Maple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls are soft, cream-soaked cinnamon rolls filled with brown sugar, cinnamon, and toasted pecans, then finished with a maple cream cheese frosting that tastes like November in a 9x13 pan.

Every November I hit the same wall. I want cinnamon rolls, but I do not want the same cinnamon rolls I have been making all year. Pumpkin had its moment. Apple had its moment. So I went with maple and pecan, which I would argue is the most underrated flavor combination of the season. The maple frosting does the heavy lifting, and the pecans give every bite a little crunch so the whole thing does not melt into one soft, sweet blur. Not that a soft, sweet blur is a bad thing.

If you are already a maple person, my Salted Maple Cinnamon Rolls are the classic version and a great place to start. For more of that pecan pie energy, my Caramel Pecan Pie Cheesecake is the dessert I make when I want to impress people without saying I am trying to impress people. And if you want maple for breakfast in a different shape, my Brown Butter Maple Donuts are worth heating up the oil for.

Why You'll Love Maple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

The maple actually tastes like maple. Maple extract in the frosting gives you a bold, unmistakable maple flavor that syrup alone just cannot deliver.
They are ridiculously soft. Warm heavy cream gets poured over the rolls before baking and soaks into every layer, so the centers stay gooey and the bottoms caramelize.
Pecans in every bite. The pecans go right into the filling and on top of the frosting, so you get crunch from start to finish.
The dough works on your schedule. It chills for 2 to 12 hours, which means you can make it the night before and wake up to the easy part.
Every roll looks bakery perfect. Rolling each strip individually gives you tight, even spirals and no squished log.

Ingredients Overview

Most of these are pantry staples, but a few of them are doing more work than you would expect.

The dough: A soft, enriched dough made with flour, yeast, warm milk, butter, sugar, egg, and salt. It is supposed to be a little sticky going into the bowl. It firms up in the fridge, I promise.
Brown sugar: I prefer dark brown sugar, but use whatever you have
Ground cinnamon: Use a full 2 tablespoons. This is not the time to be shy.
Unsalted butter: Make sure it is softened so it creams smoothly with the brown sugar and cinnamon.
Pecans: Chopped and toasted. Toasting takes 5 minutes and makes them taste twice as nutty.
Heavy whipping cream: Warmed just enough to lose its chill and poured over the rolls before baking. This is the secret to the softest rolls of your life.
Cream cheese: Full fat and softened to room temperature for a frosting with no lumps.
Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
Maple extract: The star. It gives the frosting a bold maple flavor that syrup would water down. Brands vary in strength, so taste as you go.
Vanilla and salt: Vanilla rounds out the maple, and a pinch of salt keeps the frosting from tasting flat.

How to Make the Dough

Mix and knead the dough. It should be soft and slightly tacky. If it feels too sticky, resist the urge to dump in more flour. It will firm up in the refrigerator.
First dough rise. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn it once to coat, cover, and let it rise at room temperature for 1 hour. On the counter or in a warm spot
Stretch and fold. After the hour, lift one side of the dough and fold it over itself. Repeat on all four sides, then cover it again. This builds strength without any extra kneading.
Cold proof. Chill the covered dough for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours overnight. The cold proof develops flavor and turns a sticky dough into one that rolls out like a dream.

Common Mistakes

Adding too much flour. A sticky dough makes a soft roll. Extra flour makes a dry one. Trust the fridge.
Skipping the cold proof. Warm dough is slippery and fights you when you roll it out. Chilled dough behaves.
Using cold butter in the filling. It will not cream with the brown sugar, and you end up with clumps instead of a smooth, spreadable layer.
Cutting crooked strips. Uneven strips make uneven rolls, and uneven rolls bake unevenly. Take your time with the pizza cutter.
Pouring cold cream over the rolls. Cold cream can shock the dough. Warm it for 15 to 20 seconds so it just loses its chill.
Pulling them out too early. Maple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls take longer than most because they need time to absorb all that cream. Deep golden brown on top is your sign, and the center roll should read 190°F.

