A quick-rise yeast dough makes these Quick Apricot Pecan Cinnamon Rolls a mouth-watering breakfast treat. Dried apricots and crunchy pecans take traditional cinnamon rolls up a notch, perfect for breakfast or brunch for the ones you love.
If you’ve been following me for a while, you now know that cinnamon rolls are my all-time favorite dessert and/or breakfast. Are Cinnamon Rolls a dessert item or a breakfast item? For me, traditionally, they’re an anytime item, because I can’t get them made by breakfast time. I stress traditionally because until I found this quick recipe, making Cinnamon Rolls was a 4-hour process. You may remember my first using the dough of this recipe for my Snickers Bars Cinnamon Rolls. They were absolutely ‘the bomb’.
Let me also note, that most of the time I lump any kind of sweet roll into the Cinnamon Roll category. I’ve made Lemon Rolls, and Maple Rolls, Slow Cooker rolls and, even, Cinnamon Roll Bread. I refer to all of them as ‘Cinnamon Rolls’. You can see my drool-worthy Cinnamon Roll board on Pinterest. You should totally follow that board if you like cinnamon rolls!
For these Quick Apricot Pecan Cinnamon Rolls I made a traditional cinnamon roll and jazzed it up with finely chopped apricot and salted and toasted pecans. I liked the texture these ingredients added.
Quick Apricot Pecan Cinnamon Rolls Tips
I can’t stress enough a few tips when you are baking.
- Use quality ingredients. I use real butter when baking and good quality flour. (This recipe calls for bread flour. All-purpose flour may be substituted, but you’ll have a slightly different texture in the finished roll.)
- Always read through the recipe twice (!) before starting.
- Set the ingredients out to make sure you have everything you need. I’ll be honest, I’ve been in the middle of a recipe and realize I only have half a cup of something when I need a full cup. Nothing is more frustrating. Luckily, I have great neighbors than have come through for me in a pinch more than once! Most of the time I give them whatever it is that I’m making, after photos of course, so it’s kind of a win-win situation!
- Always check the date on your yeast, if it’s close to the expiration date throw it away and get fresh. If it doesn’t bubble or bubbles only slightly, and you’ve used a thermometer to test the water, the yeast is either old or dead and you should throw it out. If it doesn’t bubble when warm liquid is added, you’ll just waste the remainder of the ingredients because it won’t magically rise when the other ingredients are added.
- Always test the liquid with a thermometer. Check yeast package for temperature suggestion, but most of the time it’s suggested the temperature be anywhere between 110 and 130 degrees.
- With all bread containing yeast, a little patience is required. I know, patience is NOT my thing, but just think about the pillowy soft rolls you’ll have at the end!
More recipes you may like:
Snickers Bars Cinnamon Rolls
Homemade Energy Snack Bar
Sinfully Delicious Orange Marmalade Rolls
Caramelized Sweet Onion and Blue Cheese Pastry Galette
How to Keep Your Kitchen Clean & Organized
Quick Apricot Pecan Cinnamon Rolls
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Save To Your Recipe BoxIngredients
Dough
- 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1 and ½ cups hot water 100 to 110 degrees
- 4 to 4 and ½ cups bread flour
- 1 Tablespoon powdered milk
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs beaten
Filling
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- 1 cup dried apricots chopped
- ½ cup butter at room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- ⅓ cup cinnamon
Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon milk half & half or heavy whipping cream (more if needed)
Instructions
- Combine yeast, water, and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a small mixing bowl. Allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes in a warm place.
- Once the yeast is foamy, stir in the honey.
- While the yeast is sitting, add 3 cups flour, powdered milk, salt, and 1/2 cup sugar to a large mixing bowl. Once the yeast is ready, add yeast and eggs to this flour mixture. Mix using the dough hook on your electric mixer on low until all ingredients are combined. Or mix with a wooden spoon by hand if you're superwoman. 😆
- Once this mixture is incorporated, slowly add the remaining flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough pulls away from the bowl and is no longer sticky. At this point, you may want to remove it from the bowl and knead it by hand as it is very thick and puts a lot of strain on the mixer.
- Allow the dough to rest on a floured surface for 5 minutes. Turn the bowl you mixed it in upside-down over the dough.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13-inch pan or two 8 or 9-inch pans with non-stick spray.
- On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a large rectangle until 1/2 inch thick. The dough should measure about 16 inches by 12 inches.
- Spread butter on the dough, then sprinkle brown sugar, cinnamon, apricots, and pecans over the dough.
- Roll dough, beginning on the long side, pinching ends as you roll.
- With a serrated knife, slice the roll in half. Slice each half in half. Then half each of those pieces in half. You should have 12 rolls.
- Place rolls in prepared pans. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes then place in preheated oven.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Combine confectioners sugar, vanilla, and milk. Whisk until smooth, and pour over hot rolls.
Notes
Nutrition
Peter Gordon says
Paula:
Your Instructions heading comes in the middle of the ingredients list. You then proceed to number the Filling and Glaze ingredients and at step #11 you begin the directions. We all can figure this out but I thought you might be interested.
Paula says
Thanks for alerting me to that. I’ll fix it now. Some recipes formatted like that when I made a change and it’s been time-consuming to find them.
Britni says
Oh my goodness that looks incredible. I definitely have to try this soon! Thanks for sharing on the weekend re-Treat link party!
Britni @ Play. Party. Pin.
Jamie @ Love Bakes Good Cakes says
Cinnamon Rolls are a favorite in my family, too! Although I usually venture with traditional cinnamon rolls, I am thinking I need to break outta the box a bit! Thanks so much for linking up to Freedom Fridays – I’ve pinned this and will be sharing on my Facebook page! Have a great weekend! Hugs 🙂
Julia says
It’s been too long since I’ve made any kind of cinnamon roll. And with your lovely addition of apricots and pecans, how can I not enjoy these? I’m pinning this recipe to try soon!
Paula says
Thanks so much, sweet rolls have become my obsession!
Cindy @ Hun... What's for Dinner? says
This is a fabulous twist on cinnamon rolls. Thanks for sharing at Simple Supper.
Linda says
Thanks for linking to What’d You Do This Weekend, Paula. Have a good weekend and hope to see you next week.
Linda
Gloria // Simply Gloria says
Yep, any kind of a sweet roll is definitely an anytime kind of treat! I’d even go for your RV brownies for breakfast, lunch, AND dinner! (And, have these sweet rolls all in between!)
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says
These cinnamon rolls look like pure happiness, I just want to drive right in and eat them all! 🙂
Laura Dembowski says
Quick cinnamon rolls? Yes, please. Especially these with pecans and apricots. Love the idea of using jam too.
Zainab @ Blahnik Baker says
Oh my gosh these look amazing Paula!! Love the warm spices of cinnamon and look at all that icing? drooling!!
Paula says
Thank you, Zainab! I’m slightly obsessed with cinnamon and sweet rolls!
Linda says
Paula, these look wonderful. I’d love it if you linked this to What’d You Do This Weekend. It would be a great hit.
Have a good week,
Linda
Paula says
Thank you Linda. I wil come link right now. I’ve been so bad at linking at parties lately.
Kelly says
These look irresistible Paula! I love cinnamon rolls and don’t make them often since they can be time consuming so this quick dough sounds perfect! The dried apricots and pecans along with the glaze sound mouthwatering – pinning! Love this and wish these were my breakfast today 🙂
Paula says
Thanks for visiting and sharing, Kelly. Some times I can be patient with the dough, but other times I just want them quickly! 🙂