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These brioche cinnamon buns can be made the day before serving, stuck in the fridge, and baked the following morning or made entirely the same day. It’s a simple no-knead dough, but the result is outstanding: a light but rich cinnamon bun blanketed with the most delicious cream cheese frosting. Kids and adults alike go wild!
About this time last year, someone messaged me on Instagram telling me she had used the brioche recipe from Bread Toast Crumbs to make cinnamon buns.
Inspired by this Washington Post article, she also assembled the pans of buns the night before and baked them in the morning.
It worked like a charm, she said, which inspired me to try it immediately. The method worked beautifully for me as well—an overnight Christmas miracle!
Overnight Brioche Cinnamon Buns How-to
Make the brioche, Bread Toast Crumbs-style: whisk together the dry ingredients; mix together the wet ingredients, combine the two, and let rise — no kneading, no fuss!
After 2 hours, turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and divide into two equal portions. Roll out each portion into a large rectangle.
Spread a cinnamon-brown sugar-butter mixture evenly over top.
Roll each rectangle into a tight coil. Cut each into 9 equal portions. Space each coiled bun equally in an 8- or 9-inch pan.
Transfer the pans to the fridge to rise overnight; then bake in the morning. Or let the buns rise at room temperature for another hour (or so) and bake immediately.
Stir together dry ingredients. Stir together wet ingredients. Mix to form a sticky dough ball.
Let rise in a warm spot for about 2 hours or until doubled.
Turn dough out onto a floured surface and divide into two portions. Shape each into a ball.
Roll each round into a large rectangle.
Spread with a brown sugar-butter mixture.
Roll into a coil.
Cut coil into 9 pieces.
Transfer to 9-inch square baking dish. At this point, you can let it rise for about 30-40 minutes, then bake. Or you can transfer the pan to the fridge and bake the following morning.
Bake buns for 25 minutes.
Beat cream cheese with confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
Frost the buns in the pan or … … turn the buns out onto a board and frost on the board.
Serve!
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The assembled pans of buns can rise in the fridge overnight and baked directly from the fridge (no additional rising on the counter top) in the morning.
The assembled pans can also be frozen. Thaw at room temperature about 6 hours before you plan to bake. Then bake as directed in recipe.
*For lukewarm water: Mix 1.5 cups cold water with .5 cups boiling water. Or, simply, use 2 cups warmish tap water.
Ingredients
for the dough for 18 rolls:
6 cups (768 g) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/3 cup (77 g) sugar
2.5 teaspoons instant yeast
2 egg
2 cups lukewarm water* (see notes above)
1/2 cup milk, 2% or whole
6 tablespoons melted butter
for the dough for 9 rolls:
3 cups (384 g) all-purpose flour
1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1.5 teaspoons instant yeast
1 egg
1 cup lukewarm water
1/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons melted butter
for the filling (halve these quantities if making 9 rolls):
1.5 cups packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cinnamon
pinch salt
12 tablespoons melted butter
for the glaze (halve these quantities if making 9 rolls):
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch salt
milk or cream to thin
Instructions
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar and yeast.
In a separate large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the water, milk andmelted butter. Whisk to combine. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry and mix with a rubber spatula until combined; the mixture will be wet and sticky. Cover the bowl with a bowl cover or tea towel and let rise until doubled, 2 hours.
Flour a work surface generously and have more flour nearby — use as much flour as you need to prevent sticking to your hands and work surface. I can’t emphasize this enough: this is a sticky dough, and if you don’t use enough flour, it will stick. (Watch the video if you’re looking for visual guidance.)
Turn dough out onto work surface. Divide into two equal portions. At this point, you could transfer one half to a buttered loaf pan and simply bake a brioche loaf. Or, you can make two pans of cinnamon buns.
Form each half into a rough ball, using flour as needed for the board and your hands. Let rest while you make the filling.
Make the filling: Place the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Pour the melted butter over top. Mix with a fork or spoon to combine. Set aside.
