This recipe yields a pan of buttery soft, gooey cinnamon sweet, and extra fluffy homemade cinnamon rolls topped with tangy cream cheese icing. It’s been a reader favorite recipe for years and I love it so much that I turned this rich dough into apple cinnamon rolls, maple pecan sticky buns, maple cinnamon rolls, and even a cinnamon roll wreath. You can make the cinnamon rolls within a few hours or get started the night before using the overnight preparation option.
I originally published this recipe in 2014 and have since added new photos and a video tutorial, as well as more detailed instructions and success tips. This recipe is such a fan favorite, that it deserved a spot in print! You’ll also find this recipe in my cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
After making countless batches of these cinnamon rolls since I published the recipe many years ago, plus answering readersโ comments and questions, I thought it would be beneficial to update the post with more helpful information and success tips. Homemade cinnamon rolls are a popular breakfast choice, so I want to make sure you have all the resources you need for this classic recipe.
By the way, if you love this dough, be sure to try it as raspberry sweet rolls or strawberry sweet rolls with lemon glaze next. Or for a sprinkle loaded treat, my birthday cake cinnamon rolls use the same dough, too!
Tell Me About These Homemade Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
- Texture: This is one of my richest homemade doughs, so youโre already promised a soft, springy, and fluffy texture. I usually use all-purpose flour, but if you use the optional bread flour, your rolls will be a little chewier. I find that these homemade cinnamon rolls are even fluffier than my easy 1 rise cinnamon rolls (and that’s because there’s the additional rise here!).
- Flavor: The smell of warm cinnamon rolls is oh-so-irresistible and inviting. Once you take that first bite, youโll enjoy a fresh homemade dough thatโs swirled with endless pockets of (Cinnabon style!) sweet and gooey cinnamon.
- Ease: Homemade dough and shaped breads require more precision and effort than making say, a coffee cake. But the dough is pretty straightforward and simple to shape, as long as you have enough flour nearby for your hands, work surface, and rolling pin.
- Time: This dough requires 2 rises. Once you understand the assembly process, the prep moves pretty quickly. Set aside at least 4-5 hours from start to finish or divide between 2 days with the overnight option. Whichever method you choose, keep in mind most of that time is hands off as the dough rises.
If you are craving cinnamon rolls right now, and just can’t wait for dough to rise, try these no yeast cinnamon rolls!
What Readers are Saying:
“I HAD to come and leave this rave review. I just baked and iced these cinnamon rolls ay 9:05 am. Itโs now 10:55 am in a household of only 3 people only two are left. This recipe is the best Iโve ever tried. โ โ โ โ โ ” – Chelsea
“Delicious and easy to follow! This was my first time cooking with yeast and my first time making homemade cinnamon rolls and this was a great recipe to start with. Everyone at brunch was blown away. โ โ โ โ โ ” – Hannah
“Delicious! I have tried many cinnamon roll recipes, and this is my new favorite. I prefer a roll that is large, more fluffy than dense/gooey, and buttery without being overly sweet. This fit the bill! โ โ โ โ โ ” – Brice
Are You A Yeast Beginner?
This Baking with Yeast Guide is a wonderful starting point for beginners. I answer many common yeast FAQs in easy-to-understand explanations, so you can learn the basics before beginning.
7 Crucial Ingredients in These Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Feel free to skip straight to the recipe. But if youโre new to making bread, the following explanations are points that Iโve learned over the years and will be massively helpful.
- Whole milk: Whole milk is ideal for the richest tasting cinnamon rolls. Buttermilk works just as well without any changes to the recipe. Many readers have successfully substituted nondairy milks. In a pinch, you can use 2% or 1% milk, but do not use nonfat milk.
- Sugar: You need 2/3 cup of white granulated sugar in the dough. Use 2 Tablespoons in step 1 below (the proofing step), then add the rest in step 2.
