Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

My family loves cinnamon rolls.  I love cinnamon rolls.  In fact for my birthday a few years ago I made myself homemade cinnamon rolls instead of cake.  What I hate about homemade cinnamon rolls is how long they take.  If you really want them for breakfast, I would have to get up VERY early, and they still probably wouldn't be ready until 10:30 in the morning.  That just won't fly with my early rising kids.  (And lets face it, I want my rolls, too!)  I found some different recipes and took the best parts of each of them and came up with this dynamite recipe for cinnamon rolls you make the night before. 

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

2 (.25 oz) packages active dry yeast
2½ cups warm water, 110ºF
1 (18.25 oz.) package yellow cake mix
7 - 8½ cups all purpose flour, divided
3 eggs
⅓ cup vegetable oil
1½ teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons butter, softened, divided
¾ cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 package (8oz.) cream cheese, softened
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, softened
3¾ cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand for 3 minutes. Add cake mix, 1 cup flour, eggs, oil and salt; beat well. Stir in 6 cups flour until soft dough forms.

Put dough hook attachment on mixer and knead dough until smooth, about 5 minutes. Add more flour, 1/4 cup at a time, while kneading if dough is too sticky. Place in greased bowl, and turn to coat top of dough. Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

Punch dough down. Divide into two equal parts. Roll out each part on a lightly floured surface to a 12x16-inch rectangle. Spread 3 tablespoons softened butter onto each rectangle. In a small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle half of cinnamon mixture on each rectangle.

Roll up from long side of rectangle, pinching edges to seal. Cut each rectangle into 12 equal rolls with a piece of dental floss or knife. Place in two greased 13x9-inch pans (12 rolls in each pan). Spray plastic wrap with vegetable spray and tightly cover each pan. Place in refrigerator to rise overnight.

In the morning, take rolls out of refrigerator and let sit on counter for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Remove plastic wrap and bake for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool 10 minutes, then frost with cream cheese frosting.

To make frosting:

Place cream cheese and butter in mixing bowl. Blend with electric mixer on low speed until combined. Add powdered sugar a little at a time, blending with mixer on low until sugar is incorporated. Add vanilla extract and increase mixer speed to medium and blend until frosting is fluffy, 1 minute more.

Yield: 24 rolls

Notes:  This makes a lot of rolls.  Often, I only make 12, then freeze the other 12.  To do this, follow directions in recipe for one pan.  For other 12 rolls, after cutting, place on parchment lined cookie sheet so that rolls are not touching.  Place cookie sheet in freezer until rolls are hard, about 1 hour.  Take rolls off of cookie sheet and place in a freezer Ziploc bag.  Freeze for up to 2 months.  Get out of freezer day before and proceed as above.  Know that the rolls may not rise as much as the unfrozen rolls, but they will still taste great!  Remember to cut the frosting recipe in half, too.

Only 2 more recipes and 4 more days until Christmas!