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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 eggs
2 cups (454 g) lukewarm water* (see notes above)
1/2 cup (125 g) 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 (227 g) lukewarm water
1/4 cup (62 g) 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.
Prep Time:12 hours
Cook Time:20 minutes
Category:Breakfast
Method:bake
Cuisine:American
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These were delicious!! I’ve tried a few other overnight cinnamon roll recipes, but never a brioche-style recipe. Because the dough was so soft and sticky when I rolled it out/shaped the rolls (as Alexandra said it would be), mine looked a little sad and slumped in my baking dish, and I was worried they wouldn’t turn out. But they did! I frosted mine with some brown butter icing I had left over from another project, and I look forward to making them again with the cream cheese frosting!
So nice to hear this, Savannah! These are definitely not the prettiest buns especially before they are frosted, but they are delicious… glad you agree! Brown butter icing sounds fabulous.
Also: if you found the dough to be really really tricky to work with, you can reduce the water next time around by 50 grams or so.
Made this for a work holiday brunch today and it brought rave reviews! I baked the full recipe in two 8×8 square pans, and ended up baking about 40-45 min to make sure the middle bun was fully cooked, tenting with foil at the end, but it worked out perfectly! Not sure why, but the filling was very runny compared to the video (maybe I didn’t pack the sugar well enough, or the butter was too hot at first; I added more sugar, and it got thicker later when it cooled down), and I didn’t end up using all of the filling, so I didn’t have the accumulating cinnamon juices that people talked about. This recipe has now dethroned my co-worker’s mom’s standby recipe; she said she was going to make this recipe when she visits her fiance’s family this Christmas! Thanks, Ali! Your recipes are renowned at my work (I also make your sourdough focaccia and bring it in and everyone always gushes over it). This will be my go-to cinnamon bun recipe from now on!
So nice to read all of this! Thanks so much for taking the time to write and share all of your notes. I think baking for a sufficient amount of time is key to ensure that middle bun cooks properly. Great to hear about the sourdough focaccia, too. Means the world. Merry Christmas!!
We are staying home just the two of us this year, so we are going to make a half batch of these for a treat! Just wondering though, what might happen if we *don’t* halve the filing and icing amounts? Too crazy? I’m willing to risk it, will report back. Thanks for another season of great recipes, hope you have a happy holiday!
Taylor, I think it’s a brilliant idea 🙂 🙂 🙂 Especially for the filling — I think these would be spectacular with double the filling. Thank you for your kind words. Wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday as well!
OK, good to know! I thought of you because I also made a half recipe. I did halve the filling but not the cream cheese frosting, and while we had frosting leftover in the end, it was kind of nice to have extra frosting on hand for slathering. Happy happy New Year to you and your family, Taylor!
These were incredible the first time I made them!! Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe. They are now a Christmas morning essential that everyone in my household looks forward to. This time I’ve frozen them ahead of time. When you say to defrost 6 hours ahead of baking, do you mean in the fridge or on the counter? Can I get away with defrosting overnight in the fridge?
Great to hear Hannah! If you want to use the fridge, I would stick them in the fridge the day before you plan on baking them — at least 12 hours. When you are ready to bake, if it looks as though they need more time, you can let them sit at room temperature 45-60 min or until they puff/fill the pan.
Happy holidays! These were a huge hit last year and I’ll be making them again, but I’m wondering if this dough would also work well for sticky buns (with pecans)? I was thinking of making a whole dough recipe with two kinds of fillings (two versions, not combined!). I’m not sure if this method would work with the refrigeration for sticky buns unless I make the nut glaze in the morning and invert the chilled rolls into it? Would I need to allow them to rise or go straight to oven with the cinnamon buns? I’m channeling my grandmother who always made sticky buns at Christmas for our family tradition, but my kids and husband prefer cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting. 🙂
Thank you! Love your incredibly reliable recipes, which have become part of my family’s traditions over the years.
