Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 cup whole milk
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 2 1/4 tsp yeast
- 3 1/2 cups (or more) flour, divided
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 2 golden delicious apples
- 2/3 cup pecans
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp milk or cream
Instructions
- Heat the milk and 3 Tbsp butter together in the microwave (or stovetop) until the butter is melted. Let cool to 115F before adding the yeast, and letting proof for 5 minutes.
- When foamy, add to a stand mixer bowl with 1 cup flour, sugar, egg, and salt. Mix for 3 minutes, scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add an extra 2 cups of flour — add more as necessary to keep the dough from sticking to the sides of the bowl.
- When the dough has come together, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for about 5 minutes — until the dough is very smooth and not sticky (add flour as necessary, but try to add as little as possible).
- Place the dough into an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel, and let rise until doubled in size: about 2 hours.
- Butter a 9×12 baking dish, or two 8×8 pans.
- When the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and roll out into a 11″x18″ rectangle. If it is pulling back too much, let it rest for five minutes before trying again.
- Using a box grater, shred the two apples. Wrap in cheese cloth and squeeze the excess liquid out of the apple shreds. Roughly chop the pecans.
- Pour 5 Tbsp melted butter over the rectangle of dough, and spread it over the surface — leaving 1 cm around the edges without butter. Spread the brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over the buttered area, topped with the apples and pecans. Gently press into the dough.
- Roll the dough tightly, from the longer side, into a log. Pinch the seam closed.
- If making traditionally-shaped cinnamon rolls, mark the log at 1″ intervals, and then cut the rolls. Place the rolls into your dish, evenly spaced with about 2 cm between each other.
- If you're going for a twist, cut the log in half lengthwise, then carefully twist as you lay it into the pan.
- Cover, and let rise for about 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400F, and when the rolls have risen, bake for 20-25 minutes. The tops should be turning brown, but just barely so. Remove from the oven. [I found that baking the twist required a bit more time than normal].
- While the rolls are cooling, make the cream cheese frosting. In a stand mixer, combine cream cheese and butter, and beat until very smooth — scraping down the sides as necessary. Sift the powdered sugar into the mixture, then add the vanilla, and mix until smooth. Add milk to reach desired consistency.
- When the rolls have cooled significantly, liberally spread the frosting over the rolls.