This recipe yields a pan of buttery soft, gooey cinnamon sweet, and extra fluffy homemade cinnamon rolls topped with tangy cream cheese icing. It’s been a reader favorite recipe for years and I love it so much that I turned this rich dough into apple cinnamon rolls, pecan sticky buns, maple cinnamon rolls, and even a cinnamon roll wreath. You can make the cinnamon rolls within a few hours or get started the night before using the overnight preparation option.
This recipe is brought to you in partnership with Red Star Yeast.
This cinnamon rolls recipe has lived on the site since 2014. After making countless more batches since I published the recipe plus answering readers’ comments and questions, I thought it would be beneficial to update the post with more helpful information and success tips. Homemade cinnamon rolls are a popular breakfast choice, so I want to make sure you have all the resources you need for this classic recipe.
By the way, if you love this dough, be sure to try it as raspberry sweet rolls or strawberry sweet rolls with lemon glaze next. Or for a sprinkle loaded treat, my birthday cake cinnamon rolls use the same dough, too!
Tell Me About These Homemade Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
- Texture: This is one of my richest homemade doughs, so you’re already promised a soft, springy, and fluffy texture. I usually use all-purpose flour, but if you use the optional bread flour, your rolls will be a little chewier. I find that these homemade cinnamon rolls are even fluffier than my easy 1 rise cinnamon rolls (and that’s because there’s the additional rise here!).
- Flavor: The smell of warm cinnamon rolls is oh-so-irresistible and inviting. Once you take that first bite, you’ll enjoy a fresh homemade dough that’s swirled with endless pockets of (Cinnabon style!) sweet and gooey cinnamon.
- Ease: Homemade dough and shaped breads require more precision and effort than making say, a coffee cake. But the dough is pretty straightforward and simple to shape, as long as you have enough flour nearby for your hands, work surface, and rolling pin.
- Time: This dough requires 2 rises. Once you understand the assembly process, the prep moves pretty quickly. Set aside at least 4-5 hours from start to finish or divide between 2 days with the overnight option. Whichever method you choose, keep in mind most of that time is hands off as the dough rises.
If you are craving cinnamon rolls right now, and just can’t wait for dough to rise, try these no yeast cinnamon rolls!
What Readers are Saying:
“I HAD to come and leave this rave review. I just baked and iced these cinnamon rolls ay 9:05 am. It’s now 10:55 am in a household of only 3 people only two are left. This recipe is the best I’ve ever tried. ★★★★★” – Chelsea
“Delicious and easy to follow! This was my first time cooking with yeast and my first time making homemade cinnamon rolls and this was a great recipe to start with. Everyone at brunch was blown away. ★★★★★” – Hannah
“Delicious! I have tried many cinnamon roll recipes, and this is my new favorite. I prefer a roll that is large, more fluffy than dense/gooey, and buttery without being overly sweet. This fit the bill! ★★★★★” – Brice
Are You a Yeast Beginner?
This Baking with Yeast Guide is a wonderful starting point for beginners. I answer many common yeast FAQs in easy-to-understand explanations, so you can learn the basics before beginning.
7 Crucial Ingredients in These Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Feel free to skip straight to the recipe. But if you’re new to making bread, the following explanations are points that I’ve learned over the years and will be massively helpful.
- Whole milk: Whole milk is ideal for the richest tasting cinnamon rolls. Buttermilk works just as well without any changes to the recipe. Many readers have successfully substituted nondairy milks. In a pinch, you can use 2% or 1% milk, but do not use nonfat milk.
- Sugar: You need 2/3 cup of white granulated sugar in the dough. Use 2 Tablespoons in step 1 below (the proofing step), then add the rest in step 2.
- Yeast: You can use active dry or instant yeast. Follow the directions exactly as written regardless of which you choose. You’ll still proof the yeast in warm milk with some sugar even if you use instant yeast. This step ensures that the yeast is active and not expired. Most yeast these days is already active, but it’s a quick 5-10 minute step that prevents you from wasting your time just in case the yeast has expired. If using active dry yeast, the rise times will be a little longer. For the past 10+ years, my go-to brand has been Red Star Yeast. I always recommend Platinum Yeast from Red Star.