This dough would absolutely work for sticky buns! I think you can make the nut glaze, get it into the pan, place your shaped buns on top and refrigerate it. Then bake the following day, invert the pan, and enjoy!
Can’t wait to try these! Have you tried any other fillings for these? I am thinking of trying Nutella perhaps or maybe something with lemon. Any thoughts or other filling ideas you’d recommend? Thank you!
I think Nutella would be amazing! I’ve seen that in other recipes. In my cookbook, I make a brioche with a hazelnut cream (like a frangipane), which would also work here.
These are soooo good! I made the focaccia as well and it came out great.
Mine didn’t look great as I didn’t roll the dough out long enough so couldn’t get a tight coil, but they tasted amazing! And know for next time. Thanks for such an awesome recipe!
Great to hear, Charlie! Thanks so much for writing. Also, just a note: mine never look great — these buns would never win a beauty contest! But they are pillowy soft and delicious, which is all that counts. Good luck on your next go!
Of all the wonderful culinary delights served on Christmas Day, the overnight brioche cinnamon buns were overwhelmingly everyone’s favorite. The dough as you emphasized required mega-flouring but it was the most pillowy-soft dough I have ever worked with. Well worth the effort for overnight fridge to oven on Christmas morning. Kathleen🎄💌🎄
So wonderful to hear this, Kathleen! Mega flouring is a great way to put it 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 After also making these on Christmas eve, I am thinking about re-visiting the recipe and reducing the water from the start to minimize the use of flour during the shaping process. But yes: so pillowy soft. Don’t want to lose that. Happy happy New Year to you 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
I made this recipe for my family to have it on Christmas morning, I doubled the recipe and gave it to family members the night before so they can have it on Christmas morning as well. All they had to do was bake it in the morning. They said they were the best cinnamon rolls they have ever had and it was such a treat to have fresh homemade cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning. Everyone just loved it so much.
They were a hit! This recipe is a keeper for sure!!!
Talita! What a gift?! Your family is lucky to have you — truly that is one of the most thoughtful gifts. So nice to hear all of this. Thanks so much for writing!
Hi Sarah! I would try the recipe once as written. Maybe people have success with the bread recipes on my blog at high altitudes because they are such high hydration. The only thing to consider is potentially adding an additional rise: let it rise once, punch it down; let it rise again, punch it down; then proceed with the recipe.
Can you substitute whole wheat flour for part or all of the recipe. Hard to get my husband’s – whole wheat is better for you – out of his baking. And when he is doing the baking – what can I say.
Thx.
Hi! I always suggest starting small: 25% or so. But I think you could get away with using 50% whole wheat flour here. As long as you (and your husband) manage your expectations about texture — whole wheat flour will make for less fluffy buns — then using ww flour is fine. The buns will still be very tasty!
Well, after showing him several of your ‘best techniques’, I convinced him to use Einkorn flour – ureka!!!! He was experimenting all weekend with single loaves of your Peasant Bread – all were delish!!!! Now on to the cinnamon rolls. I luv all your recipes, videos, and tips/techniques. I think we have converted him. Thx so much for your prompt response.
Ann
I made the half version of this today and baked it after the 1-hr second rise just to test it first and it turned out fantastic! My friends and I loved it! It’s so fluffy and the best part is there’s no need to knead! 😅
Thank you so much for sharing this. Much ❤️ from the Philippines! 🇵🇭😊
Hi Betsy! I worry a little about using gf flour here only because of the shaping aspect of the recipe — I think they will be a nightmare to shape. I think you’re better off trying to make a gluten-free brioche cinnamon loaf. Maybe try using a gluten-free flour mix (like cup4cup or King Arthur or some other 1:1 mix) in this no-knead brioche recipe, and then: pour half the batter into the loaf pan, add a layer of cinnamon and sugar (and butter?), then top with the remaining batter.
My experience is that for gluten-free breads to be success, they need to be batter-like in texture.
