Fig Walnut Morning Rolls
Looking for an alternative to cinnamon rolls? You have got to try these Fig Walnut Morning Rolls! Serve them warm with a drizzle of honey.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 590kcal
Ingredients
Toasted Walnuts
- 1 cup walnut halves or pieces
Dough
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 4 ¼ cup all-purpose flour divided
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 envelope instant yeast approx. 2 ¼ teaspoons
- 2 large eggs room temperature
Filling:
- ½ cup honey
- 1 cup roughly chopped dried figs
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter very soft
Egg Wash:
- 1 large egg lightly beaten mixed with 1 teaspoon water
For serving:
- honey for drizzling optional
Instructions
Toast the Walnuts
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177ºC). Place the walnuts onto a baking sheet in an even layer and toast in the oven 8-10 minutes until golden brown and fragrant, shaking the pan halfway through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Once cool, place in a sealed ziplock bag and crush into tiny pieces with the flat side of a wooden mallet or rolling pin. Set aside. This step can be completed up to one week prior to using the walnuts in this recipe.
Make the Dough
- In a small saucepan, combine milk and butter. Heat on low and stir until the butter is melted and the milk is warm to the touch. If needed, let the milk mixture sit for a few minutes until it is warm but not hot. (It should be around 110°F / 43ºC).
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 4 cups flour, sugar and salt until combined. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough-hook attachment, add yeast and lukewarm milk mixture and stir by hand to combine. Add the flour mixture and eggs and mix on medium-low speed with the dough hook until combined. If the dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl, add the remaining flour, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough begins to form a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Continue kneading for 5 minutes on medium-low speed. Remove dough and gently form it into a ball with your hands. Place it in a bowl greased lightly with vegetable oil and cover with plastic wrap.
- Allow the dough to rise 1 - 1 ½ hours in a warm spot in your kitchen then place in the fridge at least 4 hours or up to 12 hours. The dough will eventually double in size in the fridge and it’ll be much easier to work with once it’s cold. Overnight refrigeration also helps develop the flavor of the dough. If you are in a rush, let the dough rise 1 - 1 ½ hours, skipping the chilling overnight piece. The dough may be a bit more difficult to work with when it’s not chilled, as it’ll be softer.
Make the Filling
- Just before you are ready to remove the dough from the fridge, make the filling by placing the figs, honey, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor. Process until the mixture forms a thick, sticky paste. Set aside.
- Butter a 9x13-inch rectangular baking pan. Set aside.
- Remove the chilled dough from the fridge. Flour a clean work surface and carefully dump the dough out. Roll out dough into a large rectangle until the dough is about ¼ inch thick and measures approximately 16” x 12”. Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough using a small offset spatula, getting as close to the edges as possible. Dollop the fig honey mixture evenly over the dough and spread into an even layer using the offset spatula. Lastly, scatter the crushed toasted walnuts evenly over the dough. You likely will not need all the walnuts to sufficiently cover the dough. Save them to sprinkle on your yogurt or ice cream.
- Roll the dough into a cylinder, beginning from the long end, pinching to seal the end to the cylinder once you've reached the end. Using a sharp knife, cut ½ inch off each end. You may discard these ends or squeeze them into the pan to bake with the rest of the rolls. Cut the dough in half in the middle then cut each half in half, repeating once more for each piece until you have 8 evenly sized rolls. Carefully place the rolls in the prepared pan in a 2x4 pattern. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise 40-50 minutes or until doubled in size, in a warm spot (no warmer than 80°F) in your kitchen. Placing the rolls next to a warm stove or in a cold oven with the light on works really well.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC).
Brush with Egg Wash
- Once doubled in size, brush the rolls lightly with beaten egg mixed with a teaspoon of water.
- Bake in preheated oven for 20-22 minutes or until lightly golden brown on top. Allow to cool slightly, then remove from the pan by running a knife around the edges, lifting out with a small offset spatula. Drizzle with honey when serving, if desired.
Notes
- These rolls are best when served warm the day they are made. They’ll keep up to 3 days in the fridge. Warm gently in a 350°F (177ºF) oven for 5-10 minutes before serving
- Unbaked rolls can be frozen after step 8 for up to one month. Defrost at room temperature for one hour before baking
- Rolls may be cut smaller to make more than 8. Please note, nutrition information is based on 8 large rolls
Nutrition
Calories: 590kcal
