Cinnamon rolls are a trendy dessert in most parts of the world. They usually eat snacks and have a sugar glaze or cream cheese, but how are cinnamon rolls preserved?
You can store cinnamon rolls at room temperature for 1 to 3 days. You can also refrigerate them for up to a week, and if you want to keep them longer, freeze them for 2 or 3 months.
To know the proper way to preserve cinnamon rolls, read on.
How to store cinnamon rolls at room temperature
Cinnamon rolls are prepared with a dough similar to bread, so added to the sugar they carry, they have some resistance so that you can store them at room temperature without problem as follows:
- Step 1: Wait for the cinnamon rolls to cool.
If they are freshly made, place the cinnamon rolls on a grid so that the air circulates better and they can expel the internal steam more quickly.
- Step 2: Wrap with aluminum foil.
If you don’t have many, you can wrap the cinnamon rolls with aluminum foil and put them in an airtight bag. But you can also line an airtight container with aluminum foil and arrange the rolls.
If they have any frosting, do not pile them up, and if the frosting is cream cheese, avoid using this method.
- Step 3: Store the cinnamon rolls in a dry place.
Humidity is one of the main enemies of cinnamon rolls, so the best thing you can do is place the container in a dry, dark, and very cool place.
This way, the cinnamon rolls will keep in good condition for 1 to 3 days. [1]
How to keep cinnamon rolls in the fridge
I do not advise storing cinnamon rolls in the fridge, as this device does not provide an ideal environment; however, if you they have frosting and follow all my considerations, they can last longer than at room temperature.
- Step 1: Wait for the cinnamon rolls to cool.
Put the cinnamon rolls on a rack to quickly release all the internal heat.
- Step 2: Wrap the cinnamon rolls.
In this case, I advise you to use plastic film to cover each role, which prevents them from quickly absorbing other foods’ smells or moisture.
- Step 3: Put the cinnamon rolls inside a container or bag.
The container or bag has to be airtight to keep the cinnamon rolls isolated.
- Step 4: Tag (optional).
If you don’t have a good memory, write down the storage date of the cinnamon rolls on the bag or a label.
- Step 5: Store the cinnamon rolls in the fridge.
Please do not place the rolls near foods that emit powerful odors, and preferably put them in an area that is not very cold, such as those near the door.
The cinnamon rolls can be kept refrigerated for a whole week.
How to freeze cinnamon rolls
Can cinnamon rolls be frozen? That’s right, and you can freeze it in two different ways: fully baked or semi-baked rolls.
Freeze the cinnamon rolls completely baked
With this method, you will keep the cinnamon rolls you have bought or prepared at home for a couple of months. In addition, it is advisable to freeze them, preferably without frosting, since they will be easier to reheat.
- Step 1: Wait for the cinnamon rolls to cool completely.
Place the cinnamon rolls on a rack to cool quickly.
- Step 2: Wrap the cinnamon rolls.
You will need to wrap each roll twice, with one layer of plastic film and one layer of aluminum foil or two layers of plastic film to protect the rolls from frost burns.
- Step 3: Put the cinnamon rolls inside a bag or container.
The container or bag must be airtight and freezer resistant.
- Step 4: Tag.
Write the storage date of the cinnamon rolls on the bag or a label.
- Step 5: Store the cinnamon rolls in the freezer.
You can freeze the cinnamon rolls for 2 or 3 months. [2]
When thawing, you can keep them without reheating in the fridge for 1 or 2 more days, but when the hot ones, you should eat them the same day.
Freeze semi-baked cinnamon rolls
One of the advantages of freezing semi-baked cinnamon rolls is that you can put them directly in the oven to finish cooking without waiting for them to thaw.
To freeze them, check the following steps.
- Step 1: Pre-bake the cinnamon roles.
Bake the cinnamon papers and “let them grow” until their standard size; and you take them out, do not let them begin to brown.
- Step 2: Wait for the pre-baked rolls to cool.
Before wrapping them, wait for them to cool down completely.
- Step 3: Wrap the cinnamon rolls.
You must wrap each roll twice, either with two layers of plastic film or a layer of aluminum foil and another plastic film to protect cinnamon rolls from freezing burns.
- Step 4: Put the cinnamon rolls inside a bag or container.
The container or bag must be airtight and freezer resistant.
- Step 5: Tag.
Write the storage date of the cinnamon rolls on the bag or a label and then stick it on the container or bag.
- Step 6: Store the pre-baked cinnamon rolls in the freezer.
This way, the pre-baked cinnamon rolls can be in the freezer for two months.