How to Fill and Roll - Maple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

Instead of rolling one big log and slicing it, I cut the dough into strips and roll each one on its own. It takes a few extra minutes and gives you tighter, prettier spirals every time.

Make the filling. Cream the brown sugar, cinnamon, and softened butter until smooth.
Roll out the dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 12x16 inch rectangle with edges as even as you can get them.
Spread and sprinkle. Spread the filling all the way to the edges with an offset spatula, then sprinkle the toasted pecans evenly over the top.
Cut the strips. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough crosswise into 12 strips, each about 1⅓ inches wide and 12 inches long.
Roll each strip. Starting at the bottom, roll each strip into a tight spiral, tucking in any filling that escapes. Pinch the end lightly so it stays closed.
Into the pan. Arrange the rolls cut side up in a parchment-lined 9x13 pan, 3 across and 4 down, with a little space between them.
Second rise. Cover and let them rise until puffy and nearly doubled, about 45 to 60 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°F during the last 20 minutes.

Tips and Tricks

Toast your pecans. Five minutes at 350°F. Your kitchen will smell incredible and the rolls will taste even better.
Use parchment with an overhang. It lets you lift the whole batch out of the pan in one piece, which is great for photos and even better for not wrecking the bottom roll.
Separate the rolls while they are hot. Run a knife between them right out of the oven so the frosting can melt down into the cracks.
Let them cool 15 to 20 minutes before frosting. If you want the frosting to sit on top in pretty swoops, give them a minute. If you want it melty, go for it. No judgment.
Tent with foil if needed. If the tops are browning too fast, cover the pan loosely for the last 10 minutes.
Finish with salt. A pinch of flaky salt on top of the frosting and extra pecans makes the maple pop.

FAQ - Maple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

Here are the questions I get most often, answered before you have to ask.

Can I use maple syrup instead of maple extract? You can, but the maple flavor will be much milder. Syrup is mostly sweetness, and in a frosting full of cream cheese and powdered sugar it gets lost. The extract is what makes these taste so maple-y.
Can I make these ahead? Yes. The dough can chill for up to 12 hours, so you can make it the night before and shape the rolls in the morning.
Do I have to use the cream? You do not have to, but you should. It is what makes these so soft and gooey.
Can I leave out the pecans? Sure. They will still be great maple cinnamon rolls, just without the crunch.
Why do these bake so long? The rolls need time to absorb the cream poured over them. Pulling them early leaves the centers doughy.
How do I know they are done? The tops should be deep golden brown and the center roll should read 190°F on an instant-read thermometer.

Storing and Freezing

Store leftover Maple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls covered in the fridge for up to 4 days, since the cream cheese frosting needs to stay cold. They taste best warm, so pop one in the microwave for about 10 seconds before eating and the frosting gets soft and melty all over again.

To freeze, wrap unfrosted baked rolls tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge, warm them in a 300°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, and frost them fresh. The frosting can be frozen separately in an airtight container and re-whipped once it thaws.

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Recipe

Maple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

Molly Murphy

are soft, cream-soaked cinnamon rolls filled with brown sugar, cinnamon, and toasted pecans, then finished with a maple cream cheese frosting

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings people

Ingredients

Dough

1 ½ cups lukewarm milk 360g
1 ½ teaspoons instant dry yeast 5g
2 teaspoons granulated sugar 10g
½ cup granulated sugar 100g
3 large eggs room temperature
5 ¾ cups bread flour plus more for dusting 720g
½ cup unsalted butter softened 113g
2 ¼ teaspoons salt 14g

To Pour on Before Baking

¼ cup heavy whipping cream 120g

Filling

1 cup packed brown sugar 213g
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon 16g
¾ cup unsalted butter softened to touch (170g)
1 cup chopped pecans

