Though I've never done this, I would think you can do the first rise and assembly the night before on the counter. Do the second rise overnight in the frig. If it needs a bit more time set it on the counter in your warm kitchen until they are ready. Bake and serve.

I bake them the day before, wrap them in foil, make the icing, and on Christmas morning heat the rolls, put on the icing, and there you have it!
We usually get up at 5 am because we're on a farm, but by Jove, on Christmas we sleep in until 6!

Shaun,
Here's what I do. The night before, I make the dough up then right away roll out the dough and assemble the cinnamon rolls. I put them in the fridge covered with a piece of plastic wrap sprayed with pam and the lid to the glass pyrex dish. In the morning, I take them out and let them sit on the counter about 30 mins. and then bake as directed. They only get the one rise in the fridge but it works just fine.

Good luck!

You mix up the roll dough and refrigerate it. It rises in the refrigerator.
Get it out and knock it down and make the cinnamon rolls....put it back into the refrig, covered and let it rise again over night...
let it sit at room temp for about an hour and a half and bake.
OR...mix the roll dough and refrigerate...in the morning, get the dough out...roll out and make cinnamon rolls. Put the pan into the oven with a pan and pour boiling water into the pan, making a proofing chamber. The rolls should rise in an hour. Remove....heat the oven and bake.
OR...do as I do....bake the rolls the night before and cover with foil while still warm. In the morning put into a 300 oven for about 20 minutes...
It's all good!

I've done it both ways mentioned above Shaun. I've also made them a week in advance and stuck them in the freezer and then warmed them up in the oven. Love homemade cinnamon rolls and sticky buns!

David

Ok thanks for the suggestions. I think the easiest way would be like marlingardener & Linda do, and make them the day before and then reheat. Wasnt sure if they would be all dried out. Thanks a lot! Appreciate the help.

Ok David, thanks!!

But if you bake them in the morning it makes the house smell wonderful....

And if you heat them up in the morning, the house also smells wonderful!

Will the house smell good if I bake/heat them in the morning? Just wondering.

I make mine ahead of time too! Almost always.

That said, you can always do the first rise, roll, fill, shape and pop them in the freezer.
Take them out of the freezer a couple of hours before you want to bake, let rise and bake on Christmas morning.

Already baked is by far the easiest!! Just don't overbake them the first time around. 25 minutes. No more.

Drizzle with icing if you wish after re-heating or baking. We actually prefer a cream cheese icing.

Deanna (who's Cinnamon Rolls are already in the freezer, NOT baked this year! I'll probably bake on the 23rd since I'll be home...or not. We'll see.)

Linda's first method is what I do. I start on Saturday and by Monday morning I have them in the oven and baking so that they're warm when I get to work.

When I get to the office, the aroma is like a magnet.

Sue

I make them, then form them, then let rise overnight in the fridge. I usually get up at 5:00 am and let them rise in a warm spot, then go back to bed. Usually they are perfectly ready to rise in a couple hours. This is how I did it when David, May, Cathy, Peppi, Nancy, Linda, Cathy and Karen and I spent a week in the mountains of Tennessee in that big ol; log cabin. They were night wonderful smelling as they baked. I find that they do get somewhat dried out if I bake and reheat. Maybe it's just the recipe. (I do a pecan sticky bun)
Good luck Shaun.

I do everything the night before up to the second rise. Refrigerate overnight for second rise.

I take them out in the morning and let them sit for about 1/2 hour (not even to room temp) and then bake them fresh.

Way easy.

Bonnie

OH no..... Sherry, I was worried about reheating them and them getting dried out.

Alright, Bonnie I'll put them together xmas eve and let them have their 2nd rise in the fridge; then bake them xmas morning. I can't wait to try this recipe!

Thanks for all the input.

Merry Christmas, Shaun...enjoy your rolls!

Thanks Kathleen, where've ya been? Miss you.

Well the rolls are in the oven. I'm taking them out 5 mins earlier than it says and then when I reheat them, hopefully they wont be dried out.

Thanks for the hand holding!

Would you post the recipe? I can't find it.

I tasted one - OMG! Good!!!!!!!!!!! Hubs liked them too! They are sweet enough that I didnt put frosting on them.

Bumblebeez, here is the recipe:

Christmas Morning Cinnamon Rolls
Easy, cheater recipe and it freezes well!
(makes 24 good sized rolls)

DOUGH:
1 yellow cake mix
5 c. AP flour
2 pkg. yeast
2 1/2 c. warm water

FILLING:
1/2 cup softened butter
Brown sugar and cinnamon to taste
Nuts and raisins optional

Mix all dry dough ingredients. Add water and mix well.
NO KNEADING.
Let rise about an hour until double.
Divide dough in half and roll each into rectangle.
Spread with filling (butter, then sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, add nuts and/or raisins if desired)
Roll up from long side
Cut into 12 slices.
Place cut side up in sprayed/greased 9 x 13 pan.
Let rise again about an hour (till double)
Bake at 325 for 25 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE!

Can frost with cream cheese frosting if desired or just warm and serve dripping with butter! Yeah, this is one of the decadent once or twice a year treats!!

Deanna

Brown sugar and cinnamon to taste

Ballpark suggestion for this voume?

I'd say I used about 1/2 cup on each rectangle. Used my hands and spread it all over it...then sprinkled ground cinnamon all over as if you are making cinnamon toast. Does that help?

Thanks!