Gingerbread Rolls with Molasses Butter/Gingerbread Brown Sugar Filling & Maple Glaze

First, warm your milk. Microwave it in two 15-second increments. Since we are using instant yeast here, this isn’t a necessary step to activate the yeast, however I find it helpful to make sure all of the ingredients are room temperature - this will ensure nothing curdles.
In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt. Set aside.
Once your milk is warm, pour it into a large bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top and lightly whisk them together with a fork. Add the granulated sugar, egg and melted butter. Gently whisk until the mixture is combined.

Add in the flour mixture.
If you are making the dough by hand, mix the flour until it is incorporated and a dough forms. Lightly flour your work space (and your hands) and begin to knead the dough. If the dough is super sticky, add more flour tablespoon by tablespoon. You may need to add an extra 6-8 tablespoons of flour so it is not super sticky. Knead the dough by hand for 8-10 minutes. The dough should come together and be slightly sticky. After the 8-10 minutes of kneading, if you gently press your finger into the dough, it should bounce back.
If you are using a stand mixer, using the dough hook, start by mixing the flour on low speed so the flour doesn’t fly out the bowl, scraping the flour off the sides of the bowl if necessary. Once the dough forms, turn the mixer up to medium speed and knead using the dough hook for 8-10 minutes. If the dough is sticking to the bottom the bowl, add more flour tablespoon by tablespoon. You may need to add an extra 6-8 tablespoons of flour. The dough should come together and be slightly sticky. After the 8-10 minutes of kneading, if you gently press your finger into the dough, it should bounce back.
Once the dough is ready, place it in a well-oiled boil with a damp paper towel/kitchen towel and leave it in a warm environment (in the microwave/in the oven – both OFF) to prove for 1 ½ hours. It should double in size.

While the dough is proving, make the filling. Take the butter out of the fridge and leave it at room temperature for a while so it becomes super soft and spreadable. Once it is that texture, mix the butter with the molasses. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground ginger and ground nutmeg. Set aside.
Once the dough has finished proving, grease an 8x8 inch, 9x9 inch, or pie pan and set aside. Remove the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into an 11 x 17 inch rectangle. Spread the molasses butter onto the dough, then sprinkle the spiced brown sugar filling onto the butter. Gently rub the sugar mixture into the butter.

Gently begin to roll the dough into a log, beginning from the long side. Once the dough is completely rolled, with the seam side down, gently press on the top of the dough just to secure it.
Using a piece of floss, place the floss underneath the dough with the ends coming up on the sides. Criss cross the floss over the dough and pull until a piece of the dough comes off. They should be about 1 inch in width. Repeat this process with the entire log.
Place your rolls into the prepared pan and lay the same damp towel you used for the first prove over the pan. Leave the rolls to rise for another 30 minutes.
When the dough has 5-10 minutes left to prove, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Measure out the heavy cream and warm it in two 15-second increments in the microwave. You don’t want it to be hot, just warm. Once the dough is done with its second rise, pour the heavy cream in the pan in and around the dough. You really want the dough to soak it up – this is key to having ooey, gooey rolls!
Place the rolls in the oven and bake them for 24-26 minutes, or until slightly golden on top.

While the rolls are baking, prepare the maple glaze. In a medium sized bowl, combine the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, maple syrup and milk. You may need to add 1 or 2 more tablespoons of milk depending on your desired consistency of the glaze.
Once the rolls are done, let them cool for 5 minutes. Pour the glaze all on top of the rolls and enjoy!