Apple and Pear Cinnamon Rolls with Candied Pecans and Brown Sugar Bourbon Glaze
Start your morning with oooey, gooey cinnamon rolls filled with fall flavors of apple and pear, topped with candied pecans and fennel seeds, dripping with a brown sugar bourbon glaze.
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 1 cup lukewarm milk
- 2.5 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 4 tsbp butter melted
- 3 large eggs
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 4.5-5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
Apple and Pear Filling
- 3 small Honeycrisp or Gala apples sweet tart
- 1 large pear ripe, but not soft
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 4 tsp cinnamon
- pinch salt
- 6 tbsp butter room temperature
Candied Pecans and Fennel Seeds
- 1 tbsp whole fennel seeds
- 1 cup pecans roughly chopped
- 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp butter melted
- 3 tbsp bourbon
- 3 tbsp dark brown sugar
Brown Sugar Bourbon Icing
- 1 cup cream cheese room temperature
- 4 tbsp butter
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- 4 tbsp bourbon
- 2 tsp vanilla
- pinch salt
- 1.5-2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
Dough Ingredients
- Combine lukewarm milk, yeast, and brown sugar in a large bowl and let sit until bubbly - about ten minutes.
- Using a dough hook on a stand mixer or stir by hand melted butter, salt, eggs, and four cups of flour until completely incorporated. Add more flour as needed until dough is tacky and smooth but not sticky - between five and ten minutes.
- Remove dough ball and lightly oil bowl. Then cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until dough has doubled - about one hour.
- Meanwhile, prepare the Apple and Pear Filling and Candied Pecans and Fennels Seeds
Apple and Pear Filling
- Peel and finely chop apples and pear. Mix and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine butter, brown and white sugar, cinnamon, black pepper, and salt, until smooth
Candied Pecans and Fennel Seeds
- In a small pot, over medium heat, toast pecans and fennels seeded until lightly toasted, being careful not to burn. Remove from pan.
- Add butter to pan with bourbon, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper. Cook until alcohol has reduced by half - two to three minutes.
- Add toasted pecans and fennel seeds, stirring to coat.
- Pour mixture out onto baking paper to cool. Once cool, crumble and put aside until topping the cinnamon rolls.
Preparing Dough for Baking
- Lightly butter a 9x13 inch baking dish or two smaller dishes.
- Punch the dough down and then roll out on a lightly floured surface, creating a 15 x 21-inch rectangle.
- Using a spatula, evenly spread butter mixture over flour. Sprinkle evenly with chopped apples and pear.
- Starting with the edge closest to you, tightly roll dough up, pinching edges to seal.
- Using a sharp knife or piece of unflavored dental floss, cut the dough into 14 rolls - approximately 1/2-3/4 inch thick.
- Place rolls into prepared baking dishes. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled - 30 to 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 F or 220 C.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
- While rolls are baking, prepare Bown Sugar Bourbon Icing
Brown Sugar Bourbon Icing
- In small pan, heat butter over medium heat. Cook until butter is browned and smelling slightly nutty in flavor. Be careful not to burn.
- Add brown sugar and bourbon to browned butter. Cook until bourbon is reduced by half - 3 to 4 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool a few minutes. Then add to the cream cheese, vanilla, black pepper, and salt.
- Whisk ingredients together, adding powdered sugar until smooth. Set aside until ready to top rolls.
Preparing Cooked Rolls
- Remove rolls from the oven and set aside for 15 to 20 minutes to slightly cool. Then drizzle with Brown Sugar Bourbon Icing to desired thickness.
- Sprinkle with Candied Pecans and Fennel Seeds and serve cinnamon rolls lightly warm or at room temperature. Serve extra Brown Sugar Bourbon Icing on the side.
