Eggnog Cinnamon Rolls with Walnuts and Coffee
A quick, no yeast cinnamon roll made with rich eggnog, and filled with walnuts and a hint of coffee.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 5-6 dashes cardamom or walnuts bitters optional
- 2 tsp instant coffee granules
- 1 cup walnuts or pecans toasted and chopped small (makes rolling easier if they aren't too large)
- 2 cups AP flour
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter , chilled
- 6 tbsp full fat eggnog , plus more if needed
- 1 large egg
- more flour for rolling
Glaze
- 3-4 tbsp eggnog
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted to remove lumps
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a 10" round cake pan or grease with butter. I often use a cast iron pan: just line with a dampened and crushed up square of parchment paper.
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Prepare Filling
Mix butter, cinnamon, bitters, coffee granules and walnuts thoroughly with a fork till smooth.
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PREPARE DOUGH
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together.
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Grate the chilled butter into the flour and toss to coat the butter evenly with the flour.
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In a separate bowl whisk the eggnog, and egg. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and use a wooden spoon to stir till just combined.
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Remove the dough to a well floured surface and pat flat, kneading it a few times to bring it together. If it is an especially dry day, you may need to add a bit more eggnog to help it come together.
Fold the dough once or twice, flouring your hands and the dough as you go. Then using a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to a 12x8" rectangle.
Have the 8" ends to your left and right. In other words, a horizontal or landscape rectangle.
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Sprinkle the dough with the filling mixture- spread it evenly across the surface. Leave the bottom 1/2" or so edge free of filling, to help with closing.
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Roll up the dough, log style. I find that if the counter is warm, or not floured well enough, the dough may become a tad sticky. In this case, I use a bench scraper or metal spatula (either one well floured) to help loosen the dough from underneath. Once you get going it will get easier to finish rolling.
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So now you have a 12" long. Slice it into two 6" logs. Then cut each 6" log in half.
Now slice each quarter into 3 equal slices. You will have 12. Carefully place each roll into the prepared pan, leaving a little space between each one.
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(Alternatively, you can roll the dough into a roughly 10X10" square. Fill as described above. Roll, and divide into 8 equal cinnamon rolls. They will be larger, both width and height. I bake these in a 11x7 rectangular baking pan)
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Bake 20-25 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown and just bubbling.
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GLAZE
In a medium bowl whisk 3 tbsp of eggnog and the icing sugar. Add a little more eggnog if it is too thick. But add only a bit at a time: it is amazing how quickly that icing sugar can thin out.
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Pour the glaze over the warm rolls. If you like it really thick, requiring an offset spatula or spoon to ice these, then adjust with more icing sugar. An even better way to thicken up the glaze is the start with 1/4 cup softened cream cheese- Must be totally stir-able. Then add your eggnog and icing sugar.
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These are best served warm. But they can easily be stored in an airtight container and rewarmed in a 300F oven or microwave.
Recipe Notes
GINGERBREAD SPICES AND PECAN FILLING
4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground allspice and black pepper
1 cup chopped toasted pecans
This is another one of those recipes that lends itself to getting creative. Why not change up your filling to chopped frozen cranberries and orange zest in with the butter instead? Or add 1 tbsp of cocoa powder to the filling? If you come up with some fun alternatives, let me know!