Whether you bake them from scratch or from a can, freshly baked cinnamon rolls are best enjoyed straight out of the oven. But if, for some inconceivable reason, you could not eat them right away, you can quite effectively store cinnamon rolls to enjoy later.
Here’s how to store cinnamon rolls after baking to keep them fresh and almost as delicious as freshly baked.
How Long Cinnamon Rolls Stay Fresh?
Most baked cinnamon rolls will stay fresh for 2-3 days when well wrapped or stored in an airtight container at room temperature. If you want them to last a bit longer, you can store them in the fridge for up to a week and in the refrigerator for up to two months.
The key to keeping cinnamon rolls fresh is using an airtight container. If you don’t have a suitable container, keep them in a breadbox or paper bag, or wrap each roll separately in aluminum foil to maintain their freshness.
If you have covered your cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting, following food safety guidelines, it is recommended to refrigerate them after two hours of making them.
However, if you did use powdered sugar icing instead, you don’t have to store them in the fridge.
Best Way To Store Cinnamon Rolls Overnight
Whether you have homemade or Pillsbury cinnamon rolls, if you want to store them overnight, there’s a simple solution. Storing them at room temperature on the kitchen counter is perfectly fine, and it’s actually recommended. However, there’s one important thing to keep in mind – make sure that your cinnamon rolls are completely cool before wrapping or covering them.
If they’re fresh out of the oven, set them on a cooling rack or leave them on a baking sheet uncovered till they’re cooled to room temperature.
Overnight Storage Options:
- Put your cinnamon rolls in an airtight container and keep them in a cool and dry place.
- Cover the rolls tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap, such as cling film.
- Leave them on a baking sheet and cover them with a kitchen towel or aluminum foil.
- Store them in a paper bag.
- Leave them on a plate and cover them with a large bowl.
- Keep them in the breadbox.
Some people recommend applying frosting straight away after baking to help them keep moist and fresh; however, if you plan to reheat them later, you can apply the frosting or glaze the following day after reheating.
Read Also: 7 Alternative Ways To Cook Cinnamon Rolls Without An Oven.
Storing Cinnamon Rolls in The Refrigerator
Anyone who has ever had a sad, limp cinnamon roll knows the importance of storing baked goods correctly.
Moisture is the enemy of crispness, so if you plan to eat them in a day or two, it’s best not to refrigerate your pastries. If not wrapped well, the moist air inside a fridge can affect the crispness, leaving them limp and soggy.
After a day or two, though, keeping them in the fridge could extend their self-life but will inevitably affect the texture.
However, if you have used cream cheese frosting on your cinnamon rolls, then it is recommended to store them in the fridge after 2 hours of frosting them. Although full of sugar, cream cheese frosting is considered a perishable food and ideally should be kept in the fridge. This is because it contains dairy products that can spoil if not kept cold.
When storing cinnamon rolls in the fridge, it is important to ensure that they are kept in an airtight container or wrapped tightly to prevent them from becoming moist and soggy or absorbing any other food smells in the fridge.
If freshly baked, make sure they are completely cool before storing.
When wrapped well, they will keep up to a week in the fridge; however, they will unavoidably become a bit hard and tend to dry out a little bit, so it is best to consume them sooner rather than later.
After storing cinnamon rolls in the fridge, it is best to reheat them in the oven before eating.
How To Reheat Cinnamon Rolls?
When it comes to reheating cinnamon rolls, there are a few different methods that you can use.
The oven is always the best option, but if you’re in a hurry, the microwave will do the trick.
Below are a few tips on how to reheat cinnamon rolls, so they taste just as good and fresh as they did when they were first baked.
Reheating in the oven:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C).
- Place the cinnamon rolls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Cover with foil.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until heated through.
Top Tip: To help recover some moistness and to prevent them from drying out even more, simply sprinkle or spray one tablespoon of water over the rolls before placing them in the oven. Alternatively, brushing with melted butter is also an excellent way to restore some of the original fresh, moist texture.
If your cinnamon rolls have icing or frosting on them, it is still ok to reheat them in the oven.
Use the same step for reheating that I listed above. The frosting will soften and melt a little, and the rolls will become moister and quite delicious.
Reheating cinnamon rolls in an air fryer:
An air fryer is a fast and convenient way to reheat pastry and will give you the same great result as a conventional oven and, in my opinion, certainly better than a microwave.
- Spry the cinnamon rolls with a bit of water and place them in an air fryer basket.
- Heat at 350°F (176°C) for three to four minutes.
- Check the cinnamon rolls after four minutes. If they are not warmed through, cook for an additional minute.
- Remove from the air fryer and serve warm.
Reheating in the microwave:
To reheat cinnamon rolls in the microwave, place them on a microwave-safe plate and heat them for 20-40 seconds. You may need to experiment with the time, as it will depend on the wattage of your microwave.
How to Freeze Cinnamon Rolls?
Cinnamon rolls are best when eaten fresh right out of the oven, but you can store them for more extended periods in a freezer. When stored properly in a freezer, they can last for more than a month.
Also, if possible, it is best to freeze them unbaked and then bake them once you have thawed them.
However, if you do have some leftover ready-baked cinnamon rolls, using a freezer-safe airtight container or freezer bag is the best way to keep them fresh the longest.
If you don’t have a suitable container or freezer bag, wrap them individually with two layers of plastic wrap or aluminum foil to avoid freezer burn and keep moisture and air out as much as possible. Failing to keep the rolls airtight will only result in dry and stale cinnamon rolls.
You can also freeze iced cinnamon rolls or ones that are covered with buttercream or cream cheese frosting. Yes, once frozen and thawed, the frosting may lose some of the creamy texture and consistency, but it will still be tasty.
How To Reheat Frozen Cinnamon Rolls
Baked and frozen cinnamon rolls should be reheated in the oven in order to recover or reinstitute some of the fresh taste and texture.
To properly reheat frozen cinnamon rolls, it is best to defrost them first. This can be done by leaving the cinnamon rolls out at room temperature for a few hours or placing them in the refrigerator overnight.
Once the cinnamon rolls are thawed, they can be reheated in the preheated over 350°F (176°C) for 10-12 minutes.
Steps:
- Defrost the rolls first.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C).
- Place the cinnamon rolls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Sprinkle or spray them with some water or cover them with a bit of butter.
- Cover with aluminum foil.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes till warm throughout.
- Apply frosting or dust with some powdered sugar.
Alternatively, you can use an air fryer or a microwave, as I described above.
Frost The Rolls Twice
To restore some freshness, you should apply some frosting as soon as the reheated rolls come out of the oven. Apply double frosting for extra softness. The frosting or glaze should be made ahead of time when baking the rolls. Sore-bought frosting works great as well.
Apply the first layer of frosting as the rolls come out of the oven, and let the frosting melt into all the nooks and crannies, helping to restore some of the moisture lost after a long storage period.
Once the rolls are slightly cooled, apply the second layer of frosting to give your cinnamon rolls that extra sweetness.
In Conclusion
If you want to store already baked, unfrosted cinnamon rolls overnight, storing them at room temperature is just fine. Wrapping in a paper bag or covering them with a kitchen towel will help to keep the rolls fresh and prevent them from drying out.
For more extended storage, you can indeed freeze them, but the texture will inevitably deteriorate, but you can bring the freshness back to life by reheating them in the oven.