If You’ve Never Wrapped Bacon In Cinnamon Roll Dough, Buddy, You’re Missing Out

All right, pull up a chair. These Bourbon Maple Bacon Cinnamon Rolls are basically my (slightly unhinged) love letter to Sunday mornings. There was this one morning last year — raining cats and dogs, everyone feeling gloomy — when I first tried throwing crispy bacon and a splash of bourbon into my Cinnamon Rolls. My sister actually thought I’d lost the plot (not the first time), but by the time the maple glaze started wafting through the house, we all decided that losing it wasn’t such a bad thing after all. Be warned: these are nothing like the ones from that mall bakery. They’re stubbornly messy, a bit boozy, and, well… delicious enough to wake up even the teenager who only appears after noon.

Why You’ll Love This—Or At Least Why I Keep Making It

I only bother with these when I’m feeling a little fancy—or when someone’s annoyed with me and I want to fix things. My family loses their minds (in the best way) when they spot the bacon, even if they always ask why there’s bourbon in the icing. For whatever reason, this recipe tends to forgive my little errors—so if you, like me, sometimes forget if you already added the yeast, it’ll probably still turn out edible. Also, sneaking crispy bacon bits while rolling the dough is basically my reward for, you know, baking.

Gather Up These Ingredients (Sub Or Swap If You Need)

For the dough:
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (honestly, bread flour works too if that’s all you’ve got)
- 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm milk (whole is best, but I’ve grabbed 2% or even oat milk in a pinch)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (okay, my gran used to swear by salted but it’s up to you)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg (room temp if you remember; cold works too)
- 1/2 tsp salt
For the filling:
- 6 strips bacon (thick cut is heaven, but I’ve used whatever’s cheap on sale—just cook it crispy)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark, doesn’t matter much)
- 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp bourbon (or swap with 1 tbsp vanilla if you’re skipping booze)
- 1/4 cup softened butter
- Pinch of nutmeg (I never measure this—just a shake or two)
For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp real maple syrup (sometimes fake syrup sneaks in when I run out—don’t tell anyone)
- 1 tbsp bourbon (or milk, if you prefer mild)
- 1–2 tbsp milk to reach your desired drizzle consistency
- Pinch of salt

How To Make These—With A Dab Of Chaos

Proof the yeast. In a big-ish mixing bowl, combine warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Give it about 10 minutes to get foamy (if it doesn’t, your yeast could be dead, or maybe it’s just stubborn; sometimes mine takes ages, probably because my kitchen is always freezing).
Mix & knead the dough. Add melted butter, egg, and salt. Mix, then start adding flour—a cup at a time. Once it looks like dough, dump it onto a floured counter. Knead until smooth-ish (7–8 minutes? I get bored after 5, but do your best).
First rise. Pop the dough in a greased bowl and cover. I stick mine in the (turned-off) oven if the kitchen’s chilly. Let it double—about an hour. Or two, if you forget, which happens around here.
Bake the bacon. While the dough’s rising, fry or bake bacon until crisp. Drain and chop into chunky bits. (Do yourself a favor and make an extra strip for munching.)
Roll it all out. Grab that dough, roll it into a rectangle—let’s guess, 16 x 10 inches? It never stays perfect. Smear on softened butter, sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, bacon, and drizzle bourbon over everything; don’t get too fussy here.
Roll up & slice. Roll the whole thing, tight as you like, from the long side. Slice into 9–12 pieces with a serrated knife (dental floss also works but I always forget to buy the unflavored kind).
Second rise. Tuck rolls into a buttered baking dish—leave some elbow room. Cover and let rise 30–45 min. If I’m in a rush, 20 min still works (they’re a bit denser, but no one’s complained… yet).
Bake. 350 F (180 C) for about 25–30 min, or golden and puffy. My oven runs hot, so I check at 22 min. Yours may be different!
Glaze. Whisk everything for the glaze in a bowl. Pour or drizzle over the warm rolls. Sometimes I add more maple syrup because I can’t resist it.

Some Notes—What Worked (And What Was A Bit Odd)

I tried tucking in raw bacon, thinking it’d bake nicely—in fact, it just got rubbery. Always cook it first, every time.
If your dough feels tough, add a splash more milk. Mine’s gone dry when I get distracted by my neighbor’s dog, who, by the way, is an absolute menace.
Dough can rest overnight in the fridge. Next morning, it rolls out fine (maybe even better—I can’t tell for sure).

What Else Can You Try? (Could Go Either Way…)

Crumble pecans over with the bacon. My brother swears this is the only way, but he’s wrong—they’re good either way.
Use Irish whiskey instead of bourbon. I thought it’d be fun. Honestly, not my favorite, but maybe that’s just me!
Swap maple for honey in the glaze—different vibe but still yum.

About The Gear (A Rolling Pin Is Nice But…)

You really want a rolling pin, but when I couldn’t find mine, a big water bottle did the trick (just, uh, rinse it first).
A stand mixer helps if you have one. If not—elbow grease and some good tunes.

How To Keep These Fresh (Assuming You Need To)

Technically, airtight at room temp for 2 days or fridge them if you’re worried. But honestly, in my house, they never last till sunset.

When To Serve ‘Em (And How)

Best warm. I bring them out with a pot of coffee (or, if you want to really push the boat out, Irish coffee), and extra bacon on the side because… well, because bacon. On holidays, we sometimes eat these while still in pajamas and claim it’s tradition.

Pro Tips: Hard-Earned Wisdom

I once tried to cut the rise time by cranking the oven warm. Turns out, yeast is picky and hates it—so just wait, eh?
Don’t skip the bacon draining step, or you’ll get weird greasy swirls (tasty but odd in texture!).
If you’re gonna save some for later, glaze just before serving, not before storing—or they get weird and soggy.

Frequently Asked Questions—And Honest Answers

Do these taste boozy? Not really, unless you dump in a ton of bourbon. It’s more of a “what’s that background flavor?” kind of thing. My mum, who hates whiskey, actually loves these. Go figure.
Can I use turkey bacon? Yeah, I’ve done it once—no complaints from that crowd. A bit less crispy, but not bad.
Can I make ahead? For sure. Make and slice, then keep in the fridge (uncooked) overnight. Bake in the morning. Actually, I find it works better if they get that overnight chill.
Is there a way to make these nut-free? There are no nuts in the base recipe (unless you add them, which is totally optional!).
What if my glaze is too runny? Add more powdered sugar. Or just call it a sauce. No one will mind, promise.

Oh, one last thing—a tip that’s off-script: if you have a dog who loves bacon, keep a slice hidden ‘til you’re done. Learned that one the hard way.