You may remember that Nora was born right before Christmas, and that it was our very first Christmas celebrating with just our own little family. Well, the week before Christmas my angel mother was in town helping out, and I mentioned that I was just going to buy some freezer cinnamon rolls to make for Christmas morning.
Make Ahead Cinnamon Rolls
She did not like that idea and insisted that we make our own “make ahead cinnamon rolls.” Then we could have easy and delicious cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning. Boy am I glad she was so adamant! Not only were the homemade cinnamon rolls delicious then, but we have enjoyed them several Sunday mornings since (this recipe makes a ton)!
Better believe as soon as we run out I’ll be making more! So today I am going to try to break down the instructions for you in several basic steps so you feel comfortable making your own freezer cinnamon rolls.
Freezing Cinnamon Rolls
The great thing about this recipe is it works great if you want to bake your cinnamon rolls fresh right then, or if you want to freeze them! So the steps are basically the same for either method up until it is time to either freeze or bake!
Below I have step by step photos of the cinnamon roll making process to make things super clear and easy.
- Mix your yeast, 2 Tablespoons of sugar and 2 cups of warm water and let it rest. Combine your melted butter, beaten eggs, salt and sugar. Then stir in flour.
- Do not knead your dough. Cover it and let it rise until double in size. Push air out with your firsts and let it rise again until double in size. It is best to spray the bowl with cooking spray first so dough doesn’t stick!
- Divide dough into four equal parts. Roll each section of dough into a rectangle. Then brush a good layer of butter on the rolled out dough with a pastry brush.
- Sprinkle dough with as much cinnamon and brown sugar as you like. I like to be generous on this layer ;).
5. Start at the widest side of your rectangle and roll it into a log. try to pinch the seam shut. Take a piece of thread and cut dough into generous one inch slices.
6. If freezing your cinnamon rolls, cover a baking sheet with wax paper and line with cinnamon rolls. Flash freeze in the freezer for 45 minutes. After rolls are flash frozen they can be stored in freezer zip lock bags until you are ready to use them!
7. If baking immediately bake at 400 degrees for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown. Watch carefully as they can brown quickly.
8. Cover with frosting and enjoy!
Can you freeze cinnamon rolls?
Yes! Bonus, you can also freeze the cinnamon roll frosting!
How to Bake the Rolls from Frozen:
- Arrange frozen rolls two inches apart on a greased baking sheet or 9×13 cake pan. Cover with plastic wrap coated with cooking spray (don’t wrap tightly, just lay lightly over the top of your rolls).
- Pull out your frozen frosting to start thawing.
- Place pan in a warm place and let the rolls rise until double in size. Bake at 375 degrees for seven to twelve minutes or until barely golden brown.
- Frost rolls after they have cooled just slightly.
Note: I recommend pulling out your rolls and sticking them in the fridge over night to decrease your rising time.
You ready for this easy recipe? Let’s do this!
If you try this recipe and like it we would love for you to leave us a positive comment or review! They mean the world.
Make Ahead Freezer Cinnamon Rolls
Video
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons fresh yeast
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 2 Cups warm water
- 1 Cup melted butter
- 6 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 Cup sugar
- 9 Cups flour
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- Cinnamon
- Brown Sugar
Instructions
- Mix and let rest: 2 Tablespoons fresh yeast, 2 Tablespoons sugar and 2 cups warm water.
- Add: 1 cup melted butter, 6 beaten eggs (not ice cold eggs), 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 cup sugar.
- Stir in: 9 cups flour (best if done by hand and not with a mixer. DO NOT KNEAD. Cover and let rise until double in size. Push air out with fists, and again let rise until double in size. *It is a good idea to coat the bowl lightly with cooking spray first to avoid dough sticking to the sides.
- Divide dough into four equal parts.
- Roll each part into a rectangle. Try not to work your dough too much or it will get tough.
- Once dough is rolled out, brush dough with soft butter and a pastry brush.
- Sprinkle generously with cinnamon and brown sugar to cover the butter layer.
- Start at the wide side of your rectangle and roll into a log. Try to pinch the seam shut.
- Take a piece of thread and cut dough into generous one inch slices.
- Cover a baking sheet with wax paper. Lay out your cinnamon rolls and flash freeze. (It only takes about 30-60 minutes.)
- Once rolls are flash frozen you can take them off your baking sheet and store in freezer ziplock bags!
- If not freezing your rolls and wanting to cook them right away, let rolls rise until double in size, then cook at 375 for 7-10 minutes or until barely golden.
Notes
How to Bake the Rolls from Frozen:
- Arrange frozen rolls two inches apart on a greased baking sheet or 9x13 cake pan. Cover with plastic wrap coated with cooking spray (don't wrap tightly, just lay lightly over the top of your rolls).
- Pull out your frozen frosting to start thawing.
- Place pan in a warm place and let the rolls rise until double in size. Bake at 375 degrees for seven to ten minutes or until barely golden brown.
