Fresh Cinnamon Rolls

Ask the Test Kitchen

My family loves fresh-baked yeast cinnamon rolls for breakfast, but they take so long to prepare. Is there a way to prepare the dough the night before and keep it in the refrigerator? —J.H., Swartz Creek, MichiganYes, cinnamon roll dough can be refrigerated either after it is kneaded and before the first rise or after the dough has risen and is shaped. To refrigerate after kneading, place the dough in a tightly covered bowl or a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate. Punch the dough down 1-2 hours after it’s placed in the refrigerator and, if needed, once every 24 hours after that.The time spent in the refrigerator is considered the first rise. When ready to use, remove the dough from the refrigerator, punch it down and allow to rest before shaping. The second rising will be a little longer than normal because the dough is cool. To really save time in the morning, try refrigerating the dough after it has risen and is shaped. Cover the shaped dough tightly and refrigerate up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, remove from the refrigerator, partially unwrap and let rise until doubled. Then bake according to recipe directions.