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These Bacon Cinnamon Rolls are the best cinnamon roll recipe! They are fluffy cinnamon buns with crispy bacon and tons of maple flavor in every bite. We love the maple bacon combination – these are EPIC.
Homemade Bacon Cinnamon Rolls
These golden brown cinnamon rolls with suit anyones needs! Bacon in any dessert recipe is so fun because it brings in a savory and salty element, which is such a great combo. I first had maple and bacon together when I tried a doughnut while traveling in Portland and I became obsessed.
My Maple bacon cinnamon rolls use active dry yeast and you can even make them ahead – prep them the day before and let them rise overnight in the refrigerator. They’re the perfect breakfast or brunch – they even have a maple cream cheese frosting!
Ingredients Needed
- Active Dry Yeast: Make sure you pay attention to what yeast you buy. This recipe is written with active dry, not instant yeast.
- Warm Milk: I use this instead of water for a richer dough. Same goes with the egg!
- Bacon: The heart of the filling – make sure to crisp it up and let it cool.
- Brown Sugar: Remember to always pack your sugar when measuring.
- Pure Maple Syrup: This is not cheap pancake syrup – buy the real thing.
- Maple Extract: Adds TONS of maple flavor and should not be skipped.
How to make Cinnamon Roll Dough
- Heat milk to between 100-110°F, approximately 30-40 seconds in the microwave. Add the yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar to the warm milk and let it sit until it starts to foam.
- Using the paddle attachment, mix the butter, remaining sugar, salt, and eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the yeast mixture and stir.
- Switch to the dough hook. Add the flour slowly. Start with one cup and then add the rest. The dough will be sticky, but not so much that you can’t handle it.
- Once dough comes together, spray a large bowl with cooking spray, place the dough inside the greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.
How to make Bacon Cinnamon Rolls
- Slice strips of bacon into small pieces. Cook bacon until crispy. Set aside to drain and cool. Stir together brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Once the dough is ready, roll it into a rectangle. Brush the rectangle with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture, then sprinkle with bacon.
- Roll the dough tightly.
- Slice in half with a sharp knife, then each half in thirds to make 12 rolls.
- Place in a 9×13-inch baking pan that’s been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
- Let the rolls rise for 1 hour in a warm place. If you are eating them right away, proceed to baking.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake about 2-25 minutes, or until golden.
- While the cinnamon rolls are baking, make the maple frosting: Beat together butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar. Mix in maple syrup and both extracts until smooth. Spread on warm cinnamon rolls.
Expert Tips
- I recommend using a stand mixer if you have one because it makes life so much easier. If you do the recipe by hand you’ll need to knead the dough for several minutes on a flour dusted surface.
- Get an instant read thermometer to test your milk temperature so you know it’s the proper temperature to activate the yeast.
- Instead of baking right away, you can cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight until you are ready to eat. Remove from the refrigerator and let sit on the stove while it is preheating, then bake.
FAQs
Can you make these ahead of time?
Yes you can! If you are making them ahead of time, cover them with plastic wrap and put them in the fridge!
Can you freeze these cinnamon rolls?
Yes you can! Store them in an airtight container in the freezer!
Bacon Maple Cinnamon Rolls
The perfect weekend breakfast: Bacon Maple Cinnamon Rolls! A wonderful buttery cinnamon roll dough filled with maple brown sugar and bacon filling, and topped with a maple glaze!
Total Time 4 hours
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 1 packet (7g) active dry yeast
- ¾ cup (177ml) warm milk
- ⅓ cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 3 cups (372g) all purpose flour
For the Filling:
- 1 pound bacon
- 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter , melted
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar
For the Frosting:
- 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter , softened
- 4 ounces (113g) cream cheese , softened
- 2 cups (226g) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) pure maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon maple extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat milk to between 100-110°F, approximately 30-40 seconds in the microwave. Add the yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar to the warm milk and let it sit for five minutes, until it starts to foam. (Just take the teaspoon of sugar from the ⅓ cup called for.)
- Using the paddle attachment, mix the butter, remaining sugar, salt, and eggs in the bowl of a mixer. Add the yeast/milk mixture and stir.
- Switch to the dough hook. Add the flour slowly. Start with one cup and then add the rest. The dough will be sticky, but not so much that you can’t handle it.
- Once dough comes together, spray a large bowl with cooking spray, place the dough inside and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.
