Cast Iron Candied Bacon Cinnamon Rolls

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If you’re looking for a perfect breakfast combination of sweet yet savory, look no further than these Cast Iron Candied Bacon Cinnamon Rolls. Created with Fleischmann’s® RapidRise® Yeast you can have homemade, from scratch cinnamon rolls that will rival any you would purchase from the corner bakery…and you can stay in your pj’s.

As the holiday season approaches, so do the chances of having overnight guests and the need for quick yet scrumptious breakfast ideas. I particularly love recipes that give the appearance of slaving all morning but are anything but. That’s where these Cast Iron Candied Bacon Cinnamon Rolls come in.

Created in a cast-iron skillet, the cinnamon rolls the rolls are crunchy on the outside and soft and tender on the inside oozing of sweet cinnamon and savory bacon. The unexpected bite of bacon sends them over the edge.

Cast Iron Candied Bacon Cinnamon Rolls

Yield: 10-12 rolls

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Breakfast just got a whole lot more exciting with the addition of these made from scratch, Bacon Cinnamon Rolls.

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Ingredients

• For the Rolls:
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 (4 1/2 tsp) packets Fleischmann’s RapidRise Yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 egg
• For the Filling:
• 5 bacon strips, cooked and chopped
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• For the Frosting:
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1-2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Instructions

Combine 2 cups flour, sugar, dry yeast, and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir until blended. Place water and butter in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH in 15 second increments until very warm but not hot to the touch (120 to 130 degrees F). Butter won’t melt completely. Add to flour mixture with egg.

Beat 2 minutes at medium speed in electric mixer, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add 1 cup flour, beat 2 minutes at high speed, continuing to scrape bowl. Stir in just enough remaining flour so that the dough will form into a ball.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface or a wood cutting board; knead until smooth and elastic and dough springs back when lightly pressed with 2 fingers, about 8-10 minutes. Cover with a damp towel; let rest for 10 minutes.

In a medium-sized bowl combine chopped bacon, brown sugar, syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg. Set aside.

Roll dough into an approximately 15x10 rectangle using a rolling pin. Spread 3 tablespoons melted butter over dough stopping at least 1/2 inch from the edges on the long sides. Sprinkle with bacon cinnamon sugar mixture. Beginning at long end of the rectangle, roll up tightly. Pinch seams to seal. Cut into 12 equal pieces.

Place, cut sides down into a 12 inch cast iron skillet. Cover with towel again; let rise in a warm place until doubled in size; about 1 hour.

Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until rolls are golden brown. Cool on wire rack for at least 20 minutes.

Combine frosting ingredients in a large bowl and beat until creamy. Spread over rolls.

Notes

*Only 9 rolls are shown in the photos, in a 10inch cast iron pan. I ran out of room and had leftover rolls. To avoid this, I upgraded the recipe to use a 12inch pan to fit the 12 rolls instead.

There’s really no need to be intimidated if you’ve never made cinnamon rolls from scratch. Using a trusted brand such as Fleischmann’s® RapidRise® Yeast equips you with the necessary secret weapon to ensure your bread products come out successfully every time. With 150 years of experience under their belt, you can be confident in baking with yeast. Be sure to check out their website for lots of tips, tricks and delicious recipes. 

I’ve included step by step photos to guide you along the way. 

Don’t feel the need to crowd your rolls into the pan, you’ll see that once they rise they’re going to snuggle in nicely. 

And just because I’ve baked my cinnamon rolls in a cast iron pan, if you don’t have one,  don’t fret. You can use these same instructions and bake your Cast Iron Candied Bacon Cinnamon  Rolls in a 13×9 baking pan as well. 

WHY BAKE CINNAMON ROLLS FROM SCRATCH?

There’s a couple of reasons why you’ll want to make your cinnamon rolls from scratch beyond the simple fact that nothing compares to the taste of a freshly baked homemade recipe. The flavors you get from homemade yeast is beyond what you can get out of canned cinnamon rolls.

But beyond that, baking from scratch ensures you can experiment with flavor combinations creating something truly unique for your breakfast (or breakfast for dinner) festivities.

TIPS TO ENSURE SUCCESSFUL CINNAMON ROLLS:

• You must follow the instructions on the package. Your water needs to be lukewarm and NOT hot. Water that is too hot will kill the yeast.
• To play it safe, test the water with a thermometer and ensure that it is no hotter than 120-130 degrees.
• You must ensure your yeast is not expired. It happens. You have great intentions of baking with yeast and the packets sit in your pantry before you get around to using them. Double check the expiration date before you get too carried away. Expired yeast will not rise.

Keeping those tips in mind, you’re on your way to creating fail proof cinnamon rolls every time. Just think of all the flavor combinations you can create!