A while back, I shared my recipe for 30 minute cinnamon rolls. They’re easy, delicious, and satisfy a craving. That being said, there’s just something about a yeast dough that can’t be beat. The Family Day holiday here in Ontario was last Monday, and we were having a big brunch with Mr. O’s extended family. Knowing full well that 1. I probably couldn’t eat several dishes due to Baby Oats’ dairy allergy, and 2. everyone is always ready for a cinnamon roll, I pulled out this recipe. The beauty of these sticky cinnamon rolls is that they can be made the night before and just baked off in the morning. They also are remarkably easy to convert to dairy-free; and if you replace the egg with 1 tbsp flax seeds mixed with 3 tbsp water, they’re vegan!

I doubled the recipe for our big family gathering, but a single pan makes 12 large cinnamon rolls. These are sticky and delicious, with a toffee flavour due to the caramel that the rolls bake in. Give these a try…I’m sure you’ll want to make them again!

overnight sticky cinnamon rolls

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Dough

1 1/4 cups warm milk (I used almond milk)
2 1/4 tsp (1 pkg) instant dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 melted butter (I used Earth Balance)
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt

‘Goo’:

1/2 cup unsalted butter (or butter substitute)
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup

Filling:
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp cinnamon
3 tbsp melted butter (again, or butter substitute)

Instructions:

Stir the yeast into the warm milk and let stand while you measure the other ingredients. Put all dough ingredients into the bowl of a mixer (or just a bowl), and stir until combined. Add the milk and yeast, stir until it comes together in a ball. Knead with the dough hook (on a stand mixer) for three minutes, or on a floured surface by hand for five minutes. Place the dough into an oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. CHEAT: Set your oven to broil for about 5 minutes, then turn it off. Put the dough in your warm, not hot, oven, leave the door open a crack, and let the dough rise. It should double in size in 45 minutes or less. If i’ts rising on your counter, expect 90 min to 2 hours rise time.

For the ‘goo.’ add butter, brown sugar and maple syrup to a saucepan. Heat on the stove until combined and bubbly. Pour into the bottom of a 9×13 pan, and let cool.

Once the dough has risen, roll it out into a large rectangle on a floured surface. Brush with melted butter, then sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar. Roll from the longer side into a log, pulling the dough tight as you go. Slice into twelve rolls, and arrange in the goo-filled 9×13 pan.

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If you’ve done this early in the morning and you want to eat your cinnamon rolls for breakfast, let them stand (covered in plastic wrap) for another 45 minutes to rise. Then, bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes, until golden brown. Invert them on a plate, and serve.

If it’s late at night, and you want your cinnamon rolls for breakfast, wrap them in plastic and refrigerate overnight. Then, in the morning, put the pan into a cold oven, set the oven to 350 degrees, and bake for 45 minutes. By the time the oven is preheated and the timer has gone, your cinnamon rolls will have risen and baked perfectly. Invert these on a plate, and serve.