- While the dough is rising, prepare the filling. Dice the raw bacon. Place in a medium sized frying pan and cook about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned or until it’s the doneness you prefer. Transfer to a plate covered with paper towels to drain.
- Stir together brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Once the dough is ready, roll it into a rectangle (about 10×14 inches). You may need to use a little flour when rolling, that’s okay. Brush the rectangle with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture, then sprinkle with bacon. Roll the dough tightly. Slice in half, then each half in thirds to make 12 rolls. Place in a 9×13-inch baking dish that's been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
- Let the rolls rise for 1 hour at room temperature. If you are eating them right away, proceed to baking. Or, you can then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight until you are ready to eat. Remove from the refrigerator and let sit on the stove while it is preheating, then bake.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake about 2-25 minutes, or until golden.
- While the rolls are baking, make the frosting. Beat together butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar. Mix in maple syrup and both extracts until smooth. Spread on warm cinnamon rolls. Sprinkle with extra bacon, if desired.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- You can mix by hand but then you’ll need to knead the dough for about 5-8 minutes on a floured surface before letting rise for the first time.
- It’s helpful to have an instant read thermometer to test your milk temperature so it’s warm enough to activate the yeast but not too hot.
- Make these ahead of time and cover with plastic wrap. Store in refrigerator up to overnight to bake in the morning (allow to come to room temperature first).
- You can freeze unbaked cinnamon rolls or freeze leftovers.
Recipe Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 321kcal
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
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Last Updated on December 11, 2023
I want to make these right now! They look incredible!
Thanks Kathy!
These look amazing Dorothy!! I am going to Portland this summer, and now I have a new thing to add to my to do list. I’d heard of this doughnut shop before, but I forgot. I know, the horror! In the mean time, I’m going to have to make some of these. Yummy!
YES! And while you’re in Portland come to Sacramento. 😉 Kidding. (NOT REALLY.)
I think I need to try this. I’ve heard so much about it by now that I feel like I’ll have no rest until I get a bite of some bacon sweetness. There’s an ice cream shop here in Seattle that have a maple bacon ice cream, and apparently it’s really popular.. Maybe I should just have a maple bacon weekend!
OMG. I think I just found the next thing I want to make!! YUM! Thanks for visiting Yvonne!
you have me drooling over here….seriously want one right now :(.
Then my goal is accomplished. 🙂 Thanks Sarah!
Those look amazing! I’ve never made “from scratch” cinnamon rolls! I’ve made them from frozen bread dough but I really should give it a try! Plus, bacon makes everything better, right?
Thanks Tonia! Yes, you must try! I love homemade! 🙂
You seriously outdid yourself with this recipe, Dorothy! These look absolutely incredible. I can’t wait to make them! And I’m already getting special requests from friends to bake a batch for them too. Definitely going to be a hit. 🙂
I hope you love them Elaine! 🙂 Thank you!
Oh my, bacon + maple! I only got to know and love those after moving to Canada. If I show these to my Canadian husband I know what he will want as weekend breakfast 🙂
The combo is amazingly good! One of my favorites. 🙂
Ooooohhhhh, Dorothy, these are awesome!!! The pictures are fab, and I officially have a craving for cinnamon rolls now! Maple bacon ones 🙂
Then I’ve done my job, hee hee! 🙂
You had me at BACON. …and I haven’t stopped drooling since reading it was followed by “cinnamon rolls”! Holy moly, girl!! Sounds A M A Z I N G ! ! ! Pinned 😉 Wish I could have this for breakfast tomorrow….I’d jump in bed immediately just to pass the time til I could eat these! lol. Thanks for another out of this world recipe, Dorothy! You rock! ;*)
I know, I reallllllllly want cinnamon rolls today. LOL, I wonder why?
Hey, Dorothy! I’m co-hosting the Sweet & Savoury Sunday link party tomorrow (yay!) Wanted to revisit your awesome bacon cinnamon rolls post and invite you to come on over to my blog to share tomorrow … they’re sure to make all the other party-goers drool! lol! You’re welcome to bring a couple other faves too! Hope to see you and your AMAZING recipes tomorrow!! 🙂 Have a fabulous day, girl! :*)
I’ll stop by tonight! 🙂 Thanks Brenda!
These look and sound delicious!!!! Love the addition of the bacon, that just sounds like it’s out of this world good!!!! YUM!!!
Thanks Maria!
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