cinnamon rolls with caramel cream cheese frosting

I just love cinnamon rolls and have been on the search for a good recipe for a while now.  After combining elements of several recipes and a few things from our own imagination, this is what we've come up with.  It's positively divine!

The cinnamon rolls are deliciously moist because of mashed potatoes (the most important secret ingredient in any cinnamon roll recipe).  Because they rise overnight, you don't have to wake up at the crack of dawn to make them.

And the caramel cream cheese frosting?  Yeah - that was my invention.  You're welcome. :)

Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
For the rolls:

• 2 t. plus 2/3 cup sugar, divided
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 t. salt
• 1 cup homemade mashed potatoes
• 6 cups bread flour

For the filling:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 T. cinnamon
• 6 T. melted butter

For the frosting:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 cup cream cheese
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar

For the rolls, mix together 2 teaspoons sugar, warm water, and yeast.  Let stand for 5 minutes.

Combine the rest of the roll ingredients in a large mixing bowl and add the yeast mixture.  Stir gently.  Cover dough and let double in size.

For filling, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.  Once the dough has finished rising, roll out into a rectangular shape about 1/4 inch thick.  Spread with 6 T. melted butter and sprinkle liberally with the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.  Roll up jelly-roll style and cut into 1-inch slices.  Nestle slices together onto two baking sheets or round baking pans that have been greased with melted butter.  Cover loosely with cling wrap and place in refrigerator.  Let rise overnight in refrigerator (6-8 hours).

The next morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Remove rolls from refrigerator and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

To make icing, melt butter in a saucepan over low heat.  Stir in the brown sugar and salt.  Cook on low for about 2 minutes or until butter has browned and mixture smells like caramel.  Add milk; remove from heat and add vanilla.  Let cool for about 10 minutes and then add the cream cheese and 3 cups powdered sugar.  Beat until well mixed - add more powdered sugar, if desired, to reach spreadable consistency (note: icing will thicken more as it continues to cool).  Spread icing over baked cinnamon rolls.  Icing may be made the night before and refrigerated.