 100˚F oven for 35 min) or until puffy.
7. Brush tops with 1 Tbsp melted butter and bake at 350˚F for 22-24 mins or until tops are light golden brown. Let cool in pan 15 minutes then frost warm buns generously with the cream cheese glaze (instructions below).
How to Make Cream Cheese Icing:
1. Using an electric mixer, cream together 4 Tbsp softened butter, 4 oz soft cream cheese and beat on medium speed until creamy and smooth. Beat in 1/2 Tbsp vanilla then add 1 cup powered sugar and continue mixing until fluffy (3-4 min), scraping down the bowl as needed.
Overnight Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients for Overnight Cinnamon Rolls:
- 1 cup warm milk, not hot
- 1/2 Tbsp active dry yeast
- 4 Tbsp granulated sugar, divided
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided* (plus 2 to 4 Tbsp)
- 1 large egg, room temp
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter melted, divided
- 1/2 tsp salt
For the Cinnamon Roll Filling:
- 7 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened, divided
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
For the Cream Cheese Icing:
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup confectioners, powdered sugar
Instructions
How to Make Overnight Cinnamon Rolls:
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, add 1 cup warm milk and sprinkle with 1/2 Tbsp yeast. Let sit uncovered for 7 minutes at room temp. Add 1/2 cup flour, 2 Tbsp sugar and whisk until blended. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 35-45 min (or in a 100˚ oven** for 25 min). It will look puffy.
- Whisk in 1 egg, remaining 2 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp melted butter and 1/2 tsp salt.
- Using the dough hook on speed 2, add remaining 2 1/2 cups flour (1/2 cup at a time) letting it blend with each addition. Add more flour 1 Tbsp at a time just until dough is no longer sticking to fingertips or the walls of the bowl as it mixes then knead/mix for 10 min. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temp 2 hours (or in a 100˚ oven for 1 hr). Dough should double in size.
- Generously dust flour over a clean work surface and place dough in the center. Sprinkle dough with flour (just enough to keep the rolling pin from sticking) and roll into even 17″x10″ rectangle. Dot the top of dough with 6 Tbsp softened butter and spread it out gently with a spatula.
- Stir together 1/4 cup sugar and 1 Tbsp cinnamon and sprinkle ALL OF IT evenly over buttered dough. Roll the dough up starting with one of the longer sides, keeping a tight roll. Once it's rolled up, push ends in slightly to make them a little more uniform then slice into 12 equal sized cinnamon rolls.***
- Butter sides and bottom of a 9×13 baking pan with 1 Tbsp butter and evenly space cinnamon rolls in pan, cut-side down. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (up to 18 hours). The following day, remove from refrigerator and keeping them covered, let cinnamon rolls rise at room temp 1 to 1 1/2 hours (or in a 100˚F oven for 35 min) or until puffy.
- Brush tops with 1 Tbsp melted butter and bake at 350˚F for 22-24 mins or until tops are light golden brown. Let cool in pan 15 minutes then frost warm buns generously with the cream cheese glaze (instructions below).
How to Make Cream Cheese Icing:
- Using an electric mixer, cream together 4 Tbsp softened butter, 4 oz soft cream cheese and beat on medium speed until creamy and smooth. Beat in 1/2 Tbsp vanilla then add 1 cup powered sugar and continue mixing until fluffy (3-4 min), scraping down the bowl as needed.
Notes
**Oven should not be hotter than 100˚F or you will cook and ruin the yeast.
***Use unflavored floss to prevent squishing your rolls. Slide it under the roll, then bring it up, cross it at the top and pull both ends to cut through the roll easily then repeat.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
The start of September is when I roll up my sleeves, pull out the baking tools and incorporate cinnamon in as many desserts as possible! I think it’s the best way to welcome Autumn :).
Q: Which food is the heart of Autumn for you?
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
I’m a novice cook – what is Speed 2 on your stand mixer? Low? Thank you!
Hi Janet, yes, Speeds 2 and 3 generally are considered low speed, so use these if your recipe calls for low speed.
