Homemade Apple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

• When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.

For the Dough

• In a small saucepan, heat milk and butter until butter has melted. Remove from heat, let cool a bit.
• With a stand mixer, mix together water, yeast, sugar, eggs and yokes with a paddle attachment on low speed until mixed well.
• Add salt, warm milk mixture, 2 cups flour and mix for 1 minute on medium speed.
• Change to a dough hook and gently add another 2 cups of flour and if needed, add remaining 2 tablespoons of flour. "You want the dough to clean the sides of the bowl but there should be about a 2 inch wide layer of dough still at the bottom."
• Knead for 10 minutes until dough is soft, smooth and elastic.
• Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into a smooth ball.
• Then place dough into a greased bowl. Turn over making sure the grease is on the top and bottom.
• Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours so the dough will rise. The dough should double within that time.
• Start preparing the apple pecan filling approximately 15 minutes prior to the end of the rise time.

For the Apple Pecan Filling

• Peel, core and slice apples into 1/4" slices. Then chop apples into small pieces all about the same size. Put into a medium mixing bowl, add lemon juice and stir.
• In a small mixing bowl, whisk brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and flour together. Sprinkle over apples and stir to coat. Add chopped pecans and toss until mixed.
• Once dough has doubled in size, place onto a lightly floured surface.
• With a rolling pin, roll into a 16 x 12 inch rectangle.
• Spread butter over entire surface except for the edge of one the long side (16 inch side). That will need to be left clean of apples and butter so it will stick to the dough to seal.
• Sprinkle the apple pecan mixture on top of the butter.
• Begin rolling the dough as tight as possible lengthwise, the 16 inch side. Pinch the ends together as you roll making sure the filling stays inside.
• Once it's rolled, moisten the clean edge with water and seal.
• Make sure the roll is 16 inches long.
• Cut into 2 inch slices. Should end up with 8 pieces.
• Place into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish, cut side up and cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place. Let rise.
• When rolls are almost finished rising (another hour or two), preheat oven to 350°
• Bake cinnamon rolls for about 35 minutes until internal temperature reaches 185-188° and rolls are golden.

For the Icing

• In a medium mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add vanilla and milk and beat until well incorporated. Add additional milk if needed to make the icing easy to spread.
• When cinnamon rolls are finished baking, remove from oven.
• Spread rolls with half of the icing immediately allowing the icing to melt and really get into the crevasses.
• After about 3 - 5 more minutes, spread the remaining frosting over the cinnamon rolls again and enjoy!

ENJOY!