How to Store Cinnamon Rolls [Counter, Refrigerator & Freezer]

Cinnamon roll pastries are can be hard to make but even more difficult to preserve. From frozen dough to airtight storage, here are the best ways to keep your cinnamon rolls fresh and moist.

How to Store Cinnamon Rolls

Storing cinnamon rolls can be a challenge. They are best eaten warm, but what can we do if we want to enjoy them later?

If you store them improperly, they get hard and dry out. If you use foil or plastic wrap, they will get soggy when exposed to moisture from condensation or humidity. You risk losing all of that delicious flavor too.

The secret to storing cinnamon rolls is in the packaging. Discover the best ways to store them so they don’t lose any of that sweet cinnamon taste and moist texture we all love.

Room temperature

If you somehow have ended up with more cinnamon rolls than you can eat at a time, then you have to start looking for ways to store them. Storing at room temperature is one of the first and more obvious methods to use for most. Most times, we use this method without realizing it. But when you are deliberate about it, you make your life easier and get a few more days out of the rolls. 

The point is to keep the rolls away from anything that may accelerate the fermentation, such as moisture and heat. To store cinnamon rolls at room temperature, allow them to cool down after you have removed them from the oven. Once they’ve cooled, place them on a plate and cover them with aluminum foil. They should remain fresh for about three days. This method works when the rolls are already baked. Keep the plate away from direct sunlight. An excellent, dry place works best. 

Another method that you can use is to place the cooled rolls inside a ziplock bag or an airtight container or bag. You can use a vacuum sealer to make sure there is no excess air. An airtight container will help keep the rolls moist. You can store the rolls using these methods with or without frosting. The difference comes in when you are reheating them. 

Pros

  • With this method, there’s no thawing necessary.
  • They are easy to get back to their original texture and flavor
  • It’s easy

Cons

  • this method doesn’t give a very long shelf life

Refrigerator

Another method you could use to keep your rolls fresh is to place them in the fridge. This has the advantage of giving the rolls a longer shelf life. Cinnamon rolls stored in the fridge can keep for up to a week. Their level of moistness depends on how well you protect them. Keep them in an airtight container so that they are kept dry and also free from air. Remember, the longer you keep the rolls in the fridge, the higher the chance of the rolls drying out. 

You can either store the rolls after they are baked or as dough. If you haven’t baked them yet, you can store them for 24hours in the fridge. Allow it to rise, then cut shape and fill, pace on a baking sheet, and put the dough back into the fridge. Cover the tray with aluminum foil or cling wrap and then keep it in the fridge for no more than 24hours. 

Baked cinnamon rolls may also have icing on them. When you put them inside the fridge, the icing may harden. As such, you will need to watch over it as you heat the rolls and make sure that you don’t melt fully. 

Pros

  • This method gives the rolls a longer shelf life.
  • The rolls will be easier to thaw than when they are in the freezer
  • It allows you to make the dough ahead of time

Cons

  • If not appropriately wrapped, there’s a higher chance of the rolls getting too dry than if they were stored at room temperature. 

Freezer

If maximum shelf life is what you are after, then you will need to consider freezing the rolls. If you’ve just made the rolls yourself, then make sure they are cooled down entirely before you store them. Freezing works better if the method of icing is firmer and can withstand being thawed and reheated. For this method, you will need aluminum foil or an airtight container or bag. 

Make sure the rolls are wrapped individually. This means they need to be separate if they aren’t already. For rolls with icing, place the foil or plastic over the roll, and then wrap it around the roll, almost like you are cupping the entire roll. This helps you keep the icing intact and avoid cracking it unnecessarily. 

After the wrapping, place the rolls in an airtight container or a ziplock bag. A container has the advantage of being airtight but also not crushing the rolls. You can then place them in the freezer. You can keep cinnamon rolls in the freezer for about two months and then bring them back to life after this.

Now that we’ve covered how to freeze the rolls, we need to look at how best to thaw them out and restore the freshness. The first step is to remove the packet or container from the freezer. This is where wrapping them individually comes in handy. Remove just the number of rolls that you want. 

Place the rolls out at room temperature, and allow them to thaw out. This may take about an hour or so for them to thaw out fully. You can then put the thawed rolls on a baking sheet in an oven tray and heat the rolls in the oven at around 350˚F. 

Some may choose to skip thawing them out at room temperature and put them in the oven straight away. To use the oven to thaw them out, set it to a low setting for about 15minutes. This will allow the rolls to become soft again but not burn. If the rolls have frosting, this may not be the best option. You will need to be more deliberate about making sure the frosting doesn’t melt. 

Pros

  • Longer shelf life

Cons

  • It takes longer to thaw.

How to reheat cinnamon rolls

There are three possible ways to reheat cinnamon rolls. You can heat them in a microwave. To maintain freshness and moistness, you can place a damp towel over the rolls. The texture may change slightly, but it shouldn’t be too much. You can also add a cup of water in the microwave, which will help add moisture and freshness back into the rolls. 

If the rolls are frosted, reheat for 30 seconds, and increase the time if necessary. If they don’t have frosting, add a bit of butter on the roll before turning the microwave on. The butter will help keep them moist. In both cases, make sure foil is removed, and the rolls are covered. 

You could also reheat them using the oven. For this method, preheat the oven to 350˚F and put the rolls in a baking tray lined with foil. If the rolls have frosting, reheat until the icing is slightly soft. Heat them for 10minutes. For rolls without frosting, use the same method, but with an added dollop of butter on top of the rolls.

The third option you have is to use an air fryer. Coat the base with nonstick cooking spray, and then preheat it to 350˚F. You can then place the cinnamon rolls in the air fryer. You may use parchment paper at this point if you want to. About three minutes should be sufficient. But you will need to keep checking, especially if the rolls have frosting. If not, you follow the same steps, but you don’t have to worry about melting icing.