The dough is really nice on these cinnamon rolls but I would make a couple of tweaks to the recipe and double the filling and only use 1 tsp of vanilla extract in the frosting instead of 1/2 tbsp. I found the vanilla overpowering and that there wasn’t enough filling. Otherwise, a great recipe!
Thank you for sharing, Bea! I’m glad you liked the recipe. The brand of vanilla can impact the flavor but you can definitely use less to your preference.
Hi Natasha,
I love your recipes and find your step by step instructions along with pictures and the occasional video very easy to follow. Today, I used leftover pumpkin puree (from your Pull Apart Pumpkin Bread recipe) to use with this cinnamon roll recipe and it turned out great.
Hi Melissa! What a great idea. That sounds wonderful. Thank you for sharing. I’m glad they turned out great.
5 stars for the dough. 4 for the center. 3 1/2 for flavor. I feel like the whole thing could’ve used more cinnamon sugar goodness, extra gooey stuff. It seemed like it really needed more salt too. Otherwise, the dough texture was perfect.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Serenity!
I love this recipe! In step 1 can you please add the desired temp of the milk? I think it’s in one of your other recipes, but I can never remember and have to go hunting around for it.
Hi Kim! I like to follow the yeast packet instructions. You should not use something hotter than about 115˚F for warm liquids when mixing with yeast, otherwise, it can deactivate your yeast. That same goes for the proofing temperature – make sure it’s not above 110 (I like to keep it around 100˚F if possible). Lastly, make sure your room is also not too cold which will hinder and slow down the rising. I hope these tips help.
Hi I am craving for cinnamon rolls and would like to make these but don’t have whole milk on hand. Can I use almond milk instead? Thanks!
Hi Melissa, I haven’t tested that but here is what one of our readers wrote ” Made these tonight. Only change is I used almond milk instead of regular because that’s the only thing I had on hand they turned out great! Super easy and soft and flavorful.” I hope that helps.
I’m planning to make these Sunday or Monday morning. Could you tell me how big is your sheet pan you use for the cinnamon rolls? Thanks😋
Hi! Yes, I have it in the step-by-step instructions in the recipe card above. It’s a 9×13 baking pan. 🙂
I hope you love the recipe!
I’ve made these many times and love them but I’m curious on what would happen if I leave them in the fridge longer then 18 hours over night. With the Timing I am limited with they may be in the fridge 22 hours.
Hi Lexy, its not ideal to leave them in there longer because it exhausts the yeast and they will end up tougher and a little dry.
These were absolutely delicious! Your instructions were perfect and followed to a ‘T’! Thank you for a new favorite!
Thanks for your good comments and feedback, Cindi.
I’ve made these cinnamon rolls twice in the last couple weeks and they’re so easy and taste amazing! I didn’t care for the cream cheese frosting the first time (personal choice) so I made a regular powdered sugar frosting the second time and wasn’t disappointed! Both times, I baked them without letting them chill in the fridge.
Hi Brenda! Thank you for sharing your experience with the recipe. I’m glad you loved them!
A great recipe, very light. I added a pecan, butter, brown sugar mixture to the bottom of the pan and then inverted the pan on the serving board once cooked. Delicious.
The bonus is that I froze the buns in the baking pan after the first rise. The night before serving I pulled them from the freezer and put them in the fridge. An hour or so at room temperature the next morning, then baked in the oven and they were fantastic. A stress free way to have fresh baked cinnamon rolls in the morning.
Hi Karen! Thank you for sharing! Glad you loved the recipe.
These are the PERFECT cinnamon rolls. Very soft and a little chewy but not dry at all. My family gobbled them up this Christmas morning. 10/10 would make again.
(Pro Tip: add 1tbsp of cocoa powder to the filling. It makes the cinnamon flavor more intense)
Hi Hannah! Thank you for the wonderful feedback and tip. So glad you loved the recipe. Merry Christmas!
I am making this for Christmas breakfast for my parents and are wondering if I can use 2% milk and also only use the oven for rising once?