How to reheat cinnamon rolls
Cinnamon rolls are more enjoyable when hot, as they are thus fluffier and more pleasurable to the palate. If you want to reheat the ones you stored, you can use a conventional oven, a microwave, an electric oven, or even an air fryer.
To heat the cinnamon rolls that you stored at room temperature, you only need one or two minutes in the oven at 200°C (390°F).
If you want to use the microwave, put a glass of water on the side or cover the cinnamon roll with a wet paper towel so it doesn’t dry out. And heat for 20 seconds or more depending on your equipment’s power.
To reheat the rolls you stored in the fridge is the same as before but for a longer time. In the oven, you will heat them for 3 to 5 minutes; in the microwave, it uses batches of 30 seconds, depending on your equipment’s power.
Now to reheat the frozen cinnamon rolls, you must first thaw them unless they are pre-baked since, in that case, you can put them directly in the oven until they are browned.
To thaw the cinnamon rolls, leave them for an hour at room temperature, or pass them to the fridge a day before, which is my recommendation. The heating time in the oven will be 10 minutes, and in the microwave, apply batches of 30 seconds the same.
If you want to use an air fryer, I advise you to put it on baking paper, adjust the equipment to 180°C (350°F), and heat for 3 minutes.
You must be very careful to heat the cinnamon rolls with frosting since the fryer can burn them or end up completely melted, so always put them on a tray with parchment paper. And you have to be aware that it does not burn.
How to preserve the dough to make cinnamon rolls
To store the dough of the cinnamon rolls in the fridge, you have to put it in a container large enough to grow and cover it with plastic film so that it does not easily absorb the smell of other foods.
Then you put it in the coldest part of the refrigerator so that the cinnamon rolls dough can be about 24 hours inside the fridge. Beyond that, the yeast will end up damaging the dough.
To freeze the cinnamon roll dough, follow what I indicate below:
- Step 1: Divide the dough.
A more effective way to freeze this and any other dough is to divide it into several smaller portions so that you only thaw what you need.
- Step 2: Wrap the dough.
Wrap each portion of dough with two layers of plastic film to protect it from freeze burns.
- Step 3: Bag the cinnamon roll dough.
Put the dough containers wrapped in a larger freezer bag with a tight seal or inside a freezer-resistant container.
- Step 4: Tag.
Write the storage date of the cinnamon roll dough on the bag, or stick a label with that information on the container so you know how much it has frozen.
- Step 5: Store the cinnamon roll dough in the freezer.
You can freeze the dough of cinnamon rolls for three months. However, this dough cannot be re-frozen once it is thawed, so you must use it all. To thaw it, you must pass it to a refrigerator and let it there overnight.
How do you know if cinnamon rolls are bad?
You will know that cinnamon rolls are in poor condition when black, green, or white stains come out.
Cinnamon rolls that have a rancid smell are also not in good condition since they should smell like bread and cinnamon.
If when you try your cinnamon roll, it tastes sour or bad, spit it out, and don’t eat it because it has already spoiled.
If the cinnamon roll is entirely stiff, its shelf life expires, and it is not advisable to eat those that are very watery because it is a sign that it was not stored well and absorbed a lot of moisture.
Why do cinnamon rolls spoil?
One of the many reasons why cinnamon rolls spoil is their yeast; even when it gives the cinnamon roll part of its flavor, it also ages it.
In addition, cinnamon rolls can absorb moisture from their environment, and humidity will always cause microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, to increase.
In hot and heavily ventilated environments, the rolls will lose moisture and cause them to dry and harden. So having good storage is ideal for keeping them in good condition.
How long do cinnamon rolls last?
| Product | Duration |
| Cinnamon rolls at room temperature | 1 – 3 days |
| Refrigerated cinnamon rolls | 1 week |
| Fully baked cinnamon rolls frozen | 2 – 3 months |
| Pre-baked cinnamon rolls frozen | 2 months |
| Refrigerated cinnamon roll dough | 24 hours |
| Frozen cinnamon roll dough | 3 months |
What is the best way to preserve cinnamon rolls?
You could say that the best way to preserve cinnamon rolls is to store them at room temperature in a dark, dry place unless you have cream cheese glaze.
You can refrigerate the rolls for several more days, but I do not recommend it.
To preserve cinnamon rolls for a long time, you can freeze them. I advise you to apply this method above the refrigerated one.
You can also store the dough of the cinnamon rolls in the fridge or the freezer. In the refrigerator, it will only last an hour; while frozen, it will stay for a few months.
You can surf this website for everything you want to know about how to store some other products since I have the most extensive list of topics on food preservation.
[1] https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep-food-safe/foodkeeper-app
[2] https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/How-long-can-I-store-bread