Butter or grease with nonstick spray a 9×9- or 8×8-inch baking pan.
Working with one round at a time, pat or roll out dough into a rectangle about 15×11 inches — it doesn’t have to be exact, but don’t go larger than that. Spread the filling over top, using your hands to spread if necessary. Starting at the short end, roll the rectangle into a tight coil. Cut into 9 equal pieces. Transfer to prepared pan. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Cover each pan with plastic wrap or a bowl cover or tea towel and transfer to the fridge.
The following morning, heat the oven to 375ºF.
Transfer pans to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden. Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese with the sugar, vanilla, and salt until light. Thin with milk if desired.
Remove pan from the oven. Let buns cool briefly. Spread frosting over top or turn buns out onto a serving platter, and spread the frosting over top. Serve warm with more frosting on the side.
Delicious! I would highly recommend!! Perfect for our Christmas brunch. I served it with some oven-cooked bacon and berries- a great meal.
For me- the milk was important to get the right consistency for the glaze. And give the rolls some space to grow. I used a different sized pan than recommended and may have packed them in too tightly.
Prepped these on Christmas Eve and baked them on Christmas morning and they were delicious! Soft, gooey, cinnamon-sugar tastiness and honestly, a new Christmas baking tradition. Will definitely being making these again and again!
Made for Christmas morning – delicious. The dough is very sticky but workable and it’s nice to able to flour liberally and not worry that you’re adding too much. I would use a 9×9 at least next time as these grew a lot in the fridge overnight. Lots of “don’t let me eat any more of these!” from the holiday cinnamon roll eaters. They are good.
So great to hear this, Nola! The dough definitely is sticky … glad you were able to make it work with more flour. So glad your cinnamon roll eaters approved 🙂 🙂 🙂
so good! I didn’t change a thing. I let the batch ride overnight like the recipe says, but for the uneven scrapped ends, I let them rise a second time at room temp for about 45 minutes and then popped them in the oven for a late night treat, they turned out great too, so if you don’t have time to let them rise overnight you could do that and they’ll still taste delicious. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
These are the most delicious cinnamon rolls on the planet! That makes two Christmasses in a row that they have stolen the show at brunch. So easy whip up Christmas Eve and throw into the oven in the morning. They are now in our family’s pantheon of great recipes for special occasions—thank you, Ali!
Ali, how far in advance can I make and refrigerate the dough? Is close to 24 hours too long? Have a large crew arriving around noon the day before I want to serve these and I’d love to have them prepped before they arrive and chaos ensues!!
Hi Lindsay! I think 24 hours will be fine. Just be sure the pan the buns are in are in an airtight bag or covered tightly with plastic wrap — this will prevent the dough from drying out on top and forming a crust.
Here we go again! Since COVID I have made these several times and even neighbors are asking” when will the next batch be done?”Your instructions are right on! Thank you so much. I love the focaccia, brioche buns, cinnamon rolls and next will be buttermilk pull apart buns.
No surprise, these were amazing. I sprinkled frozen wild blueberries on top of the filling and then rolled. They were devoured quickly to rave reviews! Thank you Ali for another winner!!
Do you mean the middle of each bun? Or the middle bun in the pan? I would suggest two things: either decreasing the water slightly next time around or potentially baking the buns longer.
I found this too – sort of. When I took them out of the fridge in the morning I noticed that the moisture of the buns (cooking spray, melted butter, condensation,etc) had collected at the bottom of my pan. I drained some of this before cooking, and drizzled some of it on top of the buns (it was cinnamon sugar infused and tasted great). The end result of my buns weren’t soupy at all, but maybe this is the source of your issue? try draining your tin next time before cooking!
Tastes like Cinnabons!! YUMMMM. I did the half recipe and squeezed the rolls into an 8inch tall round pan and it was a bit of a disaster. Total cooking time like an hour 😛 also had to transfer to 9inch round pan and also had to separate rolls during baking because they would not come up to temp, the interwebs recommended 190°F. Thank god for my thermapen. I realized while this was baking that I do indeed have a 8inch square so will try with that next time. Augh. But i salvaged them, top is a little too crispy but the rolls are freaking delicious. Thanks for the super easy qnd delicious recipe! So delicious that they even survived all my blumbering around.