Hi Annika, we usually use whole milk because it is what we buy for the kids, but 2% will work just as well 🙂
I am going to make this recipe for my parents on Christmas eve and then bake them in the morning. Can the milk be 2%? Also is it ok to let it rise regularly for every time but in the morning?
Hi Annika, we usually use whole milk because it is what we buy for the kids, but 2% will work just as well 🙂
Hi Natasha,
I’m going to make these Xmas Eve for Xmas morning. Wondering what room temp is for proofing the dough? I’m not sure if because it is winter and colder in our home if it will be sufficient, or if I should go ahead and just do the 100 degree oven method?
Thank you!
Hi Gina! Room temperature can differ generally, it is around 68-72℉ but yes, you can do the rise in a 100˚ oven for 25 min.
Hi Natasha! I want to try this recipe for Christmas this year. I live at 6600 feet – do I need to adjust for altitude and if so, what would you recommend? thank you.
Hi Valerie, I don’t have experience with high-altitude baking but you can find more tips on High Altitude Baking HERE.
Hello!
When it says “rise in a 100 degree oven,” do we turn the oven off once we reach 100 degrees or keep it on for the entire time? I’m making these tomorrow and wouldn’t want to mess anything up!
Thank you!
Hi Angel! Preheat the oven to 100˚ and then let it rise in there for 25mins with the oven on. I hope you love this recipe!
Hi Natasha, Can I just use my proofing setting on my oven? Thank you.
Hi Valerie, yes, Preheat the oven to 100˚ and then let it rise in there for 25mins with the oven on. I hope you love this recipe!
Would it be okay to make these two days in advance (make Friday and bake Sunday) and store in the fridge before baking? Or could they be frozen before baking?
Hi Andrea! I haven’t tried freezing these, but I think it could work to freeze them fully assembled, then thaw and bake them. If time permits, I would thaw in the fridge overnight then follow the instructions in the post above: “Remove from refrigerator and keeping them covered, let cinnamon rolls rise at room temp 1 to 1 1/2 hours (or in a 100˚F oven for 35 min) or until puffy.” I hope that helps
Hi Natasha, I was wondering in the instructions where it states sprinkle yeast and let sit for 7 minutes. Does it need to be stirred before it sits for 7 minutes. Thanks.
Hi Joyce, you don’t need to stir it, but if you notice its not all touching water or dissolving, you can give it an initial soft stir.
I made your cinnamon buns last night and they were so good. I will continue with this recipe. There are a lot of your recipes I make.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Doreen!
How would these work with disposable tins? Going to prepare these at a family member’s house over Christmas.
Hi Julia, I haven’t tested it with disposable foil to advice, but it may work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Is there a way to freeze the rolls in the pan to bake later?
Hi Sharon! I haven’t tried freezing these, but I think it could work to freeze them fully assembled, then thaw and bake them. If time permits, I would thaw in the fridge overnight then follow the instructions in the post above: “Remove from refrigerator and keeping them covered, let cinnamon rolls rise at room temp 1 to 1 1/2 hours (or in a 100˚F oven for 35 min) or until puffy.” I hope that helps
Hi Natasha – I made these yesterday to plan for Christmas and they did not rise. The yeast I used was a brand new package and I followed the directions. Any suggestions??? What is the “temp” for “warm ” milk. Google said 139-149 degrees. Was that too hot and is that why my rolls were a failure. Thanks for your reply.
HI Carol, That is a bummer and that is too hot for yeast – I’m sorry you had that experience, but I hope you give it another try. You should not use something hotter than about 115˚F for warm liquids when mixing with yeast, otherwise it can deactivate your yeast. That same goes for the proofing temperature – make sure it’s not above 110 (I like to keep it around 100˚F if possible). Lastly, make sure your room is also not too cold which will hinder and slow down the rising. I hope that helps.
I will absolutely try it again – thanks so much. I want to try it before we head to VA for Christmas and will make them for our family Christmas morning breakfast. I tried to set my oven at 100 degrees and it defaults to 170 so too hot for the proofing part.