- Yeast: You can use active dry or instant yeast. Follow the directions exactly as written regardless of which you choose. Youโll still proof the yeast in warm milk with some sugar even if you use instant yeast. This step ensures that the yeast is active and not expired. Most yeast these days is already active, but itโs a quick 5-10 minute step that prevents you from wasting your time just in case the yeast has expired. If using active dry yeast, the rise times will be a little longer. For the past 10+ years, my go-to brand has been Red Star Yeast. I always recommend Platinum Yeast from Red Star.
- Butter: This is a rich dough, meaning it has fat to help guarantee softness. Use 1/2 cup of softened butter and to help it blend easier, cut it into 4 pieces before adding.
- Eggs: Like butter, eggs promise a softer, richer dough.
- Salt: Dough is bland without salt.
- Flour: Flour is the structure of the dough. You can use either all-purpose flour or bread flour. Youโll notice the rolls are a little chewier if you use bread flour. Itโs not a huge difference, so donโt worry if you only have all-purpose flour. (Thatโs what I usually use!)
Note: Youโll notice that I use more yeast in this recipe compared to my easy cinnamon rolls. Why? These are much fluffier and largerโabout twice the size.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here’s what you’re looking for after you let the warm milk, some of the sugar, and yeast sit for about 5-10 minutes. The top will be a little foamy:
After the dough comes together, it will be a little soft and stickyโthat’s normal. As explained in step 3 below, knead the dough on a floured counter or keep it in the mixer for kneading. If you’d like a visual of how to knead the dough by hand, you can watch the full video tutorial in my post on how to knead dough.
What If I Don’t Have a Stand Mixer? If you do not own a mixer, you can mix the dough together with a large wooden spoon/silicone spatula. It will take a bit of arm muscle. A hand mixer works, but the sticky dough repeatedly gets stuck in the beaters. Mixing by hand with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula is a better choice.
Let the dough rise until doubled in size:
Punch the risen dough down and roll it out.
Baker’s Tip: 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 softened butter on top, then sprinkle on a mixture of cinnamon and sugar (I use brown sugar, but you could use white granulated sugar if you prefer).
Roll it up:
Use a very sharp knife to cut the roll into 12 rolls, each about 1.5 inches. Arrange in your greased baking pan, cover, then let the rolls rise until doubled in size and puffy, usually about 1 hour. The left photo is before rising and the right photo is after rising:
Bake the rolls and then make the tangy cream cheese icing to smother on top. If cream cheese isn’t your favorite, you could top the rolls with vanilla icing, the brown sugar icing from these pumpkin donuts, cinnamon cream cheese frosting from these gingerbread cinnamon rolls, maple icing from maple cinnamon rolls, or even the caramel icing from apple cinnamon rolls. Lots of options!
5 Success Tips
- Use brown sugar or granulated sugar in the filling: I used to use granulated sugar in the cinnamon sugar filling, but recently switched to brown sugar for extra flavor. Brown sugar doesnโt necessarily make the filling more moistโthereโs also butter, so itโs moist and gooey either way. (I love the brown sugar filling so much I used it to create this cinnamon swirl cheesecake!) Use whichever sugar you prefer.
- Best pan to use: I recommend a 9×13-inch glass pan or metal pan. Avoid ceramic pans. If you must use ceramic, keep in mind that the rolls will likely take longer to bake through.
- Evenly baked cinnamon rolls: These are extra big and fluffy cinnamon rolls, so to help guarantee the centers AND tops cook evenly, tent a piece of aluminum foil over the rolls after about 15 minutes in the oven. This will protect the tops from browning too quickly before the centers can cook.
- Donโt have all morning to spend on this dough? Feel free to prep the dough the night before. This is a wonderful way to save time in the morning so you can wake up and eat sooner. See my make-ahead/overnight instructions in the written recipe below.
How to Freeze Homemade Cinnamon Rolls So They Still Taste Fresh
Let me share a tip Iโve learned after working with this dough for several years. You can prep the rolls and freeze them ahead of time so they still taste fresh.