Hi Tina! Great to hear all of this, or most of it anyway: sorry about the trouble re pans! Next time, I would just do the 9-inch pan … don’t mess around with the 8-inch square 🙂 I’m so happy you have a Thermapen … I find it to be such a lifesaver.
I’ve made 4-5 different cinnamon roll recipes and this one is by far, hands down, the best texture and the best cinnamon flavor! What a delight to make. Yes, the dough is sticky but you are rewarded with awesome tender dough that isn’t too dry without a ton of fuss (aside from some doughy hands). Rising in the oven with the oven light on has made all the difference for me (a great tip I learned from comments on other recipes). Thank you sharing this wonderful recipe!!
Question, if I want to substitute honey for the sugar, what would you recommend changing for the liquid/water amounts?
So great to hear this, Agnes! Thanks so much for writing. If you were to use honey, I might consider reducing the water. Maybe hold back 25 g? It’s such a wet dough that I don’t think it would miss the 25 g of water. I’m realizing now I don’t have weights for water listed! I always weigh water now. For me, 2 cups of water weighs 455 g, so I think you could get away with 430 g of water for the full batch of rolls and 202 g of water for the half batch. If you’re not using a scale, hold back 2 tablespoons of water for the full batch and 1 tablespoon of water for the half batch.
hi, I have made these, love them! I was rereading the recipe and you mention that you could make them in a loaf pan. Is the cooking time the same as the buns? thanks!
I made these and they were amazing!! To freeze for a later date, should you freeze right after preparation or after they have risen in the fridge overnight?
Jumping in on this thread! Once they’ve been prepared in the pan and then frozen, do they need to defrost and then rise for 12 hours? Wondering best way to execute post freeze. Any advice would be appreciated!
Many thanks
*I should note that I’ve made this recipe once before and it was DIVINE
So nice to hear this, Carrie! I would let them thaw in the fridge for 12-24 hours; then evaluate. If they look like they haven’t risen much, I would give them some time at room temperature before baking. But, as I remember, after 24 hours in the fridge, they are essentially ready to be baked directly from the fridge … I need to update this part of the recipe with notes! The next time I make/freeze these, I will add notes.
WARNING: after many cinnamon bun fails in my life, this recipe is super easy and hands down the best I’ve ever had! Making these will make you feel like a professional and you’ll want to make them regularly. I LOVE cinnamon buns, but am so picky with them that I rarely indulge. Having this recipe at my fingertips may prove to be a dangerous thing!
I am not sure why my dough was super dry? I followed directions perfectly I had to add more warm water to even get it to mix together! what did I do wrong? 6 cups of flour right? I’m waiting to see if they rise
Wawaweewah! I made this exactly as written and it was SO GOOD. I’ve been getting compliments from everyone I’ve shared them with, and I feel a bit guilty because the recipe was just so easy! Definitely my new go-to cinnamon bun recipe.
Ok i love this recipe-it’s my go to for cinnamon rolls for sure! Question though-my dough is usually too soft and sticky to get a clean coil. Do you have tips? This is even after using so much flour on the surface it’s on and with my hands
Great to hear, Rebecca! I think you should reduce the water amount next time around. You could hold back as much as 1/2 cup, and I think the dough would still be fine because it is such a wet, sticky dough. This also might allow you to use less flour on the work surface. Let me know how it works if you give it a go!