How about you warm your oven then let the temp lower and check it to make sure it’s not over 100, then proof your buns once it’s lowered. Hope that helps, that’s what I do. An oven thermometer is awesome!
Hi Natasha! I’m making this recipe for the first time for Thanksgiving. We need to drive 2.5 hours to get to my aunts house who’s hosting. I was considering baking this when we get there and having it proof in the car so they are warm and fresh. But felt that might be too much proofing. Should i just bake before leaving the house? Will they stay as good? TY in advance!
Hi Kayleigh, I haven’t tried leaving it out for 2.5 hours to advise. I do worry about over-proofing. One of my readers mentioned she couldn’t get to hers for about 3 hours, and her recipe did not turn out. I wish I could be more helpful.
Can you make the icing ahead of time ? If so, where do you store it ?
Hi Lizbeth, I usually just make them overnight, just be sure to keep it refrigerated until ready to do the final proof and baking 🙂
Made these as I wanted an overnight version and turned out great. I used proportional amount of fresh yeast cake and rose nicely. I also added some leftover salted caramel sauce on top of the buttered dough before sprinkling cinnamon sugar mix on and was just fine. Would definitely make again. Thank you.
You’re welcome, Lois. I’m glad to know that you liked the results!
Love your cinnamon rolls… Do you have a pumpkin cinnamon roll recipe?
Hi Kris! Glad to hear that. I do not but you may enjoy this pull-apart pumpkin bread recipe.
Hi Natasha,
I want to try this recipe.
But i don’t have a mixer, can i make the dough by hands ?
The cinnamon rolls can be made by hand – it is just a little more labor-intensive and messy but absolutely can be done without a mixer. Make sure you check out our “Easy Cinnamon Rolls” Where I knead the dough by hand.
Perfect ! Thanks Natasha, and will definitely check out ‘Easy Cinnamon Rolls’
You’re welcome!
Hi Natasha I love your baking tequine. The Banna Bread, Carrot Cake Cupcakes, and your overnight cinnamon rolls are my favorites. I love you so much!
I can feel the love! Thank you for your support and I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try.
It’s really a question. Can I make the dough and freeze them before baking? If yes, can you give instructions.
Hi Liz, I haven’t tried freezing these, but I think it could work to freeze them fully assembled, then thaw and bake. If time permits, I would thaw in the fridge overnight then follow the instructions in the post above: “Remove from refrigerator and keeping them covered, let cinnamon rolls rise at room temp 1 to 1 1/2 hours (or in a 100˚F oven for 35 min) or until puffy.” I hope that helps.
I made this exactly as written with NO changes. I questioned the method but with so many great reviews I followed it. Yeast was new and good which showed in the 1st proof. I’m not new to making cinnamon rolls but this recipe was not what i was looking for. Rolls are small even though I got exactly 12. The amount of work with 2 separate mixing is my largest complaint plus adding in flour 1 T at a time – the amount of flour was inadequate. In my opinion this was unnecessarily labor intensive. With so many easier roll recipes I won’t be using this one (will return to my old faithful) Sorry to give this a negative review but good that others liked it. Lot of work to end up disappointed.
Hi Lou, I’m sorry ot hear that they didn’t work as you expected. If the cinnamon rolls did not look the same for you as in the photos, I would highly recommend watching our video on making cinnamon rolls to see where things may have gone wrong. Also, check out our article on how to measure ingredients for baking. We keep to the standard measuring techniques for our recipes to ensure consistent results. I hope that helps!
Hi Natasha, I love all your recipes and REALLY appreciate the videos.
Just 2 questions:
1. can I use bread dough?
2. Instead of dividing into 12 buns could I divide the recipe into smaller (mini buns – like maybe 18) and if so would the bake time remain the same?
Hi Clori, I haven’t tried this with bread dough to advise on the outcome. If dividing into 18, you will likely require less bake time since the rolls will be smaller. I would lessen the time but watch it closer to the end to ensure it’s not over or underbaked.
So when you have the dough to rise at 100 degree in the oven and immediately put a butter mixture on it the butter will melt.
