Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
These melt-in-you-mouth cinnamon rolls can be made in advance so they are perfect for holidays, company and busy mornings. The whipped cream cheese icing melts a bit, sinking into every groove and the top stays whipped and gorgeous. P.S. These can be baked the same day as well, just let them rise instead of putting them in the refrigerator.
Serving: 12 medium rolls
Ingredients
Ingredients for Overnight Cinnamon Rolls:
1 cup warm milk (not hot)
½ Tbsp active dry yeast
4 Tbsp granulated sugar, divided
3 cups + 2 to 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour, divided*
1 large egg, room temp
2 Tbsp unsalted butter melted, divided
½ tsp salt
For the Cinnamon Roll Filling:
7 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened, divided
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
For the Cream Cheese Icing:
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
½ Tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar
Instructions
How to Make Overnight Cinnamon Rolls:
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, add 1 cup warm milk and sprinkle with ½ Tbsp yeast. Let sit uncovered for 7 minutes at room temp. Add ½ cup flour, 2 Tbsp sugar and whisk until blended. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 35-45 min (or in a 100˚ oven** for 25 min). It will look puffy.
Whisk in 1 egg, remaining 2 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp melted butter and ½ tsp salt.
Using the dough hook on speed 2, add remaining 2½ cups flour (1/2 cup at a time) letting it blend with each addition. Add more flour 1 Tbsp at a time just until dough is no longer sticking to fingertips or the walls of the bowl as it mixes then knead/mix for 10 min. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temp 2 hours (or in a 100˚ oven for 1 hr). Dough should double in size.
Generously dust flour over a clean work surface and place dough in the center. Sprinkle dough with flour (just enough to keep the rolling pin from sticking) and roll into even 17″x10″ rectangle. Dot the top of dough with 6 Tbsp softened butter and spread it out gently with a spatula.
Stir together ¼ cup sugar and 1 Tbsp cinnamon and sprinkle ALL OF IT evenly over buttered dough. Roll the dough up starting with one of the longer sides, keeping a tight roll. Once it's rolled up, push ends in slightly to make them a little more uniform then slice into 12 equal sized cinnamon rolls.***
Butter sides and bottom of a 9×13 baking pan with 1 Tbsp butter and evenly space cinnamon rolls in pan, cut-side down. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (up to 18 hours). The following day, remove from refrigerator and keeping them covered, let cinnamon rolls rise at room temp 1 to 1½ hours (or in a 100˚F oven for 35 min) or until puffy.
Brush tops with 1 Tbsp melted butter and bake at 350˚F for 22-24 mins or until tops are light golden brown. Let cool in pan 15 minutes then frost warm buns generously with the cream cheese glaze (instructions below).
How to Make Cream Cheese Icing:
Using an electric mixer, cream together 4 Tbsp softened butter, 4 oz soft cream cheese and beat on medium speed until creamy and smooth. Beat in ½ Tbsp vanilla then add 1 cup powered sugar and continue mixing until fluffy (3-4 min), scraping down the bowl as needed.
Notes
*On Measuring Flour: Fluff up flour then spoon into a dry measuring cup. Scrape off the top with the back of a knife. **Oven should not be hotter than 100˚F or you will cook and ruin the yeast. ***Use unflavored floss to prevent squishing your rolls. Slide it under the roll, then bring it up, cross it at the top and pull both ends to cut through the roll easily then repeat.