I briefly strayed from this amazing recipe to try the King Arthur cinnamon bun recipe of the year. While those are delicious, there is just something so magical and joyful about prepping these the day before and waking up to a tray of cinnamon buns ready for the oven. What could be better than sipping your coffee as your home fills with the aroma of cinnamon buns? These are definitely my favorite. ❤️
So great to hear this Amanda! And I’m with you — I love having the work done the night before. It’s a virtuous feeling pulling that pan from the fridge and popping it in the oven. Thanks so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
Just made this recipe and it was above and beyond delicious! Thank you so much!! My family keeps raving about them 🙂
I realized after baking and checking back the recipe that it calls for instant yeast and not active dry yeast like I used (whoops lol).What would be the difference in texture with using instant vs active dry yeast? I used your exact measurement but with active dry yeast. My dough rose beautifully but wondering what the difference would be?
Great to hear, Kary! So glad the active dry worked just as well. There would be no difference texturally when using one yeast or the other. Active dry usually requires being “bloomed” in warm water before using, so sometimes if you use active dry in place of instant (which is more concentrated/powerful), it just takes much longer to rise. Glad you had no issues!
These are a fan fave! This is my 6th time making them and each time they turn out a bit better. I find the next morning draining out some of the liquid that is sitting at the bottom of the dish helpful. You can save it for later and drizzle ontop or discard. It just makes baking it a bit easier to tell when they are done.
These were so good and surprisingly easy! I added chopped pecans on top of the cinnamon sugar mixture before rolling it up, and on top of the icing. My boys devoured them. I will definitely be making them again. Thank you, Ali! 💙
Oh yay, so nice to hear this Heather 🙂 🙂 🙂 There’s nothing better than when the littles approve. Chopped pecans sound delicious. Hope all is well! xoxo
I made these for a neighborhood brunch and became the star of the day. Children and adults gobbled them up, and so many people wanted the recipe! The cinnamon buns are truly so easy to make, utterly delicious, a perfect texture, and pretty to look at. I definitely recommend making 18, but I urge you to use 9-inch pans, preferably anodized aluminum. I made one batch in an 8 inch pan, and under-baked them by mistake. The 9-inch pan works perfectly. The anodized aluminum gives a very nice brown edge, which my costlier All-clad gold pan did not. That pan is going to the Good Will, and I’m purchasing another Fat Daddio pro series, aluminum pan. What a great recipe to make for family gatherings–so much easier than pancakes…
These are the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever made and everyone who tries them LOVES them. I roll it out on generously floured parchment paper and dust it with some more flour on top. I like to add a few pinches of ground cardamom to the filling. My family aren’t huge cream cheese frosting lovers and I usually don’t keep it on hand when I’m craving cinnamon rolls, so I usually make a glaze with 1 cup of powdered sugar, 2 tbsp of milk, 1 tbsp melted butter, and a dash of vanilla extract. You can 1.5x the amount to generously glaze a double batch. I think these bake best in a 9×9 square pan. I baked a batch in a glass 8×8 and the middle bun was still raw and doughy. I’ve also baked them in a 10 in springform pan with better results but you def need to check the doneness of that middle bun. Would love to know if this could work with gluten free flour.
Wonderful to hear all of this, Vanessa! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes. I do think the material of the pan makes a difference. I have the best results when I use metal pans for this one, so it makes sense your springform pan gave you better results.
Regarding gluten-free flour, my experience is that the best gluten-free breads turn out best in loaf pans or bowls or something that helps contain the dough, because I think the best gluten-free breads come from doughs that are on the wet side. All of this is to say, I think a wet dough would be very difficult to roll and cut, etc. That said, I have no doubt there is a gluten-free cinnamon roll out there. I just wouldn’t swap gluten-free flour in here because I think you will be frustrated by the process. Hope that helps!
