
OH, THIS is not your traditional cinnamon roll!!
You have heard with potato chips that you can not eat just one, well the same applies with theses phenomenal cinnamon rolls. The first one, you are to busy with saying OH WOW, yum and you need a second one to take in all the things that make it so wonderful.
Can you taste the Bourbon ?
The answer is, that depends. If your cherries have been soaking in bourbon for a few days, you will definitely be able to taste the bourbon flavor when biting into a cherry.
If the cherries have been soaked for an hour or less, there will be a very subtle flavor.
Can I use something other than Bourbon?
Absolutely!! You can use an alcohol of choice ( Rum, brandy,etc.. ) or orange juice.
How To Make a Bourbon Cherry Pecan Cinnamon Roll

Bourbon Cherry Pecan Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- Electric mixer
- mixing bowls
- baking pan
Ingredients
For the Cherry filling:
- 2 cups fresh or frozen whole cherries that have been thawn out
- Bourbon
For the Dough:
- 3/4 cup warm milk ( 108-110 degrees)
- 2 1/4 teaspoon yeast- quick rise – active
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 whole egg- room temp
- 1 egg yolk- room temp
- 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups bread flour
Center filling:
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup soften unsalted buter
- 1 cup pecans
Frosting:
- 2 cups Powdered sugar
- 2-4 Tablespoons milk
Instructions
Bourbon soaked Cheeries:
- If you do not have a mason jar filled with bourbon that has cheeries soaking, that is okay. Your Bourbon Cherry Pecan Cinnamon Rolls will turn out fabulous. Of course the longer the cheeries soak the more "flavorful" they will be. If needed, place the cheeries into a bowl and cover the cherries with bourbon. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside.
- Making the dough:
- Warm the milk in the microwave until it is a temperature of 108- 110. Do not over heat. Use short burst in the microwave until the needed temperature is reached.
- Rinse the stand mixer's mixing bowl in hot water and towel dry.Add the warm milk the mixing bowl.
- Add yeast, the sugar, eggs ( whole and yolk), and the melted butter( not hot)to the mixing bowl. Mix until combined
- Add the flour and salt.Change the mixing paddle out to the hook paddle
- Start out on the low speed and increase to medium when the flour has started incorporating well into the liquid ingredients.
- Mix with the dough hook for about 10 minutes. The dough will be ready when it is pulling away from the sides of the bowl, but still sticking to the bottom of the bowl.
- Oil a mixing bowl with about 1 Tablespoon of oil. A paper towel works well to apply the oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl and cover with a plastic wrap and a warm kitchen towel. I place a kitchen towel in the dryer for just a few minutes.Place the dough in a draft free area and allow the dough to rise for about an hour or until it has doubled in size. The environmental conditions factor into the time needed for the dough to rise…the temperature of the room and humidity.
- When the dough has proofed, transfer it to your floured work surface. Roll the dough out to a rectangle that is about 14×10 in size.If the dough is resistant to being rolled out, allow the dough to rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Drain the cherries that have been soaking in bourbon with a strainer to remove the bourbon. Squeeze the cheeries by hand to remove as much liquid as possible. Cut the cheeries in half…into quarter if they are really large cherries
- Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon into a small mixing bowl.
Assembling the Cherry Pecan Cinnamon Rolls:
- Using an off set spatula or just your fingers, completely cover the dough rectangle with the butter
- Using your hands sprinkle the brown sugar cinnamon mixture on top of the butter
- Now add the cherries and pecans all over the dough
- Starting with the long end farthest away from you, start rolling the dough into a log
- Straighten the ends if needed by cutting off excessive dough.
- Cut the log into about 1 1/2 inch pieces
- Place the cinnamon rolls in a baking pan lined with parchment paper.Cover the baking pan with plastic wrap and another warm towel.Proof the cinnamon rolls for another 30-45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Remove the towel and plastic wrap and bake for 20 minutes. Check at 15 minutes. The cinnamon rolls should be baked until the edges become lightly golden brown. You can test the center most part of the rolls ( dough part) with a tooth pick for doneness. The center is usually the last part to be done.Do not over bake. They will continue to cook some when removed from the oven. It is best to have the center "soft" or slightly under baked
- Allow them to cool for about 15 minutes before frosting
Frosting:
- Place powder sugar into a bowl and add the milk a Tablespoon at a time whisking until the frosting is smooth and the desired consistancy. Using a spoon drizzle as much frosting as desired on top of the Bourbon Cherry Pecan Cinnamon RollsEnjoy !!
Make Ahead Cinnamon Rolls
What can be better than a warm Cinnamon Rolls in the morning with a cup of coffee? You can either bake them now and eat them, or store them to enjoy later. I would recommend storing them in an air tight container no longer than 3 days once baked. I really do not think they will last that long though 🙂
Another option is to prepare them today and bake in the morning. If electing to bake them the next day skip the second rise, wrap the baking pan well with plastic wrap and place the baking pan in the refrigerator. In the morning, set them out for the second rise ( about 30-45 minutes) and place them in your preheated oven to bake.
How to Freeze Cinnamon Rolls
This is something that I frequently do. I will double the recipe since they freeze so well and it is easy to have then available in short notice.
After the cinnamon rolls have completely cooled and the frosting has dried, I lay down a Ziplock bag and slide in cinnamon rolls to fill the bottom of the bag. Next, I place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the cinnamon rolls and then add a second layer of rolls. Lastly, I place the Ziplock inside another Ziplock bag ( double bagging the rolls) and write the date on the bag..
When wanting to eat the frozen rolls, remove them from the freeze and place on a plate to thaw out some and then microwave with short burst.
I hope you try these Bourbon Cherry Pecan Cinnamon Rolls. They are big hit with my family and friends.
Please leave me comments and picture of your cinnamon rolls
Cheers…Happy Baking !!


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