- Frost rolls after they have cooled just slightly.
Nutrition
Cream Cheese Frosting
We all know the best part of the cinnamon roll is the frosting! If freezing my cinnamon rolls I like to make the frosting ahead of time as well and store in freezer ziplock baggies until ready to use!
You ready for this easy recipe?
Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 16 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 10 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 TBSP milk
Instructions
- Combine cream cheese with butter and vanilla and blend well in a mixer.
- Add in powdered sugar a little at a time until desired consistency is reached. You can use up to 2 T. of milk as needed to wet sugar.
Notes
Nutrition
Now you will have fresh tasting cinnamon rolls for many months to come, I hope you enjoy them!
This recipe was originally published February 21st, 2013 and has been updated with new photos, video and more detailed text.
So, I made these earlier this summer and froze them. The first and second time I baked some, they were delicious. But the last two times, the buns haven’t seemed to rise so when I bake them, they stay very dense and solid. I’ve been defrosting them in the fridge overnight, then letting the pan sit in a larger pan of warm water for awhile in the morning. Any thoughts? I’m not the best baker so I’m not sure what the problem could be…
Hey Hannah! I’m so sorry you are having this issue! We’re the ones that didn’t work ever partially thawed and then refrozen?! They do lose their ability to rise correctly if that happens (even Rhodes rolls etc. do) but that is really the only issue I’ve ever seen until it’s been around a year since I’ve made them! I’m so sorry! I hope the next time works better!
Hi! About how many do you stuff into a 9×13 pan? I assume that the frosting recipe is for the entire batch…. So if you are going to make half at a time, just do half the frosting?
Yes! And I typically make the icing ahead and freeze that as well! Usually about 12 in a pan!
Planning on trying these but was wondering about the waiting until they’ve doubled part, I’m worried that my house wouldn’t be warm enough since it’s around 70 in the winter months and was wondering if I could put it on warm in oven or how long do you think it would take to rise at 70 :) sorry have never done anything like this before
It definitely does matter how warm the house is how quickly they rise, so it takes a little longer in the winter months! I’m sure you could buy them in on warm and that would be fine!!
Thank you!!
Make these even better by using Korintje cinnamon. They will taste like Cinnabon!
Approximately how long does it take for the rolls to double in size?
It depends on the heat of your house.. For me it’s usually a couple hours!
About how many 13 X 9 pans do you think this would make? Trying to figure out how many baggies to divide the icing into and how many pans this will make. THANKS!
I’m excited to try your recipe but all I have is Active dry yeast… Can I use that? And how would I do that? I have 3 different house holds asking for my home made cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning but I don’t want to spend the 2 days befor Christmas worrying about making them! Please help!!
yes, but you only need about 2/3 the amount. I made them yesterday and they turned out perfectly with 4 tsp of dry active yeast
These look so good – such a great idea for the freezer.
I would love for you to link up this and your other brilliant freezer cooking posts at the Mommy Archive – we’re focusing on favourite freezer recipes and tips this week, Alice x
I just found your blog and fell in love with this recipe. I make cinnamon rolls every weekend for my husband and three kids, but they get tired of waiting the hours it takes for my fresh-from-the-oven rolls…this is my perfect solution!
Yay I’m so so glad! Welcome to the party! Thank you for commenting, you made my day!
I’m so glad you have the recipe in your Grandmother’s handwriting! That is a really cool memory. I lost the last letter my grandmother ever sent me, and I am still kicking myself!
Thanks for linking up at One Creative Weekend. I’ll be featuring you tomorrow! Please come grab a featured button and link
up anything new you’d like to share at OneCreativeMommy.com.
Love cinnamon rolls! I have never made them totally from scratch, you make it look easy! Do you think for the icing instead of powdered sugar, splendar can be added? husband a diabetic.
Here! This is a great explanation of flash-freezing from The Pioneer Woman: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/05/quick_kitchen_t/
Thank you Mary!! We are so glad you like the recipes & ideas! :)
When you say flash freeze, what do you mean by that?
When you say flash freeze, what do you mean by that?
Here! This is a great explanation of flash-freezing from The Pioneer Woman: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/05/quick_kitchen_t/
Love the handwritten recipe!!!
Love the handwritten recipe!!!
Ladies,
Wanted you to know how much I enjoy trying the recipes you share. My family is gluten-free so any menu planning help I get is a Godsend. Your posts are all enjoyable but the recipes with an eye to pre-planning and convenience, I so look forward to. Love, love, love the freezer meals and I’m going to try to adapt the cinnamon roll recipe to be gluten-free.
You are so right about the leisure ideas. You have a ton, until the moment you can actually use them, then poof!…you can’t remember a single one. The Leisure Book is a great way to alleviate that. Thanks for sharing.
Keep those convenience meal ideas coming!!!
Thank you Mary!! We are so glad you like the recipes & ideas! :)
pinned for later! They look so good!
Those look yum!