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Cinnamon Rolls

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Homemade Cinnamon Rolls are started the night before making, so in the morning all you have to do is back them! An easy recipe that just requires a bit of patience. Once you have made cinnamon rolls from scratch you will not go back!

overnight cinnamon roll on a purple plate

These past 2 1/2 weeks have been mental! I took on the position of General Manager for two restaurants. Boy have I been busy! I absolutely love being organized and things are not at the restaurants- well they are getting there! Needless to say, the blog has been on the back burner :/ I always have a post scheduled but those posts all went out already. Oops! But today is Easter/My birthday so I decided to take some ME time and write a blog post! LOL

Tomorrow (well today when this post goes live) I will be visiting Glen Ivy Hot Springs for a fabulous spa day with all my best girlfriends! Except for kitty kat in NYC! 🙁 I will also be receiving a facial! WOO HOO!! And because I have serious baking issues I have decided to ask everyone over for breakfast before we head to the spa. I will be making bagel bombs and these babies! I love cinnamon rolls and this dough is honestly spectacular I LOVE IT!!!

 This sweet bread/roll was delicious. Seriously I found myself picking at the rolls before the cream cheeses frosting made its’s way on top. It is soft, chewy and sweet!

overnight cinnamon rolls in a ceramic dish

But then cream cheese frosting came along and gosh was I happy! So happy I dug right in and took this baby down.

overnight cinnamon roll cut open on a purple plate

I make these rolls the night before I want them. Because who really wants to spend all morning making cinnamon rolls? I sure as hell don’t. I want to wake up and have them before my stomach starts eating away, yelling at me not for feeding it!

LOL, You can even make the cream cheese frosting the night before to make it even easier.

Making yeast rolls is not hard at all! If anything, it is just time-consuming waiting for the yeast to do its magic. This dough also has milk powder in it-which I LOVE! I picked up a bag of dry milk in the baking aisle at Target.

I hope you give this a try and fall in love with these babies like I have!

overnight cinnamon roll on a purple plate next to the ceramic dish the rolls were baked in

Tips and Tricks

  • Working with live yeast can be tricky but if you follow directions you are golden. One necessary part is to add the right temperature of water to activate your Yeast, generally around 100F-125F. Check the directions on the Yeast you are using for the exact temperature.
  • I highly suggest investing in an instant-read thermometer. I get SOOO much use out of my Thermapen Mk4 (affiliate link). From cooking filet mignon, tempering chocolate, roast turkey, making caramel and more! 
  • Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature, if it is too cold you will not have a smooth cream frosting. To speed the room temp process I suggest cutting your block of cream cheese into small chunks and setting them on a plate for 30 ish minutes. You want to be able to easily push the cream cheese in.

Please let me know if you make these Overnight Cinnamon Rolls by leaving a rating and review below!

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overnight cinnamon roll on a purple plate

Cinnamon Rolls

  • Author: Elizabeth I Confessions of a Baking Queen
  • Prep Time: 20 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 Minutes
  • Total Time: 2 Hours 20 Minutes
  • Yield: 12 Cinnamon Rolls 1x
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: baking
  • Cuisine: american
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Description

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls are started the night before making, so in the morning all you have to do is back them! An easy recipe that just requires a bit of patience. Once you have made cinnamon rolls from scratch you will not go back!

Scale

Ingredients

Cinnamon Rolls

  • 1 package instant dry yeast
  • 1 cup + 2 tbsp warm water (110F-115F)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp butter, melted
  • 4 1/2 tsp nonfat dry milk powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 – 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar packed
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup butter ( 1/2 stick)
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp heavy cream
  • 2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Cinnamon Rolls

