Make-Ahead Cinnamon Rolls
These pillowy-soft, perfectly gooey make ahead cinnamon rolls are par-baked and frozen so that all you need to do is defrost, bake, and smother with cream cheese icing!
Servings: 12
Calories: 506kcal
Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook attachment
- Pizza cutter (or serrated knife or unflavored dental floss)
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
Ingredients
Brioche Dough:
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup heavy cream
Cinnamon Filling:
- 6 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but not melted
Cream Cheese Icing:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
Instructions
Make the brioche dough.
- Warm the milk to between 110ºF and 115ºF either in the microwave or on the stove. Use a thermometer to check the temperature of the milk. It should be warm but not hot to the touch. Pour the warmed milk into the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl) and add the yeast.
- Add the egg, melted butter, flour, sugar, and salt and mix until the ingredients are blended. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes (to give the flour time to hydrate).
- Using the stand mixer's dough hook attachment, beat on medium speed until a sticky dough forms. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for another 5 minutes, or until the dough is soft and smooth. (NOTE: If not using a stand mixer with a hook attachment, knead the dough by hand for about 10 minutes, or until a soft and smooth dough forms.)
- Knead the dough gently with your hands on a lightly floured surface for one minute before gently forming the dough into a ball. Transfer the ball of dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover the bowl with a clean dish towel.
- Place the dough in a warm spot and let it rise until doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes.
- Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour or up to overnight. (This step is optional, but it makes the dough much easier to work with.)
- Remove the dough from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature while you line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper and prepare the filling.
Prep the cinnamon filling.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sugars and spices. Set aside.
Shape the cinnamon rolls.
- Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and, using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle that's 12 inches x 18 inches. TIP: Use a bench scraper to gently nudge the edges of the rolled dough to form a perfect rectangle.
- Use a small spatula to spread the softened butter over the rectangle of dough. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the butter, covering the dough all the way to the edges.
- Beginning at the long (18 inch) end of the rectangle of dough, use the pizza cutter to cut dough into even strips that are 1.5 inches wide and strips that are 12 inches long.
- Roll up each strip of dough and place the rolls cut side up into the parchment lined baking pan.
- Cover the pan with a clean dish towel and place it in a warm spot until the rolls have doubled in size, about 20 to 30 minutes.
- While the rolls rise, position the oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Par-bake the cinnamon rolls.
- Once the rolls have risen, pour heavy cream over them immediately before baking.
- Par-bake the rolls for about 25 minutes, or until set but not yet golden. Gently poke a few rolls and (carefully) between the rolls to check that the dough is set and not raw. Let the rolls cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Freeze the rolls.
- Once the rolls are completely cooled, seal them for freezing. They can be frozen in the pan sealed with a layer of plastic wrap or moved to another air-tight container and sealed before freezing for up to one month.
Defrost the rolls.
- The night before you plan to bake the rolls, transfer them to fridge to defrost overnight. Tip: Set a reminder for the morning to take your butter and cream cheese out of the fridge to room up for making the icing.
Finish baking the rolls.
- When you're ready to bake the rolls, take them out of the fridge and let them sit at room temperature in a 9x13 pan lined with parchment paper while you preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Finish baking the rolls for about 15 minutes, until lightly golden and heated throughout. Let the rolls cool slightly in the pan on a wire rack.
Make the cream cheese icing.
- While the rolls are baking, make the cream cheese icing. Add the butter and cream cheese to a medium bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth and combined. Add the vanilla and salt and beat until combined. Add the confectioners' sugar slowly and continue to beat until blended and smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed using a rubber spatula while mixing the icing.
Frost cinnamon rolls.
- Five minutes after the cinnamon rolls come out of the oven, spread about a third of the icing over the rolls. Let the rolls cool for another 5 to 10 minutes, spread the remaining remaining icing over the rolls, and serve warm!
Notes
Storage: Cinnamon rolls are best when they're fresh from the oven, though this recipe keeps incredibly well for several days when stored properly.
- Room Temperature: Any cinnamon rolls that have not yet been iced can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Reheat the cinnamon rolls (see recommendation below) and cover with cream cheese icing before serving. Do not store iced cinnamon rolls at room temperature.
- Refrigerator: Leftover cinnamon rolls that have already been iced should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat the cinnamon rolls (see recommendation below) before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 506kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 299mg | Potassium: 148mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 875IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 2mg