- Butter: This is a rich dough, meaning it has fat to help guarantee softness. Use 1/2 cup of softened butter and to help it blend easier, cut it into 4 pieces before adding.
- Eggs: Like butter, eggs promise a softer, richer dough.
- Salt: Dough is bland without salt.
- Flour: Flour is the structure of the dough. You can use either all-purpose flour or bread flour. You’ll notice the rolls are a little chewier if you use bread flour. It’s not a huge difference, so don’t worry if you only have all-purpose flour. (That’s what I usually use!)
Note: You’ll notice that I use more yeast in this recipe compared to my easy cinnamon rolls. Why? These are much fluffier and larger—about twice the size.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here’s what you’re looking for after you let the warm milk, some of the sugar, and yeast sit for about 5-10 minutes. The top will be a little foamy:
After the dough comes together, it will be a little soft and sticky—that’s normal. As explained in step 3 below, knead the dough on a floured counter or keep it in the mixer for kneading. If you’d like a visual of how to knead the dough by hand, you can watch the full video tutorial in my post on how to knead dough.
What If I Don’t Have a Stand Mixer? If you do not own a mixer, you can mix the dough together with a large wooden spoon/silicone spatula. It will take a bit of arm muscle. A hand mixer works, but the sticky dough repeatedly gets stuck in the beaters. Mixing by hand with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula is a better choice.
Let the dough rise until doubled in size:
Punch the risen dough down and roll it out.
Baker’s Tip: If the dough keeps shrinking as you roll it out, stop what you’re doing, cover it lightly, and let it rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten. When you return to the dough, it should stretch out much easier.
Spread softened butter on top, then sprinkle on a mixture of cinnamon and sugar (brown sugar or white granulated sugar).
Roll it up:
Use a very sharp knife to cut the roll into 12 rolls, each about 1.5 inches. Arrange in your greased baking pan, cover, then let the rolls rise until doubled in size and puffy, usually about 1 hour. The left photo is before rising and the right photo is after rising:
Bake the rolls and then make the tangy cream cheese icing to smother on top. If cream cheese isn’t your favorite, you could top the rolls with vanilla icing, the brown sugar icing from these pumpkin donuts, maple icing from maple cinnamon rolls, or even the caramel icing from apple cinnamon rolls. Lots of options!
5 Success Tips
- Use brown sugar or granulated sugar in the filling: I used to use granulated sugar in the cinnamon sugar filling, but recently switched to brown sugar for extra flavor. Brown sugar doesn’t necessarily make the filling more moist—there’s so much butter, so it’s moist and gooey either way. Use whichever sugar you prefer.
- Best pan to use: I recommend a 9×13-inch glass pan or metal pan. Avoid ceramic pans. If you must use ceramic, keep in mind that the rolls will likely take longer to bake through.
- Evenly baked cinnamon rolls: These are extra big and fluffy cinnamon rolls, so to help guarantee the centers AND tops cook evenly, tent a piece of aluminum foil over the rolls after about 15 minutes in the oven. This will protect the tops from browning too quickly before the centers can cook.
- Don’t have all morning to spend on this dough? Feel free to prep the dough the night before. This is a wonderful way to save time in the morning so you can wake up and eat sooner. See my make-ahead/overnight instructions in the written recipe below.
How to Freeze Homemade Cinnamon Rolls So They Still Taste Fresh
Let me share a tip I’ve learned after working with this dough for several years. You can prep the rolls and freeze them ahead of time so they still taste fresh.
- Here’s how: Bake the rolls in step 9 for only about 10 minutes. Cool completely, then cover and freeze. To serve, take the rolls out of the freezer and place in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. Once thawed, finish baking them for about 15-20 minutes.
