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Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
Soft, fluffy, buttery cinnamon rolls you can begin ahead of time. Save time in the morning and have everyone wake up to warm, fresh, cinnamon goodness!
Yield 12 large rolls
5

Reviews

Ingredients

Dough

  • 1 cup (240ml) whole milk (warmed to 100°F)
  • 2/3 cup (135g) granulated sugar, divided
  • 2 (0.25oz each) packages (14g) or 4 1/2 teaspoons Platinum Yeast
  • 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature and cut into 4 pieces
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt
  • 4 1/2 cups (558g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting/rolling
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, for coating pans (or use non-stick spray)

Filling

  • 6 tablespoons (90g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Icing

  • 2 ounces (about 1/4 cup or 56g) full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups (150g) confectioners' sugar
  • 3 tablespoons (45ml) heavy cream or milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Whisk the warm milk, 2 tablespoons sugar, and the yeast together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Cover and allow mixture to sit for about 5 minutes or until foamy on top. 
  • On medium speed, beat in the remaining sugar (which should be about 1/2 cup) and the softened butter until it is slightly broken up. Add the eggs and salt and beat on medium speed until combined. The butter won’t really be mixing into the mixture, so don’t be alarmed if it stays in pieces. Switch the mixer down to low speed and with it running, add 1 cup of flour at a time, making sure it’s fully incorporated before adding the next. After 4 cups have been added, add the last 1/2 cup and beat until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 3 minutes. Dough will be soft.
  • Keep the dough in the mixer and beat on low speed for an additional 3 minutes or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 3 minutes.
  • Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or use nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise in a relatively warm environment for 2 hours or until double in size.
  • Grease the bottom and sides of a metal or glass 9×13 inch baking dish or line with parchment paper.
  • Punch down the dough to release the air. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough into a 12×18 inch rectangle. Make sure the dough is smooth and evenly thick. If the dough keeps shrinking as you roll it out, stop what you’re doing, cover it lightly, and let it rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten. When you return to the dough, it should stretch out much easier.
  • Spread the softened butter all over the dough. The softer the butter is, the easier it is to spread in this step. (Microwave it for a few seconds to soften if needed.) In a small bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon together. Sprinkle evenly over the butter. Tightly roll up the dough to form an 18-inch-long log. If some filling spills out, sprinkle it on top of the roll. With an extra sharp knife, cut into 12 even rolls, about 1½ inches each. Arrange in the prepared baking pan.
  • Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. (Or use the overnight option below.)
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for about 25-28 minutes or until they are lightly browned on top. After about 15 minutes, tent a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the pan to prevent the tops from browning too quickly and baking unevenly. Remove pan from the oven and place pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes as you make the icing.
  • Make the icing: In a medium bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 1 minute. Spread the icing over the warm rolls and serve immediately.
  • Cover leftover frosted or unfrosted rolls tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

Make Ahead Instructions – Overnight: To prepare the night before serving, prepare the rolls through step 7. Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8-12 hours. (Do not exceed 16 hours.) The next morning, remove from the refrigerator and allow to rise on the counter for 1-2 hours before continuing with step 9.
Recipe by Sally’s Baking Addiction.
 

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Super soft and sweet cinnamon rolls flavored with fresh orange! These irresistible rolls are topped with orange icing and will have your kitchen smelling like a bakery. Using Red Star Platinum yeast, there is only 1 rise with this easy yeasted dough, so it’s a quicker cinnamon roll recipe!

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Review & Comments

Rita | Reply

5 stars
I have made these several times and have gotten rave reviews each time. My family loves them, and so do those friends who I share them with. A great treat and easy to make.

Mindy | Reply

3 stars
I hate to say this, but I was a little disappointed in this recipe….and I made them as a special treat for Christmas morning. There wasn’t nearly enough cinnamon in the filling – you could barely taste cinnamon, which is one of the reasons for making Cinnamon Rolls! The dough, however, was a dream to work with, and I greatly appreciated the overnight method. I probably won’t make this again unless I make adjustments. I have another cinnamon roll that beats this one by a mile.

Red Star Yeast | Reply

Hi Mindy – We’re glad you loved the dough in this recipe. You can certainly modify the filling to your liking, especially if you’re a cinnamon lover! 🙂
Happy baking!

Lisa | Reply

If I wrap them tightly how will they rise correctly? Ty

Red Star Yeast |

Hi Lisa – The rolls won’t rise above the pan. Use plastic wrap and be sure it’s pressed tightly around the pan to keep air out to prevent dough from drying out.
Happy baking!

Beth | Reply

May i ask what recipe you used that beat this by a mile?

Susan Sentman | Reply

5 stars
I’ve been making these cinnamon rolls for at least a year. Everyone who tastes them for the first time always offers the same comment, “…these cinnamon rolls are the BEST I have ever tasted!” I attribute this to the lighter-than-air, melt-in-your-mouth appeal everyone seems to experience! They really are THAT GOOD! I also attribute that goodness to the Red Star Platinum Yeast. It is far superior to any yeast I have used in the past. Now I’m planning to bake several batches of these rolls and freeze them so I will always have them available at short notice!

Fortune | Reply

5 stars
Got these in the fridge right now. Looking forward to breakfast tomorrow. 🙂 this recipe was pretty easy, even though I had to make some adjustments as I only had an instant type yeast on hand. — the real star, I must say, is the cream cheese icing ~OMG~ was extremely difficult to NOT eat it all before it made it to the rolls. Lol – seriously… Thank you!!

Elena González | Reply

Espectacularm?????☺️

Betty P | Reply

5 stars
I made these and my family thought they were great. I’ve also made them with strawberry jam in the middle for one son who loves strawberries.

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