Maple Cinnamon Rolls with Whiskey Buttercream
/Start to finish: 10 minutes
Impresses: 6
Peyson Mecke, chief editor and recipe developer, shows how to make maple cinnamon rolls with whiskey buttercream frosting on a KCTV5 Better Kansas City segment.
Ingredients
For the cinnamon rolls:
1½ cups butter
2 cups whole milk
½ cup sugar
1 packet active dry yeast
4½ cups flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1½ cups brown sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
For the buttercream:
½ cup butter, softened
8-ounce block cream cheese, softened
½ teaspoon maple extract
2 ounces whiskey (optional)
3 to 3½ cups powdered sugar
Method
For the cinnamon rolls:
In a large pot, melt ½ cup (1 stick) butter over medium heat. Stir in milk and sugar and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and let cool to warm.
Set the remaining 1 cup (2 sticks) butter on the counter to soften.
Sprinkle yeast over warm milk mixture. Let set for about a minute before stirring in 4 cups flour.
Cover pot and let rest in a warm, dry place for 1 hour.
Once dough has rested, stir in ½ cup flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, whip together softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until combined into a thick paste. Set aside.
Flour a clean surface and turn chilled dough onto surface. Sprinkle the top of the dough with a little more flour before rolling into a large rectangle, about ½-inch thick with a rolling pin.
Smear butter mixture edge-to-edge on dough. Starting at the long edge closest to you, begin to tightly roll the dough into a long log.
Once rolled, cut into 2-inch rolls. Butter two 9-by-13-inch baking dishes and place rolls about an inch apart. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rolls proof in a warm spot for 30 minutes.
Heat oven to 350 F.
Bake rolls for 22–25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
Let cool 10 minutes before frosting and serving. If gifting, let cool immediately before frosting. Store in the refrigerator for up to three days or in an air-tight container in the freezer for up to two months.
For the whiskey frosting:
Beat together butter, cream cheese, maple extract and whiskey until combined. Slowly add in powdered sugar until slightly fluffy.
Frost baked cinnamon rolls.