suemunzlinger's Recipe

Cinnamon Rolls overnight

Category: Desserts

12 large rolls


Prep Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 12 - 15 hours (overnight)



Ingredients:


Dough
1 cup whole milk*
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 and 1/2 tablespoons Red Start Platinum yeast (2 standard size packets)*
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature and cut into 4 pieces
2 large eggs, room temperature preferred
1/2 teaspoon salt if you have salt with iodine use that
4 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting/rolling

Filling
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup ( granulated sugar
1 and 1/2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon

Cream Cheese Icing
2 ounces (about 1/4 cup or 56g) full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 and 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
3 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Directions:

1.Make The Dough: In a small saucepan, warm the milk over low heat until lukewarm (no need to use a thermometer, but to be precise: about 95 degrees F). Pour the warm milk into the bowl of a stand electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment (OR you can use a handheld mixer OR no mixer, but a stand mixer is ideal). With a spoon, manually stir in the sugar and yeast. Cover with a towel and let sit until the yeast is foamy, about 5-10 minutes. This is called proofing your yeast. If the yeast does not dissolve and foam, start over with fresh active yeast. On low speed, beat in the softened butter until it is slightly broken up. Next add the eggs, one at a time, and then the salt. The butter will not really be mixing into the mixture, so do not be alarmed if it stays in pieces. On low speed, gradually add the flour. Once it is all added, beat on medium speed until a soft dough forms. Increase speed to medium high and beat until the dough is soft and supple, about 6 minutes longer. *If you do not have a stand-mixer with a hook attachment, knead the dough by hand in this step.
2.Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it with your hands for 1 minute. Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to a lightly greased bowl. Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap, a paper towel, or aluminum foil and let sit in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 2 hours. Here is what I do: turn the oven on to 300F degrees. Turn the oven off. Stick the covered dough inside the oven and allow it to rise in this warm environment.
3.Butter/grease/spray with nonstick spray the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish, then line with parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using a rolling pin, roll into a 13x18 inch rectangle. I used a ruler for accuracy. Make sure the dough is smooth and evenly thick, even at the corners.
4.For The Filling: Spread the softened butter all over the dough. Do not skimp-- you want it all on there. In a small bowl, toss the cinnamon and sugar together until combined and then sprinkle evenly over the dough. Tightly roll up the dough to form an 18-inch-long log. If some filling spills out, that is ok just sprinkle it on top of the rolls. Cut into 12 even rolls (about 1.5 inches in width each). Arrange them in the prepared baking pan, cut sides up. Cover the rolls very tightly with aluminum foil (no rolls exposed, please-- this dries out your dough) and stick in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours.*
5.Remove rolls from the refrigerator and let rise in a warm place just as you did in step 2 until they are puffy, about 1-2 hours. Mine usually take 1 and 1/2 hours.
6.After the rolls have risen, preheat the oven to 375F degrees. Bake for about 25 minutes, until they are golden brown. About halfway through the bake time, I like to cover the rolls loosely with aluminum foil so the tops don not brown too much. Remove pan from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes as you make the icing.
7.Make The Icing: In a medium bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the confectioners sugar, milk, and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. Using a knife, spread the icing over the warm rolls and serve immediately.
8.Cover leftover frosted or unfrosted rolls tightly and store at room temperature for up to 3 days-- I prefer this over storing in the refrigerator. I find that dries them out, but do what you like best. Baked rolls can be frozen up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm up before enjoying.


*Whole milk preferred for richest tasting dough. 2 per cent would be fine, but not ideal. Nonfat is not recommended.

*If not using an instant yeast, rise time may be up to 40% longer.

*No time for overnight? If planning to bake the rolls right away, in step 4-- instead of sticking the rolls in the refrigerator, loosely cover them and let rise in a warm place just as you did in step 2 until they are puffy, about 2 hours. Then continue with step 6.