I’ve made your peasant bread and other slightly “sticky” doughs before, but this is looking like a disaster. I reduced the water by 50g as you suggested to someone else in the comments, but I just pulled it out after the 2 hour rise and tried to shape into a round (using TONS of flour) and it was sticking to everything… Floured counter, my hands… I feel like I’ve lost 1/4 of the dough and handled it way too much just trying to shape it into a round! It’s resting for the allotted 15 minutes now, so we’ll see what happens when I roll it out and then when I bake it tomorrow morning… If I try this recipe again, can I reduce the water by even more or is that not a good idea? I just don’t understand why mine was so impossibly wet. ☹️ Any advice?
Hi Maggie! So sorry for the trouble here … no fun to deal with super wet unmanageable dough. Yes, you definitely can reduce the water by even more. I don’t know where things went wrong. It sounds as though you are using a scale, so that’s great. What type of flour are you using? When you mixed the dough, did it form a sticky dough ball? Or was it soupy from the start? I’m just wondering if something went wrong at the start. And where did you put the dough to let it rise?
I forgot to reply to this and just remembered as I’m planning this year’s Easter brunch! I tried the recipe again after my initial comment and it turned out much better. I’m not really sure how or what I did differently. I know I reduced the water by ~50g again. Anyway, the rolls were fantastic and loved by all. They’re going on this year’s menu! Thanks for another winner and your initial reply!
LOVE this recipe!!! I’ve been making it for a couple of years now and I have no desire to try any other cinnamon roll recipe ever again because This Is It. The wet, sticky dough was a challenge at first but I’ve mastered it with a little practice. The note about using as much flour as needed was key. I also use a bench scraper instead of just my hands to lift and tuck the dough into a ball before rolling out. I’ve experimented with using 1/4 c. less water and once I accidentally omitted the eggs(!) but it’s always fantastic in the end.
Most recently, I cut way back on the sugar in the filling and the frosting just to see how that would do. I used only 3/4 c. brown sugar in the filling (keeping the full amount of cinnamon) and 1/2 c. white sugar in the cream cheese frosting. We all loved it and didn’t find it to be missing any sweetness. I offer this note not as a critique of the recipe but as encouragement of how adaptable it is!
So wonderful to read all of this, Sarah! Thanks so much for writing and taking the time to share all of your notes. I am ALWAYS happy to hear when less sugar can be used with success… so often it can, which is great to know. I appreciate your note about the stickiness, too — I do think a wet, sticky dough is what makes these so good, so while it is a pain to work with, it’s worth it. Have a great day!
Hi, I am thinking of making cinnamon rolls but I am not sure of which recipe to choose as you have given two! Do I do the overnight one or the other one. So, my question is, what’s the difference in terms of flavour and texture? Also, with the remaining dough mentioned in the overnight buns, can i use it to make brioche buns instead of loaf as you have suggested?
I prefer this one to the other one — the texture is lighter and the overall flavor is better. This dough is a little trickier to work with however — it’s very wet. If this makes you nervous, you can hold back some of the water.
And yes, regarding the extra dough!! Hope it all worked out for you 🙂
I just realized that I spread the dough into a rectangle maybe a bit larger than you said to & it’s currently in the fridge… baking tomorrow. Will it still workout even though maybe I made it too thin? Help! Thank you thank you!
It should be just fine, Phoebe! It might be a little hard to handle, but just push on — it’s OK if it doesn’t look pretty or perfect. Hope they turn out well for you!
I had some lockdown yeast to use and this recipe did the trick. So delicious! It made me feel more accomplished as a baker, not just a quick bread baker. Have some more lockdown yeast so I will repeat this recipe and probably make brioche bread as well. Thanks!
I’ve been on a “Alexandra Cooks” kick lately, and I try some of your recipes every week, only for them to be copied in “permanent rotation” notebook! I wanted to treat my friends to cinnamon rolls because they are cinnamon roll fiends, and once again, your recipe succeeded in making me look good.
You mentioned in the recipe, or someplace in the comments (not sure) that they are best served the day off, but these were still a delicious success after heating them up (minus points for appearance, though, but that’s my fault). One thing I’d like to try them with is coffee frosting when I have the chance, because coffee and cinnamon combined just have that fall feeling. Thank you!
