Maple pecan cinnamon roll recipe

How to make the filling

1. Place the soft brown sugar in a bowl, add ground cinnamon and softened butter. Stir well. Set it aside.
2. Roughly chop the pecan nuts. Set it aside.

How to make the frosting

1. Place the butter, cream cheese, powdered icing sugar, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Using a handheld or stand mixer mix them until they are pale in color, fluffy and creamy in texture. Set aside.

How to make cinnamon roll dough

1. Grease a 13 x 9-inch rectangle baking pan.
2. Sieve the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the instant yeast, sugar, and salt. Stir well.
3. Add the melted butter to flour mixture and pour the warm milk over, and add egg. Mix them all with a wooden spoon, then knead until the dough is smooth and slightly stretchy. It takes a bit of muscle work for about 5-7 minutes of kneading.
4. Or, you can use a handheld mixer or a stand mixer to mix and knead the dough until you get a smooth and stretchy dough. It takes approximately 5 minutes to knead using a mixer.
5. Take the dough out and place it on a floured surface.
6. Roll the dough into a rectangle shape about 13 x 9 inches and ½ inch thick.
7. Spread the filling mixture all over the rolled-out dough, leaving an approximately ½-inch gap on one of the long edges.
8. Drizzle the maple syrup over the sugar and scatter the chopped pecan nuts around the sugar area.
9. Now, carefully roll the dough from the sugar-covered edge towards the edge with the gap. As you do it, press the dough gently. Press it even more at the edges with the gap to seal the roll.
10. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough in half. Then cut each half into another. Lastly, cut each piece into equal 3 pieces. So you will have 12 dough rolls.
11. Place the cut roll buns on the sides in a greased tin.
12. Lightly oil a piece of cling film and cover the cake tin with the side of oiled cling film facing the buns.
13. Leave the tin in a warm temperature place so the buns will rise and double in size.
14. When you are ready to bake your cinnamon roll, preheat the oven to 200℃/400℉ or gas 6.
15. Bake the cinnamon buns for about 15 minutes until golden brown.
16. Once they are out of the oven, leave the buns to rest in the tin for about 2-3 minutes before spreading the frosting over the buns.