Recipe: Delicious Breakfast - Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

While most of my recipes on this blog are fairly healthy, I'm going to post this one with the premise that it is obviously ... uh ...

As I mentioned in the pizza crust post, we are now the proud owners of a slowly consumed 2 lb block of yeast.  And being stuck in isolation during both my son and my birthdays, I simply decided to make the best of this hoard stockpile.

In the process, the below has likely become a new family tradition - fresh cinnamon rolls for breakfast on your birthday.  Since most of the prep is done the night before, it's really not too intimidating to get up a little over an hour ahead of time to allow for final rise and bake time.  Hopefully this new tradition sticks for our family.

Enjoy!


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Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

Rolls

• 1 cup warm milk (105-115 degrees, this is important so check!)
• 1/2 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 4 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
• 3 cups + 2-4 tablespoons flour, divided
• 1 egg at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided and melted
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Cinnamon Filling

• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and divided
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Cream Cheese Icing

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Directions

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, add warm milk and sprinkle with yeast.  Let sit uncovered for 7 minutes at room temperature.  Add 1/2 cup flour, and 2 tablespoons sugar, whisk until blended.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 35-45 minutes (or in a 100 degree oven for 25 minutes - do not over heat or you will kill the yeast).  Mixture will look puffy.

Whisk in egg, remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of melted butter and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Using the dough hook on speed 2, add flour 1/2 cup at a time, letting it blend with each addition.  After 2 1/2 cups, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time just until dough is no longer sticking to fingertips or the walls of the bowl as it mixes.  Knead for 10 minutes.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 2 hours (or in 100 degree oven for 1 hour).  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 rolling pin from sticking) and roll into an even 17"x10" rectangle.  Dot the top of the dough with 6 tablespoons of softened butter and spread it out gently with a spatula. (TRUTH: I suck at this and always damage the dough, so I cheat and melt the butter in a microwave, spreading with a cooking brush.  This does cause the filling to become a little sloppy at roll up time, but it's not terribly unmanageable if you keep the bulk of the mixture away from the final roll edge, and quickly transfer the rolls once you cut them).

Stir together 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon and sprinkle all of it evenly on the 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 more uniform then slice into 12 equal sized rolls.  (Note: some people claim using unflavored dental floss makes this process easier.  I hate that crap, it usually just makes more mess for me.  Instead, I gently cut with a serrated knife, trying to avoid pushing too hard and "crushing" the roll.  Also, since you want evenly sized rolls, cut as follows: slice entire roll into 2 halves, then those portions into 2 halves again - for a total of 4 sections ... then slice each of the 4 sections into 3 rolls each.  It's much easier to make 12 evenly sized rolls this way.)

Butter sides and bottom of a 9x13 baking pan with 1 tablespoon butter and evenly space rolls in pan.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (up to 18 hours).

When ready to cook, remove rolls from fridge and keeping them covered, let rise at room temperature for 1-1.5 hours (or in a 100 degree oven for 35 minutes) or until puffy.  While this is in process, don't forget to pull out the butter and cream cheese for the icing, to allow it to soften as well.

Before baking, brush tops with 1 tablespoon melted butter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 22-24 minutes or until tops are light golden brown.  Let cool in pan 15 minutes then frost warm buns generously with the cream cheese icing.

How to make icing: cream together 4 tablespoons softened butter and 4 ounces cream cheese.  Once creamy and smooth, add 1 tablespoon vanilla and mix again.  Follow with 1 cup powdered sugar and mix until fluffy (3-4 minutes), scraping down the bowl as needed.