So nice to hear this, Lili! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes. Great to hear that they were a success upon re-heating. And I don’t think appearance is your fault… it’s such a wet dough that it’s hard to make these look pretty… that’s what the frosting is for! Love your coffee frosting idea 🙂
Thank you for great recipes and inspiration! I have a college student who wants to make monkey bread (with only dorm kitchen resources, rolling and shaping into rolls is less doable) … can you please suggest baking time/technique hints for baking this as globs rolled in butter and cinnamon sugar? Single layer or stacked? disposable aluminum foil pans vs. glass? Any musings you might have would be greatly appreciated, and will go into the eventual care package for the project. : )
Ah sorry – should also have asked: would you suggest this brioche dough for the project? You have so many wonderful bread recipes, it’s hard to know which to try first!!
; )
Hi Laurie! I think your college student should make the cinnamon sugar monkey bread recipe from my cookbook — it’s easier than this recipe and everyone always loves it. Husbands That Cook blogged about it years ago: https://www.husbandsthatcook.com/2017/06/cinnamon-sugar-monkey-bread/
That recipe will answer all of your questions. You do not have to use a cast iron skillet — an 8- or 9-inch baking pan will work perfectly. Good luck packaging it all together… so fun! Let me know if you have any more questions.
Thank you so much! I am so embarrassed … I had signed up for your bread email series, and TODAY’s told me that all the answers I needed are in your book. So I bought it! And learned that you, too, baked at college, which makes me a little misty-eyed at the connected generations of bakers. Thank you again – this will be an epic care package, thanks to you!
I can’t believe I never responded to your answer! I took these on a retreat and everyone raved over them! They were so impressed that I made them from scratch, but this recipe is so easy! I’m now going to be making them for a friend for her family’s Thanksgiving morning! Having a bench scraper is a definite plus! 🙂
Hi Amy, I have not done this with this particular recipe, so I can’t say for sure how it will turn out, but the process would be to freeze the rolls once they are in the pan. You’ll need to thaw them before baking: overnight in the fridge or for at least 12 hours in the fridge or 4 to 6 hours at room temperature.
Okay, so I make cinnamon buns all the time! This is the first time making brioche cinnamon rolls. I am a HUGE fan of your focaccia recipe so I thought I’d give this a try. I brought it to work this morning and it was a huge hit!
I wasn’t used to such a sticky dough for cinnamon rolls but I trusted the process and they were amazing! Definitely making this for Christmas! Thank you again for another wonderful recipe ❤️
So nice to hear this, Kiesha! This is definitely a wet/sticky/not-easy-to-handle-dough! So glad you trusted the process 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks for writing and happy holidays!
425 Comments on “The BEST Overnight Brioche Cinnamon Buns”
These were delicious!! I’ve tried a few other overnight cinnamon roll recipes, but never a brioche-style recipe. Because the dough was so soft and sticky when I rolled it out/shaped the rolls (as Alexandra said it would be), mine looked a little sad and slumped in my baking dish, and I was worried they wouldn’t turn out. But they did! I frosted mine with some brown butter icing I had left over from another project, and I look forward to making them again with the cream cheese frosting!
So nice to hear this, Savannah! These are definitely not the prettiest buns especially before they are frosted, but they are delicious… glad you agree! Brown butter icing sounds fabulous.
Also: if you found the dough to be really really tricky to work with, you can reduce the water next time around by 50 grams or so.
These look delicious! Can’t wait to try them out for Christmas breakfast this year.
Is it possible to make the frosting in advance and store in fridge? How long would you advise to get it to room temperature for serving?
Yes, absolutely! I would take it out about an hour before to get it to room temperature … maybe less 45 minutes? Enjoy!
Hi
In reading the recipe for making 9 rolls, do I still divide the dough or just go ahead with the single dough?
Thx
(Love your recipes–thanks!)
Great question! No need to divide! Just go ahead with the single dough.
