Bourbon Maple Bacon Cinnamon Rolls (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Candied Bacon

01 - 450 g thick-cut bacon
02 - 100 g light brown sugar
03 - 60 g pure maple syrup
04 - 30 ml bourbon
05 - 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

→ Dough

06 - 32 g all-purpose flour
07 - 155 ml water
08 - 460 g all-purpose flour
09 - 66 g granulated sugar
10 - 2 teaspoons instant yeast
11 - 0.75 teaspoons fine sea salt
12 - 110 ml whole milk, room temperature
13 - 1 large egg, room temperature
14 - Tangzhong starter (from above)
15 - 56 g unsalted butter, softened

→ Cinnamon Sugar Filling

16 - 113 g unsalted butter, room temperature
17 - 133 g light brown sugar
18 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
19 - 1 cup candied bacon strips

→ Bourbon Maple Frosting

20 - 56 g unsalted butter, room temperature
21 - 57 g cream cheese, room temperature
22 - 86 g powdered sugar
23 - 30 ml pure maple syrup
24 - 0.5 to 1 teaspoon bourbon
25 - 0.5 cup candied bacon strips, for topping

# Instructions:

01 - Preheat oven to 190°C and line a baking sheet with parchment. Arrange bacon slices on tray. Mix brown sugar, maple syrup, bourbon, and black pepper; spread evenly over bacon. Bake 30–40 minutes until crisp. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
02 - Once cooled, cut several bacon slices into strips (about 120 ml) for topping. Chop the remaining bacon into fine crumbs, removing any overly dark pieces.
03 - Whisk 32 g flour and 155 ml water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick and paste-like, about 4–5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.
04 - In a stand mixer, combine 460 g flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add milk, egg, and tangzhong. Mix with dough hook on low speed for 2 minutes until a rough dough forms.
05 - With mixer running, add softened butter in small portions, allowing each to fully mix in. Continue kneading for 8–10 minutes until dough is smooth, elastic, and sticky at the bottom. Adjust consistency with flour or milk by tablespoon if needed.
06 - Shape dough into a round ball. Place seam-side down in a large, lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm area for 1 hour or until doubled.
07 - Roll dough into a 38 x 46 cm rectangle with the longest side facing you. Combine softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon; spread mixture over dough, leaving a 2.5 cm border on the top edge. Sprinkle candied bacon crumbs across the filling.
08 - Use a pizza cutter to slice dough into 12 strips, each about 4 cm wide. Roll each strip away from you and place rolls into a parchment-lined 23 x 33 cm baking pan.
09 - Cover pan loosely with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 1 hour or until nearly doubled. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 162°C.
10 - Bake for 24–30 minutes until tops are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.
11 - In a medium bowl, beat softened butter and cream cheese until smooth. Mix in powdered sugar, then whisk in maple syrup and bourbon to taste.
12 - Spread frosting over warm rolls. Garnish generously with candied bacon strips and serve.

# Notes:

01 - For optimal rise, proof dough in a warm, draft-free location. Reserve a portion of candied bacon for decoration to maintain crispiness.

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