Everyone loves light, fluffy, and gooey cinnamon rolls on a lazy weekend morning. Although they're best enjoyed fresh, this post will teach you how to reheat cinnamon rolls using 4 easy methods so that you can recreate freshly baked cinnamon rolls right out of the oven with little effort.
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Freshly baked cinnamon rolls have GOT to the be the poster child for a lazy weekend. One where you don't need to be anywhere, so you can linger over a big breakfast or brunch, and take your time getting the day started.
But what if you have gooey cinnamon rolls in the freezer or refrigerator that you want to reheat without drying them out? Don't fret! Read on to learn how to reheat cinnamon rolls that will still be soft, fluffy, gooey, and sticky.
Jump to:
- 💬 Can Cinnamon Rolls Be Made in Advance?
- 🍽 How to Reheat Cinnamon Rolls in the Oven
- 🍽 How to Reheat Cinnamon Rolls in the Microwave
- 🍽 How to Reheat Cinnamon Rolls in the Air Fryer
- 🍽 How to Reheat Cinnamon Rolls in the Toaster Oven
- ☕️ How to Store Cinnamon Rolls
- 👩🏼🍳 Expert Tips
- 📝 Frequently Asked Questions
- 📖 Summary
- 🍽 Related Recipes
- How to Reheat Cinnamon Rolls
💬 Can Cinnamon Rolls Be Made in Advance?
If you want to make cinnamon rolls ahead of time, you can either leave them unfrosted and store (covered) at room temperature or, if frosted with cream cheese, the rolls are best stored (covered) in the refrigerator.
If you don't plan on eating your cinnamon rolls in the next 5 days, I recommend storing them in the freezer until they are ready to be reheated.
🍽 How to Reheat Cinnamon Rolls in the Oven
Reheating cinnamon rolls in the oven is the best overall method for freshening up rolls and recreating a light and fluffy texture. You can also reheat several rolls at a time this way. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that this method does take the most time. If you've got 15 minutes, this is definitely the way to go:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. If not already in a baking dish, place cinnamon rolls into a baking dish.
- Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water or a small pat of butter on top of each cinnamon roll. Cover with foil.
- Reheat for 10-15 minutes, until heated through. (Check to see if heated through by sticking a knife in the center and checking the temperature of knife). Cool slightly, frost (if unfrosted), and serve warm.
🍽 How to Reheat Cinnamon Rolls in the Microwave
This can be a tricky method, as cinnamon buns reheat quickly in the microwave, so overheating can happen easily, producing hard (and dry) cinnamon rolls. However, if you need to rewarm your rolls super fast, this is the way to go. It's also best for when you are only reheating 1 or 2 rolls.
In the Microwave without Frosting or Icing
- Place cinnamon roll(s) on a microwave-safe plate, and place a small amount of butter on top.
- Dampen a paper towel and squeeze out the water. Drape the paper towel over the rolls (this will help to re-hydrate them).
- Heat for 20-30 seconds. Cool slightly, frost, and serve immediately.
In the Microwave with Frosting or Icing
Follow the same instructions as above, but SKIP the paper towel on top. This will absorb your frosting and create a mess. Instead, if your cinnamon roll feels dry after reheating, add a light sprinkle of water on top to help re-hydrate it.
🍽 How to Reheat Cinnamon Rolls in the Air Fryer
Using an air fryer is a much faster method than reheating leftover cinnamon rolls in the oven, but they can dry up more this way. To reheat:
- Preheat air fryer to 350 degrees F. and place cinnamon rolls in an air-fryer safe baking dish.
- Place 1 tablespoon of water or a small pat of butter on top of each cinnamon roll. Cover with foil.
- Reheat the rolls for 3-5 minutes, until heated through. Cool slightly, frost, and serve warm.
🍽 How to Reheat Cinnamon Rolls in the Toaster Oven
Using the toaster oven produces similar results as warming them in the oven, but this method works better if you only need to reheat 1 or 2 rolls.
- Preheat toaster oven to 350 degrees F. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water or a small pat of butter on top of each cinnamon roll.
- Wrap rolls completely in foil and reheat for 10 minutes. Serve warm.