Made this for a work holiday brunch today and it brought rave reviews! I baked the full recipe in two 8×8 square pans, and ended up baking about 40-45 min to make sure the middle bun was fully cooked, tenting with foil at the end, but it worked out perfectly! Not sure why, but the filling was very runny compared to the video (maybe I didn’t pack the sugar well enough, or the butter was too hot at first; I added more sugar, and it got thicker later when it cooled down), and I didn’t end up using all of the filling, so I didn’t have the accumulating cinnamon juices that people talked about. This recipe has now dethroned my co-worker’s mom’s standby recipe; she said she was going to make this recipe when she visits her fiance’s family this Christmas! Thanks, Ali! Your recipes are renowned at my work (I also make your sourdough focaccia and bring it in and everyone always gushes over it). This will be my go-to cinnamon bun recipe from now on!
So nice to read all of this! Thanks so much for taking the time to write and share all of your notes. I think baking for a sufficient amount of time is key to ensure that middle bun cooks properly. Great to hear about the sourdough focaccia, too. Means the world. Merry Christmas!!
We are staying home just the two of us this year, so we are going to make a half batch of these for a treat! Just wondering though, what might happen if we *don’t* halve the filing and icing amounts? Too crazy? I’m willing to risk it, will report back. Thanks for another season of great recipes, hope you have a happy holiday!
Taylor, I think it’s a brilliant idea 🙂 🙂 🙂 Especially for the filling — I think these would be spectacular with double the filling. Thank you for your kind words. Wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday as well!
Double filling was a little sweet for me but these were still a HIT. Phenomenal recipe, and so much fun to make!
OK, good to know! I thought of you because I also made a half recipe. I did halve the filling but not the cream cheese frosting, and while we had frosting leftover in the end, it was kind of nice to have extra frosting on hand for slathering. Happy happy New Year to you and your family, Taylor!
These were incredible the first time I made them!! Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe. They are now a Christmas morning essential that everyone in my household looks forward to. This time I’ve frozen them ahead of time. When you say to defrost 6 hours ahead of baking, do you mean in the fridge or on the counter? Can I get away with defrosting overnight in the fridge?
Thank you for your guidance!
Great to hear Hannah! If you want to use the fridge, I would stick them in the fridge the day before you plan on baking them — at least 12 hours. When you are ready to bake, if it looks as though they need more time, you can let them sit at room temperature 45-60 min or until they puff/fill the pan.
Hi Ali,
Happy holidays! These were a huge hit last year and I’ll be making them again, but I’m wondering if this dough would also work well for sticky buns (with pecans)? I was thinking of making a whole dough recipe with two kinds of fillings (two versions, not combined!). I’m not sure if this method would work with the refrigeration for sticky buns unless I make the nut glaze in the morning and invert the chilled rolls into it? Would I need to allow them to rise or go straight to oven with the cinnamon buns? I’m channeling my grandmother who always made sticky buns at Christmas for our family tradition, but my kids and husband prefer cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting. 🙂
Thank you! Love your incredibly reliable recipes, which have become part of my family’s traditions over the years.
So nice to hear all of this, Annie!
This dough would absolutely work for sticky buns! I think you can make the nut glaze, get it into the pan, place your shaped buns on top and refrigerate it. Then bake the following day, invert the pan, and enjoy!
Does that make sense?
This recipe is so easy and the rolls are so light and fluffy. Can the rolls be refrigerated for longer tHan overnight?
I wouldn’t do much more than 36 hours… 2 days might be fine, but I’ve never tried, so I’d hate to steer you wrong! Happy holidays!
Can’t wait to try these! Have you tried any other fillings for these? I am thinking of trying Nutella perhaps or maybe something with lemon. Any thoughts or other filling ideas you’d recommend? Thank you!
I think Nutella would be amazing! I’ve seen that in other recipes. In my cookbook, I make a brioche with a hazelnut cream (like a frangipane), which would also work here.
These are soooo good! I made the focaccia as well and it came out great.
