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Make Ahead Maple Cinnamon Rolls

Make-Ahead Maple Cinnamon Rolls are soft cinnamon rolls with a maple glaze. They are perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas mornings and are easy to make ahead of time too!
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time15 minutes
Additional Time2 hours
Total Time3 hours 15 minutes
Course: Breads
Cuisine: American
Servings: 24 rolls
Calories: 334kcal

Ingredients

For the Dough

  • 1 tablespoon instant yeast
  • 1 cup very warm whole milk 115°F
  • cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup butter well softened almost melting
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 4 cups all purpose flour

For the Cinnamon Filling

  • ½ cup butter softened
  • cups brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons cinnamon

For the Maple Glaze

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup maple syrup
  • 2 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon maple extract if desired

Instructions

Dough Instructions

  • In a large bowl, stir together the yeast and milk until dissolved. Beat in the sugar, butter, salt and eggs until well combined. Add the flour, one cup at a time, stirring until incorporated. The dough will be shaggy and still sticky.
  • Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead 5-6 minutes until smooth and elastic. Or if you use a mixer, knead 4-5 minutes. 
  • When dough has been kneaded, place in a FoodSaver® bag and vacuum seal according to instructions. Place the sealed bag in the freezer.
  • The night before you're ready to make the rolls, take the dough out of the freezer and place it in a large bowl, cover loosely with a towel and refrigerate overnight. It will thaw overnight in the fridge and be ready to bake in the morning.
  • The next morning take the dough out and let come to room temperature. Meanwhile, stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon for the filling.

Cinnamon Roll Instructions

  • Divide the dough in half and work with one half of the dough at a time. Roll the dough into a 12 x 18 inch rectangle. Be patient with the dough.
  • Spread ½ of the butter (1/4 cup) on the rectangle. Spread it to the edges, leaving 1 inch section bare on one of the 12 inch sides. Sprinkle ½ of the brown sugar filling on top. Roll up tightly starting with the 12 inch side. Cut into 1-1.5 inch sections with dental floss or a very sharp knife. Place 3 inches apart in a greased baking dish. Repeat with the remaining half of the dough.
  • Cover and let rise until double, 20-30 minutes. Time will vary based on how warm the room is. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Bake the rolls for 12-15 minutes or until lightly brown on top.

Maple Glaze Instructions

  • Heat the butter and maple syrup in a saucepan over low heat until the butter has melted and mixture is warm. Do not let it boil.
  • Whisk in the powdered sugar and maple extract if desired until smooth. Spoon over warm cinnamon rolls.

Notes

If you don't want or need to freeze the dough, after kneading, place the dough back in the bowl and let rise in a warm spot until double. Punch the dough down and knead a few times before continuing at step #7.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 334kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 209mg | Potassium: 85mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 377IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1mg