Bourbon Maple Bacon Rolls (Printable Version)
Tender pillowy buns packed with cinnamon, maple, bourbon kick, and sweet bacon, then covered in dreamy cream cheese icing.
# What You'll Need:
→ Candied Bacon
01 -
1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked
02 -
2 tablespoons bourbon whiskey
03 -
0.25 cup real maple syrup
04 -
0.5 cup packed light brown sugar
05 -
1 pound smoked bacon
→ Tangzhong
06 -
0.75 cup water
07 -
0.25 cup all-purpose flour
→ Dough
08 -
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp and soft
09 -
1 large egg, at room temp
10 -
0.33 cup white sugar
11 -
0.5 cup whole milk, not cold
12 -
0.75 teaspoon sea salt, fine
13 -
2 teaspoons instant yeast
14 -
3.5 cups all-purpose flour
→ Cinnamon Sugar Filling
15 -
1 cup broken candied bacon, save for filling
16 -
0.67 cup packed light brown sugar
17 -
0.5 cup soft unsalted butter
18 -
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
→ Bourbon Maple Frosting
19 -
0.75 cup powdered sugar
20 -
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, let it get soft
21 -
0.5 cup leftover candied bacon, for topping
22 -
0.5–1 teaspoon bourbon (your call on strength)
23 -
2 tablespoons maple syrup, real stuff
24 -
2 ounces cream cheese, room temp
# Step-by-Step Guide:
01 -
Set out your bacon in one layer on parchment-lined sheet. Crank the oven up to 375°F (190°C) so it’s hot and ready.
02 -
Stir maple syrup, black pepper, bourbon, and brown sugar together. Brush this mix over the bacon pieces. Bake in the middle of your oven for 30 to 40 minutes until they’re crispy and shiny. Let cool on a rack, chop up all but half a cup for sprinkling later.
03 -
Mix the flour and water in a small saucepan. Whisk while it cooks on medium, let it thicken for about 4 or 5 minutes. Dump it in a bowl and let it chill out to cool.
04 -
Toss sugar, salt, yeast, and flour left for the dough into your mixer. Add milk, your egg, and that cooled tangzhong mess. Use a dough hook on low for a couple of minutes till it pulls together.
05 -
Keep the mixer running. Drop in the softened butter a bit at a time, wait till it disappears before adding more. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes till you’ve got a smooth, stretchy blob. If it’s sticky, add a touch of flour or a little extra milk if it’s too dry.
06 -
Form the dough into a round ball. Plop it in a greased bowl, seam underneath. Cover up and put somewhere cozy so it puffs up—should take about an hour to double.
07 -
Dump dough on a floured counter. Roll until it’s a big rectangle, wide side facing you (think 15 by 18 inches or 38 by 46 cm). For the filling, mix cinnamon, brown sugar, and butter. Spread all over but leave a smidge (1 inch/2.5 cm) at the top plain.
08 -
Scatter the chopped candied bacon onto the filling. Slice it into twelve strips, each around 1.5 inches wide. Roll up each piece and set them into a parchment-lined 9 by 13 inch pan.
09 -
Cover the whole pan in plastic wrap. Let it puff up at room temp for an hour, or till almost doubled. While you wait, get your oven warming up to 325°F (162°C).
10 -
Slide the pan onto your oven’s center rack. Bake 24 to 30 minutes, they’re ready once you see golden brown tops. Let the pan cool right on a wire rack.
11 -
Mix up the cream cheese and butter till smooth. Add the powdered sugar bit by bit, then pour in some maple syrup and bourbon—taste and pick how much. Stir until fluffy.
12 -
Spread icing across the warm rolls, then shower with that saved bacon. Eat right away.
# Additional Notes:
01 -
Keep an eye on the bacon—thin pieces brown in a snap.
02 -
Making tangzhong this way actually makes your dough extra soft and keeps it that way longer.
03 -
Don’t squish the rolls together in the pan, give them some space so they can rise properly.