Didn’t even consider it because I was following the recipe so thoroughly. Do add a note about that as I just washed my entire afternoon ruining perfectly good ingredients with not great instructions.
Hi Philip, are you referring to spreading on the softened butter? The butter should not melt at that point and I haven’t had that happen only because by the time you roll out the dough with a rolling pin over a room temperature work surface, the dough will cool sufficiently. Also, it’s perfectly ok if the butter does melt a little bit. Some people even put melted butter over the top but I like softened because it’s easier to work with. If the butter does melt, it doesn’t not mean that the cinnamon rolls are ruined. I hope you kept going with the recipe.
How will the dough rise if the plastic wrap is tightly covering the dough?
Hi Sandra, you’ll notice in the photos of step 3 that there is still room for the dough to rise in the bowl.
I’ve made cinnamon rolls using several recipes and this one was by far the clearest and reliable. I made them and stuck them in the fridge overnight, and the next morning followed the directions to let them rise to room temp, then bake. Turned out great. The dough was perfect texture for rolling and turned out nice and fluffy cinnamon rolls in the end.
Thank you for an excellent review, Jonathan. So glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Quick question:
Do I leave the Saran Wrap on the pan if I’m going to heat the refrigerated rolls at 100
degrees for 35 mins?
Baking in the morning! Thanks!
Hi Lisa, yes, see recipe notes in step #6.
Hi, these look great! I dont have a kitchen aid mixer, only a hand mixer. Am I able to do this without the stand mixer and the dough attachment?
Hi Ann, yes you can mix and knead by hand. A stand mixer is a time saving tool and just makes the process easier.
These came out great. A few questions for next time. I made a double batch overnight. Is it possible to over proof? Mine tasted a bit “fermenty” if that’s possible. Also they were a little dense. I was thinking of laminating the dough rather than just rolling it out. That way the dough should be more flaky. Anyone ever tried this?
Hi Julio, it is definitely possible to overproof. Overproofing exhausts your yeast and makes the cinnamon rolls end up dry.
These were perfect! We used cashew milk and did a simple powdered sugar glaze and they were still decadently gooey and sweet. Definitely time consuming which is why we make scratch rolls 1x a year and these were a perfect choice!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them AS! They’re definitely a treat!
As a German, it is always a pain to convert all of these measurement units. But this looks like it will be well worth it, can’t wait to try the recipe.
I hope you love this recipe! Also, if you scroll down to our printable recipe card, most of our recipes have a metric conversion option on the printable recipe card. We are currently working on adding metric measurements to all of our recipes, but it is taking some time to add them one at a time. Thank you so much for being patient! In the meantime, check out our post on measuring which should help.
Oh, I did not see that! Thanks for making me aware and SO much thanks for putting in the effort. Makes this really easy for me. I will let you know how it turned out, once I tried the recipe.
You’re welcome!
I finally baked them a few weeks ago and they were unbelievable delicious. I was not aware, that yeast dough can be THIS! Thanks a lot for the recipe.
You’re welcome, I’m glad you enjoyed the cinnamon rolls!
If possible, get a set of “American” measuring spoons and cups then you won’t have to do the metric conversions. I finally got a metric scale so I would not have to do conversions from “American” to metric.
These are so delicious! Just made them for the first time.
Very easy recipe to follow and love the pictures to help guide. Awesome that we can prep night before and bake next morning. Dough prep was spot on and so easy. Roll have a perfect balance of cinnamon and sugar filling.
Hi Doug, thanks for the fantastic feedback! I”m so happy to hear that you loved this recipe.
Getting ready to make these but was wondering if you could add pecans and raisins? if so does any ingredient amounts need to be changed?
Hi Sue, One of my readers mentioned she does this: “I do add chopped pecans on top of the sugar cinnamon mixture”. I haven’t tested that with raisins or pecans to advise on any changes, however. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Getting ready to make these but was wondering if you could add pecans and raisins? if so does any ingredient amounts need to be changed?
