Cinnamon Buns with Maple Coffee Glaze

I never say no to a cinnamon bun.  Unless it's of the supermarket variety, in which case, I'll kindly pass.  

   Lately, I've had a real hankering for a good down-home cinnamon bun.  One loaded with cavity-inducing amounts of sugar and cinnamon and swirled with a delirious amount of cream cheese frosting.   After surveying my pantry on Labour Day morning and coming up short on the cream cheese front, I had to improvise.  Google to the rescue.  I happened upon The Pioneer Woman's recipe with a maple coffee glaze and I was very intrigued.  Coffee and maple are two of my favorite things and reading comments and other blog posts raving about it sealed the deal.

These cinnamon buns are what dreams are made of.  Soft dough filled with sweet cinnamon and topped with a nontraditional, but completely mesmerizing, maple coffee glaze.  I brewed my coffee a bit stronger, and added a touch more than the recipe advises...and it was totally worth it.  I also used real maple syrup instead of maple flavoring, cause the real deal is far better!  

Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Coffee Glaze

Rolls

1 cup warm milk (lukewarm, not hot)

2 eggs at room temperature

1/3 cup butter, melted

4  and 1/2 cups Flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup white sugar

2 and 1/4 tsp dry active yeast (or 1 envelope)

Filling

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 white sugar

2 and 1/2 tbsp cinnamon

2/3 cup butter, melted

Glaze

6-7 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbps milk
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup brewed coffee
1/8 tsp Salt

Directions

For the Rolls
Heat the milk.  Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and let sit for a minute, until its all moist.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the dough hook, add the milk, yeast, eggs, butter, flour, salt and sugar.

 Mix until a ball of dough forms.  Continue to knead for another 5 minutes.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and let rise until doubled in size.  

After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. 

Filling

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, white sugar and cinnamon.  Melt the butter.

Roll dough into a 16x21-inch rectangle. Brush the dough with the butter (I just poured it on the dough and spread it around with a pastry brush) and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough and cut into 12 pieces. 

Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. 

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Bake rolls until golden brown, about 15 minutes. 

Glaze

While rolls are baking, make the glaze.  Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth.  Glaze should be thick, but pour-able.  Adjust to taste as needed.

Generously drizzle glaze on warm rolls.  Make sure you completely cover the tops and sides.  The buns will absorb some of the glaze as they sit and cool.

Recipe adapted from All Recipes and Ree Drummond