These rolls take my favorite cinnamon roll recipe to the next level with chai spices spiraled into enriched, feathery yeast dough, a sprinkle of pecans, and a generous slathering of cream cheese frosting spiked with Baileys Original Irish Cream.
I like to make the dough for these the night before and let them rise in the refrigerator overnight, while you can rise the dough at room temperature for about an hour, I like the deeper yeasted flavor of the cold-risen dough plus is so much easier to work with when it’s cold…which means you can get a tighter spiral!
This post was made in collaboration with Baileys. As always, all text and opinions are my own unless otherwise stated. Cheers and drink responsibly, friends!
Chai Spiced Rolls with Bailey’s Frosting + Pecans
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Author: Cindy
Serves: 9 rolls
Ingredients
- for the dough:
- 2 teaspoons dry yeast
- 1 cup warm milk
- ¼ cup sugar, divided
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- 6 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
- for the filling:
- ½ cup soft unsalted butter
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- pinch of kosher salt
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans, plus additional for topping
- for the frosting:
- 6 ounces softened cream cheese
- 4 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
- 2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
- 1-2 tablespoons Bailey’s Original Irish Cream
Instructions
- To make the dough, combine the yeast, milk, and 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a measuring glass. Set aside to bloom the yeast.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the remaining sugar, flour, and salt. Once the yeast mixture is foamy, whisk in the eggs and pour the mixture into the mixer bowl. Turn the mixer to medium, mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Continue mixing on medium, adding the soft butter one tablespoon at a time, making sure the butter is incorporated before adding more. Once all the butter has been incorporated, turn the mixer to medium-high and knead for 10 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a buttered bowl covered with plastic and allow to rise in the refrigerator overnight (or on the counter for 1 hour).
- Once the dough has doubled in size, roll the dough out onto a floured surface into a large rectangle (about 12×16 inches). Spread the softened butter for the filling over the dough, leaving a one-inch border on one of the shorter edges (this will make the dough easier to pinch together after rolling). Whisk the brown sugar, spices, and salt together. Sprinkled the mixture over the buttered dough, followed by the chopped pecans. Roll the dough into a tight spiral, starting from the buttered edge and rolling toward the unbuttered edge, pinching the end of the dough to seal. Cut the roll into thirds, then cut each third into 3 pieces so you have 9 jumbo rolls. Place the rolls in a buttered 9x13inch baking dish, cover with plastic, and rise at room temperature until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
- While the rolls rise, preheat the oven to 350°F. Once risen, bake the rolls for about 20 minutes, until golden and puffed. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for about 5 minutes before frosting.
- To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar, followed by the desired amount of Baileys. Spread over the warm rolls and sprinkle with pecans.