Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Thinking about what to serve on Christmas morning? You probably want something delicious, but with the crew gathered around the tree, I suspect you also want something that is easy to make, so you can be with them, rather than in the kitchen. These overnight rolls are a marvelous solution to that dilemma. With a bit of forethought, you can chill and shape them on Christmas Eve and allow them to rise while you unwrap your Christmas gifts. This recipe comes to you with some options for filling the dough before it is rolled. While I prefer the standard cinnamon filling, I can honestly tell you that the chocolate and orange-spice fillings are also delicious. As most of you know, I'm not a fan of overly sweet breads or pastry, so I use less glaze than is suggested in the recipe below. I also use just one teaspoon of vanilla extract when I make mine, as I think the full measure is too much of a good thing. This is a personal preference, so if you have a demanding sweet tooth, by all means use all of the glaze and live dangerously with the vanilla. I love to serve these warm. If you make them ahead of time, do warm them before serving. I hope you'll give this recipe a try. Here is how these memory-making rolls are made.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've had these rolls in the freezer for a month now. My original plan was to serve them for breakfast on Thanksgiving Day, but unexpected guests depleted my freezer stash this morning. The good news is the rolls disappeared quickly, and that always is a sure sign that a recipe is good enough to share with you. The recipe was developed by Diane Rattray, a Southern cooking expert at about.com. I've worked with her recipes before, so I knew the rolls would be great. The recipe looks long and a bit complicated, but it is neither. The ingredient list contains a lot of common seasonal spices and several types of sugar that I suspect you already have in your pantry, and I'm happy to report the directions that come with the recipe, include instructions for making the rolls by hand, with a dough hook or in a bread machine. Unbaked rolls can be frozen for up to a month and those that are baked can also be frozen for that length of time if they are not frosted. I love to serve these warm and dripping with the cream cheese glaze, but there is no reason they can't be served at room temperature. If you are looking for a seasonal breakfast roll, you might want to give this one a try. Here is how the buns are made.