The words “work lunch” usually call to mind a soggy, Ziplocked PB&J or the Tupperware-entombed remnants of last night’s dinner...unless you’re an team member at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits’ offices, that is.
Why? Because we have Chef Macy, that’s why.
Our ABC Offices serve as the company’s headquarters and the central warehouse where every product arrives before being distributed to stores across the Sunshine State. And, as you can imagine, it’s full of hungry, hardworking folks.
As ABC’s Wellness Executive Chef, Chef Macy El Masri’s job is to prepare a nutritious, delectable meal plan for ABC’s team members. She was trained at the Culinary Arts Institute in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and has been ABC’s very own top chef for 6 years. She’s a comfort foodie at heart, but she loves making healthier versions of her favorite dishes.
“Cooking healthier doesn’t mean it’s bland!” she says. “Being able to create a healthy meal program for our team members and hear that it is one of the perks to coming to work is certainly a gratifying feeling.”
Chef Macy’s got her work cut out for her cooking for a busy team of wine and spirits lovers, but she’s also who the marketing team bugs when we want a delicious, boozy recipe.
...so we did! And, as always, she came through with an absolute winner.
We asked Chef Macy for the perfect sweet, savory and boozy dessert recipe to serve this Thanksgiving, and she gifted us with the recipe for her Bacon Brie Pumpkin Spiced Rolls below.
Can you say, “Yes chef”?
Keep reading for step-by-step instructions on how to make this fall flavor treat, including tips and tricks from the pro who brought them to life.
“My father used to make cinnamon rolls every year for the holidays growing up,” Chef Macy said. “I always like to tie in different ingredient pairings and liked the idea of salted caramel, bacon and brie wrapped up in a pumpkin spiced sweet roll. Think of it like a roller coaster in your mouth!”
Consider us seated and strapped in for this culinary coaster ride.
Despite the abundance of flavors, Chef Macy assures us that this recipe is tasty, balanced and extremely forgiving, as long as you use fresh yeast and give the dough enough time to proof.
It’s also a versatile recipe, meaning you can swap ingredients to suit your taste preferences. If you are a sweet roll traditionalist, use Michaels Original Irish Cream, swap the pumpkin spice for cinnamon and omit the bacon and brie. If you want a lighter, fruitier roll, use Michaels Strawberry Irish Cream, swap the brie for cream cheese, cut out the butter in the filling, sprinkle with lemon zest and add dehydrated strawberries and/or bananas as part of the filling.
Ultimately, the flavors and ingredients are up to you and your Thanksgiving guests. But hey, this recipe is chef-recommended for a reason! Chef Macy’s recipe has everything you love about Thanksgiving (literally) rolled up into one bite: warmth, spice, savory flavors and, of course, PUMPKIN SPICE.
Let’s dig in.
Dough
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
½ cup water
⅓ cup granulated sugar
4 ½ cups bread flour, sifted (all-purpose flour is ok, too)
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt (regular yogurt is fine, too)
4 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Michaels Salted Caramel Irish Cream Liqueur
Bacon Bits
16-ounce package thick-cut bacon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Filling
4 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature
½ cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
8-ounce brie wheel cut into ¼ inch slices, room temperature
Glaze
4-ounce block cream cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon bacon fat
½ teaspoon salt
3 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons Michaels Salted Caramel Irish Cream Liqueur
Bacon bits, garnish
For the dough: Combine the water, yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar together in a heat-proof bowl. Microwave for 12 seconds until the mixture is warm to the touch (about 115°F, no higher). Yeast should start to foam (bloom) after 3-5 minutes. Place the flour and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and attach the dough hook. Add the foamed yeast to the flour mixture along with the remaining sugar, yogurt and eggs. Mix the dough on medium speed until it comes together and feels soft and slightly tacky, around 8 to 10 minutes. If it’s too sticky—meaning it’s sticking to the bottom of the mixer—add another 1 to 3 tablespoons of bread flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Alternatively, you can use your hands to knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes on a well-floured surface. Place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with a clean dish towel or plastic wrap and let the dough proof 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size as you get the filling ingredients ready.
For the bacon bits: Preheat oven to 355°F. Firm up the bacon by freezing it for 30 minutes (or thaw frozen bacon ⅔ of the way) to make slicing easier. Stack & slice bacon into thin strips about ¼ inch thick, then cut crosswise into bite-sized pieces. Spread out evenly onto a sheet pan, sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice and bake for 20–30 minutes. Stir halfway, rotate the pan and continue to bake until crispy. Pour the pan drippings into a heat-proof container and save. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel and set aside.
For the filling: Mix the butter, brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice together in a small bowl and set aside. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F. Flour a rolling pin and roll the dough into a 14- by 10-inch-long rectangle about ¼ inch thick with the longer side facing you. Evenly spread the butter mixture over the entire surface of the dough. Arrange half of the brie slices in a row about 1 inch from the edge closest to you, and the remaining slices in a second row across the center of the dough. Beginning with the edge nearest you, roll the dough up evenly and snugly, being careful not to stretch it too tightly. Cut ½ inch from each end and discard or bake separately. Score and cut the roll into 12 equal pieces. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with the reserved bacon fat, making sure to cover the bottom and sides. Place the cut rolls cut side up in the baking dish, 5 across and 3 down. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and proof again until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Pour Michaels Salted Caramel Irish Cream Liqueur over the tops of the rolls and bake for about 20-30 minutes, until puffed and golden-brown. A toothpick or skewer inserted in several spots should come out clean. Meanwhile, make the glaze.
For the glaze: Place the cream cheese, butter, bacon fat and salt in the bowl of the stand mixer and, using the paddle attachment, whip the cream cheese and butter for 3 minutes on medium speed. Turn the speed to low and add powdered sugar in 3 intervals, allowing the sugar to dissolve completely before adding more. After adding the last batch of sugar, add Michaels Salted Caramel Irish Cream Liqueur and whip on high speed for 30 seconds. Glaze the rolls after they have cooled and top with bacon bits.
Tips: Freezing the brie briefly can make it easier to slice. You also have the option to do the first proof and roll and fill. After placing them in the baking dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap and keep in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Remove the dough and allow it to come to room temperature and double in size, then bake accordingly.
Now, it’s your turn! Will you be putting Chef Macy’s recipe to the test this Thanksgiving? Or, even better, sending this recipe to someone else so they can make it for you?
Either way, a bottle of Michaels Irish Cream Liqueur is the best thing to bring to Thanksgiving dinner, both as a sweet sip and a key baking ingredient. With a variety delicious flavors, the possibilities are endless. Cheers!
