Easy Overnight Pull Apart Cinnamon Buns
I love cinnamon buns so much but the time and work involved can be a little intimidating for this busy dietitian and mom of 3 kids! My version takes less than 10 minutes to prep. It virtually makes itself overnight, with the buttery brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla goodness drizzling down between the frozen rolls as they thaw and rise overnight on the countertop. While baking, that sweet cinnamon butter mixture turns into irresistible caramel sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 cups diced apples
- 20 unbaked frozen dinner rolls
- 1 cup unpacked brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup melted butter
Instructions
- Rinse, then dice the unpeeled apples.
- Microwave the diced apples with 2 tablespoons of water in a covered, microwave-safe bowl for 2 to 4 minutes, until the apples are lightly softened.
- In a small bowl or mug, stir together the sugar and cornstarch, then stir in the vanilla. Set aside.
- To a greased 10-inch bundt pan: add the frozen rolls and give the pan a little shake so they cover the bottom. Use a slotted spoon (or drain the apples) to add the apples over top of the rolls.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon over top of the apples and rolls, then drizzle the vanilla mixture and melted butter overtop. These will drizzle downward and between the rolls as they rise, no need to stir.
- Cover with a damp cloth or loosely cover with plastic wrap and let sit, at room temperature, up to 8 hours or overnight, until the rolls have risen near the top of the pan. That’s it, you’re done! Put up your feet and relax, you deserve it!
- Once risen, bake the cake 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes (internal temperature 190°F to 200°F), until lightly firm when pressed and golden brown. Let the cake sit for 5 minutes or so, then turn out on a serving plate.
Notes
You can swap out the frozen dinner rolls and use 2 frozen, unbaked bread loaves instead, sliced in half lengthwise, then into 20 small pieces (about 2-inches). Discard or bake the leftover dough. I like to defrost the frozen loaves very slightly in the microwave, just for a couple of minutes, to soften them for easier cutting.
Thank you to the Land of Nod Cinnamon Buns from one of the Best of Bridge Cookbooks for inspiring the method for this recipe, to which I gave an Apple Cinnamon twist and other personal spins!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!