Maple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

These maple pecan cinnamon rolls are perfect for snow days. When you’re stuck inside on a cold winter day, these delicious buns are the perfect thing to cozy up with on the couch with a hot cup of coffee. I’ve said this many times before, but I’m obsessed with maple syrup. I’m from New Hampshire, so I mean, it’s sort of a given. I’ll only use real maple syrup, which is what this recipe calls for. These cinnamon rolls are also topped with a delicious cream cheese frosting. You won’t be able to eat just one.

This recipe is packed with New England flavor. You can make these cinnamon buns the night before too, if you’d like. The shorter, printable version of the recipe can be found below, but read on if you want more detailed step-by-step instructions on how to make cinnamon rolls from scratch.

How To Make Cinnamon Roll Dough

Making homemade cinnamon roll dough from scratch actually isn’t very difficult. It only takes about 15-20 minutes to whip up the dough, then it has to rise for an hour before you can roll it out. The ingredients you will need for the dough are:

• 1 Tbsp or 1 packet of instant dry yeast
• 1 cup of whole milk, warmed
• 2 Tbsp of granulated sugar
• 1 tsp of salt
• 3 Tbsp of unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 3 cups bread flour

I always use bread flour in cinnamon roll recipes because it makes them so soft and tender. I also always use instant dry yeast, such as Fleischmann’s RapidRise. With instant yeast, you don’t have to wait for the yeast to activate. Be sure not to accidentally use BreadMachine instant yeast, which won’t make your rolls as fluffy inside.

To begin making the dough, add the instant dry yeast to your KitchenAid mixer bowl and pour the warmed milk over it. Be sure that the milk isn’t hot, as it could then kill the yeast. Attach the dough hook to your mixer and let the yeast and milk combine for just a few seconds.

Next, add in the sugar, salt, butter, and egg and mix on medium speed. The butter and egg will not fully combine yet, which is perfectly fine. Begin adding in the bread flour one cup at a time. Each cup of flour does not have to fully combine before adding the next. Once all the flour has been added, let the dough hook work its magic for about five minutes or until the dough comes together and none of it sticks to the sides of the bowl anymore.

Remove the dough from the bowl and knead it into a ball with your hands. Place it in a large lightly-greased mixing bowl and cover with a cloth napkin. Let rise in a warm place for one hour or until the dough has about doubled in size.

Once the dough has risen, remove it from the bowl and place on a clean countertop. Do not flour the countertop. Use a rolling pin to begin rolling out the dough into a 18×12” rectangle. It should be soft and easy to work with. Once the dough is the right size, it’s time to make the filling for these maple pecan cinnamon rolls.

How to Make Gooey Maple Pecan Cinnamon Roll Filling

This cinnamon roll filling is seriously so delicious. The maple syrup makes these buns so ooey gooey inside. Plus, the pecans complement the flavor of maple so well. The ingredients you will need for the filling are:

• ½ cup or 1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup of dark brown sugar, packed
• 2 Tbsp of ground cinnamon
• Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
• ½ cup of pecan halves
• ½ cup of maple syrup

Soften the stick of butter in the microwave and then scrape it onto the rolled out dough. Use a pastry brush to spread the butter onto all parts of the dough.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Use a fork to break up the chunks of brown sugar and get it mixed it with the cinnamon. Then, use a microplane grater to freshly grind a little bit of nutmeg into the mixture. If you don’t have whole nutmeg, you can just add a pinch of pre-ground nutmeg. Combine with the brown sugar and cinnamon, and then use a spoon to sprinkle the mixture on top of the butter, covering all parts of the dough.

Next, place the pecan halves into a Ziplock bag and lay it flat on your counter. Cover the bag with a cloth napkin and use a mallet to smash the pecans. Then, empty the pecans into your food processor and blend until the pecans are ground into fine pieces. Use a spoon to sprinkle them on top of the brown sugar and cinnamon filling.

Finally, pour the real maple syrup on top. I like to swirl my measuring cup around as I pour to equally distribute the syrup. This part may get a little messy.

Pick up the edge of the long side of the dough closest to you and begin to tightly roll it up. When you get to the end, a little maple syrup will likely ooze out. Once completely rolled, cut it into 12 equal pieces (about 1 ½ inches each.) Place the rolls into a lightly-greased baking pan and cover with a cloth napkin. Let rise again for one hour in a warm place.

If you want to make these cinnamon buns the next day, then wrap the pan in plastic and place it in your fridge. When you are ready to bake them, remove them from the fridge, take off the plastic wrap, and cover the pan with a cloth napkin. Let the rolls rise in a warm place for an hour and then proceed with the instructions.

