Ingredients
For the Dough
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
- 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast
- 1/4 cup organic cane sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 3/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
For the Candied Pecans
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 1/2 tablespoons water
- 2 cups pecans
For the Filling
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, very soft
- 2/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
For the Egg Wash
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
For the Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Make the Dough
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, instant yeast, cane sugar, salt, nutmeg, and allspice. Add the room-temperature milk, egg, and cooled melted butter.
Mix everything together until a shaggy dough forms. If you’re using a stand mixer with a dough hook, knead on medium speed for 8-10 minutes. If you’re kneading by hand, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes. The dough is ready when it’s smooth and elastic. A good way to check is the windowpane test: a small piece of dough should stretch thin enough to see light through it without tearing.
Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl, cover it, and let it rise in a warm spot for about 1 1/2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
Make the Candied Pecans and Filling
While the dough is rising, you can make the candied pecans. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a pan over medium heat, stir the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, vanilla bean paste, and water together until the sugar melts and the mixture is bubbling. Stir in the pecans and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes until the nuts look candied and smell toasty. Spread them on the prepared baking sheet to cool completely.
For the filling, just mix the dark brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Once the pecans are cool, give them a coarse chop.
Assemble and Bake the Rolls
Once the dough has risen, punch it down and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it out into a 12×16 inch rectangle.
Spread the soft butter evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture over the butter, and then sprinkle about three-quarters of your chopped candied pecans on top of that.
Starting from the long side, roll the dough up into a tight log. Cut the log into 9 equal pieces. You can use a sharp knife or a piece of floss for clean cuts.
Place the rolls into a greased 9-inch square pan or pie dish. Cover them and let them rise for another 35-40 minutes until they look puffy.
When there are about 10 minutes left in the rise, get your oven preheating to 350F.
Brush the tops of the risen rolls with the beaten egg. Bake for 24-26 minutes, until they’re lightly golden on top.
While the rolls are baking, make the frosting. In a bowl, beat the room-temperature cream cheese until it’s creamy. Add the maple syrup, vanilla bean paste, and salt, and mix until it’s super smooth.
Let the rolls cool for a bit before spreading the frosting on top. Sprinkle with the remaining candied pecans and serve.
Butter Pecan Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for kneading
- 1 package instant yeast 2 1/4 teaspoons
- 1/4 cup organic cane sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 3/4 cup whole milk room temperature
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
For the Candied Pecans
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 1/2 tablespoons water
- 2 cups pecans
For the Filling
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter very soft
- 2/3 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
For the Egg Wash
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
For the Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Instructions
- Whisk flour, yeast, sugar, salt, nutmeg, and allspice in large bowl.
- Add milk, egg, and melted butter; mix until shaggy dough forms.
- Knead with stand mixer 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place in oiled bowl, cover, rise 1.5 hours until doubled.
- Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, water in pan over medium heat.
- Add pecans, cook 2-3 minutes until candied. Cool on parchment.
- Mix brown sugar and cinnamon for filling.
- Roll dough to 12×16 inch rectangle.
- Spread butter, sprinkle with sugar-cinnamon mix and 3/4 of chopped pecans.
- Roll from long side, cut into 9 pieces.
- Place in greased 9-inch pan, cover, rise 35-40 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Brush with egg wash, bake 24-26 minutes until golden.
- Beat cream cheese until creamy, mix in maple syrup, vanilla, salt.
- Cool rolls 15 minutes, spread frosting, top with remaining pecans.
Notes
