Cook on a Whim: Boozy Glazed Eggnog Sweet Rolls
By • December 12, 2019 0 567
’Tis the season for all the baked goods — and all the boozy eggnog!
I decided to combine the two to make our lives that much easier. Say hello to my boozy glazed eggnog sweet rolls. These are like cinnamon rolls, but we replace the cinnamon with the quintessential eggnog spice: nutmeg (freshly grated, if you please).
The dough is infused with eggnog, a bit more nutmeg and vanilla. The buttery, sweet filling is scented with nutmeg, vanilla and a splash of Christmas cheer — bourbon in this case, but you could use rum or whatever brown liquor you prefer. And then comes the glaze: powdered sugar, eggnog, vanilla, nutmeg and another splash of the good stuff.
These sweet rolls will fill your house with the sweetest, most Christmas-y smell. They will be the perfect addition to your holiday breakfasts and brunches, as well as making a wonderful gift. If booze isn’t your thing, just leave it out; they will still be so delicious and festively fragrant from the eggnog, vanilla and nutmeg. As I’ve noted in the recipe below, you can add a splash of all-natural rum extract in place of the booze.
Did I mention how much I love eggnog? My dad instilled my love for it when I was just a little girl. Now all of my kids love it too. I know eggnog is a love-it-or-hate-it kind of thing, but we are definitely a pro-nog family. It’s just not Christmas without it. My daughter will not allow any Christmas tree decorating to commence until we all have a glass of eggnog poured and the Christmas music is blasting.
Not only do I love sipping on a cold glass of nog, but baking with this rich, eggy, sweet and spicy concoction and using it in recipes just makes so much sense. Choose a good quality eggnog with as few ingredients — and definitely as few preservatives — as possible.
Here are just a few ways to use eggnog this holiday season:
French Toast: Just replace the milk or cream in the recipe with eggnog!
Crème Brûlée: Yes! Make it just the same way, but use eggnog instead of cream and get rid of the extra sugar in the recipe. It is so good!
Eggnog Latte: Just warm some eggnog very gently and use a whisk or a milk frother to really froth it up. Add to tea or coffee for a festive latte treat!
Eggnog Hot Cocoa: Same as above, just use eggnog in place of milk in your favorite hot cocoa recipe.
Cocktails: Of course, you could just splash in some bourbon, rum or brandy, but there are also some really fun cocktails out there.
Bread puddings or any kind of sweet breakfast casseroles, quick breads, muffins, waffles, frostings and glazes … I could go on and on. The point is, if you love eggnog as much as I do, don’t be afraid to try it in your favorite sweet recipes. Let your imagination run wild!
And if eggnog isn’t your thing, make my Browned Butter Vanilla Bean Cinnamon Rolls instead. This is the exact same dough; I just replace the milk with eggnog and switch up the filling and frosting.
And a few more sweet treats worthy of your holiday breakfasts:
Vanilla Bean Scones with a Vanilla Bean Glaze are my kids’ most requested breakfast treat, especially in the wintertime.
Triple Berry Crème Fraîche Scones are probably my favorite scones ever. Just replace the berries with halved fresh cranberries and some chopped rosemary. I did this for Thanksgiving this year and it was amazing.
Cara Cara Orange Scones will make you say, Hurray for citrus season!
And here are some eggnog-infused treats from fellow bloggers:
Eggnog Cream Pie with Caramel Rum Sauce from my pal Rebecca at DisplacedHousewife.
Eggnog Frosted Chai Snickerdoodle Snowmen from Half Baked Harvest.
Naughty Nice Hot Cocoa with Spiked Eggnog Marshmallows, also from Half Baked harvest.
Homemade Eggnog from The Kitchn.
Eggnog and Spiced Rum Cake by Sarah Fennel.
And finally, here is an old post I wrote about how much I love Christmas:
“Christmas: Feeling Nostalgic Already.”