- Hereโs how: Bake the rolls in step 9 for only about 10 minutes. Cool completely, then cover and freeze. To serve, take the rolls out of the freezer and place in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. Once thawed, finish baking them for about 15-20 minutes.
I often use this method when I gift cinnamon rolls to othersโjust copy/paste or write these freezing instructions down. This method is also helpful if you have company over, want to cut down on time, or are entertaining. I like to make these cinnamon rolls ahead when I’m hosting holidays. For more inspiration to complete your menu, see my Easter brunch recipes, make-ahead Thanksgiving breakfast ideas, and Christmas breakfast ideas.
Print
Homemade Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
- Prep Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes (includes rises)
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours (or overnight)
- Yield: 12 rolls
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This recipe yields a pan of buttery soft, gooey cinnamon sweet, and extra fluffy homemade cinnamon rolls topped with tangy cream cheese icing. You can make the cinnamon rolls within a few hours or get started the night before using the overnight preparation option. This recipe is also in my cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, warmed to about 110ยฐF (43ยฐC)
- 2/3 cup (133g) granulated sugar, divided
- 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons (14g) active dry or instant yeast (2 standard packets)*
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature and cut into 4 pieces
- 4 and 1/2 cups (563g) all-purpose flour or bread flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoonsย oil or butter for the bowl (or use nonstick spray)
Filling
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2/3 cup (133g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
Cream Cheeseย Icing
- 4 ounces (113g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) heavy cream or milk
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: Whisk the warm milk, 2 Tablespoons of sugar, and the yeast together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Cover and allow mixture to sit for 5โ10 minutes or until foamy on the surface. *If you do not own a mixer, you can do this in a large mixing bowl and in the next step, mix the dough together with a large wooden spoon/silicone spatula. It will take a bit of arm muscle. A hand mixer works, but the sticky dough repeatedly gets stuck in the beaters. Mixing by hand with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula is a better choice.*
- Add the remaining sugar (1/2 cup or 100g) and the butter and beat on medium speed until the butter is slightly broken up. Add about 1 cup (125g) of the flour, the eggs, and salt and beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the remaining flour. Beat on medium speed until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 2 minutes. Dough will be soft. If it seems too sticky and clings to the sides of the bowl instead of forming a rough mass around the dough hook or spoon, add more flour, 1 Tablespoon at a time, and continue to mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl but is still moist and tacky. If it feels dry and crumbly, add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Knead the dough: Keep the dough in the mixer (and switch to the dough hook if you used the paddle) and beat on low speed for an additional 5 full minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 5 full minutes. (If youโre new to bread-baking, my How to Knead Dough video tutorial can help here.) If the dough becomes too sticky during the kneading process, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour at a time on the dough or on the work surface/in the bowl to make a soft, slightly tacky dough. Do not add more flour than you need because you do not want a dry dough. After kneading, the dough should feel smooth, supple, and elastic. Poke it with your fingerโif it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise. You can also do a โwindowpane testโ to see if your dough has been kneaded long enough: tear off a small (roughly golfball-size) piece of dough and gently stretch it out until itโs thin enough for light to pass through it. Hold it up to a window or light. Does light pass through the stretched dough without the dough tearing first? If so, your dough has been kneaded long enough and is ready to rise. If not, keep kneading until it passes the windowpane test.
- 1st Rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or butter (or use nonstick spray). Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours or until doubled in size. (I always let it rise on the counter and it takes about 2 hours. For a tiny reduction in rise time, see my answer to Where Should Dough Rise?ย in myย Baking with Yeast Guide.)
- Grease the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch baking dish (glass or metal) or line it with parchment paper.
- Roll out the dough: 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.
- For the filling: 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 brown 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 1.5 inches thick. Arrange in the prepared baking pan.
- 2nd Rise: Cover the pan and allow the rolls to rise until puffy, about 1 hour. (Or use the overnight option in the Notes below.)
- Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF (177ยฐC).
- Bake for about 25โ28 minutes or until they are lightly browned on top, rotating the pan halfway through. If the tops are browning too quickly, loosely tent a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the pan. Remove pan from the oven and place pan on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes while you make the icing.
- Make the icing: In a large 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, cream/milk, and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase 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 โ Overnight: To prepare the night before serving, prepare the rolls through step 7. Cover the rolls and refrigerate for 8โ12 hours. (16 hours max. 8โ12 hours is best, but 16 hours is OK if absolutely needed. Do not exceed 16 hours.) The next morning, remove from the refrigerator, keep covered, and allow to rise for 1โ2 hours at room temperature before continuing with step 9.
- Make Ahead Instructions โ Freezing:ย You can freeze cinnamon rolls for up to 3 months, and I recommend a few different methods for freezing cinnamon rolls. The first method is to freeze them after shaping, before theyโve had their 2nd rise (step 7). Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then let rise for 1.5โ2 hours at room temperature before baking. The second method is to par-bake the risen rolls for 10 minutes, let cool completely, then cover and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. Finish baking for 15โ20 minutes. You can also freeze fully baked cinnamon rolls. See How to Freeze Cinnamon Rolls for more details about all of these methods.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Stand Mixer or Large Glass Mixing Bowl with Silicone Spatula or Wooden Spoon | Rolling Pin | 9×13-inch Glass Baking Pan or Metal Baking Pan | Cooling Rack
- Milk: I recommend using whole milk for the best, richest-tasting dough. You could also use buttermilk. Reduced-fat, low-fat, or nondairy milk works in a pinch. Do not use nonfat milk.
- Yeast: You can use active dry or instant yeast in this recipe. Follow all of the same instructions. If using active dry yeast, the rise times are usually slightly longer. Reference my Baking with Yeast Guide for answers to common yeast FAQs.
- Other Icing Options: Instead of cream cheese icing, you can top the warm rolls with vanilla icing, the brown sugar icing from these pumpkin donuts, maple icing from maple cinnamon rolls, or even the caramel icing from apple cinnamon rolls.
- Gluten Free: We have not tested this recipe with gluten-free flour, so we are unsure of the results.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I left them out for 2 hours in the morning after a 12 hour rest in the fridge. They were still pretty cool and firm when I put into the 350F oven. Iโm wondering if they should have been warmer or softer before baking. Still great but I wanted a puffier bite. Thank you for the wonderful instructions and notes for overnight.
Made these twice, a half batch as there are only two of us. Absolutely delicious and really easy, I parbake them and then cook them for 7 mins in the air fryer in the morning and they come out perfect
Made these for the first time for the family on Christmas and they were a hit! I’m making another batch for tomorrow morning. I used your vanilla icing last time, but I’m making cream cheese icing tonight.
I mixed the brown sugar and cinnamon into the softened butter for the filling to get it incorporated better.
This recipe is my go-to for cinnamon rolls from now on!
This recipe was so easy to follow. The cinnamon rolls were delicious and paired well with your vanilla icing recipe. Thank you for another wonderful recipe!
P.S. I definitely recommend using dental floss to cut the rolls if you don’t have a sharp knife.
Can the cinnamon roll recipe be doubled or increased to a few more cinnamon rolls?
Hi Elizabeth Ann, for best results, we recommend making separate batches rather than doubling.
I was nervous to make cinnamon rolls for the first time for Christmas morning but these turned out amazing! The instructions and tips were easy to follow and they were soft and fluffy and the perfect amount of cinnamon. The cream cheese icing just set them off. My only regret was not making two pans because we had no leftovers. Another hit recipe!
Sally , I made these cinnamon rolls for Christmas. They were Delicious and were a Big hit with my family. I will be making these off and on for a very long time.
Thank you for all of the Special recipes and instructions always available .
Last questions, sorry!