When the rolls are almost done rising, preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Once ready, place the rolls in the oven and bake until slightly golden on top. Every oven is different, but this should take about 20-25 minutes. Personally, my oven bakes very slowly and it took 30 minutes for my buns to be done. Let them cool for 5-10 minutes before frosting them.

How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting for Cinnamon Rolls

This cinnamon roll cream cheese frosting is so good, it’s seriously better than Cinnabon. It’s super easy to whip up too. The ingredients you will need for it are:

• 4 oz or half a block of cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup or half of a stick of unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups of powdered confectioners sugar
• 1/2 Tbsp of whole milk
• ½ tsp of vanilla extract

In your KitchenAid mixer bowl, add the softened cream cheese and butter. Use the whip attachment to combine. Next, add the powdered sugar in two batches, letting the first batch fully incorporate before adding the next. Be sure to mix on low speed to begin, or else the sugar will fly everywhere. Last, add the whole milk and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until all ingredients are combined.

Frost these maple pecan cinnamon rolls with this delicious cream cheese icing and enjoy! You and your guests truly won’t be able to eat only one. They’ll be warm and gooey on the inside and the frosting will be addicting. You’ll definitely want to make these again!

Maple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: maple pecan cinnamon rolls

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Servings: 12

These maple pecan cinnamon rolls are made with real maple syrup and topped with a sweet cream cheese frosting. You won't be able to eat just one!

Print

Ingredients

Cinnamon Roll Dough

• 1 Tbsp instant dry yeast or one packet
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter softened
• 1 large egg
• 3 cups bread flour

Gooey Maple Pecan Cinnamon Roll Filling

• 1/2 cup or one stick unsalted butter softened
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar packed
• 2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup pecan halves
• 1/2 cup real maple syrup

Cream Cheese Frosting for Cinnamon Rolls

• 4 oz or half a block cream cheese softened
• 1/4 cup or half a stick unsalted butter softened
• 1 1/4 cups powdered confectioners sugar
• 1/2 Tbsp whole milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

How to Make Cinnamon Roll Dough

1. To begin making the dough, add the instant dry yeast to your KitchenAid mixer bowl and pour the warmed milk over it. Attach the dough hook to your mixer and let the yeast and milk combine for just a few seconds.

2. Next, add in the sugar, salt, butter, and egg and mix on medium speed. Begin adding in the bread flour one cup at a time. Once all the flour has been added, let the dough hook work its magic for about five minutes or until the dough comes together and none of it sticks to the sides of the bowl anymore.

3. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead it into a ball with your hands. Place it in a large lightly-greased mixing bowl and cover with a cloth napkin. Let rise in a warm place for one hour or until the dough has about doubled in size.

4. Once the dough has risen, remove it from the bowl and place on a clean countertop. Do not flour the countertop. Use a rolling pin to begin rolling out the dough into a 18×12” rectangle. 

How to Make Gooey Maple Pecan Cinnamon Roll Filling

1. Soften the stick of butter in the microwave and then scrape it onto the rolled out dough. Use a pastry brush to spread the butter onto all parts of the dough.

2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Then, add  the nutmeg. Combine with the brown sugar and cinnamon, and then use a spoon to sprinkle the mixture on top of the butter, covering all parts of the dough.

3. Next, place the pecan halves into a Ziplock bag and lay it flat on your counter. Cover the bag with a cloth napkin and use a mallet to smash the pecans. Then, empty the pecans into your food processor and blend until the pecans are ground into fine pieces. Use a spoon to sprinkle them on top of the brown sugar and cinnamon filling.

4. Finally, pour the real maple syrup on top. I like to swirl my measuring cup around as I pour to equally distribute the syrup.

5. Pick up the edge of the long side of the dough closest to you and begin to tightly roll it up. Cut the roll into 12 equal pieces (about 1 ½ inches each.) Place the rolls into a lightly-greased baking pan and cover with a cloth napkin. Let rise again for one hour in a warm place.

6. Bake the rolls in the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes or until slightly golden on top. Then let cool for 5-10 minutes.

How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting for Cinnamon Rolls

1. In your KitchenAid bowl, add the softened cream cheese and butter. Use the whip attachment to combine. 

2. Next, add the powdered sugar in two batches, letting the first batch fully incorporate before adding the next. Be sure to mix on low speed to begin, or else the sugar will fly everywhere. 

3. Last, add the whole milk and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until all ingredients are combined.

4. Frost these maple pecan cinnamon rolls with this delicious cream cheese icing and enjoy!

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