Get the Recipe:
Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
Soft, fluffy overnight cinnamon rolls filled with buttery brown sugar and cinnamon and topped with cream cheese frosting. Prepare them the day before, refrigerate overnight, and bake them the next morning for an easy homemade breakfast treat.
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast, one packet
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 to 4 ½ cups (480 to 540 g) all-purpose flour
For the filling:
- ¾ cup (150 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- pinch salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened (very soft)
For the frosting:
- 4 ounces (113 g) cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups (165 g) confectioners’ sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) milk or cream, if needed
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Instructions
To make the dough:
- Warm the milk until warm but not hot (about 100-110°F/38-43°C).
- Combine the milk, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the eggs, melted butter, salt, and 4 cups (480g) flour.
- Using the dough hook, mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms. Increase the speed to medium-low and knead for 5 to 7 minutes, adding more flour a tablespoon at a time if needed. The dough should be soft, smooth, and slightly tacky but shouldn't stick heavily to the the bowl or your hands.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until roughly doubled in size.
Alternatively, stir the dough together with a spoon and knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for about 8 minutes.
To fill and shape:
- Grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
- Stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, and salt. Set aside.
- Gently deflate the dough and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Roll into a rectangle about 14x18 inches.
- Spread the softened butter over the dough. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the butter.
- With a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough crosswise into 9 strips, each about 2 inches wide. Roll up each strip and arrange the rolls in the prepared pan.
- Cover the pan tightly and refrigerate overnight (about 8 to 18 hours).
To bake:
- Remove the rolls from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. They should look nicely risen and puffy. If they haven't risen much overnight, give them a little more time.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown and the centers are baked through. If the rolls are browning too quickly, loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil.
To make the frosting:
- While the rolls cool slightly, beat the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar and mix until combined. Mix in the vanilla. Add milk or cream, a little at a time, if needed to make a soft, spreadable consistency.
- Spread the frosting over the warm rolls. Serve warm.
Notes
- Flour: Start with 4 cups (480g) of flour and add more only as needed. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky, not dry or stiff.
- Shaping: If you prefer the traditional method, roll the filled dough into a log from a long side and cut it into 9 equal pieces with a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss.
- Overnight rise: The rolls will continue to rise slowly in the refrigerator. They should look nicely expanded the next morning. If they aren't yet puffy after 30 minutes at room temperature, give them a little more time before baking.
- Freezing: Baked rolls freeze well, either frosted or unfrosted. The frosting may lose a little of its smooth appearance after freezing and thawing, but the flavor and texture are still very good.
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