Want to make a lot of friends? Tell them you make homemade cinnamon rolls for Christmas. I started making this cinnamon roll recipe from Paula Deen about four years ago (Click here for the original recipe), and now they are expected every Christmas morning.
I have modified the recipe slightly because some year they didn't turn out. What I realized is the order you add the ingredients really matter. Why? Because salt will kill your yeast, and hot melted butter will scramble your egg. I found waiting until the end to add these ingredients has made this recipe foolproof.
These cinnamon rolls freeze really well! All you do is make the dough. Then spread the cinnamon filling all over it, and roll the dough up. Slice your rolls, and put them in an aluminum pan (I like the 8x8 pans because they fit easily into a freezer bag). Let them rise another 30 minutes, place the pan in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 2 months. What!?!
When you are ready for cinnamon rolls Christmas morning, take the rolls out of the freezer. Then pop these babies into the oven at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes! Whip up the glaze while they bake and done!
I was jittery for about two hours after I ate this decadent rolls. Note to self, eat some protein with these sugar bombs...
You can also make these on Christmas Eve and skip the whole freezing process. Instead of putting the pans in the freezer, leave them in the fridge overnight. They will proof slowly and will be ready by morning.
Get the Recipe
Freezer Friendly Cinnamon Rolls
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 18-20 1x
Description
This recipe is freezer friendly so you can make a big batch ahead of time and pop them in the oven whenever you want!
Ingredients
Dough
- 1/4 ounce yeast packet (2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 3 1/2-4 cup all-purpose flour (start with 3 1/2 and add more if the dough is to sticky to handle)
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon salt
Filling
- 1/2 cup butter, softened (softened butter is not a messy as melted butter when you roll it up!)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
Glaze
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cup powdered sugar
- 5 Tablespoons warm water
Instructions
- Activate the package of yeast in the 1/2 cup warm water in a large bowl (or mixing bowl if you have a standing mixer) and let the yeast bloom for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the milk, sugar, egg, and flour to the bowl and mix together until a tacky dough forms.
- Add the melted butter and salt and mix again until the dough comes together. Transfer to a floured cutting board to knead for 5 minutes (If you're using a standing mixture, just add your dough hook attachment and knead on low for 5 minutes).
- Put the dough back into the bowl, cover with a kitchen towel, and let the dough rise for 1-1 1/2 hours (If you are using a standing mixer just leave the dough in the bowl to rise).
- Mix together the filling ingredients (butter, sugar, and cinnamon) and set aside.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down, and place it on a flour surface.
- Roll the dough into a big rectangle about 1/4 " thick.
- Spread the filling all over the dough in an even layer.
- Roll the long side of the rectangle into a long log. Using a serrated knife, slice the rolls into around 1 1/4" rolls. You should get about 15-20 rolls.
- Place the rolls in a baking pan of your choice. (If you plan on freezing them I like using an 8x8 aluminum pan).
- Let the rolls rise another 30 minutes*.
- When you are ready to bake the rolls preheat the oven to 350 degrees (even if the rolls have been frozen)
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown on top.
- While the rolls bake make the glaze by mixing together the vanilla, powdered sugar, and water.
- Pour the glaze all over the hot rolls, and serve!
Equipment
Buy Now →Notes
*If you want to make these rolls the night before you bake them, place them in the refrigerator at this step. They will rise slowly over night, and be ready to bake in the morning.
*If you are freezing the rolls, after you let them rise the 30 minutes place the rolls in a freezer bag/container and freeze for up to 2 months. When your ready to make them preheat your oven to 350 and bake for 30-35 minutes (don't forget to make your glaze!)!?
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Check out more breakfast recipes:
Jennifer says
Hello! If you are freezing it do you put the cream cheese icing on before you put it in the freezer or when you bake it?
thehungrywaitress says
Hey Jennifer! Wait for the icing until after you bake them!
Kate says
14 cups of sugar? That must mean 1/4, no?
thehungrywaitress says
Oh wow! Yes Kate! I am going to fix that now. Haha! Thank you!
Jeff says
We made some then froze them. We let one batch thaw in the fridge overnight, then tried to bake them… the cinnamon filling leaked out of the rolls and the yeast failed to properly rise. Tried to thaw another batch at room temperature but had the same affect. What are we doing wrong?
Note, is the 30 minute rise before freezing important? My fiancé’s family told us not to do that, so we didn’t.
Please help! We are trying to make these to sell to help with wedding cost.
Leanna Myers says
Hey Jeff, let me test it again to see if it's the recipe. I did some research to to try and troubleshoot what's going on. Your fiancé's family is correct, they don't need to rise before freezing (I will update the recipe!). Another note I saw is to not keep them frozen longer than two weeks. Also, check to make sure your yeast isn't old. I've run into that as well. I've also killed my yeast by adding the salt too early to the recipe. Did you try baking them without freezing first to see if they are rising properly?
I hope that helps, and I'll be in touch about my results. In the meantime I found this really good recipe abut freezing dinner rolls that might provide further advice! https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2015/10/05/freeze-bake-rolls
TS says
No wonder you were jittery. ??. Making these now!!!
thehungrywaitress says
Haha! These are no joke when it comes to sugar!
