Overnight Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Cream Cheese Icing

These past few weeks, between some of the stories we’ve heard from our friends, the book we’re reading with our small group, and reflecting on our own circumstances, I’ve been hit over and over with the truth that God uses the “in-between times” to shape us for what he has ahead of us.

We’ve been filming the story of our dear friends Courtney and Ryan who adopted their daughter Nara from Ethiopia nearly two years ago. From the time they started the adoption process, they waited three years to be able to bring her home. They agonized in the waiting when all they wanted to do was have their daughter in their arms. And yet, as we’ve been unpacking more of their story the last couple weeks, they shared how God was active and working that whole time. He was preparing them for the next task – moving to Ethiopia to work in full-time ministry. It’s something they didn’t see coming, but looking back they’re able to see all the pieces of the puzzle falling into place. I can’t wait to share more of their story with you – till then you can read more on their blog.

Just last night as I was reading the book that we’re going through with our small group, I came across this quote. “God uses your present experiences to mold you for future usefulness here on earth and in eternity.” Stop. Read it again. Okay, and maybe one more time for good measure. He is using our present experiences. And He is preparing us not just for tomorrow but for the future, for eternity. Whoa. I honestly can’t even wrap my mind around that.

Do your present experiences seem ordinary and dull like mine usually feel? Maybe it’s not that they’re actually ordinary, but that we simply don’t have our eyes open to the ways God is working around us and through those “normal” events. Maybe it’s not that He’s not working around us, but rather we’re just not seeing Him. He is there, but we’re getting too bogged down by the seemingly ordinary-ness of our circumstances – we’re too self-focused to see beyond to what could be.

I want to learn to be sensitive to how God is at work around me. Most days I don’t even know where to begin. If I look back though, it’s so incredibly clear to see how He has used other people and the pieces of my story to bring me to where I am now. Why then is it so hard to believe that He’s using the here and now for what is to come?

I’d love to have some sweet analogy for you to tell you why I’m sharing this recipe with my thoughts above. It would be something about waiting, patience, and trusting that your cinnamon rolls are rising, even though you don’t see it happening in the moment. I haven’t fully worked it out in my head, so I’ll let you make those connections if you wish 😉

Now, on to the recipe! These cinnamon rolls are sweet goodness! The best part? You can make them ahead of time, pop them in the fridge overnight, let them come to room temperature and rise a bit in the morning, and they’re ready to bake! Make these this weekend for your sweetheart, for your kids, or maybe even just for yourself!

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Cream Cheese Icing

Adapted from Beth Kirby

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Prep Time 5 hrs

Cook Time 25 mins

Total Time 5 hrs 25 mins

Servings 12 rolls

Ingredients

  

For the Dough

• 3.5 cups all purpose flour + 1/4 - 1/2 c for kneading
• 1.5 c buttermilk warm
• 1 stick unsalted butter melted & warm
• 3/4 c sugar
• 6 Tbs cornstarch
• 1 packet instant yeast 2 1/4 tsp
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2 Tbs butter for greasing the pan

For the Filling

• 1 cup brown sugar packed
• 1.5 Tbs cinnamon
• A couple dashes of nutmeg
• One stick of butter very soft

For the Icing

• 4 oz cream cheese softened
• 1 Tbs brewed coffee
• 1 Tbs maple syrup
• 1.5 c powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1-2 Tbs milk

Instructions

 

• Gently warm buttermilk - you don't want it to get too hot or it will curdle. Dissolve yeast in warmed buttermilk. Add warm melted butter, sugar, salt, and eggs. Stir together thoroughly by hand.
• Mix the cornstarch and flour in a separate bowl. Add to the buttermilk mixture. Stir together until flour is completely incorporated. Cover with a cloth and let rise in a warm place for an hour and a half, or until dough has doubled. Punch down and let rise for another hour and a half.
• On a clean work surface, sprinkle 1/4 c flour. Place the dough in the middle of the flour and gently knead it into a workable dough. Use the other 1/4 cup flour if it's still too sticky to work with. Beth's advice is to use the least amount of flour possible - that makes the rolls more tender in the end. Be sure not to over-work the dough while you're kneading it.
• Flour a large work surface (about 20inx20in) and roll your dough out into an 18x18in square. At this point be sure you have enough flour so the dough doesn't stick to the counter when you're ready to roll it up (I made that mistake!)
• Combine brown sugar and cinnamon and a couple dashes of nutmeg in a small bowl. Gently spread the very soft butter over your dough, leaving about a 1in border around the edges. Sprinkle nearly all of the cinnamon sugar mixture over the butter, reserving a couple tablespoons to use in a moment. Start with the edge closest to you and begin gently rolling the dough. Once you reach the end, pinch the seam shut so all your cinnamon-sugary-butter goodness doesn't escape.
• Melt two Tbs of butter and pour them into a 9x13 glass baking dish. Tip the baking dish so the butter coats the bottom and up the sides a bit. It may pool in the bottom of your pan - that's okay! It'll make the bottoms of your cinnamon rolls extra delicious! Using a floured knife, cut your rolled up dough into 12 equal pieces. I think the easiest to do is cut your roll in half. Then cut each of those pieces in half. You'll have four equal pieces. Each of those gets cut in thirds, leaving you 12 equal-ish cinnamon rolls. Place each in the buttered baking dish.
• You'll notice that those sad little end rolls got skimped on the sugar - once they're in the pan, feel free to use the cinnamon sugar mixture you saved to sprinkle in those end rolls and any others that look like they need some extra love.
• If you're making these rolls at night so they'll be ready to bake the next morning, you cover them tightly with plastic wrap at this point and place them in the fridge. In the morning, set them in a warm place till they have doubled in size, about an hour (they may have risen a bit in the fridge.) If making these rolls straight through, let them rise till doubled in size, about an hour and a half, then you're ready to bake.
• Heat your oven to 325F. Bake rolls for 25-35 min. Beth recommends using an instant read thermometer and removing the rolls once they've reached an internal temperature of 190F. She says this ensures they stay delicious and gooey on the inside, and I have to agree! Allow rolls to cool about 10 minutes in the pan.
• While the rolls are baking, you can assemble the icing. Use a fork or a whisk to combine cream cheese, coffee, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add powdered sugar and milk and mix well to combine, making sure icing doesn't have any lumps of powdered sugar. Start with 1 Tbs milk and add another if icing seems too dry. Drizzle over the cinnamon rolls and enjoy!