I often use this method when I gift cinnamon rolls to others—just copy/paste or write these freezing instructions down. This method is also helpful if you have company over, want to cut down on time, or are entertaining. I like to make these cinnamon rolls ahead when I’m hosting holidays like Easter. See more Easter brunch recipes, like savory quiche and frittata, to complete your menu.
PrintHomemade Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
- Prep Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes (includes rises)
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours (or overnight)
- Yield: 12 rolls
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This recipe yields a pan of buttery soft, gooey cinnamon sweet, and extra fluffy homemade cinnamon rolls topped with tangy cream cheese icing. You can make the cinnamon rolls within a few hours or get started the night before using the overnight preparation option.
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, warmed to about 100°F (38°C)
- 2/3 cup (135g) granulated sugar, divided
- 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons (14g) active dry or instant yeast (2 standard size packets)*
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature and cut into 4 pieces
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 and 1/2 cups (563g) all-purpose flour or bread flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed
- 2 teaspoons canola, vegetable, or olive oil for bowl (or use nonstick spray)
Filling
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2/3 cup (135g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
Cream Cheese Icing
- 4 ounces (113g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) heavy cream or milk
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: Whisk the warm milk, 2 Tablespoons sugar, and the yeast together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Cover and allow mixture to sit for about 5 minutes or until foamy on top. *If you do not own a mixer, you can do this in a large mixing bowl and in the next step, mix the dough together with a large wooden spoon/silicone spatula. It will take a bit of arm muscle. A hand mixer works, but the sticky dough repeatedly gets stuck in the beaters. Mixing by hand with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula is a better choice.*
- On medium speed, beat in the remaining sugar (which should be 1/2 cup/100g) and the softened butter until it is slightly broken up. Add the eggs and salt and beat on medium speed until combined. The butter won’t really be mixing into the mixture, so don’t be alarmed if it stays in pieces. Switch the mixer down to low speed and with it running, add 1 cup of flour at a time, making sure it’s fully incorporated before adding the next. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. After 4 cups have been added, add the last 1/2 cup and beat until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 3 minutes. Dough will be soft.
- Knead the dough: Keep the dough in the mixer (and switch to the dough hook if you used the paddle) and beat for an additional 5 full minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 5 full minutes. (If you’re new to bread-baking, my How to Knead Dough video tutorial can help here.) If the dough becomes too sticky during the kneading process, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour at a time on the dough or on the work surface/in the bowl to make a soft, slightly tacky dough. Do not add more flour than you need because you do not want a dry dough. After kneading, the dough should still feel a little soft. Poke it with your finger—if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise. You can also do a “windowpane test” to see if your dough has been kneaded long enough: tear off a small (roughly golfball-size) piece of dough and gently stretch it out until it’s thin enough for light to pass through it. Hold it up to a window or light. Does light pass through the stretched dough without the dough tearing first? If so, your dough has been kneaded long enough and is ready to rise. If not, keep kneading until it passes the windowpane test.
- 1st Rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or use nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise in a relatively warm environment for 2 hours or until double in size. (I always let it rise on the counter and it takes about 2 hours. For a tiny reduction in rise time, see my answer to Where Should Dough Rise? in my Baking with Yeast Guide.)
- Grease the bottom and sides of a metal or glass 9×13-inch baking dish (glass or metal) or line with parchment paper.
- Roll out the dough: Punch down the dough to release the air. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough into a 12×18-inch rectangle. Make sure the dough is smooth and evenly thick. If the dough keeps shrinking as you roll it out, stop what you’re doing, cover it lightly, and let it rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten. When you return to the dough, it should stretch out much easier.
- For the filling: Spread the softened butter all over the dough. The softer the butter is, the easier it is to spread in this step. (Microwave it for a few seconds to soften if needed.) In a small bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon together. Sprinkle evenly over the butter. Tightly roll up the dough to form an 18-inch-long log. If some filling spills out, sprinkle it on top of the roll. With an extra sharp knife, cut into 12 even rolls, about 1.5 inches each. Arrange in the prepared baking pan.