Mine didn’t look great as I didn’t roll the dough out long enough so couldn’t get a tight coil, but they tasted amazing! And know for next time. Thanks for such an awesome recipe!
Great to hear, Charlie! Thanks so much for writing. Also, just a note: mine never look great — these buns would never win a beauty contest! But they are pillowy soft and delicious, which is all that counts. Good luck on your next go!
Of all the wonderful culinary delights served on Christmas Day, the overnight brioche cinnamon buns were overwhelmingly everyone’s favorite. The dough as you emphasized required mega-flouring but it was the most pillowy-soft dough I have ever worked with. Well worth the effort for overnight fridge to oven on Christmas morning. Kathleen🎄💌🎄
So wonderful to hear this, Kathleen! Mega flouring is a great way to put it 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 After also making these on Christmas eve, I am thinking about re-visiting the recipe and reducing the water from the start to minimize the use of flour during the shaping process. But yes: so pillowy soft. Don’t want to lose that. Happy happy New Year to you 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
I made this recipe for my family to have it on Christmas morning, I doubled the recipe and gave it to family members the night before so they can have it on Christmas morning as well. All they had to do was bake it in the morning. They said they were the best cinnamon rolls they have ever had and it was such a treat to have fresh homemade cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning. Everyone just loved it so much.
They were a hit! This recipe is a keeper for sure!!!
Talita! What a gift?! Your family is lucky to have you — truly that is one of the most thoughtful gifts. So nice to hear all of this. Thanks so much for writing!
do you have any recommendations for high altitude conversions? around 5,000 feet?
Hi Sarah! I would try the recipe once as written. Maybe people have success with the bread recipes on my blog at high altitudes because they are such high hydration. The only thing to consider is potentially adding an additional rise: let it rise once, punch it down; let it rise again, punch it down; then proceed with the recipe.
Can you substitute whole wheat flour for part or all of the recipe. Hard to get my husband’s – whole wheat is better for you – out of his baking. And when he is doing the baking – what can I say.
Thx.
Hi! I always suggest starting small: 25% or so. But I think you could get away with using 50% whole wheat flour here. As long as you (and your husband) manage your expectations about texture — whole wheat flour will make for less fluffy buns — then using ww flour is fine. The buns will still be very tasty!
Well, after showing him several of your ‘best techniques’, I convinced him to use Einkorn flour – ureka!!!! He was experimenting all weekend with single loaves of your Peasant Bread – all were delish!!!! Now on to the cinnamon rolls. I luv all your recipes, videos, and tips/techniques. I think we have converted him. Thx so much for your prompt response.
Ann
Wonderful! So nice to read all of this. And yay for einkorn! Such a tasty, nutritious flour. Bravo 👏👏👏👏👏👏
Super easy and so so good – made these for Christmas morning. Highly recommend!
Great to hear this, Julie! Thanks for writing 🙂
I made the half version of this today and baked it after the 1-hr second rise just to test it first and it turned out fantastic! My friends and I loved it! It’s so fluffy and the best part is there’s no need to knead! 😅
Thank you so much for sharing this. Much ❤️ from the Philippines! 🇵🇭😊
Great to hear this, Mary! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes 🙂 🙂 🙂
I love these buns, but recently found out I need to be GF. Do you think they’ll work using 1-to-1 GF flour?
Happy Easter!
Hi Betsy! I worry a little about using gf flour here only because of the shaping aspect of the recipe — I think they will be a nightmare to shape. I think you’re better off trying to make a gluten-free brioche cinnamon loaf. Maybe try using a gluten-free flour mix (like cup4cup or King Arthur or some other 1:1 mix) in this no-knead brioche recipe, and then: pour half the batter into the loaf pan, add a layer of cinnamon and sugar (and butter?), then top with the remaining batter.
My experience is that for gluten-free breads to be success, they need to be batter-like in texture.
Hope this helps!
Hi Ali!