  1. In the bowl of an electric mixer dissolve yeast in warm water**. Add sugar, butter, milk powder, salt and two cups of flour. Mix until smooth. Slowly add in remaining flour to form a soft (not super sticky) dough. If using a dough hook, switch out the mixer hook and knead for 5-6 minutes in the electric mixer. I take the dough out of the mixer every minute or so and knead by hand. If not using a dough hook put the dough on a floured work surface and knead for 5-6 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 200F and then turn the oven OFF. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough inside. Place a clean kitchen towel on top of the bowl and place bowl in warm but not turned on the oven.
  3. Check dough after an hour it should have doubled in size, punch down. And place on a floured work surface. roll dough into a 16inchX 12inch rectangle. Grease a 9×13 baking pan and set aside. Brush the dough with 2 tbsp melted butter. In a small bowl mix together brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle sugar mixture on top of the dough and slice the 6 tbsp butter thinly and layer on top of sugar. Roll the dough tightly and cut with sharp knife into 12 pieces. Place rolls into prepared pan, cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge overnight or let rise until doubled in size (30 ish minutes) and bake.
  4. When you wake up take cinnamon rolls out of the fridge and set on the counter to rise/thaw for 45 ish minutes. Preheat oven to 350F and bake for 25-30 minutes. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before putting cream cheese frosting on.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. While baking beat cream cheese for 2 minutes in a large bowl. Add butter and beat for another 2 minutes. Pour in vanilla extract, heavy cream, and powdered sugar. Beat all together for 4 minutes. Slather on top of cinnamon rolls.

Notes

  • **I highly suggest investing in an instant-read thermometer. I get SOOO much use out of my Thermapen Mk4, and you do not want to risk burning your yeast or using too cold of water and not activating it properly. 
  • Total time includes rise time unless you prep the night before then add 8 hours
  • Dough recipe: Taste of Home Baking Cookbook

Keywords: overnight cinnamon rolls recipe, easy cinnamon rolls, from scratch cinnamon roll recipe

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Let’s just pretend I am giving you a bite of this glorious roll of dough slathered in butter, sugar, cinnamon and cream cheese frosting.

BTW I really wish I could share with you.. because they are to die!!

BYOB-words-only

These cinnamon rolls are shared at Roxana’s Blog Party- Bake Your Own Bread 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Beth @ The First Year Blog says

    Can you e-mail me one?! I have a gluten allergy.. so I cant even remember the last time I had a cinnamon roll. I am pinning for sure!
    I am stopping by from In and Out of the Kitchen link party!
    Beth @ The First Year Blog

    Reply

  2. Gloria @ Simply Gloria says

    Happy Birthday, Elizabeth! Hope you had fun today at the spa! Love the last shot … (Cinnamon are my fav, especially outta the oven!)

    Reply

  5. Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says

    Happy birthday!! And congrats on the new position. These cinnamon rolls look heavenly!

    Reply

  7. Cynthia L says

    Happy very belated Birthday. I hope things have calmed down for you! I am so glad you shared the cinnamon roll recipe at the In and Out of the Kitchen link party! I look forward to seeing what you bring to the party next week!

    Cynthia at http://FeedingBig.com

    Reply

  8. Liz says

    Whoa, these look fantastic! My family is so excited when I make cinnamon rolls, so I’m delighted to have a new recipe to try! Have a blast with your friends!!!

    Reply

  10. Averie @ Averie Cooks says

    Wow they look SO GOOD! I want to just pluck one right off the screen! And that frosting, yes! Nice Anthro plate. I love that one. It photographs beautifully. I wish they made it in more colors!

    Reply

  11. Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel says

    Eek, hope you had a fantabulous birthday, Elizabeth! I always requested cinnamon rolls on the morning of my birthday .. there’s something so dessert-like and decadent about them. I’m only *slightly* obsessed 🙂 also, can we PLEASE go Anthro shopping together? LOVE THE PLATE.

    Reply

  12. Ashley says

    Cinnamon rolls have been on my baking bucket list forever! I really need to make them …. these look just so delicious! And happy belated birthday!

    Reply

  14. Jocelyn @BruCrew Life says

    I could definitely fall in love with cinnamon rolls when they look that yummy!!! I seriously need some more in my life!!!

    Reply

  15. Roxana | Roxana's Home Baking says

    happy belated birthday and congratulations on the job!
    Now I want one of these cinnamon rolls!

    Reply

  17. Krista @ joyfulhealthyeats says

    Wow! That one shot of the icing melting over the cinnamon rolls?!? Really… These look AMAZING Elizabeth… I could so eat these right now or maybe in the morning, I’m not sure yet. But I need to have them. Thanks for the great recipe. 🙂 Hope you enjoyed your facial!

    Reply

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