This is a STAR player on the breakfast or dessert game! I’m not the biggest fan of cinnamon rolls but I do have an unhealthy obsession with chocolate brioche. So I swapped in Nutella instead of the brown sugar filling – it’s hard to spread Nutella so I just plopped teaspoon amounts around the dough. My oven is a not very reliable so I baked it for 35 minutes, but covered it in foil for the last 5 minutes. When I tried one roll, I actually said “MMMMMM!” out loud in the kitchen by myself. The Nutella makes this feel more like a dessert, but certainly does not prevent my husband from grabbing one for his morning commute (very easy to gobble up in the car)! Thank you, Alexandra for making us non-bakers a bit more brave in the kitchen!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 This reminds me of the Simpson episode during which Homer sees a slice of pie on the floor and says: Mmmmmmmmm floor pie. I’m so happy to read all of this, Caroline 🙂 🙂 🙂 Nutella sounds absolutely amazing. My children would go crazy for that variation as Nutella with bread sticks is about their favorite snack. Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes.
Oh my word! I will never ever look at another cinnamon roll recipe again. These were easy and the result is a soft flavorful cozy bun. My mom has made cinnamon rolls for years and insisted I give her this recipe. I love that I can do the overnight rise in the fridge. Makes it more doable when your a busy mom! Again look no further for a cinnamon roll recipe-this is as close to perfection as it gets.
360 Comments on “The BEST Overnight Brioche Cinnamon Buns”
Delicious! I would highly recommend!! Perfect for our Christmas brunch. I served it with some oven-cooked bacon and berries- a great meal.
For me- the milk was important to get the right consistency for the glaze. And give the rolls some space to grow. I used a different sized pan than recommended and may have packed them in too tightly.
★★★★★
Great to hear this, Shannon! And thanks for your notes — so helpful for others. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas! Wishing you a Happy New Year!
Prepped these on Christmas Eve and baked them on Christmas morning and they were delicious! Soft, gooey, cinnamon-sugar tastiness and honestly, a new Christmas baking tradition. Will definitely being making these again and again!
★★★★★
So nice to hear this, Brian! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas. Wishing you a happy happy New Year! Thanks for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
Made for Christmas morning – delicious. The dough is very sticky but workable and it’s nice to able to flour liberally and not worry that you’re adding too much. I would use a 9×9 at least next time as these grew a lot in the fridge overnight. Lots of “don’t let me eat any more of these!” from the holiday cinnamon roll eaters. They are good.
★★★★★
So great to hear this, Nola! The dough definitely is sticky … glad you were able to make it work with more flour. So glad your cinnamon roll eaters approved 🙂 🙂 🙂
so good! I didn’t change a thing. I let the batch ride overnight like the recipe says, but for the uneven scrapped ends, I let them rise a second time at room temp for about 45 minutes and then popped them in the oven for a late night treat, they turned out great too, so if you don’t have time to let them rise overnight you could do that and they’ll still taste delicious. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
★★★★★
So great to hear this, Caroline! I love your idea about the uneven scrapped ends… so fun!
These are the most delicious cinnamon rolls on the planet! That makes two Christmasses in a row that they have stolen the show at brunch. So easy whip up Christmas Eve and throw into the oven in the morning. They are now in our family’s pantheon of great recipes for special occasions—thank you, Ali!
★★★★★
Oh Alyson, yay! So wonderful to hear this. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas, and I’m wishing you the best New Year!!
Ali, how far in advance can I make and refrigerate the dough? Is close to 24 hours too long? Have a large crew arriving around noon the day before I want to serve these and I’d love to have them prepped before they arrive and chaos ensues!!
Hi Lindsay! I think 24 hours will be fine. Just be sure the pan the buns are in are in an airtight bag or covered tightly with plastic wrap — this will prevent the dough from drying out on top and forming a crust.
Great! Thank you Ali!!
Here we go again! Since COVID I have made these several times and even neighbors are asking” when will the next batch be done?”Your instructions are right on! Thank you so much. I love the focaccia, brioche buns, cinnamon rolls and next will be buttermilk pull apart buns.
★★★★★
So nice to hear all of this, Sandra 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks so much for writing. Hope you love the pull-apart rolls… they’re a favorite around here 🙂
No surprise, these were amazing. I sprinkled frozen wild blueberries on top of the filling and then rolled. They were devoured quickly to rave reviews! Thank you Ali for another winner!!
