Topped with a cream cheese frosting and a snickerdoodle-bacon crumb, these cinnamon rolls are almost too good to be true!
If you have any leftover sweet potatoes taking up precious space in your refrigerator, pull them out and make a batch sweet potato cinnamon rolls. Using what you have and spinning it into something scrumptious is the ILOC way! This is easily one of the most delectable things I have ever conceived. If you have family staying with you for the holidays, treat them to a welcome or sendoff breakfast that they will never forget! The bacon-snickerdoodle crumb makes the whole thing over-the-top outrageous!
Equipment: cutting board; chef's knife; measuring spoons; wet measuring cup; dry measuring cup; large mixing bowl; small mixing bowls; thermometer; small saucepan; rubber spatula; standing mixer with dough hook; dough scraper; 9x12 baking dish; offset spatula
Dough Ingredients:
vegetable oil for greasing
½ cup whole milk (110°F-120°F)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons kosher or sea salt
1, ¼-ounce packet active dry yeast
¼ cup warm water (110°F-120°F)
1 cup mashed/pureed sweet potatoes
1 large egg
3½ cups all-purpose flour
oil for greasing
Filling Ingredients:
½ cup (one stick) butter, softened 1 cup brown sugar (dark or light)
1 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Topping Ingredients:
1, 12-ounce tub whipped cream cheese
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 slices crisped bacon, chopped
3 snickerdoodle cookies, crumbled
1. Lightly grease a large bowl with vegetable oil. Set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and butter over medium heat just until butter melts.
Add 6 tablespoons sugar plus the salt and stir until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and cool to lukewarm.
3. In a small bowl, combine the yeast and remaining 1 teaspoon sugar. Stir in warm water and let sit for 5 minutes until the mixture is frothy like beer.
4. Meanwhile, place the sweet potato and egg in a bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook. Beat until combined and smooth.
5. Add the yeast mixture to the milk mixture and stir to combine, then add this mixture to potato mixture and beat to combine.
6. With the mixer running on low-medium speed, add the flour ½ cup at a time until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of bowl, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl, approximately 3 to 4, minutes.
7. Flour your hands well and use them to transfer the dough into the greased bowl that was set aside. Gather the dough and shape it into a ball. Using both hands, pull the sides of dough underneath the ball, tucking the ends underneath. Place to ball seam-side down in the greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a clean dish towel and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours, until it has doubled in size.
8. Meanwhile, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl for the filling and set aside. Lightly grease a baking dish with butter and set aside.
9. After the dough has doubled, remove the cover and punch it once with a closed fist. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured work surface (cutting board or counter). Roll the dough into a 12x9-inch rectangle and spread evenly with the softened stick of butter. Sprinkle evenly with the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture.
10. Starting from the bottom of the wide end, roll dough up, using the aid of a dough scraper if necessary. Slice into 12 rolls and place into the greased baking dish.
11. If baking the next day, cover the baking dish and place in the refrigerator over night. Otherwise, let the dough rise for one hour.
“If the dough has been in the refrigerator, let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before baking.”
12. Bake in a 375F degree oven for 20-25 minutes. While the rolls bake, combine the cream cheese and vanilla in a small bowl and set aside. In another bowl, mix the chopped bacon and crumbled cookies to make the crumb topping. Set aside.
13. When the rolls come out of the oven, spread the cream cheese over them evenly, then sprinkle with the bacon-cookie crumb. Makes 12 rolls.