Cinnamon rolls are incredibly popular pastries. As with any pastry, they do taste best when they are hot and fresh out of the oven. Of course, anyone who remotely likes cinnamon rolls will bake more than they need in one sitting and will inevitably think about getting them back to the oven-fresh taste and warmth. You could also just buy your cinnamon rolls and want to reheat those. Whichever the case, there are a few smart ways to reheat cinnamon rolls and get them almost oven-fresh, perhaps so well that you cannot tell the difference.
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Cinnamon Rolls
A cinnamon roll is a sweet pastry that is so popular it has a day dedicated to it in Sweden and Finland, October 4th is cinnamon roll day. Cinnamon rolls are made with yeast-leavened pastry that is flattened and rolled out in single thick slab. A mixture of cinnamon sugar and butter is spread on the upper side and it is rolled up. The roll is cut into slices which are then baked or deep-fried. The rolls are topped with icing, icing sugar or pearl sugar. Cinnamon rolls originate from Scandinavian countries of Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway though an exact place and time of origin cannot be narrowed down. Their popularity certainly warrants the idea of reheating them to eat them. Before we can outline reheating let’s look at storing them correctly so we can get the best out of them when reheating them.
How To Store Cinnamon Rolls
There are two major concerns when storing cinnamon rolls; freshness and moisture. The first thing you will need to do is wrap your cinnamon rolls in either aluminium foil or saran wrap. You can place the wrapped cinnamon rolls in an airtight container or resealable bag, preferably heavy duty. If you plan to use your cinnamon rolls within two days you can store them in the fridge. If you plan to use them after two days or are just not sure when you can place them in the freezer where they will keep for up to 7 days. The container is important. It must be airtight as this will prevent moisture from leaving the cinnamon rolls. If you don’t have an airtight container then it is best to double-wrap with aluminium foil or saran wrap. The best way to thaw your cinnamon rolls is on the counter for about an hour before use. Now we can talk about reheating cinnamon rolls. You have two great methods at your disposal; the oven and the microwave.
Reheating In The Oven
For many, this method is the best for reheating cinnamon rolls from a flavour and texture perspective. It will get them warm and maintain moistness close to that of freshly baked cinnamon rolls. On the downside, it does take longer than the microwave option. There isn’t much labour involved just a bit of patience. Nobody would blame you if you wanted to get your hot cinnamon rolls into your mouth sooner. You will need to preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius. All you need is a baking tray where you will place your cinnamon rolls. You need to remove the cinnamon rolls from the aluminium foil or saran wrap whichever you used to wrap them. You will need 10 to 15 minutes to warm up your cinnamon rolls. If for some reason you couldn’t thaw them beforehand you can still reheat your cinnamon rolls this way. You will have to allow more time for them to warm through and through but you should ultimately get the same result. As much as hot cinnamon rolls are loveable you will want to give them a little time to cool down before eating them.
Reheating In The Microwave
Hate it or love it, the microwave is one of the best ways to reheat just about anything. Cinnamon rolls are no exception to this. The advantage of the microwave is how quick and easy it is with most things. Reheating your cinnamon rolls in the microwave is a very simple exercise and all you need to pull this off is a microwave-safe plate. Place cinnamon rolls in the microwave and heat at the maximum setting for only 15 to 30 seconds. That should be enough. This method is great to get your cinnamon rolls warm and moist. However, if your cinnamon rolls are frozen this method is not advisable. The microwave will either leave your cinnamon rolls mushy or dry them out completely. Neither of those is ideal.
Tips For Getting Great Cinnamon Rolls
The biggest thing you have to guard against when reheating cinnamon rolls is the loss of moisture. There are two great tips to help make sure your cinnamon rolls have good moisture in them as if they were freshly baked. The first tip is useful whether you’re using the microwave or oven. You can brush your cinnamon rolls with melted butter before popping them into the microwave or oven. Tip number two is adding water which works differently depending on whether you are using the oven or the microwave. If you are microwaving place a bowl of water in the microwave before adding your cinnamon rolls. Heat this water for one to two minutes. Open the microwave slowly to keep the moisture in and place your cinnamon rolls in the microwave. If you can also keep the bowl of water in the microwave. Now heat as discussed before and you will get moist cinnamon rolls. If you are reheating in the oven sprinkle a few drops of water on your cinnamon rolls in the oven tray then cover with aluminium foil. Again follow the rest of the instructions.
If you just have to have your cinnamon rolls hot you have the choice of using the microwave or the oven. The microwave is quicker and easier but in both cases, you can add moisture. You can use water in both the microwave and the oven. You can also use melted butter to add moisture and rich flavour to your cinnamon rolls.
