While I enjoy cooking from-scratch cinnamon rolls (and eating them), I don’t do it very frequently since A) they need a lot of planning and effort, and B) I am not and never will be a morning person. So I store them for special occasions and special visitors, and although this keeps them special, it prevents me from enjoying fresh-from-the-oven gooey cinnamon buns on a regular basis.

This is where the Overnight Cinnamon Roll Casserole comes in handy. The French toast bake meets cinnamon roll situation you’ve been waiting for is here, thanks to some store-bought shortcuts and an overnight set-it-and-forget-it strategy.This recipe includes store-bought cinnamon rolls, which feels a little like cheating, but since we’re doctoring them with a French toast method, I’m fine with it. You can use canned or frozen (but thaw before using). Begin by melting butter in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Next, cut the cinnamon rolls into quarters and scatter them in the dish.

Save the frosting packets for later.Then you’ll combine eggs, heavy cream, vanilla, cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg. (That is the French toast mixture.) Pour it over the cinnamon rolls, cover with foil, and refrigerate overnight.If you really want this right now, you can bake it without the overnight wait; but, the custard will not have time to soak. But if you leave it overnight, the dough and custard become best friends.

And you can sleep a bit longer.Bake covered for about 30 minutes, but listen to the casserole rather than the timer. You want the center to be fully cooked and no longer doughy. But, of course, you want everything to remain pleasantly soft, so keep an eye on it!After ten minutes, take that cream cheese icing and pour it all over the top, allowing the heat to help it settle into all of those delightful nooks and crannies. It’s so simple, and there will be plenty of warm, gooey cinnamon rolls in your future.