The Best Make~Ahead Cinnamon Roll Recipe EVER! (2024)

Table of Contents
Ingredients: Directions: FAQs

By Christy 26 Comments

This Post Contains Affiliate Links

The Best Make~Ahead Cinnamon Roll Recipe EVER! (1)

It’s December 26th, and there’s a good chance you’ve exceeded your maximum caloric intake for the day/week/month/year already. BUT, don’t we get to feast until the New Year and then start our diets?!

This is the best cinnamon roll recipe EVER, and I have made quite a few, including my grandmother’s (delicious) and Pioneer Woman’s (also yummy). There are a couple of reasons I like this one so much. First, the dough gets mixed in a bread machine. While I make lots of bread from scratch, sometimes it’s nice to be able to dump the ingredients in the bread machine and do something else while it does the work. Yes, you can mix the dough by hand if you don’t have a bread machine. Second, you can make the rolls the day before, cover the pan and let them rise in the fridge overnight. Then bake and frost the next morning (I also make the frosting the day before) and enjoy. Third, they are slap-your-momma good. Seriously! Why not try them for your New Years’ Day breakfast? That way, if your head aches from too much champagne, all the work is already done for you.

Our posts contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on these links, we will earn a small commission, which helps to keep our content free. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise, since that would be tacky!

I claim no credit for this recipe. I found it on my favorite recipe site, AllRecipes.com, where it has 4,916 reviews and a five-star rating. That means there are over 314 million people in the US alone who don’t know about this recipe! And what about the rest of the world?! Out of the goodness of my heart, here it is:

Clone of a Cinnabon by Marsha Fernandez(click to go to original recipe)

IngredientsThe Best Make~Ahead Cinnamon Roll Recipe EVER! (2):

Dough:

  • 1 cupwarm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 1/3 cupmargarine, melted
  • 4 1/2 cupsbread flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 2-1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Filling:

  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2-1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon (you can use the fancy kind if you want, but it’s great with the plain old grocery store brand)
  • chopped pecans, if desired (because they make my husband happy)
  • 1/3 cup butter, softened

Frosting:

  • 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

  1. Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press Start. (I use this bread machine and love it, if you’re in the market for one.)
  2. After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.
  3. Roll dough into a 16×21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. (Christy’s note: add chopped pecans if you’d like. My kids prefer not to have nuts, so I do half and half). Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9×13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). (Christy’s note: This is where I cover them and put them in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, I take them out and let them come to room temperature and rise for up to two hours, and then I bake them).
  4. Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract and salt. (Christy’s note: I make the frosting the day before, too, and store it in the fridge. Pull it out when you take the rolls out to rise the next morning). Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

I bake these a little longer than 15 minutes, sometimes up to 18-20 minutes. I try to find the balance between letting the tops get too brown and having the uncooked doughy center (I hate that!). These are SO delicious, and I usually serve them with fresh strawberries or pineapple. You can thank me later!

The Best Make~Ahead Cinnamon Roll Recipe EVER! (3)

Thanks for stopping by!

The Best Make~Ahead Cinnamon Roll Recipe EVER! (5)The Best Make~Ahead Cinnamon Roll Recipe EVER! (6)The Best Make~Ahead Cinnamon Roll Recipe EVER! (7)The Best Make~Ahead Cinnamon Roll Recipe EVER! (8)The Best Make~Ahead Cinnamon Roll Recipe EVER! (9)

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE THESE POSTS... :

Gift Ideas for the Men in Your Life (Dads, Bo...

Holiday Decor Decorating + Our Favorite Chris...

Bourbon Bacon Salt Printable Tags

The Best Make~Ahead Cinnamon Roll Recipe EVER! (2024)

FAQs

Can I refrigerate homemade cinnamon rolls before baking? ›

Cover the rolls tightly and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. (16 hours max. 8–12 hours is best, but 16 hours is OK if absolutely needed. 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.

What is the secret ingredient in Cinnabon? ›

Cinnabon's Secret Ingredient

This special Indonesian cinnamon, called Makara, is trademarked by Cinnabon. And because of that trademark, you won't find this product in your local grocery store spice aisle.

Can you leave unbaked cinnamon rolls in the fridge overnight? ›

You can refrigerate the rolls for up to 12 hours, but try not to go any longer. The rolls are still prone to over-proofing if left in the fridge too long; and the cinnamon-sugar filling can melt and make the bottoms of the rolls syrupy and damp if left unbaked for too long.

Is it better to freeze cinnamon rolls before or after baking? ›

The decision to freeze cinnamon rolls before or after baking depends on your schedule and preference. Freezing the unbaked rolls keeps the dough fresh and ready to rise, perfect for that fresh-baked aroma on busy mornings. This gives the best results for enjoying fresh cinnamon rolls in a time crunch.