Hello Susan, one of my readers mentioned she does this: “I do add chopped pecans on top of the sugar-cinnamon mixture”. I haven’t tested that with raisins or pecans to advise on any changes, however. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
I made these last week for the first time and they were amazing. I followed the recipe exactly and they turned out great. Question – can you leave the second proof longer than 2 hours? Thanks!
Hi Lindsay, that should be fine, but I would keep it at room temperature for the first proof rather than putting it into a warm oven. It will slow down the process to ensure you don’t overproof and exhaust your yeast.
Hi Natasha,
I made these for my husband & his large family & they were gone by the end of the day, so they wanted me to make another batch. These are the best cinnamon rolls I have ever had. & everyone else said the same thing. I do have a quick question. Do you have to leave them in the fridge overnight? Or once they are rolled out can I just leave them out for the hour & then bake them? Currently have the dough rising for the two hours.
Hi Katie, the overnight instructions are optional, You can bake after letting them puff up at room temperature.
These were delicious! I made a few edits, like shaping them into heart shapes (for Valentines Day), using a different icing recipe (I didn’t have cream cheese) and adding a bit of brown sugar into the filling so it got nice and caramelized. Thanks for such a delicious recipe!
That’s a great idea! Thank you for sharing. I am happy you enjoyed this recipe. They sound lovely.
Why do the overnight cinnamon rolls require less active yeast than your other cinnamon roll recipe you cook the same day?
Hi, They are 2 different types of yeast.
Made these this morning. Turned out well. Needed about 3 times the amount of filling.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi and thanks for the recipe. When leaving the unbaked cinnamon rolls in the fridge overnight the sugar melts and becomes syrupy. The sugar syrup forms a layer in the bottom of the dish. Is this normal or should I do something differntly.
Hi Natasha, it should not melt unless you put it into too warm of an oven afterward to proof – then it tends to melt with the butter. It’s safer to let it proof at room temperature.
This recipe is delicious! I followed it exactly and my cinnamon rolls were perfect. I have been on the hunt for a recipe I can make in advance. Thanks for sharing.
BTW I used the Rapid Rise Yeast, kinda accidentally & it worked just fine.
You’re welcome! Oh that nice to know, I’m glad that worked well too.
I love to cook, but don’t consider myself a “baker.” I don’t have a lot of confidence in that department and have had my share of duds. However, I followed your recipe exactly and these were the best cinnamon rolls I have ever had! I recently discovered your site and everything I’ve made has been outstanding. Thank you, Natasha!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Lynette!
Great recipe aside from the vanilla. 1/2 tbsp is too much and you get the alcohol flavour and it curdles the cream cheese.
I usually have a go-to icing but figured I’d do the whole recipe start to finish.
Hi Kay, I’ve never had this frosting curdle from vanilla and I use homemade vanilla extract. Did you possibly uses cream cheese that wasn’t softened properly or did you use a different product to substitute?
What’s the longest time for the first proof? If I have to go do something… Is longer than two hours ok?
Hi Steph, that should be fine, but I would keep it at room temperature for the first proof rather than putting it into a warm oven. It will slow down the process to ensure you don’t overproof and exhaust your yeast.
The BEST! I made the milk and yeast mixture ( I only had instant), mixed in the flour and sugar, let it rise, then put everything into my bread machine and let it do the work. I did have to add about 3 T flour, but they turned out wonderfully for Christmas breakfast. Thanks and hope you had a wonderful celebration.
Hello Darlene, great to hear that the recipe was a success! I’m also glad you loved it, thank you for sharing that with us.
Do I mix the yeast into the warm milk or just sprinkle and let it sit for 7 minutes?
Hi Jen, you can just sprinkle it on. It will disperse over the surface and that is sufficient.
I found your recipe a few years ago and love making them every Christmas. They come out perfect every time. Thank you!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Can you use this recipe in a bread machine? Any modifications?
Hi Danielle, several of our readers have reported excellent results using a brad machine! I hope you love this recipe!
I have a kitchen tip. Use a heating pad covered with a towel and place your dough bucket or your tray (for second rise). It provides the gentlest of heat to encourage a quick even rise.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I love this tip! My kitchen is chilly in the morning. Nobody uses the heating pad in my house, so it will have a new home nearer the kitchen. Thanks!
