Overnight Buns Recipe (Rise While You Sleep!)
Mix up this easy overnight buns recipe before bed and wake up to fresh-baked yeast rolls! No early mornings required — just mix, shape, and let them rise overnight.
This overnight buns recipe is one of my most treasured recipes of my mom’s. She often made a big batch of these before holidays, and I loved waking up to the smell of fresh-baked bread filling the house.
They were her special occasion buns, and we always rejoiced when she made them!
This recipe is a bit unusual in that you mix up the dough and roll everything out in the afternoon, then let them rise overnight and bake them fresh the next morning — right when you get up. There’s nothing quite like waking up to the smell of fresh buns baking. In my mind, they’re the ultimate comfort food.
Ingredients needed for overnight buns:
For exact measurements, refer to the printable recipe card below.
- Boiling water
- Sugar
- Butter or margarine
- Salt
- Eggs
- Yeast
- Lukewarm water, sweetened
- White all purpose Flour
Overnight Yeast Rolls
Mix up this easy overnight buns recipe in the afternoon, then bake them fresh the next morning! A treasured family tradition, these soft, comforting buns are perfect for holidays or any morning that calls for something special.
Ingredients
- 4 cups boiling water
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup butter or margarine, I use butter
- 1 tbsp. salt
- 4 beaten eggs
- 1 pkg. yeast, I use Fleishmann’s Traditional in the jar for this one. I package equals 2 and 1/4 tsp.
- 1/4 cup lukewarm water, sweetened
- 12 cups flour, or more
Instructions
Step 1: Make the Dough
Boil the water and sugar together for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and salt. Let cool to about 105–110°F — warm to the touch but not hot, so the yeast activates properly without being killed by too much heat. Stir in the beaten eggs and the yeast dissolved in lukewarm water sweetened with 1 teaspoon sugar. Add enough flour to form a firm dough. (Tip: if you don't add enough flour, the buns will rise too much and lose flavor and texture.)
Step 2: First Rise
Place the dough in a buttered bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in size. If you start around 2 p.m., it should be doubled by 5 or 6 p.m.
Step 3: Second Rise
Punch down the dough and let it rise again until 9 or 10 p.m.
Step 4: Shape the Buns
Shape the dough into buns and place in baking pans, leaving plenty of space between each one — they rise a lot, so keep them on the smaller side. Cover the pans with towels and leave them on the counter overnight.
Step 5: Bake
The next morning, bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes, keeping an eye on them since baking time can vary depending on the size and type of buns. Yield: 6 dozen buns.
Notes
For details on how to form and shape the buns, check out this post.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 72 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 124Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 122mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 1gSugar: 6gProtein: 3g
Step by Step instructions Plus Real Life Pictures of Overnight Buns
This bun dough is a typical yeast dough — it’s mixed together and left to rise in a warm place, punched down, and left to rise again before it’s time to shape the buns. The final shaping typically happens around 9 p.m., and then the buns rest on the counter overnight, ready to bake fresh the next morning.
Here’s what that process looks like, from the risen dough to the buns lined up on the counter before bed, to the beautifully puffed buns waiting for you in the morning.
Big Tip: Keep a close eye out while baking, as baking times may differ based on the size and type of buns.
The part I love the best? Being FINISHED before 8:30 a.m.!!
For details on how to roll out the buns and the yeast cinnamon roll recipe, click here.
For more yeast roll recipes, you may want to check out:
- These Bread Machine Dinner Rolls are Easy to Make!
- Cast Iron Skillet Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Topping
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I had been given the recipe way back in 1981 and lost it. I left my family for a month to visit my parents in Germany and made a double batch. They loved the rolls very much. I have pictures of them my whole kitchen was covered with them.😃 and none were left when I came back home. Thank you so much for sharing!