How long can I leave cinnamon rolls in fridge before baking? ›

They can stay in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours (the longer they are refrigerated, the more the filling might liquify and seep out of the rolls – that may happen to a minor extent anyway, so don't panic).

Where do you store unbaked cinnamon rolls? ›

Otherwise, if you're storing unbaked or already baked cinnamon rolls, you have several options, and I'll walk you through each one. If you want to store unbaked cinnamon rolls, you can choose to store them in the fridge (overnight) or the freezer for up to a month.

What is the most unhealthy Cinnabon? ›

Cinnabon Caramel Pecanbon

That honor is reserved for the Caramel Pecanbon. The Caramel Pecanbon contains a whopping 1,080 calories, 51 grams of fat and 146 grams of carbs, only 3 of which are fiber (15). What's more, 75 of those 146 grams of carbs come from added sugars.

What is the difference between a cinnamon roll and cinnamon bun? ›

Structurally, cinnamon buns share the same spiral shape. They are sometimes thinner and more delicate. The most significant difference between cinnamon rolls and cinnamon buns is the inclusion of nuts. Cinnamon buns often have pecans, walnuts, or even raisins in the filling.

What happens if you overproof cinnamon rolls? ›

If you let your cinnamon rolls rise for too long you can over-proof them. This can lead to dense rolls or rolls that collapse after baking.

How do you store unbaked cinnamon rolls overnight? ›

If you want to make cinnamon rolls the night before, roll and cut them, then tightly cover the cinnamon rolls with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Can I refrigerate cinnamon roll dough after first rise? ›

Most bread recipes have two rises, a first rise (also called bulk fermentation), and a second or final rise. You can chill your dough during either the first or second rise. Your yeast won't give you much love if it's asked to do both rises in the fridge, so it's best to do one or the other at room temperature.

Should the cinnamon rolls touch or be kept apart while baking? ›

Not giving your cinnamon rolls enough space in the oven

Cinnamon rolls are notably very elastic and stretchy. As the dough bakes, it will expand and cover more space than you'd think. If you want perfectly-cooked cinnamon rolls, you need to give enough space for the rolls to expand during baking.

Why can't i freeze cinnamon rolls? ›

* You can freeze the rolls, baked but unfrosted. Later, you can thaw them out, warm them for just a few minutes in the oven, and ice them while warm. * OR you can freeze the rolls completely iced and finished. Just allow them to cool, then cover with plastic wrap and foil.

Do you put icing on cinnamon rolls right after baking? ›

Here's what you do: Using whatever frosting or icing your rolls call for (cream cheese, all butter, even the sleeve of icing from the canned variety), coat the rolls once when they are hot from the oven. The icing will melt into all the nooks and crannies.

Can you put homemade cinnamon rolls in the fridge? ›

Cinnamon rolls have a great shelf live. They stay good at room-temperature for up to 2 days, in the fridge for up to a week, and in the freezer for up to 2 months if stored properly. What is this? Store them in an airtight container or wrap them tightly with plastic wrap.

Will dough rise in the fridge? ›

Your dough will rise in the fridge and it can be a huge help as it makes bread making easy to fit into your day. When you put your dough in the fridge it slows the yeast activity down. It takes ten times longer for dough to rise in the fridge than it does at room temperature.

Can you refrigerate sweet dough? ›

This easy sweet dough can be used to make recipes like cinnamon rolls, caramel rolls, and cinnamon buns. No kneading required! It can be refrigerated for up to three days and bakes up light and tender.

How do you make refrigerated cinnamon rolls better? ›

13 Ways To Upgrade Store-Bought Cinnamon Rolls
  1. Don't forget the maple bacon. JRJfin/Shutterstock. ...
  2. Make monkey bread instead. ...
  3. Brûlée the top with extra sugar. ...
  4. Add coffee to the frosting. ...
  5. Customize the shape with aluminum foil. ...
  6. Pour in heavy whipping cream. ...
  7. Give cinnamon roll bread pudding a shot. ...
  8. Top with candied nuts.
Oct 4, 2023

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Jerrold Considine

Last Updated:

Views: 6028

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (58 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Jerrold Considine

Birthday: 1993-11-03

Address: Suite 447 3463 Marybelle Circles, New Marlin, AL 20765

Phone: +5816749283868

Job: Sales Executive

Hobby: Air sports, Sand art, Electronics, LARPing, Baseball, Book restoration, Puzzles

Introduction: My name is Jerrold Considine, I am a combative, cheerful, encouraging, happy, enthusiastic, funny, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.