Nothing calls my family to the kitchen like the smell of cinnamon rolls baking in the oven. 

Since everyone absolutely loves cinnamon rolls, I tend to make big batches to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth. This also means, I always wind up with leftovers and there are certainly no complaints about that!

 

Have you ever noticed though that no matter how you store them, cinnamon rolls are never quite as moist as the day you make them? 

Well, I’ll tell you a secret. How you reheat cinnamon rolls is a game changer in making them gooey once again. 

Here I’ll tell you all the tricks you need to know about how to reheat cinnamon rolls along with some nifty storage tips.

Can cinnamon rolls be made in advance?

Do you want to make your cinnamon rolls in advance? No problem!

Cinnamon rolls are a tasty treat that’s nice to have on hand, especially if you have three little ones like me. 

If you’re planning on making them in advance, just whip them up as normal and pop them in the fridge. If you plan on eating them beyond seven days, then store them in the freezer.

The great thing about having them pre-made is you can have them ready in minutes. Considering you have some impatient hungry bellies, a shorter wait time is a blessing.

Can you reheat cinnamon rolls?

There are some baked goods you should reheat before savoring and cinnamon rolls are definitely one of them. 

Cinnamon rolls are best enjoyed fresh and piping hot right out of the oven. You can re-create that same experience by reheating them.

How you reheat them, however, will determine how dry they taste.

How to reheat cinnamon rolls

The best way to reheat cinnamon rolls is either by microwave, oven, or air fryer. 

Keep in mind, if your cinnamon rolls are frozen, you’ll need to add additional time to all of these methods. 

Microwave

The microwave is by far the quickest way to reheat cinnamon rolls. 

To retain extra moisture, you could also place a damp paper towel over your cinnamon rolls.

I recommend using this method if you’re only reheating a few cinnamon rolls. If you’re reheating a large serving, refer to one of the other methods.

Keep in mind, microwaved cinnamon rolls won’t have the same texture as they had before. They tend to be a bit more on the soggy side once microwaved. 

Microwaving with frosting

1. Place your cinnamon rolls on a microwave-safe dish.
2. Heat for 30 seconds. 
3. Check the cinnamon rolls and repeat until they’re thoroughly heated. 

Microwaving without frosting

1. Place your cinnamon rolls on a microwave-safe dish.
2. Place a dollop of butter or a butter substitute on top of each roll. 
3. Heat for 30 seconds, check, and repeat until thoroughly heated.

Oven

The oven is perhaps one of the best ways to reheat cinnamon rolls. It’s also one of the most accessible. 

The oven lets you heat up larger servings while also achieving that gooey consistency we all know and love. 

Note this process is more time consuming, so if you’re in a hurry I would opt for one of the other methods. 

Oven reheating with frosting

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. Place your cinnamon rolls in a baking dish and cover with foil. 
3. Heat the cinnamon rolls for 10 minutes or until they are warm and the frosting has softened.

Oven reheating without frosting

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. Place your cinnamon rolls in a baking dish and cover with foil. Optional: add butter before covering.
3. Heat the cinnamon rolls for 10 minutes or until they are fully warm. 

Air Fryer

I’ve found air frying is a quick and efficient way to reheat cinnamon rolls. 

I love making air fryer cinnamon rolls just as much as I love using the air fry to reheat them! 

It takes about the same amount of effort as the microwave or oven while getting great results. 

Air fryer reheating with frosting

1. Preheat your air fryer to 350°F.
2. Spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with cooking oil.  
3. Place your cinnamon rolls inside the air fryer basket. Optional: place a sheet of parchment paper inside the basket if worried about icing melting on the bottom. 
4. Reheat for about 3 minutes or until hot. 

Air fryer reheating without frosting

1. Preheat your air fryer to 350°F.
2. Spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with cooking oil.
3. Place your cinnamon rolls inside the air fryer basket. 
4. Reheat for about 3 minutes or until hot. 

How to reheat without drying them out

There are a few things you can do to prevent your cinnamon rolls from drying out. 

One of the best tricks is you can add butter or a butter substitute. Or you can even try my favorite cinnamon butter for an extra sweet treat. 

Any of these options will add in some moisture and freshen up your reheated pastry.

If using the microwave, you can place a damp paper towel on top of the cinnamon rolls. You can also place a mug of water inside the microwave. 

How to store cinnamon rolls

Proper storage will help seal in moisture and prevent your cinnamon rolls from becoming too dry.

Like many of your favorite pastries, the best way to store cinnamon rolls is to put them in an airtight container. You can then leave them out at room temperature for 2-3 days.

If you don’t plan on eating them within three days, then I recommend placing them in the fridge. They’ll stay good in the fridge for about a week. 

For longer storage, I recommend the freezer. The best way to freeze them is in either an airtight container or a vacuum sealed bag. 

If you don’t have either, you can also wrap them with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. The trick is to seal them as well as possible to trap in their moisture and maintain freshness.

You can keep cinnamon rolls in the freezer for up to 3 months, but something tells me these sweet treats will get gobbled up well before then. 

Conclusion

It’s hard to resist a sweet, piping hot cinnamon roll. They’re a wonderful treat to have on hand and take minimal effort to reheat. 

Microwave, oven, or air fryer, as long as you follow a few tricks on how to reheat your cinnamon rolls, you can make them gooey once again. 

I hope you found these tips useful and no longer have to eat a dried out cinnamon roll again!

Cinnamon roll recipes

• Cinnamon roll casserole
• Easy cinnamon roll icing
• Cinnamon roll waffles
• Gluten-free cinnamon rolls