Could I bake them in an aluminum pan? Also, could I bake these in a smaller pan so thereโs only 2 or 3 in a pan at a time?
Hi Fiona, yes, you can bake these in aluminum pans. You could divide the recipe up over several smaller pans as well. Bake time should be similar.
Could I roll the dough out to be half as wide and twice as long, then just have 6 larger around cinnamon rolls?
That should be fine, Fiona. Bake time will be a little longer – keep a close eye on them!
Thank you for the quick response, I will!
These look amazing! Can you make the dough for these cinnamon rolls in a bread maker, dough option?
Hi Daphne, we havenโt tested it ourselves, but a few readers have reported success using a bread machine to make these cinnamon rolls. Let us know if you try it!
I baked them for 25 to 28 minutes. I took them out to cut them and they are still doughy. How much longer should I cook them at 350ยฐ?
Hi Sandy, you can bake them for another few minutes. If they start to brown, it may help to cover the pan with aluminum foil and lower the oven rack.
Cant wait to make these! Iโm going to do the overnight method, do you just cover it with aluminum foil or does it need to be sealed?
Hi Ashley, I usually just use plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Aluminum foil by itself is just fine!
I have failed at cinnamon rolls 3 different times. I wanted a good recipe to prep for Christmas morning. These BLEW MY MIND!! This recipe was so delicious. The cream cheese frosting I doubled because I really like frosting haha but they were such a great addition to Christmas morning and Iโm so happy I didnโt have to slave away making breakfast. Such an easy recipe to follow, and the flavors were so good. Thanks so much for this recipe Iโll now use every time I make cinnamon rolls. Happy holidays, thanks again!
So glad these worked out for you, Whitney!
I make these every year at Christmas for my family, and theyโre always a hit! Theyโre so easy to make and taste incredible. I did have one quick question about the recipe: in step 2, it mentions adding the remaining sugar, but the exact measurement isnโt listed. I usually measure out 2/3 cup and remove 2 tablespoons since the math is a bit tricky. Aside from that, the recipe was super easy to follow. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe!
This recipe is perfect. Easy to follow instructions and precise measurements lead to decadent christmas morning breakfast. I added a touch of cardamom since I love that flavor.
I have been making cinnamon rolls for a few years for Christmas morning and these have been by far, the best! Super easy and perfect results! Thank you!!!
I just made these cinnamon rolls for Christmas Day and I will definitely be making them again! I had never made a homemade cinnamon roll before and I found this recipe to be easy and forgiving. Making a homemade cinnamon roll appeared intimidating until I read through this recipe and realized it’s not difficult, just have to have the time to let it rise. The dough came together easily and without issue. I let mine rise for just about 2 hours. I was amazed at how easy the filling spread, the dough was easy to roll and cut. I cut my rolls with a knife and they were sort of pinched and not circular. However, I let them rise overnight in the pan and they puffed up bigger and became round. I set them out in the morning and baked shortly after. The frosting came together easily and was easy to spread. My family and guests absolutely loved them! They said they were delicious, fluffy, and just the right amount of sweet. My husband raved about them and said they were way better than store bought. I will have to make these now every year!
I made the dough last night and baked them this morning. They did take a bit longer to rise than I expected. I ended up baking them before I thought they were ready because we were excited to eat them. They were INCREDIBLE. I found the dough easy to work with. This is my new go to recipe for cinnamon rolls! Thanks for a great recipe!!
This has become a new family tradition! We love this recipe, and the cream cheese frosting. I went with the overnight option, to have it ready for Christmas Eve, and it worked out great. I did forget to pick up whole milk, so we used low fat milk instead, and it seemed to work out. But next year I’ll use the whole milk. Thanks for a fun recipe- love this website!
We made these for Christmas morning and they were AMAZING. The best cinnamon rolls Iโve ever had! We froze them once assembled and defrosted the night before. They turned out wonderfully! Loved how clear the instructions were.