easy overnight cinnamon rolls
I was beyond excited to make these this week and they are fucking perfect.
My mom baked up some cinnamon rolls a couple weeks ago, and let me tell you, they were massive and gooey and delicious and got me wanting to offer ya’ll a basic (but beyond basic) cinnamon bun formula to enjoy for all your brunches upcoming. Or, just when you want a cinnyroll.
Which, for me, is often.
Cinnamon buns are a pretty special occasion treat around here: I usually bake some around the holidays, or some manner of celebratory event. I’d love to say I have a batch in the oven for all of my hosting needs, but a) I don’t host, and b) I’d probably be too lazy anyway and more apt to suggest we all go for breakfast instead of piling the load on me.
Just being honest, yo.
But, if you are hosting, or want a weekend treat to enjoy for the rest of the week as well, look no further than these Easy Overnight Cinnamon Rolls. This recipe is my interpretation of a fluffy, gooey bun – it may not be the best (how can one measure that, anyway?) but if you stumble upon this formula and think it’s worth trying, I guarantee it is.
Plus, we’ve got bourbon cream cheese frosting. Hello, gorgeous.
Rollin’ In the Dough
This brioche dough is a standby for FMG. I use it for all my rolls, sweet or savory. Basically my own holy grail of yeast bread base.
Start off by proofing your yeast in warm milk and maple syrup. I pretty much always use active dry yeast; instant yeast never really works well for me, for whatever reason. Let it sit until foamy.
Then, mix in some melted and cooled butter and a lightly beaten egg. Turn on your mixer (to the lowest speed) and add 3 cups of flour. This will not be enough to fully form your dough, but I like starting slow to gauge how much more flour I’ll need to complete the picture. Toss in 1 tablespoon of flour at a time, as your mixer runs, until a cohesive, tacky dough forms. The ball will pull from the sides of the bowl once the texture is correct.
If you’re kneading by hand, mix the dough with a wooden spoon until you are able to handle it decently. Then, add more flour as you knead the ball on a clean, flat surface.
Whichever method you choose, knead for about 10-15 minutes. Grease a clean bowl, flip the dough ball over to coat both sides in the oil, cover, and let rise 60-90 minutes in a draft-free area.
You Fill Me Up
When the dough is nice and poof, punch it down and turn onto a clean, lightly floured surface. Roll into a 12 x 18 inch rectangle – or sorta rectangle, it probably wont be perfect unless you have mad fucken skills. Which I don’t.
Toss some brown sugar with cinnamon. Spread butter all over your quasi-rectangle, then sprinkle thoroughly with your sugar mixture. Don’t be shy – the more, the merrier.
Now, for cutting the cinnybuns, you have a couple options. In the recipe card I write to roll up the rectangle into a log, then use a sharp knife OR unflavored dental floss to cut out 12 rolls. Works just fine. But, what I like to do is use a pizza cutter to slice 12 strips and roll them into the bun shape. Looks a bit neater…even though it doesn’t really matter because you’re gonna smash them together in a baking pan anyway.
Speaking of…Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan, arrange the rolls within, and cover with plastic wrap. You can either just let them sit 20-30 minutes at room temp to puff up, or place the pan in the fridge overnight to rise slowly. With the latter method, you can simply pull the buns out and pop them in the oven the morning you plan to serve them.
The smell in the house will be glorious.
Bake the buns at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes, a few minutes longer if you’re tossing them in straight from the fridge.
Frosty the Buttercream
And last, but not least: the bourbon cream cheese frosting. Hallefuckenloojah.
Easy to make. Whip up butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract, bourbon, and powdered sugar. Start on a lower speed to incorporate the powdered sugar, then once it’s mostly mixed in, crank the speed up and whip until fluffy and soft.
Spread the frosting on the warm rolls. The frosting will melt a bit into every cranny, creating an even softer, gooier, more tempting treat. Be generous – the recipe makes plenty of frosting there’s no need to waste a lick of it.
I prefer to store the finished cinnamon rolls in the fridge, but eat them up within 3 days. You likely won’t have an issue with that. You can also freeze rolls for up to 3 months, for those sweet tooth emergencies, y’know.
Nothing wrong with having a solid basic recipe in your back pocket, especially when it’s buns. Buns in your bun pocket. Das right.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
A buncha brunch:
Chewy Spiced Sweet Potato Bagels
Marinated Tomato Basil Avocado Toast
Overnight Lemon Cheesecake Stuffed French Toast
easy overnight cinnamon rolls
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 4 tbsp butter, melted
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3 1/2-4 cups all purpose flour
filling
- 6 tbsp butter, salted
- 2/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
bourbon cream cheese frosting
- 4 tbsp butter, softened
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2-3 tbsp bourbon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2-2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the milk, maple syrup, and yeast. Let sit until foamy, about 5-10 minutes. Whisk in the butter and beaten egg.
- With the mixer running on low, add 3 cups of flour. Continue adding flour 1 tablespoon at a time until a soft, tacky, but cohesive dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Continue kneading for 10-15 minutes.
- Grease a clean bowl with oil. Flip the dough into the bowl so both sides are coated. Cover in plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled, about 60-90 minutes.
- Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. Flour a clean, flat surface. Punch down the dough and dump onto the floured area. Roll into a roughly 12 x 18 inch rectangle. Spread with butter, then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Roll from the long side into a log. Use a sharp knife to slice 12 rolls out of the dough. Arrange into the prepared baking dish. Cover and let rest 20-30 minutes longer until puffy. Or, transfer to the fridge and let rise overnight.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Uncover the rolls and bake for 18-20 minutes until golden on top. If you refrigerated the rolls, you may need 22-25 minutes. Let cool 10-15 minutes.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until combined, then whip in the bourbon and vanilla. Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, mixing between each addition until incorporated. Crank up the speed to high and whip until very fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Spread generously onto the warm rolls. ENJOY!
