Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

I’m always printing out recipes I want to try.  I’ve had this one for a very long time, but have never gotten around to making it until last weekend.  I’m glad I did!  This is such a good recipe!  The appealing thing about this recipe is that the rolls are made the night before and refrigerated, allowing them to rise overnight in the refrigerator.  I put these together on Friday night before I went to bed, then got up the next morning, jogged at the park, did a week’s worth of grocery shopping, and got back home around 9:30 am, timing it just right to bake the rolls for a late Saturday morning breakfast.  I wasn’t certain about how long I could allow them to rise in the refrigerator but they did just fine.  The timing was perfect since the kids are not up any earlier than that on weekends anyway, and they woke up to the wonderful smell of homemade cinnamon rolls.  These rolls will be on the menu for this weekend as well!

Ingredients:

Roll Dough-

1 cup milk

1/3 cup butter

1 pkg. active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons if measuring)

1/2 cup white sugar

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

Filling –

soft butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins (optional, I left the raisins out since my kids aren’t crazy about raisins.  You could also used chopped pecans or walnuts if you like)

Glaze –

1 teaspoon light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons half and half or cream

Directions:

Heat the milk in a saucepan for just a little bit to warm it, but not too hot (or it’ll kill the yeast).  You just don’t want it to be cold, more warm to luke-warm.  Add the butter and stir to melt.  ( it doesn’t have to melt all the way, just mostly)

Pour the milk, butter mixture into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle in the yeast.  Add the sugar, 3 cups of the flour, salt, and eggs.  Beat for two minutes until well combined.

Once the dough is mixed well, switch to the dough hook (if you have it) and mix in the additional flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.

When the dough has pulled together into a ball, turn it out onto a floured surface.

(At this point, you may need to knead by hand if you weren’t able to use the dough hook in the mixing process) You want to end up with a nice smooth ball of dough.

Lightly oil a bowl, and place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat the top.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise until doubled in size.

Once it has risen to almost twice its original size, turn it out onto a floured surface and roll it out into a 10 x 14 inch rectangle.

Rub softened butter on the top (about 2 Tablespoons or so)

Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over the surface.

If you are using raisins, or nuts (or both) sprinkle them over the cinnamon sugar layer.  I didn’t use them, because I would have had a mutiny on my hands!

Roll up the dough into a log starting along the long side.

Seal the seam by pressing it together to close. Slice the log into 12 even slices.  They’ll be about an inch thick.  You can do this easily by first cutting the dough log in half right down the middle, then cut each of the halves down the middle. That will give you 4 fairly equal pieces.  Cut each of the four sections into 3 slices each.  I find that this is an easy way to get even slices, but use any method that works for you.

Places the slices cut side down in a lightly greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan.

Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to rise overnight.

The next morning, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Take the rolls out of the refrigerator and allow them to stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking.

Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

While the rolls bake, stir together the glaze ingredients.  Add enough cream or half and half to be able to mix the glaze until smooth.

Drizzle the warm rolls with the glaze as soon as they come out of the oven.

Serve right away while still warm!  Delicious!