Everyone loves homemade Cinnamon Rolls. How can you make the process easy to do at home? Learn to freeze cinnamon rolls!
Rainbow Cinnamon Rolls
Think you don’t have time to make cinnamon rolls?
Wish that you could enjoy hot cinnamon rolls on a weekend morning without waking at the crack of dawn?
Wondering if you could get away with making a big batch of rolls and not let them go to waste?
Time to learn how to freeze cinnamon rolls!
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls are not labor intensive by any stretch of the imagination, but they do take some time, passive time for the dough to rise.
You can have your cinnamon bun without spending all that time right before you eat it. The trick is to make your cinnamon rolls for the freezer.
Is it better to freeze cinnamon rolls before or after baking?
You can freeze cinnamon rolls baked or unbaked. It really depends on your needs. If you’ve got a few extra cinnamon rolls from a batch that you won’t eat up soon enough, freezing the baked rolls is a great way to avoid food waste and save some sweet treats for later.
For fresh-from the oven flavor, freeze your rolls unbaked. They can thaw in the fridge overnight, ready for you to bake them in the morning.
Can you freeze iced cinnamon rolls?
You can freeze a frosted cake, so there’s no reason why you can’t freeze iced cinnamon buns. The icing may smear a bit, but it will still be tasty.
To do so, allow the rolls to cool completely, then wrap well with plastic wrap and then place in a ziptop bag or wrap with foil.
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Orange Cinnamon Rolls
How to Freeze Cinnamon Rolls
To freeze baked cinnamon rolls: allow them to cool completely, wrap well in plastic wrap, and then stash them in a labeled freezer bag in the freezer.
To serve, thaw the rolls in their wrappings on the counter for 30-60 minutes. You can reheat them quickly in a 350-degree oven for about five minutes.
To freeze unbaked cinnamon rolls: prepare the rolls according to recipe directions (scroll down for some great freezer-friendly cinnamon roll recipes). Lay the rolls on a lined baking dish and place them in the freezer until frozen firm. Once hard, place them in a ziptop freezer bag and return them to the freezer immediately.
How long can you freeze cinnamon rolls?
Frozen food is safe to eat indefinitely, but a yeast roll will lose some of its oomph when frozen that long. For best taste and texture, bake up your frozen cinnamon rolls within a month of making them.
How do you thaw frozen cinnamon rolls?
When you’re ready to bake your cinnamon rolls, pull them from the freezer. If they are bagged up, remove as many as you want to bake and spread them out in a greased baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place the pan in the fridge overnight to thaw.
Can you make cinnamon rolls in advance without freezing them?
If you’d like, you can do a make-ahead cinnamon roll without freezing them. Prepare the rolls as the recipe directs, wrap with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, pull the pan out of the fridge and let the rolls sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking them.
Do you need special tools to make freezer cinnamon rolls?
- unflavored dental floss – Dental floss is great for cutting the cinnamon rolls without smooshing their round shapes.
- gallon-size freezer bags – Use freezer bags to store frozen rolls compactly in the freezer.
- 9×13 Pyrex pan or metal sheet pan – Alternatively, you can store your frozen rolls in the pans you’re going to bake them in.
Scented with vanilla and orange, these Cinnamon Rolls are reminiscent of a creamsicle. Only better. Eating the rainbow never tasted so good. The cinnamon in these rolls is in the dough, while the filling is an array of colored sprinkles. Get some whole grains at breakfast with these cinnamon rolls packed with rolled oats and whole wheat flour and laden with butter, sugar, and spice. Maple flavoring and brown sugar join forces to give these rolls a rich flavor that you'll want on weekend repeat. Bake someone happy this week! This tried and true recipe makes a big batch of cinnamon rolls that you can easily divide into smaller pans to gift to friends and neighbors. Don't forget to include the Caramel Pecan Topping!Freezer-Friendly Cinnamon Roll Recipes
Orange Cinnamon Rolls
Rainbow Cinnamon Rolls
Whole Grain Cinnamon Rolls to Make Your Weekend Mornings
Maple-Brown Sugar Cinnamon Rolls
Big Batch Cinnamon Rolls
Special thanks to Amy of The Finer Things in Life for contributing inspiration and information to this post which was originally published on March 26, 2010. It has been updated for content and clarity.