- 2nd Rise: Cover the rolls tightly and allow to rise until puffy, about 1 hour. (Or use the overnight option in the Notes below.)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Bake for about 25–28 minutes or until they are lightly browned on top. After about 15 minutes, tent a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the pan to prevent the tops from browning too quickly. Remove pan from the oven and place pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes as you make the icing.
- Make the icing: In a medium bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, cream/milk, and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 1 minute. Spread the icing over the warm rolls and serve immediately.
- Cover leftover frosted or unfrosted rolls tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions – Overnight: To prepare the night before serving, prepare the rolls through step 7. Cover the rolls tightly and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. (16 hours max. 8–12 hours is best, but 16 hours is OK if absolutely needed. Do not exceed 16 hours.) The next morning, remove from the refrigerator and allow to rise on the counter for 1–2 hours before continuing with step 9.
- Make Ahead Instructions – Freezing: Baked rolls can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm up before enjoying. You can also freeze the unbaked rolls and here’s how: bake the rolls in step 9 for only about 10 minutes. Cool completely, then cover tightly and freeze. To serve, take the rolls out of the freezer and place in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. Once thawed, finish baking them for about 15–20 minutes.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Stand Mixer or Large Glass Mixing Bowl with Silicone Spatula or Wooden Spoon | Rolling Pin | 9×13-inch Glass Baking Pan or Metal Baking Pan | Cooling Rack
- Milk: I recommend using whole milk for the best, richest-tasting dough. You could also use buttermilk. Reduced-fat, low-fat, or nondairy milk works in a pinch. Do not use nonfat milk.
- Yeast: You can use active dry or instant yeast in this recipe. Follow all of the same instructions. If using active dry yeast, the rise times are usually slightly longer. Reference my Baking with Yeast Guide for answers to common yeast FAQs.
- Other Icing Options: Instead of cream cheese icing, you can top the warm rolls with vanilla icing, the brown sugar icing from these pumpkin donuts, maple icing from maple cinnamon rolls, or even the caramel icing from apple cinnamon rolls.
- Gluten Free: We have not tested this recipe with gluten-free flour, so we are unsure of the results.
Hi all,
I used active dry yeast but I couldn’t get the milk, sugar and yeast to hell and make the for you top. What am I doing wrong? Milk to hot or not hot enough? Wrong yeast?
Thank you for any help!
Hi Rachel! The milk could have been too hot (killed the yeast) or too cold (didn’t activate the yeast). Active dry is perfect! Did you end up baking the cinnamon rolls? This baking with yeast guide should be a great resource for you in the future!
I just made these and were yummy! They did take quite a bit longer to bake to ensure the middle ones were cooked through. Do you bake them on convection? Thanks, Kathy
Hi Kathy! All of the recipes on this site are written for conventional oven settings. We always suggest using an in-oven thermometer to ensure your oven is baking at the correct temperature. Thank you so much for giving these cinnamon rolls a try!
Amazing and not difficult. I did the overnight method and added toasted walnuts and raisins. So delicious
My son doesn’t like cream cheese frosting (which baffles me). I wanted to know if I could use a vanilla butter cream instead?
Hi Lisa, buttercream could definitely work for a thicker layer over the rolls. Or you may enjoy this simple vanilla icing instead.
Could you add raisins to this receipe and if so at what stage would you add them in?
Yes, definitely! You can sprinkle them on the filling before rolling the dough up. Happy baking!
Just made and ate fir my daughter’s 26th birthday breakfast at the beach house. So delicious and easy to make with just a few ingredients. There wasn’t a rolling pin so used an empty wine bottle! Might easily become a family birthday tradition.
We made these last Christmas Eve for Christmas Morning, and they were delicious.
I want to make them for company, and was wondering if you could make the dough on Wednesday to bake on Friday, or is that too long?
