Cinnamon Rolls with Eggnog Icing

Cinnamon Rolls with Eggnog Icing 640 640 Maddie Augustin

 

These Plushy Chocolate Rolls with Eggnog Icing are perfect for a celebratory brunch. A moist brioche dough is lathered with a rich layer of eggnog icing. Prep and proof the dough overnight and wake up to warm rolls filled with cinnamon sugar and dripping with creamy icing. Pair this dish with a buttery, oaked Chardonnay.

Ingredients

Dough

2 eggs
1 stick butter, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
¼ cup eggnog 
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 tsp yeast
1 tsp salt
Filling
4 tbsp butter
½ cup brown sugar, packed
2 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg

Frosting

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
4 oz Cream cheese
3 tbsp eggnog
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp salt
Pinch of nutmeg

Directions

  1. Add ½ cup milk to a microwave safe bowl and warm in the microwave until it is just warm to the touch, about 10 seconds. Add milk, 2 teaspoons of yeast, and ¼ cup of granulated sugar to a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Set aside for 5 minutes, or until foamy. If it doesn’t foam, try again with fresh yeast!
  2. Cut one stick of butter into 8 pieces. Add two eggs, remaining ½ cup milk, ¼ cup eggnog, 3 ½ cup all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt to the foamy yeast mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough begins to come together into a single mass. Replace the paddle attachment with the dough hook and mix on low speed for about 7-8 minutes, or until the dough is slightly elastic.
  3. Continue mixing on low, and add butter, one piece at a time. Add a new piece every 30 seconds, allowing each piece to incorporate. Continue beating until fully incorporated, about 1 additional minute.
  4. Grease a large bowl and transfer the dough into the bowl using a rubber spatula. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 2 hours. Every 30 minutes, fold the dough over itself a few times to build up the dough’s structure. Note: this dough is quite wet and sticky, don’t be alarmed!
  5. Once the dough has proofed, generously flour a clean work surface. Knead the dough about a dozen times. Roll the dough into a 12×18 inch rectangle. 
  6. Prepare the filling. Melt 4 tbsp of butter in a microwave safe bowl until liquid, about 16-20 seconds. Brush the butter evenly over the dough, sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  7. Roll the dough, lengthwise into a tight cylinder. The dough is very soft, so use a bench scraper to assist if needed. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 10 rolls of equal thickness, gently sawing back and forth to avoid smashing the rolls.
  8. Transfer the rolls into a 9×13 inch baking dish lined with parchment paper. Cover with foil or plastic wrap and set aside to rise until doubled in size, about 60-90 minutes, or refrigerate overnight and finish the rolls in the morning.
  9. Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Once the rolls have risen, remove the foil or plastic wrap and bake for 45-60 minutes, until golden on the top. While the rolls are baking, prepare the icing. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add 4 oz cream cheese, 1 stick butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons eggnog, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon salt, and a pinch of nutmeg. Mix until completely combined and smooth, about 2 minutes.
  10. Use a rubber spatula to spread the icing evenly over the hot rolls. This will help soften any hardened edges of the rolls. Allow to cool for an additional 10 minutes before serving warm.

Maddie is a Minneapolis-based recipe developer and food photographer with a background in Food Engineering and Nutrition. Maddie utilizes her scientific understanding of food to create delicious recipes that are worth repeating. When she’s not experimenting in her kitchen, she’s exploring new cities around the world or fostering pups to help them adjust to the good life and find their forever homes! You can find more of Maddie’s work (and follow her cute fosters) on Instagram or maddieaugustin.com.

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