Fluffy, homestyle cinnamon rolls loaded with savory bacon bits and smothered in a creamy maple glaze.
Want to make this Father’s Day extra memorable for your pops? Whip up a batch of these finger-licking good cinnamon rolls for a breakfast he won’t ever forget!
I wanted to share a recipe that dad’s would love, so I started thinking about my own father and father-in-law’s favorites treats.
I started with my dad. He loves cinnamon rolls. If you take him to a donut shop he will always choose a cinnamon roll. I know I’ve mentioned it before, but my dad is not a huge sweets fan. So when I make something he can’t keep his hands off I know I’ve found a winner! This is a variation of a recipe my mom and I have been making for him for years.
I am blessed to not only have an amazing dad, but if there was a father-in-law lottery, I would have won with Aaron. My father-in-law, like most men, is always talking about his love for bacon and how it tastes good on just about anything. I knew I needed to incorporated bacon into this recipe as well to give it a salty twist!
I combined their two favorites to create these maple bacon cinnamon rolls. Glorious. Happy Father’s Day to dads everywhere!
I started with my basic cinnamon roll recipe. The first step is to proof the yeast, this ensures that you don’t have a “dud” batch. There is nothing more frustrating than going through all the work of bread-making only to have your dough not rise! To proof the yeast simply pour it in 1/4 cup of lukewarm water to activate it and add a teaspoon of sugar. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes until it has doubled in size and is really foamy! If your yeast mixture does not foam your yeast is bad! (At least you figured it out before ruining an entire batch of dough!)
Meanwhile, heat the melted butter and milk until it registers 115 degrees on a candy thermometer. Pour it into the bowl of a stand mixer along with the remaining sugar, salt, and egg and stir well. Add in yeast and mix until well combined. Gradually add in the flour until dough comes together in a ball and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. You should use between 3 1/2 and 4 cups of flour.
Allow the dough to rise until doubled in size. This will take 1 1/2 to 2 hours. While this is happening, fry up your bacon pieces!
Once the dough has risen, punch it down before rolling it into a 9 x 15-inch rectangle. Use a pastry brush to spread the softened butter atop the rectangle, then cover it with the maple cinnamon brown sugar and sprinkle with the maple coated bacon bits.
Next roll the dough into a tight cylinder, starting at the long end, and pinching the edges together to seal it. Use dental floss to cut the roll into 10 (1 1/2-inch) slices. Using floss allows you to get perfect slices without smashing the dough, like a knife would.
Once cut, place the slices closely together in a greased baking pan. Allow the rolls to rise for 45 additional minutes.
Bake the cinnamon rolls until golden brown and your kitchen smells heavenly!
While the rolls are baking, begin making the maple glaze. Cream together all of the icing ingredients until smooth. After the cinnamon rolls have cooled just slightly, smother them with the glaze allowing it to melt into all the crevices.
Then sprinkle with (that’s right) MORE bacon! (You’re welcome dads.)
Cinnamon rolls are best served warm; however they also taste great reheated. You can even freeze them until you are ready to eat them!
Maple and bacon belong together. Like dads and golf. Dads and fishing. Dads and TV. Dads and these cinnamon rolls!
Whether you make these for your pops this weekend or just for yourself, I know you will go crazy over them (and probably pig-out a little).
The Recipe
*Makes 10 cinnamon rolls
Dough
1 package (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup (50 g) + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, divided
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, at room temperature
3 1/2 -4 cups (438-500 g) all-purpose flour
Filling
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup (100 g) dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons maple syrup, divided
10 strips bacon, diced
Glaze
1 1/2 cups (188 g) powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons maple extract
Topping
3 strips bacon, diced (or however much your heart desires!)
Directions
1. In a small bowl, mix together yeast, warm water, and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar; let sit for 5-10 minutes.
2. Stir together melted butter and milk, heating more if necessary until mixture registers 115 degrees on a candy thermometer. Pour butter-milk mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer.
3. Add salt, yeast mixture, and egg, mixing until fully combined. Gradually add flour until dough comes together in a ball and is no longer sticky. Kneed dough for 10 minutes.
4. Put dough into a greased bowl and let rise in warm place for 1 1/2-2 hours, until doubled in size.
5. While dough is rising, dice and fry bacon. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel and dab to soak up as much grease as possible.
6. Punch dough down before transferring it to a lightly floured work surface and rolling it into 9 x 15-inch rectangle. Spread softened butter over dough rectangle. In a small bowl stir together brown sugar, cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon maple syrup. In another small bowl stir together 1 tablespoon and diced, cooked bacon (10 slices) to coat. Spread cinnamon-sugar mixture over butter then sprinkle with maple-bacon pieces.
7. Roll dough into a tight cylinder, starting with the long side and pinching together the edges to seal it. Cut dough into 10 1 1/2-inch slices.
8. Place 8 of the rolls into greased 9-inch round baking pan. Place the remaining 2 in another small greased pan. Let rise at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until doubled in size.
9. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
10. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until lightly browned.
11. While rolls are baking, beat together glaze ingredients until smooth.
12. Pour glaze over baked cinnamon rolls, sprinkle with bacon pieces, and serve immediately.
