Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
Soft, fluffy rolls you shape the night before and bake fresh in the morning, finished with cream cheese glaze.
Christmas morning at our house means these, in pajamas, before anyone is allowed to open anything.
All the work happens the night before, so in the morning you just turn on the oven and pour the coffee.
Breakfast & Brunch · Some practice
Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
Soft, fluffy rolls you shape the night before and bake fresh in the morning, finished with cream cheese glaze.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Rest
- 10 hr
- Total
- 11 hr 5 min
- Makes
- 12 rolls
Scaled from the original 12 rolls. Pan sizes and bake times may need a little nudge.
Ingredients
For the dough
For the filling
For the glaze
Method
Stir the warm milk, yeast and sugar together and let it sit until foamy.
Add the melted butter, eggs, flour and salt. Knead with the dough hook until smooth and a little tacky.
Cover and let it rise until doubled, about an hour and a half.
Roll it into a 16 by 12-inch rectangle. Spread with the soft butter, sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar, and roll it up tight from the long side.
Cut 12 rolls, set them in a buttered 9 by 13 pan, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning let the rolls sit out while the oven heats to 350°F.
Bake until golden. Beat the glaze together and spread it over the warm rolls.
Tip: tap a number to tick off a step. Timers keep running while you scroll.
Notes, tips & swaps
- Cut the rolls with unflavored dental floss for perfectly round edges.
- To bake same-day, skip the fridge and let the shaped rolls rise about 45 minutes.
Tools I used
Stand mixerWorth the counter space if you bake bread or cinnamon rolls more than twice a year.Shop at Target (opens in a new tab)
Big maple cutting boardBig enough to carve a chicken or roll out pie crust. Oil it once a month.Shop at Etsy (opens in a new tab)Some of these are affiliate links. If you buy through them I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. I only share things I actually use. More about this
