Caramel Rolls with Maple Frosting is an easy sweet roll recipe that’s perfect for a weekend brunch with friends.

If you feel like something sweet this weekend, I have an easy sweet rolls recipe for you with dough prepared in a stand mixer! My mom makes the best caramel rolls, using a mix of sugars and butter that turns into caramel on the bottom (or top?) of each roll. She lets her rolls rise on top of the mix in a cake pan. After the rolls are baked, she flips them out of the pan and lets them cool, creating a crunchy, sugary bliss. Similar to the crunchy parts on Panera’s cinnamon crunch bagel… on crack. Yum.

I made these rolls for a brunch potluck with friends, adapted from a recipe I found for fast cinnamon rolls that requires the dough to rise just once. I took my mom’s idea and turned it around, keeping the caramel part inside of the rolls and topping it with frosting for good measure. I also added maple syrup to the inside of the roll and the frosting. Why not?

I realized this is a dangerous roll to keep in my kitchen when I had an entire extra pan leftover – but it was worth every bite. Time to head to the gym!

Caramel Rolls with Maple Frosting
Makes 16 rolls.

Ingredients~

Roll dough:
3 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup skim milk
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 packet instant yeast
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Caramel filling:
1/3 cup butter {melted completely}
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup

Maple frosting:
1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 cup powdered sugar
4 Tablespoons skim milk {add more for thinner frosting}

How to~

1. Start by prepping the dough. Heat milk and butter together in a small pan on the stove on medium, stirring every few minutes. Don’t let the milk come to a boil – once the butter is melted completely into the milk, remove from the heat. 
2. In a Kitchen Aid or other stand mixer with a dough hook, add flour, white sugar, yeast, and salt. Mix on low until the ingredients are combined. Add the milk/butter mixture and egg and mix on low until combined. Once the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and form a ball around the hook, your dough is ready for the kneading step. If there is flour in the mixer that hasn’t been fully combined into the dough, turn the mixer off and use a spatula to combine.
3. Beat the dough for 5 minutes on the lowest speed of the mixer. While the dough is being kneaded by the mixer, find a warm spot for your rolls to rise {I used the stove}. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
4. Remove the dough hook and form the dough into a ball in the mixing bowl. Cover with a moist tea towel and let the dough rest for 10 minutes. While the dough is resting, melt 1/3 cup of butter completely in the microwave. Stir together dark brown sugar and white sugar in a separate bowl until combined.
5. Roll out the dough with plenty of flour on a flat surface, to approximately 15×18 in size {mine was not a perfect rectangle}. Spread the melted butter evenly, and sprinkle the entire sugar mixture over the dough. Add the maple syrup by drizzling evenly over the dough.
6. Roll the dough tightly into a log and pinch it together with your fingers. Use dental floss {my favorite technique!} or a serrated knife to cut each individual roll, about 1 inch in thickness.
7. Place each roll on a well-buttered pan {I used two pie dishes}. Let the rolls rise on a warm surface, covered, for approximately 20 minutes. I just let mine rise on top of the preheated oven.
8. After the rolls have risen, bake for approximately 20 minutes, until golden brown. 

While the rolls are cooling, make your frosting! Simply whisk together the skim milk, powdered sugar, and maple syrup. Add more powdered sugar if you want a thicker frosting, and more milk if you want a thinner frosting.

{Adapted from 1-Hour Cinnamon Rolls by gimme some oven}
Yum