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    Home » Kitchen Tips » Freezer Cooking

    How to Freeze Cinnamon Rolls

    Published: Aug 25, 2020 · Modified: Dec 17, 2022 by Jessica Fisher

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    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more details, please see our disclosure policy.

    Everyone loves homemade Cinnamon Rolls. How can you make the process easy to do at home? Learn to freeze cinnamon rolls!

    pan of baked and glazed rainbow rolls this …

    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.

    unbaked cinnamon rolls on open tray on counter

    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.

    two glazed orange sweet rolls and two cups of espresso\

    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. 

    freezing cinnamon rolls on open tray in the freezer

    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.

    Freezer-Friendly Cinnamon Roll Recipes

    Orange Cinnamon Rolls

    Scented with vanilla and orange, these Cinnamon Rolls are reminiscent of a creamsicle. Only better.

    Rainbow Cinnamon Rolls

    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.

    Whole Grain Cinnamon Rolls to Make Your Weekend Mornings

    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-Brown Sugar Cinnamon Rolls

    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!

    Big Batch Cinnamon Rolls

    Photo Credit: amysfinerthings.com

    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!

    Pinnable image for how to freeze 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.

    « 15 Great Freezer Meals Kids Love
    Freezer Sandwiches for Quick & Easy Meals »
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Debra

      July 12, 2019 at 4:31 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        July 13, 2019 at 9:19 am

        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.

        Reply
    2. Sarah

      December 18, 2018 at 8:10 am

      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?.

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        December 18, 2018 at 3:13 pm

        I think that the syrup leaking can happen no matter which way you thaw them.

        Reply
    3. Joella

      August 15, 2017 at 1:50 pm

      looking forward to trying this!! I have guests coming on the weekend and need a simple quick breakfast… 🙂

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        August 16, 2017 at 2:06 pm

        Have a great weekend!

        Reply
    4. Tiffany

      April 05, 2017 at 8:09 am

      How long do these last in freezer before hindering the rising process?

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        April 05, 2017 at 1:54 pm

        I’d eat them up within 3 weeks or so for best results.

        Reply
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