Skinny Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

I recently shared a recipe for Quick and Easy Cinnamon Rolls which were a HUGE hit and I can see why! Cinnamon rolls are usually complicated, time-consuming, and messy so you guys seemed to love the fact that the recipe only takes 1 hour. I thought I’d use that incredibly easy recipe and give it a lighter spin for the new year and what I came up with are these Skinny Overnight Cinnamon Rolls!

They’re made with WAY less sugar and butter and are 100% whole wheat without sacrificing that mouthwatering sweet cinnamon flavor. You prepare the rolls completely, with no long rising times, and pop them in the fridge so they can rise slowly overnight. The overnight period allows the rolls to become more soft and fluffy and for the whole wheat flavor to mellow out so you can enjoy the perfect intersection of taste WITHOUT over-indulgence.

The trick to making this recipe 100% whole wheat is to use white whole wheat flour so you get all the awesome whole-grain goodness without the super pronounced nutty flavor of regular whole wheat flour. However, since it is still 100% whole wheat the texture is a little bit different than an all-purpose flour roll. These rolls are more soft, slightly more cakey, than traditional cinnamon rolls. If you want more of the traditional texture and don’t mind sacrificing some of the nutritive value, feel free to use half all-purpose, half white whole wheat flour in this recipe.

More Cinnamon Roll Recipes:

• Quick & Easy Cinnamon Rolls
• 3 Easy Cinnamon Roll Flavors
• Classic Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

4 from 3 votes

How to make

Skinny Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

Yield: 12 cinnamon rolls

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Inactive Time 8 hours

Total Time: 8 hours 45 minutes

A super easy recipe for Skinny Overnight Cinnamon Rolls made lighter with less sugar, less butter, and 100% whole wheat. Enjoy without guilt!

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 1 cup lukewarm almond milk (or any other milk)
• 1/3 cup lukewarm water
• 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 1/2 cups (15.75 ounces) white whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon fine salt

For the filling:

• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the icing:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions

For the dough:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine all the dough ingredients and stir until combined. Turn the mixer on medium speed and knead for 5 minutes, or until smooth. Remove the dough to a floured work surface, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes.

For the filling:

1. In a small bowl combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
2. After the dough has rested, use a floured rolling pin to roll it out into about a 9 by 15-inch rectangle. Trim the edges. Brush all over with melted butter. Sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon sugar mixture, leaving a 1/2-inch border at the far edge. Roll the dough up, pinching with your fingers to keep it tightly rolled. Place the seam before positioning the log seam side down.
3. Use a very sharp knife to cut off the ends then cut the dough into 12 equal pieces. Place in a greased pie pan or 9 by 13-inch baking pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 5 minutes.

For the icing:

1. While the rolls cool, whisk together the icing ingredients until smooth. Drizzle all over the warm rolls and serve.

Course : Breakfast

Cuisine : American

Recipe by Tessa Arias

Author: Tessa Arias

I share trusted baking recipes your friends will LOVE alongside insights into the science of sweets. I'm a professionally trained chef, cookbook author, and cookie queen. I love to write about all things sweet, carb-y, and homemade. I live in Phoenix, Arizona (hence the blog name!)