Dreamy Bourbon Maple Bacon Rolls

If you want to wow your brunch crowd, these bourbon maple bacon cinnamon rolls totally deliver. Imagine super-soft bread rolled up with sweet spiced sugar and crunchy smoky bacon, then topped with a drizzle of spiked maple icing. Sure, they're a little over-the-top, but every bite is next-level delicious.

Irresistible Ingredients

• Cream cheese and powdered sugar: combine for a creamy tangy icing
• Pure maple syrup: gives a rich earthy sweetness buy grade A if you can for full flavor
• Smoked bacon: thick-cut tastes best and gets perfectly sweet and crisp for topping and inside
• Unsalted butter: flavor and softness all through every layer make sure it’s real and fresh
• Granulated sugar: delivers a simple sweetness
• Light brown sugar: nothing beats the caramel vibes this brings keep it moist for easy mixing
• All-purpose flour: used for both the tangzhong and the main dough stick with fresh stuff for a good rise
• Ground cinnamon: classic roll flavor that warms everything up
• Whole milk and room temp egg: combine to build that rich dough and good texture
• Bourbon whiskey: splash in your favorite for big flavor and a bit of heat
• Fine sea salt: doesn’t just season—it makes everything taste better
• Instant yeast: helps these rise fast and consistent just check date before using
• Freshly cracked black pepper: balances all the sugar with a gentle kick

• This isn’t the time to hold back on quality—you’ll taste the difference if you spring for upgraded bacon and syrup. If you tinker with ingredients, just know you might change the texture.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Finish and Serve:

Generously slather the warm rolls with frosting then lay over those saved bacon strips. Serve up right away for extra gooeyness.

Make the Bourbon Maple Frosting:

Beat together butter and cream cheese until smooth. Toss in powdered sugar, then stir in maple syrup and bourbon. Keep it loose so it spreads nicely.

Bake the Rolls:

Pop the pan in the oven for about twenty-five minutes until golden on top and baked through. Cool those beauties on a rack.

Final Proof:

Cover the rolls and let them puff up at room temp for an hour. While they rise, get your oven heating to 162 degrees.

Shape the Rolls:

Slice the dough into twelve long strips, roll ‘em up, and tuck into a lined pan with some space to grow.

Roll and Fill the Dough:

Roll out the dough into a big rectangle on a floured counter. Smear on the cinnamon sugar butter, leaving the edges clear, then scatter the bacon bits all over.

Initial Rise:

Roll the dough into a ball, smooth side out. Set in a greased bowl, cover, and let sit in a warm place until double, usually about an hour. It’ll get all airy!

Mix and Knead the Dough:

Add flour, yeast, sugar, and salt into your mixer bowl. Pour in the egg, milk, and cooled tangzhong. Using the dough hook, let it go on low ‘til sticky dough forms, then throw in softened butter little by little. Knead eight to ten minutes until stretchy. Add a touch flour or milk if it’s not just right.

Prepare the Tangzhong:

Mix flour and water in a small pot on medium, stirring nonstop until you get a thick, smooth paste in four or five minutes. Cool before adding to your dough—that’s what makes it extra fluffy.

Make the Candied Bacon:

Lay bacon on a lined sheet. Brush on brown sugar, maple syrup, bourbon, and pepper. Bake at 190 degrees for thirty to forty minutes, watching for that deep color. Cool on a rack, then chop most into bacon bits and save some strips for topping.

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No question, my favorite part is that candy-like bacon—gets all sticky and crisp like sweet bacon crack. When I first made these, my dad couldn’t wait, stole a strip right off the wire rack, and now begs for these at every family brunch.

Storage Tips

You’ll want to eat these fresh, but if there are leftovers, seal them up tight and keep at room temp one night max. Any longer, stash in the fridge for up to three days. Warm them back up gently (microwave or oven does the trick) with foil so they don’t dry. Frosting turns silky again after reheating, and the rolls stay pillowy soft.

Ingredient Swaps

For a version without alcohol, use vanilla instead of bourbon—just leave it out of both the bacon glaze and the icing. If you’re cooking for vegetarians, try coconut bacon or toss on some crispy nuts. Plant-based butter and dairy-free cream cheese swap in pretty easily, but things might feel a tiny bit different in texture.

How to Serve

Let these rolls steal the show right in the middle of your brunch table with a mug of strong coffee and sliced fruit. Or take it even further and pair them warm with vanilla ice cream for the ultimate dessert. They’re birthday breakfast gold and pretty much guaranteed to be a hit for any holiday meal.

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Fun Background

Cinnamon rolls originally come from German and Scandinavian traditions, but here in the United States they turned into serious comfort food. By adding smoky bacon and a splash of bourbon, you get a cool Southern vibe—making it a fun mashup of sweet, salty, and a little boozy. Nods to diner breakfasts and classic American desserts all in one go.

Common Recipe Questions

→ How do these rolls stay extra pillowy?

Using tangzhong—a paste made from flour and water cooked together—locks in moisture so the dough stays super soft.

→ What's the best way to make bacon candy-like?

Brush the bacon with a mix of bourbon, maple syrup, black pepper, and brown sugar, then bake until sticky and crispy.

→ Is it possible to mellow out the bourbon taste?

For sure! Slowly add bourbon to the icing, tasting as you go, so it’s just right for you.

→ How do you get all the rolls to puff up the same?

Set them apart in your pan and let them rise for at least an hour so they don’t crowd each other as they grow.

→ What's the smartest way to stash leftovers?

Pop them in a sealed container on the counter for a day, or tuck them in the fridge for more staying power.