★★★★★
Oh that sounds amazing, Lindsay! Great to hear. Thanks so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
The middle of my buns was totally soupy – any suggestions for improving this next time?
★★★
Hi Erika,
Do you mean the middle of each bun? Or the middle bun in the pan? I would suggest two things: either decreasing the water slightly next time around or potentially baking the buns longer.
I found this too – sort of. When I took them out of the fridge in the morning I noticed that the moisture of the buns (cooking spray, melted butter, condensation,etc) had collected at the bottom of my pan. I drained some of this before cooking, and drizzled some of it on top of the buns (it was cinnamon sugar infused and tasted great). The end result of my buns weren’t soupy at all, but maybe this is the source of your issue? try draining your tin next time before cooking!
★★★★★
If anyone is curious, I just made these again and subbed coconut sugar in place of brown sugar for the filling and they were just as amazing!
★★★★★
Ooh! Very good to know as i have plenty of coconut sugar that I need to use!
Oh yay! Wonderful to hear this, Prudence! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Tastes like Cinnabons!! YUMMMM. I did the half recipe and squeezed the rolls into an 8inch tall round pan and it was a bit of a disaster. Total cooking time like an hour 😛 also had to transfer to 9inch round pan and also had to separate rolls during baking because they would not come up to temp, the interwebs recommended 190°F. Thank god for my thermapen. I realized while this was baking that I do indeed have a 8inch square so will try with that next time. Augh. But i salvaged them, top is a little too crispy but the rolls are freaking delicious. Thanks for the super easy qnd delicious recipe! So delicious that they even survived all my blumbering around.
★★★★★
Hi Tina! Great to hear all of this, or most of it anyway: sorry about the trouble re pans! Next time, I would just do the 9-inch pan … don’t mess around with the 8-inch square 🙂 I’m so happy you have a Thermapen … I find it to be such a lifesaver.
I’ve made 4-5 different cinnamon roll recipes and this one is by far, hands down, the best texture and the best cinnamon flavor! What a delight to make. Yes, the dough is sticky but you are rewarded with awesome tender dough that isn’t too dry without a ton of fuss (aside from some doughy hands). Rising in the oven with the oven light on has made all the difference for me (a great tip I learned from comments on other recipes). Thank you sharing this wonderful recipe!!
Question, if I want to substitute honey for the sugar, what would you recommend changing for the liquid/water amounts?
★★★★★
So great to hear this, Agnes! Thanks so much for writing. If you were to use honey, I might consider reducing the water. Maybe hold back 25 g? It’s such a wet dough that I don’t think it would miss the 25 g of water. I’m realizing now I don’t have weights for water listed! I always weigh water now. For me, 2 cups of water weighs 455 g, so I think you could get away with 430 g of water for the full batch of rolls and 202 g of water for the half batch. If you’re not using a scale, hold back 2 tablespoons of water for the full batch and 1 tablespoon of water for the half batch.
hi, I have made these, love them! I was rereading the recipe and you mention that you could make them in a loaf pan. Is the cooking time the same as the buns? thanks!
★★★★★
Hi, I think I found the answer to my question in your cookbook! Have a great day!!
★★★★★
Ok, great to hear, Robyn! Thanks for writing back … catching up on comments today 🙂
I made these and they were amazing!! To freeze for a later date, should you freeze right after preparation or after they have risen in the fridge overnight?
Thank you!
★★★★★
Great to hear this, Amy! I would freeze them after you shape them and get them into your pan.
Jumping in on this thread! Once they’ve been prepared in the pan and then frozen, do they need to defrost and then rise for 12 hours? Wondering best way to execute post freeze. Any advice would be appreciated!
Many thanks
*I should note that I’ve made this recipe once before and it was DIVINE
So nice to hear this, Carrie! I would let them thaw in the fridge for 12-24 hours; then evaluate. If they look like they haven’t risen much, I would give them some time at room temperature before baking. But, as I remember, after 24 hours in the fridge, they are essentially ready to be baked directly from the fridge … I need to update this part of the recipe with notes! The next time I make/freeze these, I will add notes.
