pumpkin pecan butter rolls with maple bourbon cream cheese icing

Cinnamon rolls are one of my favorite go-to baked goods when the weather turns a bit chilly. And, luckily for me, we've had some exceptionally chilly, grey, blustery fall days lately. So, cinnamon rolls it is!

Here's the other great thing about cinnamon rolls. They require some kneading. Most people with the luxury of a stand mixer can breeze through this step. Just switch that sucker on and come back in five. Not this gal. I live in the dark ages where kneading is done by hand. Gasp! The horror! It's okay, though, guys. It's my arm workout/therapy so it works.

Yesterday, I brought you pumpkin pecan butter. Today, I show you the most sinful possible thing you can do with said pumpkin pecan butter. So, if you'd like to maintain the virtuous purity of that pumpkin butter, look away. Look away now!

Otherwise, come with me down the path to pumpkin butter heaven. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to stuff that pumpkin butter along with some toasted pecans and brown sugar into some big, fluffy cinnamon rolls. And then, as if that weren't sinful enough, let's smother it all with icing. But not just any icing. This icing has cream cheese. And maple syrup! And bourbon!!! Lord have mercy.

If you haven't yet made the pumpkin pecan butter from yesterday, go do it now! Then make these deliciously sinful fall-inspired cinnamon rolls. And, if pumpkin ain't your thang, just know that I have a few more autumn-themed cinnamon rolls in mind for the coming weeks and months. Prepare your stretchy pants, folks!

Pumpkin Pecan Butter Rolls with Maple Bourbon Cream Cheese Icing

For the Dough:
4 large egg yolks
1 large whole egg
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp extract
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup buttermilk
4 cups flour, plus more for dusting surface
1 pkg (2 1/4 tsp) instant yeast
1 tsp salt

For the Filling:
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 cup pumpkin pecan butter
1/4 cup barely packed dark brown sugar

For the Icing:
2.5 oz cream cheese
2 Tbsp bourbon
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, beat the egg yolks, whole egg, sugar, butter, vanilla, buttermilk and half the flour together until well combined. Add yeast, salt, and the next 1 1/4 cup flour (leaving about 3/4 cup remaining) and knead on low for 5 minutes.

Add additional flour by the spoonful if necessary. You want the dough soft and moist but not overly sticky. (I used almost the full 3/4 cup remaining.) Knead another 5 minutes until the dough clears the sides of the bowl (but might still stick to the bottom a bit).

Transfer dough to a lightly greased, large bowl and let double, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Just before the dough is finished, preheat the oven to 375. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and roast 5-7 minutes, until brown and fragrant. Set aside to cool.

Spray or butter a 9-inch pan. Turn out the dough onto your lightly floured work surface. Stretch and roll the dough into approximately a 12x18" rectangle with the long edge nearest to you. Spread the pecan pumpkin butter over the dough, leaving the top 1" bare. Spinkle the pecans and brown sugar over top.

Starting with the edge of the dough closest to you, roll the dough into a cylinder and pinch the the seam to seal. Gently press, squeeze, and stretch the roll to get an even thickness. Cut the roll into 1 1/2" slices and place in the baking dish (you'll get 12 rolls). Cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, place the rolls in the oven with the heat off. Fill a shallow pan 2/3 full of boiling water and place it on the rack below the rolls. Close the oven and let the rolls rise for approximately 30 minutes. 

Remove the water pan and rolls from the oven and preheat the oven to 350. Bake rolls on the middle rack for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.

While the rolls are baking, beat the cream cheese, bourbon, maple syrup, and powdered sugar together until smooth. Drizzle over the rolls and serve.

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge, tightly covered. Rewarm in the microwave for best results.

Yield: 12 rolls

Source: adapted slightly from Confections of a Foodie Bride