☕️ How to Store Cinnamon Rolls
Homemade cinnamon rolls should be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
If your rolls are frosted with cream cheese frosting, it's best to store them in the refrigerator.
You can also store your rolls in the freezer by wrapping them individually in foil and placing them in a freezer-safe bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for 1-2 hours.
👩🏼🍳 Expert Tips
- Reheat unfrosted. If you know that you will be reheating your cinnamon rolls, don't frost them. Instead, frost them after reheating, right before serving. This makes reheating much easier (and less messy!).
- Cover with foil. When reheating cinnamon buns in the oven or air fryer, be sure to cover them loosely with foil. If using the toaster oven, wrap each cinnamon roll in foil to trap moisture.
- Store properly. Always store leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container to prevent them from drying out. If frosted with cream cheese, refrigeration is best for storing. You can also wrap your rolls in foil, place them in a freezer-safe bag, and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Add moisture. When reheating, adding water and/or butter to the top of rolls will help to re-hydrate them and make them less dry.
📝 Frequently Asked Questions
The best method for recreating soft cinnamon rolls is to incorporate moisture when reheating. Adding a tablespoon of water or a small pat of butter to the tops of rolls does the trick!
Adding moisture to rolls helps to freshen up rolls and prevents them from getting hard when reheating. Additionally, covering with foil when using the oven, toaster oven, or air fryer helps to trap the added moisture, creating soft and fluffy rolls.
Adding moisture in the form of water or butter and covering (or wrapping) in foil is the best way to reheat rolls without drying them out. Reheat in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until heated thoroughly.
You can easily freshen up rolls by adding a sprinkle of water or a small amount of butter on top and covering with foil before reheating in the oven.
Place a damp paper towel on top of Cinnabon, and place on a microwave-safe plate. Heat for 15-20 seconds, check temperature, and serve immediately.
Place a damp paper towel on top of rolls, and place on a microwave-safe plate. Heat for 15-20 seconds, check temperature, and serve immediately.
It's best to thaw your cinnamon rolls before reheating (for even heating). However, you can reheat them straight from the freezer:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. If not already in a baking dish, place cinnamon rolls into a baking dish. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water or a small pat of butter on top of each cinnamon roll. Cover with foil. Reheat for 15 minutes, until heated through. (Check to see if heated through by sticking a knife in the center and checking the temperature of knife). Cool slightly and serve warm.
📖 Summary
There are several ways to keep cinnamon rolls fresh when reheating. Depending on how much time you have, and how many rolls you want to warm up, you can use the oven, microwave, air fryer, and toaster oven with success.
Adding a sprinkle of water or a dollop of butter helps to add moisture when reheating, preventing hard and dry cinnamon rolls.
Be sure to store cinnamon rolls properly in order to keep them as fresh and moist as possible.
🍽 Related Recipes
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How to Reheat Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
- leftover cinnamon rolls
- sprinkle of water
- butter (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. If not already in a baking dish, place cinnamon rolls into a baking dish.
- Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water or a small pat of butter on top of each cinnamon roll. Cover with foil.
- Reheat for 10-15 minutes, until heated through. (Check to see if heated through by sticking a knife in the center and checking the temperature of knife). Cool slightly, frost (if unfrosted), and serve warm.
Notes
- Reheat unfrosted. If you know that you will be reheating your cinnamon rolls, don't frost them. Instead, frost them after reheating, right before serving. This makes reheating much easier (and less messy!).
- Cover with foil. When reheating cinnamon buns in the oven or air fryer, be sure to cover them loosely with foil. If using the toaster oven, wrap each cinnamon roll in foil to trap moisture.
- Store properly. Always store leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container to prevent them from drying out. If frosted with cream cheese, refrigeration is best for storing. You can also wrap your rolls in foil, place them in a freezer-safe bag, and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Add moisture. When reheating, adding water and/or butter to the top of rolls will help to re-hydrate them and make them less dry.
Barbara Haner says
Very helpful information. It is so easy to reheat too long and the rolls get dried out Thank you!
MaryAnne says
Glad to hear that it's helpful! 😍
James says
What a great suggestion to sprinkle the cinnamon rolls with water before reheating in the oven. It kept them nice and moist - thank you!!
MaryAnne says
So glad this was helpful, James! Thanks for stopping by my site! 😊