Martha A. says
I have never done this!!! i am going to so have to try it!
Kelly says
Thank you SO much for this! We used to use the canned every weekend, but stopped when I couldn't find any good info on freezing them. [I felt like the store bought were probably overpriced and less healthy than homemade] Time to return to cinnamon rolls! Yay!
April Driggers says
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for this! You know I’ve been yearning to try Pioneer Woman’s cinnamon rolls but I hear it makes 7 pans…and I didn’t know if you could freeze them or not! Who in the world wants SEVEN PANS of cinnamon rolls? NOT ME! This is SUCH FANASTIC NEWS!!!
I am SO digging your site! I think I”m going to link to every single one of your recipes as I make them and blog about them!!!
I even started my household binder.. it’s still being tweaked but I’m loving it!
Jessica says
Yeah for the household binder! And yes, I was surprised to find your comment in moderation. I know you’re on LAM, but this must have been a secret I was keeping from you. 😉
Shanna C says
Found this via Pinterest…and I can’t believe I never thought of doing this. I, too, will NOT get up early to make homemade cinnamon rolls but I so love the early morning smell of them baking in the oven 🙂 Thanks for sharing your ideas!
Shonda says
The recipe links take me to a site that is under maintenance! I would love to make these. Hmmmm
Jessica says
@Shonda, you can use my recipe until hers is available: https://goodcheapeats.com/2009/10/whole-grain-cinnamon-rolls/
Kyo says
you have just made my life easier! thanks so much
KT says
Thank you! This is so helpful! I have used it with both cinnamon and peanut butter rolls.
Kelly says
Thanks for the freezing tips and the recipe links! I’m definitely making these for Thanksgiving breakfast (start the day out with as many calories as possible! haha) It will be wonderful getting some preparations done ahead of time.
Casey says
Hey! Hopefully you get this… But I was wanting to make my cinnamon rolls two days in advance… would they last in the fridge or should I freeze them?
Jessica says
That’s a tough call. Def. to fridge one day in advance. Otherwise freeze. OR bake them a day ahead.
Jonna says
I am trying this out today! We have dramatically cut our grocery budget for the four of us, but with fresh cinnamon rolls throughout the month, it won’t seem so bad! I linked this page to my blog and I hope that is okay. I just wanted to share this great idea with my readers!
Jessica says
Absolutely. Link away. 🙂
Jonna says
@Jessica, I made these and they were fabulous! So delicious! I am so pleased that I will be able to offer these to my family on a regular basis without having to toil away each morning. These cinnamon rolls may become a Sunday morning tradition! 🙂
Jessica says
@Jonna, so glad you enjoyed them!
lisa says
How long will they last in the freezer? I have made the pioneers woman’s recipe for awhile now and yes it is 7 pans but i have alot of people come over and take their own pan home…lol. I have never tried freezing them but i will now but again how long do you think they will last and do you think freezing them in a freezer bag or a tray like you showed in the picture?
Jessica says
I typically freeze them in bags. Remove as much air as you can first. They should be fine for a month in the refrig/freezer or 2-3 months in the deep freeze.
Jamie says
Could you freeze the icing as well?
Jessica Fisher says
Probably. I’ve never tried though so I can’t make any promises.
Tiffany @ DontWastetheCrumbs says
I never thought about freezing them! My recipe is from a cookbook and makes jumbo sized, but it’s hard for us to get through a whole pan before feeling like we’ve OD’d on sugar. Freezing half and baking half is the perfect solution! Thanks!