Asfandyar says
Can you freeze frosting separately.
Jaien Gore says
I am definitely going to make some of these. But I do have a question. Is the butter salted or unsalted?
thehungrywaitress says
Awesome! I used unsalted butter.
Zoe says
Wow thanks for this! I love this recipe too, but I didn't want to have to spend ages making them at Christmas. Now I can make them ahead and simply bake them in the morning! Can't wait!
So you don't even have to defrost them before baking?! x
thehungrywaitress says
No! You can pop them in the oven frozen and they only take about 30 minutes! I meant to add to the instructions you will probably need 2 8x8 aluminum pans or one big 9x13 pan.
Julia Finn says
Can I use bread flour?
Leanna Myers says
Hi! Yes, you should be able to swap out bread flour.
Katie says
I am making these as gifts for holiday parties we go to and would like to provide the glaze! Have you ever frozen mini containers of the glaze? Thank you!
thehungrywaitress says
I have not ever tried freezing the glaze. I usually make it day of since it only takes a few minutes to trough together. If you try freezing it let me know how it goes!
Megan says
Hi there! This sounds like a great recipe but I?m confused about the freezing part. After the cinnamon rolls are made and put in the pan do you let them rise for 30 mins before freezing them? Or, you put the just-made rolls straight into the freezer and then they automatically rise up once the pan of frozen rolls is put straight into the oven for baking for 35 mins?
thehungrywaitress says
I let mine sit another 30 minutes before putting them in the freezer.
Deb says
Are there really 176 grams of carbs per cinnamon roll? Maybe that's for the whole recipe? (I hope)
thehungrywaitress says
Ha! I corrected the ingredients in the nutrition plugin I use. The new label makes a lot more sense! It?s showing ?only? 30.8 carbs now.
Maria J Barrios says
Hi! is this yeast measurement correct? My packet says 1/4oz = 2-1/4 teaspoons. So is the recipe 1/4ounce packet OR 1 1/2 tsp?
thehungrywaitress says
So sorry ... it's 1 packet which is 2 1/4 teaspoons. I've updated the post! Thank you for letting me know.
Norma says
If I freeze them do the they need to thaw
and rise before baking?
Bee says
Made these and froze half for me and sent a frozen 8x8 tray to a friend. She lives about an hour away so they did thaw a bit on the way there. No worries though as she popped them right in the oven and drizzled the glaze I sent over them as soon as they were ready. ?
Turned out great! Going to pop mine in Christmas morning. Can't wait!
Thanks for the great recipe and freezing tip.
thehungrywaitress says
You're welcome! Thank you for making it!
Nancy says
Do I need to grease my pans?
thehungrywaitress says
Yes. I smear around melted butter in the pans.
Kristy says
Can I make with gluten free flour?
thehungrywaitress says
I have not tested this recipe with gluten free flour, so I would not recommend it.
Linda says
I have always been afraid to make cinnamon rolls. You have perfected the recipe so o don’t have to….the pics are helpful. I have 8 people coming and will need breakfast and decided to give it a go. Thanks so much! Wanted to insert a pic but can’t figure out how.
Linda says
They turned out great! I put some in The fridge and made the next morning and the rest in the freezer.
Andrea Borie says
Ok, I have made multiple versions of this recipe.
1) using high end instant yeast / Red Star and Platinum made a difference. Also, adding the sugar with yeast and warm water made yeast bloom well.
2) I made exactly as called for. Kneaded by hand in mixing bowl until soft and stretchy
3) I allowed cut buns to rise in slightly warm area in winter until doubled
4) COOK FROZEN!!! for 35 minutes. I defrosted then baked and filling disappeared in bottom of pan. My adult children tasted with and without baking frozen and there was no comparison. BAKE FROZEN!
Leanna Myers says
Andrea you're so good! Thank you so much for all this work. Let me update the recipe with your notes (and give you credit of course!).
Anon says
I wish I had seen how many this recipe makes before starting. I double the recipe as I thought it only made 9 😩
Shantel says
That would have been a lot of ingredients for only 9 rolls
Monica says
I don't bake or make bread......but my adult kids are coming home for Christmas so I decided to try this recipe..... so far, it's gone perfectly, although it only made 14 rolls so they look a little lonely in the two 8"x8" aluminum pans. They are currently doing their 30 minute rise before they hit the freezer. Your recipe and directions are very clear and I'm looking forward to these on Christmas Day.
Sara says
Thank you! This worked! I was so worried because we were traveling for xmas and I wanted to bake them in the morning. I followed your directions but still fretted...
Anyway, pulled them out of the freezer Christmas morning and baked them straight away. They rose very nicely and were tender and lovely. The filling stayed in just as your commenters said it would. Phew! They did not have a giant fluff that I have achieved with non-freezer recipes, but only I really noticed. Everyone else was so pleased. 2 small changes I made that I recommend for special Christmas bake: Switch out the milk in the dough with egg nog and then make cream cheese frosting with egg nog to top instead of the light lovely one in this recipe. Thanks again for this helpful recipe!