Bacon Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Bacon and cinnamon rolls.  Need I say more?

It's practically heaven on a plate.  The perfect combination of salty and sweet. 

The first time I made them, one of my sons ate FIVE.  No joke.

Dough:
1/2 cup warm water
4 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 (3.5oz) box instant vanilla pudding
2 cups milk, warm
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp salt
7 cups flour

Filling:
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
6 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp flour
2 lbs bacon, cooked, drained, and crumbled

Icing:
8oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 butter, softened
dash of salt
3 to 4 Tbsp maple syrup
powdered sugar to desired consistency/sweetness

- Combine warm water, yeast, and syrup. Set aside. Put flour, dry pudding mix, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Pour in yeast mixture, melted butter, warm milk, and eggs. Mix with dough hook for a couple of minutes on medium, to medium-low speed, until all ingredients are kneaded together and soft dough is formed.

- Form dough into a ball and place in a large, greased bowl. Cover bowl with damp cloth. Place in warm place to rise until dough is doubled in size. Approximately 1 hour.

- In the meantime, mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Set aside.

- After dough has risen, turn out onto floured surface. Cut dough in half.
- Roll out one half of the dough to form a large rectangle. Approximately 12 inches by 8 inches. Roll to approximately 1/4" in thickness.  The thinner you roll the dough, the more spiral-y the cinnamon rolls will be.  I tend to love the more spiral-y!
- Brush with half of melted butter.  Sprinkle half of butter/cinnamon/sugar mixture on top of dough.
- Sprinkle half of the crumbled bacon bits on top of the cinnamon/sugar.

- Roll dough, jelly-roll style, starting from the longer side of the rectangle.
- Repeat with other half of dough and butter/cinnamon/sugar mixture.
- Using unflavored dental floss or thread, cut logs into 3/4" to 1" slices. Each log will yield 12 slices. Place 12 rolls in each 9x13 baking dish, on top of glaze (if you made it)

- Let rise, until rolls are doubled in size. Approximately 30 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 17-19 minutes, careful to not overcook!

For icing, mix all ingredients together. Spread over warm cinnamon rolls. Serve warm and enjoy!

Makes TWO DOZEN cinnamon rolls.

Recipe by Meredith