Holly says
Thank you! I have been wondering for a while now if I could freeze my cinnamon rolls and have them still be good when baked. I wasn’t sure of the best way to thaw and finish rising.
Now I do! Thank you again.
Debi at Life Currents says
I make homemade cinnamon rolls and keep them in the freezer. 10 minutes or so in the oven and you have hot fresh homemade rolls. It only takes a little while to make homemade ones every couple of months. And, it’s so worth it – taste and health wise. 🙂
Here’s my recipe: http://lifecurrents.dw2.net/cinnamon-rolls/
Tiffany says
What do you do about the icing? Do you put it on the rolls and then freeze them?
Jessica says
Add the icing when you serve them. Just make the rolls and freeze before they rise. Thaw and rise simultaneously. Bake. Cool. Then frost.
Tiffany says
@Jessica,
Alright I started making these tonight using the big batch recipe and the dough was extremely sticky after adding the 7 cups of flour so i added more and it was still sticky! Did I do something wrong or is it okay for it to be like that?
Jessica says
@Tiffany, did you use my recipe or Amy’s? It’s a guest post. I would just add more flour as you work the dough on the surface until you can easily manage it. It often has to do with the humidity in the air.
Tiffany says
I used Amy’s. And I just kept adding flour until it wasn’t so sticky. Hopefully they turn out alright! Thanks for your help!
PAT says
DO YOU FREEZE THE CINNAMON ROLLS AFTER THEY RISE THE FIRST TIME? THEN LET THEM RAISE AGAIN OVERNIGHT?
Jessica says
Freeze as soon as you roll. Then they will rise as they thaw.
Melanie says
We do homemade cinnamon rolls almost every week and always when company comes over. For the 3 of us- I make a batch of 2 dozen once a month and freeze them. I have found an even simpler method tho…I use my bread machine on the dough cycle and let it only go through the first rise. Right after it beeps to let me know it’s punching down the first rise, I remove dough, roll it out on lightly floured surface, add all mixed ingredients, roll up and cut and freeze. The night before, I preheat my oven to 350. I mix up a basic carmel mix, grease and pour the carmel mix in the bottom of my pan, cover w/ a damp towell, turn off oven (or just set on counter if warm) and leave in all night to finish rising. In the morning, just remember to remove towell and turn on the oven. When they are done, I take it out of the oven, put the lid on the pan and flip it over so all the carmel goodness is on the top and drizzels down on all sides…enjoy! =) FYI- I don’t recommend refridgerating the leftovers (if they exist) w/ the carmel topping, but it seems to last about 3-4 days on the counter w/ just puting the pan back on the lid.
Diane by the seas says
Well, bless your cinnamon lovin’ heart. I have never made them in advance like this but I LOVE that it’s possible. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.
Timna says
Question: When freezing do you let it raise once then roll out, cut and freeze?
Jessica Fisher says
Yes. Allow it to do the initial rise, then roll, cut, and freeze immediately.
John says
A question, what would be the steps for doing this without a bread machine?
Jessica Fisher says
Several of the recipes referenced in the post will give you instructions on making the dough by hand.
Tiffany says
How long do these last in freezer before hindering the rising process?
Jessica Fisher says
I’d eat them up within 3 weeks or so for best results.
Joella says
looking forward to trying this!! I have guests coming on the weekend and need a simple quick breakfast… 🙂
Jessica Fisher says
Have a great weekend!
Sarah says
When I tried the freezing method recently, I started the thawing by having them sit in the fridge overnight. I found that the rolls leaked out a sugary syrup. Have you had this occur with your countertop method?.
Jessica Fisher says
I think that the syrup leaking can happen no matter which way you thaw them.
Debra says
What if they are in freezer and I decided I want some now, how long do you set them out on counter? I don’t want to wait 8 hours when I want them tonight.
Jessica Fisher says
Then your best bet is to bake them and then freeze them. Be sure to cool them completely on a rack, wrap well and then freeze. They should thaw within 30 to 60 minutes. Frost after thawing.