What do you do with the extra 1 tablespoon of melted butter when making the dough?
Hi Cathy, 1 Tbsp is for the for batter and 1 Tbsp to grease the pans.
Two questions:
(1) Just to be 100% certain, we are using LESS than 1 standard package of Active Dry Yeast? It calls for 1/2 Tbsp (1 1/2 tsp) – correct?
(2) I weigh my flour when baking, so the 3 cups “fluffed” is how many grams?
As always, love your recipes and am looking forward to baking these for Christmas morning!
Hi Linda, we used 1/2 Tbsp active dry yeast. If you scroll down to our printable recipe card, most of our recipes have a metric conversion option on the printable recipe card. We are currently working on adding metric measurements to all of our recipes, but it is taking some time to add them one at a time. Thank you so much for being patient! In the meantime, check out our post on measuring which should help.
Thank you so much! I am sure adding metric measures is a task and every flour weighs differently. Thank you for your awesome recipes and excellent instructions. Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Thank you and I hope you have a great holiday season as well!
I’ve made these before and they were absolutely perfect. My question is, how far in advance can I make them if I keep them refrigerated? My husband and I are driving 8+ hours to his parents house on Christmas Eve. I was hoping to make them on the 23rd and then bake them Christmas morning. Would that work?
Hi Erin, I usually just make them overnight but I think it would work a couple of days ahead, just be sure to keep it refrigerated until ready to do the final proof and baking 🙂
This is not easy. I promise I followed the recipe, and have adding flour and mixing for what feels like an eternity. I finally just quit and pray it works in two hours because I have to go to sleep at some point. I have a feeling it is just going to end up making a loud thud in my trash can and I will just buy some donuts.
Hi Cindy, Can you explain exactly what is going on with the dough and I will do my best to help troubleshoot.
I was wondering if I can use Red Star instant yeast Quick Rise instead of the active dry yeast?
Hi Jessica, I haven’t tried this particular recipe with instant yeast, but I think it would still work. You don’t have to wait for the initial proofing with liquid with instant yeast. If you test it with instant yeast, let me know how it goes!
Hi Natasha! I don’t have a stand mixer with a dough attachment. Will a hand mixer work for this?
Thanks for your help!
Hello Joy, yes that will work. I hope you’ll enjoy this recipe!
❤ Hi Natasha! This was my first time baking cinnamon rolls and they were very delicious. 😋 I loved the step-by-step instructions. My husband took some to work and they were a hit! Thank you so much for your sharing your love of baking. 🥰
I’m so glad to hear the steps were helpful! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Myriah!
If your oven does not go down to 100F, turn on the oven light while making the dough (and if not refrigerating the rolls, leave it on until they are puffy and ready to bake). It will be surprisingly warm to proof your yeast dough.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Rheta!
These were great, except the 22-24 minute bake time turned out to be too long for mine :/ still tasted good, but drier than I like.
Hi Gabby, some ovens run hotter than others. You may need to reduce the bake time in yours.
Made them and family loved them. Can I freeze this dough?
Never mind, scrolled down and saw your reply to this same question, previously. 🤦♀️
Glad to hear that, Martha. To be honest, I haven’t tried freezing these, but I think it could work to freeze then thaw and bake. If time permits, I would thaw in the fridge overnight then follow the instructions in the post above: “Remove from refrigerator and keeping them covered, let cinnamon rolls rise at room temp 1 to 1 1/2 hours (or in a 100˚F oven for 35 min) or until puffy.”
Hi Martha, I haven’t tried freezing it, but it should work to freeze rather than refrigerate then thaw in the fridge overnight and continue with the recipe as directed.
Wow I rarely find a recipe that is as perfectly descriptive and delicious as this! Best cinnamon rolls I have ever had in my life!
That’s awesome feedback, thanks a lot!