I’ve made your peasant bread and other slightly “sticky” doughs before, but this is looking like a disaster. I reduced the water by 50g as you suggested to someone else in the comments, but I just pulled it out after the 2 hour rise and tried to shape into a round (using TONS of flour) and it was sticking to everything… Floured counter, my hands… I feel like I’ve lost 1/4 of the dough and handled it way too much just trying to shape it into a round! It’s resting for the allotted 15 minutes now, so we’ll see what happens when I roll it out and then when I bake it tomorrow morning… If I try this recipe again, can I reduce the water by even more or is that not a good idea? I just don’t understand why mine was so impossibly wet. ☹️ Any advice?
Hi Maggie! So sorry for the trouble here … no fun to deal with super wet unmanageable dough. Yes, you definitely can reduce the water by even more. I don’t know where things went wrong. It sounds as though you are using a scale, so that’s great. What type of flour are you using? When you mixed the dough, did it form a sticky dough ball? Or was it soupy from the start? I’m just wondering if something went wrong at the start. And where did you put the dough to let it rise?
I’m so sorry about this again.
I forgot to reply to this and just remembered as I’m planning this year’s Easter brunch! I tried the recipe again after my initial comment and it turned out much better. I’m not really sure how or what I did differently. I know I reduced the water by ~50g again. Anyway, the rolls were fantastic and loved by all. They’re going on this year’s menu! Thanks for another winner and your initial reply!
So great to hear this, Maggie 🙂 Thanks for reporting back.
LOVE this recipe!!! I’ve been making it for a couple of years now and I have no desire to try any other cinnamon roll recipe ever again because This Is It. The wet, sticky dough was a challenge at first but I’ve mastered it with a little practice. The note about using as much flour as needed was key. I also use a bench scraper instead of just my hands to lift and tuck the dough into a ball before rolling out. I’ve experimented with using 1/4 c. less water and once I accidentally omitted the eggs(!) but it’s always fantastic in the end.
Most recently, I cut way back on the sugar in the filling and the frosting just to see how that would do. I used only 3/4 c. brown sugar in the filling (keeping the full amount of cinnamon) and 1/2 c. white sugar in the cream cheese frosting. We all loved it and didn’t find it to be missing any sweetness. I offer this note not as a critique of the recipe but as encouragement of how adaptable it is!
So wonderful to read all of this, Sarah! Thanks so much for writing and taking the time to share all of your notes. I am ALWAYS happy to hear when less sugar can be used with success… so often it can, which is great to know. I appreciate your note about the stickiness, too — I do think a wet, sticky dough is what makes these so good, so while it is a pain to work with, it’s worth it. Have a great day!
It’s ne again lol can you make sticky buns from this
Hi Ali,
Could I leave the formed buns in the fridge for 36-ish hours or will it be too much?
Should be fine! Just be sure the pan is tightly wrapped with plastic wrap so that the dough doesn’t dry out.
Hi, may I know if these buns will still be soft for the next couple of days? 🙂 Thank you!
These are definitely best made the day of, but if you don’t frost them, you can definitely reheat them a day or two later; then frost and serve.
Hi, I am thinking of making cinnamon rolls but I am not sure of which recipe to choose as you have given two! Do I do the overnight one or the other one. So, my question is, what’s the difference in terms of flavour and texture? Also, with the remaining dough mentioned in the overnight buns, can i use it to make brioche buns instead of loaf as you have suggested?
Hi Abby! Apologies for the delay here!
I prefer this one to the other one — the texture is lighter and the overall flavor is better. This dough is a little trickier to work with however — it’s very wet. If this makes you nervous, you can hold back some of the water.
And yes, regarding the extra dough!! Hope it all worked out for you 🙂
I just realized that I spread the dough into a rectangle maybe a bit larger than you said to & it’s currently in the fridge… baking tomorrow. Will it still workout even though maybe I made it too thin? Help! Thank you thank you!
It should be just fine, Phoebe! It might be a little hard to handle, but just push on — it’s OK if it doesn’t look pretty or perfect. Hope they turn out well for you!