Thanks
Hi Linda! We don’t recommend refrigerating them for longer than 8-12 hours. If over-proofed, they will likely deflate in the oven and/or have a sour or unpleasant yeast aftertaste.
I’m so excited to finally get the time to try these out! Ive now got 12 very beautiful rolls sitting in my fridge ready to be baked in the morning
I have one quick question, only if you’re not to busy
Have you ever tried adding cream over them before baking them? I’ve been trying to study up since this is my first time makingn rolls and alot of other recipes recommend it, but I’m super hesitant at the same time to do it
Any thoughts?
Hi Rebecca! We haven’t tested adding cream cheese before baking, but we love these cinnamon rolls with a cream cheese icing added after baking. Hope you enjoy them!
Hey, Thank you so much for replying back!
By cream I meant heavy cream, So I went ahead and risked it
So far so good, and they rose beautifully!
We haven’t dug into them yet but they smell amazing!
We always add heavy cream to ours before baking! Literally makes them so soft and delicious! Hope yours turned out well!
Can these be made 2 nights ahead?
Hi Cynthia! We don’t recommend refrigerating them for longer than 8-12 hours. If over-proofed, they will likely deflate in the oven and/or have a sour or unpleasant yeast aftertaste.
Will they proof enough on the counter top, with the overnight version?
Wonderful recipe and absolutely delicious! I’ve just put a batch into my fridge to sit overnight for our Mother’s Day breakfast and, this time, have had to only make a half batch because we ate them ALL within a day last time! This time, I’ve also done half with Nutella and white chocolate chunks as I have a 5 year old who’s not sure on cinnamon. I can’t wait!
Honestly, so much fun to make! The instructions are so simple and really allow you to be flexible with your time depending on what you plan. The first time I tried this recipe my yeast was no good so make sure you pay attention to all the steps and follow them to the t. The recipe is great and I will definitely be making this in the future ☺️
This has become a family favourite! I think I first tried them a couple of years ago and they became a tradition. Our kids request these at every holiday breakfast or special occasion. I’m not a great baker but thankfully this recipe (with clear instructions) made it easy. I’m now about to start a batch as a birthday treat for a friend. The only problem will be giving them away!
I HAD to come and leave this rave review. I just baked and iced these cinnamonrolls ay 9:05 am. It’s now 10:55 am in a household of only 3 people only two are left. This recipe is the best I’ve ever tried. I used to be so intimidated by making things like these but you explained everything so nicely and it worked out perfectly. Only con is that if I makes these again I will have no self control and I’ll have to start wearing my happy pants lol.
Thank you so much for reporting back, Chelsea — we’re glad these cinnamon rolls were a hit in your house! What a delicious way to start the day.
Hi sally! These sound so yummy! If I was to bake and freeze what temp and for how long sound I reheat them at? Does it matter if you have an electric or gas oven? Thinking about making a few batches for when we have the family over for Easter brunch and I’m not sure what is a better option. Freezing before baking or baking first. Thanks so much
Hi Adriana, I love serving fresh-baked cinnamon rolls– especially on special occasions. I would partially bake then freeze the rolls as instructed in the freezing instructions.
Hey Sally,
Could I use buttermilk in this recipe instead of whole milk? Similar to you large cinnamon roll recipe?
Yes, absolutely!
Thank you for such a great recipe! First time making it and it was so good. Could this recipe yield 24 rolls (if I want them smaller)? If so what baking time would you suggest and any tips.
Made these last night/this morning! So good! I recently got a stand mixer (how did I go without one?!) and thought this would be a great recipe to try for its first use. I did halve the recipe to 6 rolls (only two of us), but I think we will still freeze some of the extras. The center roll (I used an 8×8 glass pan, with the rolls sort of staggered) was a bit under baked I think (185 in the center on the thermometer), but the others were perfect. I actually like them a bit brown on the tops, but I did still use foil for about half of the time, as recommended.