WARNING: after many cinnamon bun fails in my life, this recipe is super easy and hands down the best I’ve ever had! Making these will make you feel like a professional and you’ll want to make them regularly. I LOVE cinnamon buns, but am so picky with them that I rarely indulge. Having this recipe at my fingertips may prove to be a dangerous thing!
★★★★★
So nice to hear this, Nicole!! Thanks so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
I am not sure why my dough was super dry? I followed directions perfectly I had to add more warm water to even get it to mix together! what did I do wrong? 6 cups of flour right? I’m waiting to see if they rise
Hi! It might just be the way you are measuring flour. Are you using a scale? Yes, 6 cups is right for the 18-roll yield.
Wawaweewah! I made this exactly as written and it was SO GOOD. I’ve been getting compliments from everyone I’ve shared them with, and I feel a bit guilty because the recipe was just so easy! Definitely my new go-to cinnamon bun recipe.
★★★★★
Wonderful to hear this, Joel! Thanks so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
Ok i love this recipe-it’s my go to for cinnamon rolls for sure! Question though-my dough is usually too soft and sticky to get a clean coil. Do you have tips? This is even after using so much flour on the surface it’s on and with my hands
★★★★★
Great to hear, Rebecca! I think you should reduce the water amount next time around. You could hold back as much as 1/2 cup, and I think the dough would still be fine because it is such a wet, sticky dough. This also might allow you to use less flour on the work surface. Let me know how it works if you give it a go!
I briefly strayed from this amazing recipe to try the King Arthur cinnamon bun recipe of the year. While those are delicious, there is just something so magical and joyful about prepping these the day before and waking up to a tray of cinnamon buns ready for the oven. What could be better than sipping your coffee as your home fills with the aroma of cinnamon buns? These are definitely my favorite. ❤️
★★★★★
So great to hear this Amanda! And I’m with you — I love having the work done the night before. It’s a virtuous feeling pulling that pan from the fridge and popping it in the oven. Thanks so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hi,
Could I freeze the dough and then when use just leave them defrost overnight in the fridge
Yes, absolutely!
Hi Alexandra,
These rolls sound awesome! Will it bake just fine in a 13×9 pan or should I use two 9in rounds? Planning on making these for family this weekend 😄
★★★★★
Oh darn, I’m likely too late here. Yes, a 9×13-inch pan will work just fine!
Just made this recipe and it was above and beyond delicious! Thank you so much!! My family keeps raving about them 🙂
I realized after baking and checking back the recipe that it calls for instant yeast and not active dry yeast like I used (whoops lol).What would be the difference in texture with using instant vs active dry yeast? I used your exact measurement but with active dry yeast. My dough rose beautifully but wondering what the difference would be?
Thanks so so much!!
★★★★★
Great to hear, Kary! So glad the active dry worked just as well. There would be no difference texturally when using one yeast or the other. Active dry usually requires being “bloomed” in warm water before using, so sometimes if you use active dry in place of instant (which is more concentrated/powerful), it just takes much longer to rise. Glad you had no issues!
These are a fan fave! This is my 6th time making them and each time they turn out a bit better. I find the next morning draining out some of the liquid that is sitting at the bottom of the dish helpful. You can save it for later and drizzle ontop or discard. It just makes baking it a bit easier to tell when they are done.
★★★★★
So great to hear this! And thanks for sharing your tips, too… so helpful for others. Thanks so much for writing!
This is the cinnamon roll recipe I’ve been hoping to find!! The rolls are so soft and pillowy, and the glaze is perfect. Thank you!!!
So nice to hear this, Amy! So glad you liked them. Thanks for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
These were so good and surprisingly easy! I added chopped pecans on top of the cinnamon sugar mixture before rolling it up, and on top of the icing. My boys devoured them. I will definitely be making them again. Thank you, Ali! 💙
★★★★★
Oh yay, so nice to hear this Heather 🙂 🙂 🙂 There’s nothing better than when the littles approve. Chopped pecans sound delicious. Hope all is well! xoxo
Can you make the frosting the night before and store in the fridge? And if so, how long will the icing last in the fridge?
