Overnight Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls

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I’m a huge fan of cinnamon rolls, probably born out of my dad baking them for breakfast practically once a month growing up. I tend to prefer the no-yeast variety because the recipes using yeast are such a pain in the butt once you finally decide you want cinnamon rolls after waking up in the morning. For this reason, a simple Bisquick biscuit recipe with cinnamon, brown sugar, and some butter has always trumped the labor and time involved with the yeast recipes. I’ve even branched out and made no-yeast cinnamon rolls from scratch.

But these cinnamon rolls are something else really. I had spent a lot of time reading through various cinnamon roll recipes with the intent to bake them for the family on Christmas morning. I liked that this recipe used a laminating technique with cream cheese to make a fluffy pastry dough and that the filling contained three different types of sugar (maple syrup!). Plus, the blogger seemed to be coming from a similar place as me.

The family absolutely loved (and devoured) these cinnamon rolls…

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OVERNIGHT CREAM CHEESE CINNAMON ROLLS
Based on recipe found here.

INGREDIENTS

Dough:
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast (1 package)
1/2 tsp. + 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
3 cups (384 g) all-purpose flour, sifted
3/4 tsp. salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

Filling:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. maple syrup
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and divided

Frosting:
4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
3-4 tbsp. whole milk
2 cups (256 g) powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Combine yeast, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, and warm water in a mixing bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes until the yeast has visibly risen.
  2. Stir in egg, egg yolk, milk, vanilla, brown sugar, and remaining granulated sugar.
  3. Using a dough hook, add flour and salt. Mix about one minute until combined, then increase speed to high for four minutes.
  4. Add softened butter and continue mixing on high for another six minutes.
  5. Remove hook and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise for at least 1.5 hours until it has doubled in size.
  6. While the dough rises, combine all filling ingredients except butter, and set aside.
  7. Once dough has risen, with well-floured hands, punch down dough and remove to well-floured counter/cutting board. Knead dough 10-12 times, just enough to remove stickiness, adding more flour as needed.
  8. Roll dough into a roughly 12″ x 12″ square and spread cream cheese on top.
  9. Fold dough, lifting bottom third to overlap the middle, then the top down to the bottom, then side-to-side in the same manner.
  10. Flip dough over so that folds are on the bottom, and roll out to a 10″ x 20″ rectangle.
  11. Spread 1/4 cup of melted butter over dough.
  12. Spread filling on top of the butter, covering all but 1″ at far end of the dough to begin rolling and press into the dough.
  13. Roll the dough along the long edge. Remove ends, then cut into eight equal slices.
  14. Place in a well-greased 9″ x 13″ pan. Cover and let rise again until almost doubled in size, or place in refrigerator overnight to bake in morning.
  15. If refrigerated, bring rolls back to room temperature (about one hour), then bake in 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.
  16. While the rolls are baking, prepare frosting by beating cream cheese powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until creamy and smooth. Add milk to obtain desired consistency.
  17. As soon as rolls are finished baking, pour remaining 1/4 cup melted butter over the rolls.
  18. Let rolls cool for five minutes before icing.