I love to eat cinnamon rolls for breakfast. Last Christmas I decided to make them for breakfast, which meant eating a very late brunch. What the heck with the four and a half hours of assembling, kneading, waiting for dough to rise, more assembly, more waiting for rising, then baking?! The humanity!! I just want to eat a warm cinnamon roll. This time I did most of the work the day before I wanted to eat cinnamon rolls for breakfast and it worked like a charm. As all my plans do. (This is from America's Test Kitchen's Family Cookbook.)
Basic Sweet Dough
3/4 c. buttermilk, warm (but not hot)
6 T. (or 3/4 of a stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 envelope (2 1/4 tsp) instant or rapid-rise yeast
1 1/4 tsp salt
Whisk the buttermilk, butter, and eggs together in a large liquid measuring cup. Mix 4 cups of the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook. With the mixer on low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and mix until the dough comes together, about 1 minute.
Increase the speed to medium-low and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. (If, after 5 minutes, more flour is needed, add the remaining 1/4 cup flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough clears the side of the bowl but sticks to the bottom.)
Turn the dough onto a clean counter and knead by hand to form a smooth, round ball, about 1 minute. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
Cinnamon Roll Filling and Glaze
3/4 c packed light brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
Pinch of salt
1 T. melted butter
3 T. cream cheese, softened
3 T. buttermilk or milk
1 1/2 c. confectioners' sugar
Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt together in a small bowl.
Press the dough (after the 2 hours of rising) into a 12 by 16-inch rectangle. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle on the brown sugar mixture, leaving a 3/4-inch border along the top edge. Lightly press the mixture into the dough.
Roll the dough into a tight cylinder and pinch the seam closed. Slice the cylinder into 12 evenly sized rolls using a serrated knife. Arrange the rolls in a greased metal baking dish (I only have metal cake pans, so I used those). Wrap the pan tightly in greased plastic wrap.
Refrigerate overnight or up to 16 hours.
Let rise in a warm place until the rolls have doubled in size and are pressed against one another, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Bake rolls (uncovered - obviously?) in a 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes. (Watch them, though. I thought mine were a little overdone. Brian loves overcooked food, so that was a win for him.)
Beat cream cheese, buttermilk, and confectioners' sugar together. While the rolls are still fairly warm, spoon the glaze over them.
