Go Back
Print

The Best Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

Who can resist a fluffy cinnamon roll, freshly baked and slathered with a cream cheese frosting? Not my family. The beauty of this recipe is that you make the dough a day ahead, let it slowly proof in the refrigerator. In the morning, roll out the dough, spread the cinnamon filling, bake and frost. These are truly the best cinnamon rolls I've baked. My guests raved about them. The next day, they reheated beautifully and were just as fluffy and good.
Course Brunch
Keyword The Best Cinnamon Rolls
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Refrigerator Proofing Time 12 hours
Servings 8 rolls
Calories 859kcal
Author Debby - www.AFeastfortheEyes.net

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature (very soft)

For the filling:

  • 1/2 cup room temperature unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt or slightly less table salt

Optional Cinnamon Filling (my preference)

  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons Instant Clear Gel available at King Arthur Flour.com
  • 2 Tbsp Water enough to create a thick, spreadable paste

For the frosting:

  • 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature, soft
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature, soft
  • 1-4 tablespoons milk (whole recommended); enough to soften the frosting to a thick but spreadable consistency
  • 2 cups confectioner's sugar (powdered)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of kosher salt

Instructions

For the dough:

  • Warm the milk in the microwave (or on the stove) in 15 second increments). You want it to be aboaut 100F-- warm but not steaming hot.
    In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the warm milk, yeast, and sugar. Let the mixture stand until foamy, about five minutes.
  • Add the eggs, flour, and salt to the bowl and mix on medium speed until a sticky dough is formed.
    Beat in the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the butter is incorporated before adding the next batch. It's important that the butter is very soft in order for it to incorporate into the dough. HINT: I often forget to soften butter. I unwrap it, stick it on a small plate and microwave for 5 seconds, then flip to the next side. I repeat this until all four sides have been flipped. This yields a soft butter that is not melted.
  • Once all the butter is incorporated, knead the dough for 10 minutes on medium speed (or knead by hand). You'll want to see the dough not sticking to the side of the bowl. I ended up adding about 4 additional tablespoons of flour-- after each 1 tablespoon addition, I watched to see if the dough wasn't sticking to the bow.. Don't add all the additional flour at once!
  • Place the dough on a very lightly floured (or oil) covered surface and shape into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and place into the refrigerator overnight. By allowing a slow-proof in the refrigerator, this allows more flavor to develop into the dough. You'll want to leave this is the refrigerator for at least 8 hours (I left mine for 16 hours with no problems.) The dough will double in size.

Shaping the rolls:

  • In the morning, remove the dough from the refrigerator. The dough will be quite stiff and firm but it will start to roll easily-- with a little bit of elbow grease!,
    Lightly dust your work surface and a rolling pin with flour. Roll the dough out into a rectangle approximately 12x16 inches in size. Be patient, because as you roll the dough, it will warm up slightly and become pliable enough to shape into a rectangle.

Spread the filling:

  • Spread the dough with butter, leaving a 1-inch border on one of the shorter edges. Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Sprinkle the mixture over the butter in an even layer.

Alternative cinnamon filling (my preference)

  • OR: I prefer to work with a cinnamon "paste". I find this easier to spread onto the rectangle, and I get the "punch" of cinnamon flavor that I love.
  • In a bowl combine brown sugar, cinnamon and Instant clear gel, stir to thoroughly combine.
    Add water 1/2 a tablespoon at a time to reach desired consistency-- it should be smooth but not watery. You want it to be a "schmear" consistency. Add one tablespoon at a time (2-3), and a whisk helps to make it smooth.
    Be sure to leave a one-inch gap all around the edges, because the paste filling does spread as you begin to roll.

Shaping the rolls:

  • Starting from the short edge, roll the dough into a tight spiral. Pinch the spiral closed ). Trim the ends if they are shaggy, but this might not be necessary.
  • Using a knife, cut marks at the halfway part of the roll. Make a knife mark on each half, and then another knife mark on each quarter.
    NOTE: I like making knife marks instead of cutting each piece because I use a clean thread of dental frost. I place the frost under the roll, line it up with my knife mark and join the two ends together. Voila! You have clean slices.
    Otherwise, you can slice each piece with a knife, but I find that this method can tend to "smoosh" each piece.
    Place the rolls in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish.
  • Cover the rolls with plastic wrap (or a clean tea towel), and let them rise in a warm place for 30 to 90 minutes.
    NOTE: I use my own oven to proof dough. I simply turn it on to WARM for 2 minutes then turn it off. This creates a warm environment, safe from drafts. Using this method, my dough had become puffed up in about 45 minutes and the rolls were now closer to each other.
  • Whele the rolls looked puffy, I removed them from the oven (likewise, if you are proofing on a counter, be sure they are covered with plastic wrap or a towel (so they don't dry out).
    Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake the rolls:

  • Bake the rolls for 20 to 25 minutes until they are golden on top and puffy (about 200F).
    While the rolls are baking, make the cream cheese frosting.
    Remove from the oven and and place on a cooling rack for about five minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • Use a stand mixer (or hand mixer) to cream the butter and cream cheese, until smooth.
    Add about half ot he powdered sugar and half of the milk (or heavy cream), beating until combine and smooth.
    Add the remaining sugar and vanilla, and beat for an additional minute. Add additional milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the frosting is as spreadable. You don't want to be thin, like a glaze, You want a thick frosting, because it will melt as soon as you spread it on the hot rolls!

Frosting the rolls:

  • Place dollops of the frosting in each corner of the pan, and one or two dollops in the middle.
  • An off-set spatula (or butter knife) will help to spread the frosting, evenly, over the rolls. The frosting will begin to melt, and that is what you want. (I saved any leftover frosting for reheating the next day.)
  • Serve while warm. To reheat (if there are any leftovers). use a microwave for 15-20 seconds. Add any additional frosting, if desired, before reheating.

Notes

Cinnamon Roll Dough recipe slightly adapted from: Simply Recipes
Do you  have to proof these overnight?  No!  However, this helps to develop more flavor in the dough, and this makes serving them in the morning go a bit faster.
 
  • To freeze unbaked rolls: Make the dough, proof it, shape the rolls,  but don’t do the second rise. Cover them, and freeze. To bake them, defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Let the rolls rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size. Bake as directed in the recipe.
  • To freeze baked rolls: It’s best to freeze unfrosted cinnamon rolls, as the frosting gets sticky when thawed. You can refrigerate the frosting in an air tight container, and use that once you bake the rolls.