Absolutely! I would say about a week in the fridge would be fine.
Can I sub milk for water in the dough for a tastier dough?
Sure! I think you’ll find the dough to be plenty flavorful as written, however.
I made these for a neighborhood brunch and became the star of the day. Children and adults gobbled them up, and so many people wanted the recipe! The cinnamon buns are truly so easy to make, utterly delicious, a perfect texture, and pretty to look at. I definitely recommend making 18, but I urge you to use 9-inch pans, preferably anodized aluminum. I made one batch in an 8 inch pan, and under-baked them by mistake. The 9-inch pan works perfectly. The anodized aluminum gives a very nice brown edge, which my costlier All-clad gold pan did not. That pan is going to the Good Will, and I’m purchasing another Fat Daddio pro series, aluminum pan. What a great recipe to make for family gatherings–so much easier than pancakes…
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So great to hear all of this! And thank you for the tips on the pans 🙂 🙂 🙂
These are the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever made and everyone who tries them LOVES them. I roll it out on generously floured parchment paper and dust it with some more flour on top. I like to add a few pinches of ground cardamom to the filling. My family aren’t huge cream cheese frosting lovers and I usually don’t keep it on hand when I’m craving cinnamon rolls, so I usually make a glaze with 1 cup of powdered sugar, 2 tbsp of milk, 1 tbsp melted butter, and a dash of vanilla extract. You can 1.5x the amount to generously glaze a double batch. I think these bake best in a 9×9 square pan. I baked a batch in a glass 8×8 and the middle bun was still raw and doughy. I’ve also baked them in a 10 in springform pan with better results but you def need to check the doneness of that middle bun. Would love to know if this could work with gluten free flour.
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Wonderful to hear all of this, Vanessa! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes. I do think the material of the pan makes a difference. I have the best results when I use metal pans for this one, so it makes sense your springform pan gave you better results.
Regarding gluten-free flour, my experience is that the best gluten-free breads turn out best in loaf pans or bowls or something that helps contain the dough, because I think the best gluten-free breads come from doughs that are on the wet side. All of this is to say, I think a wet dough would be very difficult to roll and cut, etc. That said, I have no doubt there is a gluten-free cinnamon roll out there. I just wouldn’t swap gluten-free flour in here because I think you will be frustrated by the process. Hope that helps!
This is a STAR player on the breakfast or dessert game! I’m not the biggest fan of cinnamon rolls but I do have an unhealthy obsession with chocolate brioche. So I swapped in Nutella instead of the brown sugar filling – it’s hard to spread Nutella so I just plopped teaspoon amounts around the dough. My oven is a not very reliable so I baked it for 35 minutes, but covered it in foil for the last 5 minutes. When I tried one roll, I actually said “MMMMMM!” out loud in the kitchen by myself. The Nutella makes this feel more like a dessert, but certainly does not prevent my husband from grabbing one for his morning commute (very easy to gobble up in the car)! Thank you, Alexandra for making us non-bakers a bit more brave in the kitchen!
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🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 This reminds me of the Simpson episode during which Homer sees a slice of pie on the floor and says: Mmmmmmmmm floor pie. I’m so happy to read all of this, Caroline 🙂 🙂 🙂 Nutella sounds absolutely amazing. My children would go crazy for that variation as Nutella with bread sticks is about their favorite snack. Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes.
Oh my word! I will never ever look at another cinnamon roll recipe again. These were easy and the result is a soft flavorful cozy bun. My mom has made cinnamon rolls for years and insisted I give her this recipe. I love that I can do the overnight rise in the fridge. Makes it more doable when your a busy mom! Again look no further for a cinnamon roll recipe-this is as close to perfection as it gets.
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So nice to hear this, Erin 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes. Love that your mom wanted the recipe … nothing better!