Overnight cinnamon rolls - take two

While I was proud of myself for finally making overnight cinnamon rolls for my family on Thanksgiving, I wasn't particularly happy with the recipe I tried.  I followed the instructions to a T and the rolls were too brown and dry for my liking. The flavors were good, but I wasn't that impressed.

I figured that I needed to try another recipe to overcome the disappointment from my initial cinnamon roll experience. I searched high and low and found this one on Wednesday Baking that seemed easy and didn't require me to buy buttermilk (which I did not have).  I made these on New Year's Eve and put them in the refrigerator so we could enjoy them for breakfast on New Year's Day.

These overnight cinnamon rolls were exactly what I had been looking for.  They were soft and chewy, gooey, and had the perfect balance of cinnamon and sugar. I was scared of over baking this batch so I underbaked them a bit to make sure they didn't burn or get dried out. I even made the cream cheese icing on top for an even sweeter breakfast treat.

Addison ate an entire roll (plus a banana), and both my husband and I ate more than our fair share. These reheat well in the microwave too, in case you're pressed for time in the mornings.

For the dough

• 1 ¼ cups milk
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 TBSP active dry yeast (one packet)
• 3.5 to 4 cups flour, separated

For the filling

• ¼ cup softened butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon

For the frosting

• ¼ cup butter, softened
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 ½ cups confectioners sugar
• 1 ½ tsps milk
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Directions
For the dough and filling: Heat milk, butter, salt, and sugar to 120 degrees F (I zapped this in a microwave for about a minute until the liquid was warm but not hot or scalding). Add 2 cups of the flour and the yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Add the warm milk mixture and egg and beat on low to medium speed for about 3 minutes. Slowly add enough of the remaining flour to make a soft and pliable dough.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead by hand for about 3-5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a large bowl. Cover and let rest for at least 20 minutes.

Place dough on a floured surface and roll to a large rectangle, about 17×10 inches. Using a brush, spatula or angled spatula, gently spread the ¼ cup softened butter over the dough.

Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together (lumps are ok) and sprinkle evenly over the dough. Starting from a long end, tightly roll up the dough like a jelly roll. Cut evenly into slices about 3/4 of an inch thick, and place cut side down into greased pans. I got about 16 rolls and put them into two 9x11 glass pans. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight.

In the morning, remove the lids and let the pans come to room temperature or until the rolls are soft. It should take about 30-40 minutes. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned.

For the frosting: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat all of the frosting ingredients together. Once the rolls are done baking, spread the frosting over the top.

Yield: About 16-24 rolls, depending how big you slice them

Source: Wednesday Baking