Looking for a delicious weekend project? You can never go wrong with a batch of freshly-baked cinnamon rolls. This variation uses a touch of maple syrup and toasted pecans; the nuts add a nice crunch to the rolls and the syrup gives them just a little more personality. For the rolls themselves, I use a buttery brioche dough I developed years ago — light and delicate in texture, but unabashedly rich, it’s my go-to base for coffeecakes and Mardi Gras king cakes.
The recipe does take its share of time, but you can spread the project out over a couple of days. I like to make the dough and assemble the rolls the night before baking, then refrigerate them overnight — overnight refrigeration allows the rolls to rise slowly, and gives the yeast-based dough time to develop better flavor. Then, the morning of baking, set the rolls out on the counter to warm up an hour or so before baking, and enjoy a cup of coffee. Once the rolls are in the oven, they bake up quickly, in 20 minutes or so, just enough time for you to make the glaze. Glaze the rolls while they’re still warm, and you’re set. The recipe makes a great dish if you’re planning for brunch or have company staying over. If you have any left over, cube and freeze the rolls to use in bread pudding at a later date.
QUICK TIP: When slicing the cinnamon rolls before baking, or when slicing any delicate dough or prepared food, I like to use unflavored floss. Unlike a knife, which will frequently squash the dough or food as it’s cut, floss is thin but tough enough to cut through the food without harming its shape. When slicing the cinnamon rolls, slide the floss under the roll and then pull both ends tight to cut each individual roll.
MAPLE PECAN CINNAMON ROLLS
1 1/2 hours, plus rising time. Serves 12
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)
1/3 cup sugar, divided
3 eggs, divided
10 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks), at room temperature, diced into 1/2-inch pieces; plus 4 tablespoons unsalted melted butter, divided
3 1/2 cups (15 3/4 ounces) bread flour, divided
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon maple syrup, divided
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped toasted pecans
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted
Milk, for thinning the glaze, if needed
In a small saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat just until warmed. Remove from heat and pour the milk into a shallow bowl of measuring cup. Stir in the yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar, then set aside until the yeast is activated and the milk is foamy, about 10 minutes.
Whisk 2 of the eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl using a hand mixer) until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Stir in the yeast mixture and remaining sugar until fully incorporated.
With the mixer running, add the diced 10 tablespoons room temperature butter, 1 or 2 pieces at a time, until all of it has been incorporated.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups of the bread flour and the salt. With the mixer running, add the flour mixture, a spoonful at a time, until all of it has been incorporated to form a dough.
Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until it is soft and elastic with a silky texture, 5 to 7 minutes. Knead in additional bread flour as needed, up to the remaining 1/2 cup. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
In a small saucepan, warm 2 tablespoons of the melted butter with 2 tablespoons maple syrup, then remove from heat and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans.
When the dough is doubled, punch it down and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a 18-inch by 12-inch rectangle. Brush the dough with the butter-maple syrup mixture. Sprinkle over the brown sugar-cinnamon-pecan mixture, keeping 1 inch clear along one of the long edges. Loosely roll the dough into a long tube, pressing the clear edge along the length of the dough to seal the tube. Place the tube, seam-side down, on the work surface.
Cut the tube crosswise into 12 evenly-sized rolls. Place the rolls, spiral side up, on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced approximately 1/2 inch apart.
Loosely cover the rolls with plastic wrap and set aside until almost doubled in size, 45 minutes to an hour. Alternatively, loosely cover and refrigerate the dough overnight; remove from the refrigerator about 1 hour before baking for the dough to come to room temperature.
About halfway through the rising time, heat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon maple syrup with the remaining egg. Brush the egg wash over the outside of the rolls. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the rolls until puffed and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through cooking. Remove the rolls from the baking sheet and cool, still on the parchment paper, on a rack.
While the cinnamon rolls are baking, make the glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, powdered sugar and 2 remaining tablespoons each melted butter and maple syrup. If the glaze is too thick, thin with milk, whisking in 1 tablespoon at a time.
Drizzle the glaze over the warm cinnamon rolls before serving.
Note: From Noelle Carter. Adapted from recipes of mine that have previously run in the Los Angeles Times.