Boozy Glazed Eggnog Sweet Rolls
Ingredients
For the dough:
3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour (I recommend King Arthur unbleached or Wheat Montana brand)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup eggnog (use a high-quality brand without a laundry list of additives and preservatives)
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup softened butter
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, seeds from one vanilla bean or splash of vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the filling:
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup softened butter
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, seeds from one vanilla bean or splash of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon bourbon, rum or brandy (optional — see note)
For the glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons eggnog
1 tablespoon bourbon, rum or brandy (optional — see note)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Courtesy Cook on a Whim.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 150 to 170 degrees or as low as your oven goes. This is just to create a warm environment to proof the dough.
Prepare a 12” x 9” baking dish (or the closest pan you have to that size) by buttering generously or spraying with cooking spray, then lining with parchment. Set aside.
I use a 4-quart glass Pyrex. You can also use two 9” springform or regular round cake pans, just line with parchment. I do this if I am planning to give them as gifts because they fit nicely into a pie or cake box or on a decorative plate.
Once oven preheats, turn oven off. Keep door closed. Proceed with recipe.
Warm eggnog either by blasting it in the microwave for about 90 seconds or warming it gently on the stove. You want it warm, not hot — ideally 100 to 110 degrees. Pour eggnog into bowl of a stand mixer along with brown sugar, yeast, egg and vanilla. Whisk and let sit for about 5 minutes.
Next, add 3 1/2 cups flour, 1/4 cup butter, salt and nutmeg to mixer. Using your dough hook, mix on low to medium speed until the dough comes together and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. If needed, add remaining 1/2 cup flour a little bit at a time until you have a soft, but not overly sticky dough.
Remove dough hook. Cover mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and place in warm oven for 30 minutes while you make the filling and glaze.
For the filling:
In a small bowl, mix all filling ingredients with a fork until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
For the glaze:
In a medium bowl, mix all glaze ingredients with a whisk until smooth and pourable, but not overly runny.
To assemble:
After 30 minutes, remove dough from oven, dump onto a lightly oiled surface and press it into a roughly 12” x 9” rectangle. Don’t go crazy here, it doesn’t have to be exact. Spread or sprinkle filling evenly over the entire surface of the dough, all the way to the edges.
Beginning on the 12” side closest to you, roll the dough very tightly away from you, keeping it taut all the way across as you roll. This will give you the most hypnotically swirled rolls with a great filling-to-dough ratio. Once you reach the end, pinch along seam to seal.
Cut roll in half, then cut each half in half to make 4 equal pieces. Cut each of these into 4. You will have 16 pieces. (The end pieces will be a little uneven, but they rise and bake just fine. Just place them in the pan uneven-side down and press them down a bit.)
Place pieces evenly in dish. Cover with plastic wrap or damp towel and let rise in a warm spot (your oven is a good place) until doubled in size, about an hour.*
Preheat oven to 375 during last 20 minutes of rising time. If you are rising your rolls in the oven make sure to TAKE THEM OUT before you preheat!
Once the dough has risen, remove plastic wrap or towel and bake for 25 minutes in preheated oven. Remove from oven and let cool completely before glazing.
* Alternatively, place in fridge overnight and let sit at room temp for 30 minutes before you bake the next morning.
Notes
- Freshly grated nutmeg will always have the best flavor, but pre-grated will work just fine if that’s what you have.
- If you are omitting the alcohol, but want a boozy flavor, add a splash of good-quality natural rum flavoring or extract. Just remember that extract is far stronger, so use just a bit.
- When making the glaze: if it is too thin, add more powdered sugar; too thick, add more eggnog.
- I recommend these flours not because I am being paid to. I truly have found that my bakes turn out better if I use either of these. Whatever brand you use, please be sure to get unbleached. Nobody needs those extra chemicals.
- The times for this recipe are rough estimates. It should take you about 10 minutes to whip the dough together; 30 minutes for the first rise; about 5 to 10 minutes to roll, cut and get them in the pan; then 30 to 60 minutes for the second rise. And, as noted in the recipe, the second rise can be done in the fridge overnight if you want to bake these fresh the next morning. Just give them 30 to 60 minutes at room temperature before you bake them.
Courtesy Cook on a Whim.