I had some lockdown yeast to use and this recipe did the trick. So delicious! It made me feel more accomplished as a baker, not just a quick bread baker. Have some more lockdown yeast so I will repeat this recipe and probably make brioche bread as well. Thanks!
Yay! So nice to hear this, Sarah 🙂 🙂 🙂 Love that you’re still using your stash of lockdown yeast. The stuff lasts!! Thanks for writing.
I’ve been on a “Alexandra Cooks” kick lately, and I try some of your recipes every week, only for them to be copied in “permanent rotation” notebook! I wanted to treat my friends to cinnamon rolls because they are cinnamon roll fiends, and once again, your recipe succeeded in making me look good.
You mentioned in the recipe, or someplace in the comments (not sure) that they are best served the day off, but these were still a delicious success after heating them up (minus points for appearance, though, but that’s my fault). One thing I’d like to try them with is coffee frosting when I have the chance, because coffee and cinnamon combined just have that fall feeling. Thank you!
So nice to hear this, Lili! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes. Great to hear that they were a success upon re-heating. And I don’t think appearance is your fault… it’s such a wet dough that it’s hard to make these look pretty… that’s what the frosting is for! Love your coffee frosting idea 🙂
Thank you for great recipes and inspiration! I have a college student who wants to make monkey bread (with only dorm kitchen resources, rolling and shaping into rolls is less doable) … can you please suggest baking time/technique hints for baking this as globs rolled in butter and cinnamon sugar? Single layer or stacked? disposable aluminum foil pans vs. glass? Any musings you might have would be greatly appreciated, and will go into the eventual care package for the project. : )
Ah sorry – should also have asked: would you suggest this brioche dough for the project? You have so many wonderful bread recipes, it’s hard to know which to try first!!
; )
Hi Laurie! I think your college student should make the cinnamon sugar monkey bread recipe from my cookbook — it’s easier than this recipe and everyone always loves it. Husbands That Cook blogged about it years ago: https://www.husbandsthatcook.com/2017/06/cinnamon-sugar-monkey-bread/
That recipe will answer all of your questions. You do not have to use a cast iron skillet — an 8- or 9-inch baking pan will work perfectly. Good luck packaging it all together… so fun! Let me know if you have any more questions.
Thank you so much! I am so embarrassed … I had signed up for your bread email series, and TODAY’s told me that all the answers I needed are in your book. So I bought it! And learned that you, too, baked at college, which makes me a little misty-eyed at the connected generations of bakers. Thank you again – this will be an epic care package, thanks to you!
Awwww, Laurie 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thank you so much. Means a lot 💕💕💕💕💕
Can you use bread flour or part AP and part bread flour?
Yes, absolutely! Use either or a combination.
I can’t believe I never responded to your answer! I took these on a retreat and everyone raved over them! They were so impressed that I made them from scratch, but this recipe is so easy! I’m now going to be making them for a friend for her family’s Thanksgiving morning! Having a bench scraper is a definite plus! 🙂
Oh yay! Great to hear. And no worries… life is busy! And yes: this wet sticky dough loves a bench scraper 🙂
Could I make these and freeze the rolls before baking them? How would the instructions be different? Thank you for any directions you can give.
Hi Amy, I have not done this with this particular recipe, so I can’t say for sure how it will turn out, but the process would be to freeze the rolls once they are in the pan. You’ll need to thaw them before baking: overnight in the fridge or for at least 12 hours in the fridge or 4 to 6 hours at room temperature.
Okay, so I make cinnamon buns all the time! This is the first time making brioche cinnamon rolls. I am a HUGE fan of your focaccia recipe so I thought I’d give this a try. I brought it to work this morning and it was a huge hit!
I wasn’t used to such a sticky dough for cinnamon rolls but I trusted the process and they were amazing! Definitely making this for Christmas! Thank you again for another wonderful recipe ❤️
So nice to hear this, Kiesha! This is definitely a wet/sticky/not-easy-to-handle-dough! So glad you trusted the process 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks for writing and happy holidays!