I made these for the first time about 2 months ago and have been making them once a week. They are a HUGE hit with my family
These turned out so well. Fluffy and flavorful. The recipe was easy to follow. I added a bit extra cream cheese to the frosting just to give it a bit more cream cheese flavor. Took some to my neighbors, because if they are in the house too long, I swear I might eat the whole pan of them.
Will definitely be baking these cinnamon rolls again.
I love your recipes! Thank you for sharing. This one I struggled with. After 25 minutes the centers were raw, back in for 10 mins and still gooey dough, back in for another 5…. any idea what I may have done wrong?
Hi Karen! We usually have this problem when we bake cinnamon rolls in a ceramic dish. What kind of pan are you using? Regardless of the dish you’re using, it can still happen and there’s a few ways to fix. First, lower your oven rack and lower the oven temperature. The rolls will take longer this way, but will bake more evenly. You can also only tent the edges of the baking cinnamon rolls (once they begin to brown) with aluminum foil. We usually just cut two pieces and place them on top of the two ends, leaving the center rolls exposed.
OMG! Best cinnamon rolls EVER!! They were so fluffy and easy to make! All you need is time!
This recipe was bomb the first time I made it, but not the second time. I think it didn’t work the second time because I was rushing. But the first time, those were bomb! You guys should really try it.
Didn’t get the rise on the dough….after reading a bunch of comments, found out that instant yeast was used…..maybe add that to the recipe to allow for successful rolls……
I love recipes that are easy to use but make you look like a master baker. This is one of them. Nothing beats doing all the hard work the day before!
Do you have any recommendations for adjusting for high altitude baking (mile high/5280)? I’ve read online to cut the yeast by half but that seems extreme! Any suggestions?
Hi Tracy I wish we could help, but we have no experience baking at high altitude. I know some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
I’ve never made cinnamon rolls before, and I was amazed at how delicious and moist these were. The sound that the dough made when plopping onto the counter after rising was so satisfying. The only part of the recipe that I wasn’t in love with was the icing, but I think that’s a matter of personal preference. I wanted more cream cheese flavor. We actually doubled the icing recipe, too, which I would recommend for anyone who is an icing lover. Double was a little too much, but the amount specified in the recipe wouldn’t have been enough for us.
I’ve made these multiple times, they are tasty, soft, fluffy rolls but I make the dough without a mixer and find it far to wet and sticky.
There would be no way to knead it by hand so have had to use a bowl method.
I’ve also had to reduced the liquid or add more flour in the past and although I haven’t done them overnight yet, I also find it doesn’t need 14g yeast (I use half that of fast acting) and never had any rise issues.
A nice sweet treat. Happy baking all.
Hi Sally,
Love your site and frequently come here for the best version of anything I’m baking!
Just wondering if the 2nd rise in the morning is supposed to be tightly covered, loosely covered, or uncovered?
Thanks!
Hi Tisha, thank you so much! Lightly or tightly covered is best. (Don’t keep them uncovered.)
I don’t have refrigerator real estate for a baking sheet. Can I refrigerate the roll overnight, then in the morning cut and rise?
Hi Rebecca! You can do that. Make sure the roll is tightly covered– don’t wrap it in plastic wrap because it can expand, just cover with aluminum foil. Cut the rolls in the morning, arrange in your baking pan, and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size.
Made this last night/ this morning. It turned out really well! Thank you! Your recipes always turn out well for me!
Hi Sally,
Can I use this recipe but not do the overnight rise? Just 60-90 minutes for the 2nd rise?
I have used your easy cinnamon roll recipe several times and I noticed these 2 recipes are very similar but this just has more quantity of the ingredients (i.e. more flour) and a slightly different process. Thanks
Hi Karen! These overnight cinnamon rolls are softer, fluffier, and taste a little more indulgent than the quick version you’ve tried before. You can skip the overnight instruction and simply let the shaped cinnamon rolls rise at room temperature (like the 1st rise) until they’re puffy, about 1-2 hours.