We buy cinnamon rolls from our local grocery store’s bakery section for our kids every week. Since the kids literally eat them every single week for years, I guess I should finally get brave and try to make them myself. My question is, how many days after they are baked will they be good for? Would they need to be eaten within just a day or two? I apologize if you’ve already addressed this somewhere and I missed it. (BTW, your pizza dough recipe is currently in our refrigerator and we’re fixing it for supper tonight. We can’t wait!) Thank you!
Hi Jodi! I’m so glad you’re giving these a try! Once they’re made, I would keep them refrigerated for a couple of days, and I haven’t tried keeping them for longer than that – they simply don’t last. I hope you all love these cinnamon rolls!
This is a followup to review I wrote yesterday, stating this was the first time making. I followed the reipe exactly, but cut it in half and substituted almond milk. I baked them in an 8 inch round pan.They are fantastic and the dough was so light and easy to work with-this coming from a inexperienced yeast user. Since I live alone, my neighbor suggested that I freeze each roll individually and freeze the frosting separately rather than put on the rolls. That way when I warm them up the frosting will not all soak into the roll. I have alreaady eaten too while they were still warm and they taste delicious, sweet, but not overly sweet. I am going to use my neihbors suggestion about freezing, otherwise I will eat the remaining four before the day ends-lol. If in doubt, please try this recipe. I don’t think you will be disappointed.
Hello Denise, thank you for updating us and sharing your experience making this recipe. I’m glad you liked it and we appreciate your review and feedback!
Today is a stormy day so I decided what a great time to make these cinnamon rolls. I have never made cinnamon rolls beofre, but this recipe was so easy to follow and the pictures helped so much. I have the rolls in the refridgerator to bake first thing in the morning, but I may not be able to wait that long. ANd the idea to you the floss for cutting-great and it worked really well. Thanks for the recipe and the handy suggestions for those of us who are not experienced bakers using yeast.
I’m so glad that was helpful, Denise! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Hi Natasha,
I proof my oatmeal bread dough in my oven at 170 and it seems to work well. I’ve done it several times by heating the oven, then turning it off and putting in my bread. I remember wondering if it was too warm, but it seems to work.
Hannah, I have used King Arthur’s Measure For Measure Gluten Free Flour in place of regular flour. You just swap it out for the flour measurement in the recipe. I do brownies and cakes with this and they always turn out great.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Patricia!
Hi Natasha,
I’m making cinnamon rolls tomorrow for a party. Can I make the rolls today, and put them in the fridge for up to 20 hours, then bake them?
Hi Manal, Since this is an overnight recipe, I imagine that may work. Just be sure to keep it refrigerated until ready to do the final proof and baking.
This recipe is awesome! Love how you included the measurement in your instructions so I didn’t have to consistently scroll back up! My family really enjoyed the cinnamon rolls and I plan on making them again!
Hello there, thanks for sharing your good comments and review with us. I’m happy to know that you and your family enjoyed this recipe!
Thanks so much! Overnight recipe was fantastic as written.
Thank you for your good feedback, Igor!
Hi Natasha, can I freeze the overnight cinnamon rolls after they have raised in the refrigerator and bake at a later date? ty
Hi Lori, to be honest, I haven’t tried freezing these, but I think it could work to freeze then thaw and bake. If time permits, I would thaw in the fridge overnight then follow the instructions in the post above: “Remove from refrigerator and keeping them covered, let cinnamon rolls rise at room temp 1 to 1 1/2 hours (or in a 100˚F oven for 35 min) or until puffy.”
These came out wonderful. I have to say, your baking recipes always turn out very well. Your cream cheese pie crust is my go to recipe. This is another winner.
Thank you for your awesome review and feedback! I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try.
These certainly look relish. I’ve always spread butter, brown sugar and cinnamon on the dough before rolling up. Is there a reason you use white sugar or is it just a preference?
Hi Claudia, I’ve actually done it both ways, and it’s just a slight difference in color for the center. They both work great. I’ve used packed light brown sugar with great results! 🙂
I didn’t make these yet but must you refrigerate overnite, or 18 hrs. Or can you just make rise and bake?
I have a recipe for Easy Cinnamon Rolls that can be done faster. I think you can use that one instead.