Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

NOTES:

• We made the dough and frosting on a Saturday night and put both in the fridge. In the morning, I preheated the oven, set the pans of rolls on the stovetop to warm to room temp then baked for about 15 minutes and topped with the frosting. What a delicious Sunday morning treat!
• Use the same recipe to make dinner rolls (follow through the beginning of step 4). Form balls with hands and place in greased cake pans, leaving about 1 inch between balls. Let rise again in pans like recipe below before baking.
• I use a butter cream frosting for my rolls but feel free to use your favorite frosting or icing.

INGREDIENTS - Rolls
• 1 pkg yeast (2 ¼ tsp)
• ¼ c. warm water
•1 skim or low fat c. milk, scalded (heated over medium heat until bubbles form at edges)
• ¼ c. shortening
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ c. sugar
• 3 ½ c. flour
• 1 egg
• ¾ c. packed brown sugar
• ¼ c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/3 c. butter, softened or melted

INGREDIENTS – Butter cream frosting
• 1/3 c. butter, cold and firm
• 2 c. sifted powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1-2 tbsp cold milk or cream

DIRECTIONS - Rolls
1. Soften yeast in ¼ c. warm water for a few minutes. In a large bowl, combine scalded milk, sugar, shortening, and salt. Add about ½ of the flour and mix well.

2. Add softened yeast and egg and mix again.

3. Stir in remaining flour to make moderately soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Place in a lightly greased bowl and turn to coat surface of dough then cover lid tightly and let rise in a warm place (turn on oven to 200 degrees for a few minutes then turn off and set bowl in oven) about 30 minutes or until double.

4. Punch dough down, shape into a bowl and let rise 10 minutes. (Roll into balls and place in greased cake pans, leaving 1 inch apart if making dinner rolls). While rising, mix softened or melted butter, brown sugar, ¼ c. flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Remove dough from bowl and on a floured surface, flatten slightly with hands. Roll into a large rectangle with a rolling pin to about ¼ - ½ inch thick and spread with brown sugar filling. Roll up dough tightly, starting with one long side of the rectangle and rolling towards the other long side. Seal seams and cut into 18-20 rolls using dental floss (unflavored) or thread (side thread/floss under long roll and bring up then cross and pull to pinch dough without smashing it). Place rolls in lightly greased cake pans, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in fridge overnight (or until double at room temp if making right away).

5. To make frosting (whether the night before or the morning of), beat cold butter with electric mixer until creamy. Add sugar, about ½ c. at a time and beat well after each addition. Add vanilla then milk and beat again. Store in air-tight container and whip again before using. It can also be frozen.

6. When ready to bake rolls, remove from fridge (if making overnight) and let sit at room temp for 20 or so minutes. Preheat oven to 375 and bake rolls 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned (if necessary, cover with foil to prevent tops from burning the last few minutes). Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes in pan then invert onto cooling racks then flip onto serving plates. Spread frosting over warm rolls and serve warm.