Cinnamon Roll Casserole

5 from 6 votes

Cinnamon Roll Casserole

This cinnamon roll casserole recipe is an easy make-ahead breakfast with homemade cinnamon rolls soaked overnight in creamy vanilla custard, then baked.

Prep Time2 30

Cook Time40

Chill Time8

Total Time11 10

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cinnamon roll casserole

Servings: servings

Author: Katerina Petrovska

Ingredients

For the Dough

2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 large eggs at room temperature
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
⅔ cup buttermilk at room temperature
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 to 3½ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon olive oil for greasing the bowl

For the Filling

1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

For the Casserole

4 tablespoons butter melted
4 large eggs
⅓ cup heavy cream
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1⅓ teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¼ cup brown sugar

For the Glaze

1 cup confectioners sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Make the Dough

Combine all dough ingredients except the flour. In the mixer bowl with the paddle attachment, combine the yeast, eggs, sugar, butter, buttermilk, and salt.
Add the flour. Add 1 cup of the flour and mix until smooth. Add the remaining flour ½ cup at a time until the dough no longer sticks but is still very soft.
Knead. Switch to the dough hook attachment and knead the dough for 4 minutes. Add a few tablespoons of flour at this point if the mixture is still sticky, one spoon at a time. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 1 minute.
First rise. Form the dough into a smooth ball and place it in a large bowl lightly greased with olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, turning once to coat both sides of the dough with oil. Flip once to cover the dough ball in oil on both sides. Cover with Saran Wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. This will take about 2 hours.

Assemble the Rolls

Make the filling. In a medium bowl, combine the light brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
Roll it out. Roll the dough into a rectangle that's about 16×8 inches.
Add butter. Melt the butter and brush it evenly all over the rolled-out dough.
Add filling and roll up. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar filling onto the dough, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. With hands or a spoon, gently press the filling to make it stick to the dough. Fold the left and right sides of the dough in, the parts that weren’t sprinkled with sugar. Then roll it in, from the long side up. Pinch the seam on the top to seal the log.
Cut into rolls. With a serrated knife, slice the log into 10 rolls.
Freeze. Arrange the rolls on a plate and put them into the freezer for 15 minutes. This will make the cutting process easier.

Assemble the Casserole

Add butter. Pour the melted butter on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish, coating the entire bottom.
Cut up the rolls. After freezing for 15 min, cut each bun into 6 pieces and arrange in an even layer in the buttered baking dish.
Make the custard. Whisk 4 eggs in a large bowl. Add heavy cream, cinnamon, brown sugar, and vanilla. Whisk again until combined.
Set overnight. Pour the egg mixture over the cinnamon rolls. Make sure it is evenly distributed. Cover your baking dish with Saran Wrap, then place it in the fridge to chill overnight, about 8 to 12 hours.

Bake the Cinnamon Roll Casserole

Second rise. Take the casserole out of the fridge and let it rise for 2 hours on the kitchen counter. Leave the Saran Wrap on so the casserole does not dry out.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF about 30 minutes before the rising time is done.
Bake. Remove the Saran Wrap, then cover the baking dish tightly with foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until golden and set.
Cool. Let the casserole cool for 30 minutes on the counter.
Make the icing. Place 1 cup confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of milk and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Stir to combine. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk, ½ tablespoon at a time, until it’s smooth and pourable. The glaze will harden over time, so make sure to use it right away.
Add icing and serve. Drizzle the glaze over the casserole, cut, and serve.

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