Frosting

6 oz cream cheese softened (170g)
½ cup unsalted butter softened (113g)
2 cups powdered sugar 200g
1-2 teaspoon maple extract 4g
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4g
1 -2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream 15-30g
Pinch of salt
Crushed pecans for the top

Instructions

For the dough

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1 ½ cups lukewarm milk, 2 teaspoons of the sugar, and 1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast. Whisk together and let sit for 10 minutes, until the mixture looks foamy.
1 ½ cups lukewarm milk 360g, 1 ½ teaspoons instant dry yeast 5g, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar 10g
Add the remaining sugar, eggs, bread flour, butter, and salt to the bowl. Using the dough hook attachment, mix on medium speed for 6-7 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Don't worry if it's too sticky it will be firm up.
½ cup granulated sugar 100g, 3 large eggs room temperature, 5 ¾ cups bread flour plus more for dusting 720g, ½ cup unsalted butter softened 113g, 2 ¼ teaspoons salt 14g
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover and let rise at room temperature for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, perform one stretch and fold (lift one side of the dough and fold it over itself, repeating on all four sides). Cover again.
Place the covered dough in the refrigerator and chill for 2 hours or up to 12 hours overnight. This cold proof develops flavor and makes the dough easier to work with when rolling out.

Filling and Shaping Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, and unsalted butter on medium speed until smooth and well combined. Set aside.
1 cup packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, ¾ cup unsalted butter
Lightly flour a clean work surface. Roll the chilled dough into a large rectangle, about 12x16 inches in size. Try to keep the edges as even as possible so the rolls bake uniformly.
Spread the filling mixture evenly over the dough, using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to get it all the way to the edges.
Evenly sprinkle the chopped pecans on top of the brown sugar cinnamon filling.
1 cup chopped pecans
Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough crosswise into 12 strips, each about 1⅓ inches wide and 12 inches long. Take your time to keep the cuts straight so the rolls bake up evenly.
Working one at a time, roll each strip into a tight spiral, starting from the bottom edge and rolling upward until you reach the top. As you roll, gently tuck in any filling that tries to escape and keep light, even pressure so each roll stays compact and uniform. Once rolled, pinch the end seam lightly so it stays closed.
Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides for easy lifting later. Lightly spray the sides of the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Arrange the rolls cut-side up in the prepared pan. 3 across and 4 down. They should have a little space between them - they'll puff and rise into each other during proofing and baking.
Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let the rolls rise for 45-60 minutes, or until puffy and nearly doubled in size.

Baking Instructions

Once the rolls have finished their second rise, preheat the oven to 375°F.
Warm the heavy whipping cream just until it loses its chill (microwave for about 15-20 seconds). Gently pour the cream evenly over the tops of the risen rolls, letting it soak down into the layers.
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
Place the pan in the oven and bake at 375°F for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 30-35 minutes, until the rolls are deep golden brown on top. These rolls take a long time to bake because they need to absorb the cream.
If the rolls begin to brown too quickly, loosely tent the pan with foil during the last 10 minutes of baking.
Remove the pan from the oven. While the rolls are still hot, use a knife to gently separate each roll so the frosting can seep down between them.

For the cream cheese frosting

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl, then beat for 2 more minutes until smooth and fluffy.
6 oz cream cheese, ½ cup unsalted butter
With the mixer on low, add powdered sugar, then maple extract, vanilla, salt, and milk/cream if needed. Mix until combined.
2 cups powdered sugar, 1-2 teaspoon maple extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 -2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream, Pinch of salt
Increase speed to medium-high and beat 2-3 more minutes until light and fluffy.

Assembly

Once the cinnamon rolls have cooled slightly, spread the cream cheese buttercream evenly over the tops of the rolls.
Sprinkle on more chopped pecans and a dash of salt.
Crushed pecans for the top
Serve warm and if they get to room temperature, you can pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds before eating!

Keyword pecan, cinnamon rolls, thanksgiving, maple

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The Best Maple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls