There's really nothing better than warm cinnamon rolls, and these Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls are no exception. The tender dough rolls around a rich gingerbread filling loaded with warm spices, and each one is frosted with a cream cheese frosting. They're a must-have on Christmas Day and would be a fantastic brunch option during the holiday season!
Gingerbread is the perfect filling for these seasonal cinnamon rolls! The filling is similar to that of classic Cinnamon Rolls, except you add molasses and warm holiday spices to give it that dark brown color and festive flavor. It takes a little time to properly prepare the dough, but it's so worth it. You'll love sinking your teeth into these gingerbread rolls at your holiday celebrations, and your guests will, too!
Why You'll Love These Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls
- Real gingerbread flavor. The filling is made with real molasses and warm gingerbread spices to give you the flavor of gingerbread cookies in cinnamon roll form. So good!
- Perfect Christmas morning breakfast. Traditional cinnamon rolls are a great option for a special breakfast, and this holiday version takes the experience to the next level. The entire house will smell amazing. You'll definitely want to make this a new holiday tradition!
- Easy to make. Although it can be intimidating to work with yeast doughs, don't worry! This recipe has simple, step-by-step directions to guide you every step of the way. They're much easier than you'd think!
Ingredient Notes
To make these delicious gingerbread cinnamon rolls, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
For the dough:
- tangzhong - a homemade roux made with flour, milk, and water. It is used traditionally in Asian bread baking to make dough softer and prevents it from getting stale as quickly as usual. It is perfect for these gingerbread rolls!
- all-purpose flour - keep it simple with regular flour or try bread flour.
- milk - let your milk rest at room temperature before starting your cinnamon roll dough.
- brown sugar - this will add a mellow sweetness to the dough to let the flavorful filling shine.
- instant yeast - this yeast will begin rising right away.
- salt - this highlights flavor, so don't skip it!
- egg - egg will help hold the dough together and give it a rich, tender texture.
- butter - melt the butter before mixing into the dough.
- vegetable oil - for greasing the mixing bowl.
For the gingerbread filling:
- unsalted butter - softened butter will whip up perfectly.
- molasses - molasses will add a dark color and a deep sweetness. It's a must to get that classic gingerbread flavor.
- brown sugar - the rich flavor of brown sugar pairs well with the molasses and spices.
- spices - use a mixture of ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
For cream cheese frosting:
- cream cheese - be sure to soften at room temperature first.
- butter
- confectioners' sugar - also known as powdered sugar, this is the perfect sweetener for this fluffy frosting.
- vanilla - adds a hint of flavor.
Baking Tools and Equipment
You will also need the following baking equipment:
- measuring cups and spoons or kitchen scale
- small, medium, and large mixing bowls
- spatula
- rolling pin
- bench scraper
- 9x13 casserole pan
- large Ziploc bag or plastic wrap
- aluminum foil
- stand mixer with dough hook attachment and paddle attachment or electric mixer (optional).
How to Make the Best Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls
First, prepare the dough.
- Make the tangzhong. Add the flour, water, and milk to a small saucepan, and whisk until smooth. Turn the heat on to medium and continue whisking while it heats. Once the tangzhong has thickened (it should be thick enough that whisking leaves streaks), remove it from the heat to cool until just warm.
- Make dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, sugar, salt, yeast, milk, eggs, butter and tangzhong to a stand mixer.
- Knead. Knead with the hook attachment for 5-10 minutes. The dough should be smooth but will also be very soft and slightly sticky. You can also knead by hand by transferring the dough mixture onto a clean and dry surface and kneading for 5-10 minutes until it turns into a soft and smooth dough ball.
- Rise. Place the dough in an oiled mixing bowl, cover with plastic cling wrap, and place into a warm place to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size (or overnight in the refrigerator).
Next, make the gingerbread filling.
- In a small mixing bowl, mix together the softened butter and molasses until smooth and combined. Set aside.
- In a separate small mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice until well-combined. Set aside, as well.
Now, assemble the gingerbread rolls.
- Deflate. After the dough is doubled, use your hand to punch it down.
- Roll out dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll it into a rectangle approximately 12x16-inches in size, with the long side facing you.
- Add filling. Gently spread the molasses-butter across the dough, leaving a ½-inch strip bare along the top. Then sprinkle the spiced brown sugar evenly over top of the butter.
- Roll and slice. From the longside (side closest to you), roll the dough up into a tight log. Use string, floss, or a sharp serrated knife to slice it into 12 even rolls.
- Second rise. Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Place the rolls into the prepared pan, cover with plastic wrap, and place back into a warm place. Allow it to rise for about 20-30 more minutes, or until doubled in size.
Finally, bake the gingerbread rolls.
Remove the plastic cling wrap and place the risen rolls into the oven to bake in a 350F preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. Allow the rolls to cool slightly but note that you will want to frost the rolls while they’re still warm.
Lastly, make the cream cheese frosting.
- Combine. Add all of the cream cheese frosting ingredients to a medium mixing bowl and beat together using a hand mixer on medium speed until smooth. (You can also mix together using a whisk and spatula).
- Spread. Spread the cream cheese frosting onto the rolls while they’re still very warm. Serve immediately.
Recipe Variations
- Add nuts. Sprinkle some chopped nuts over the cinnamon roll dough before rolling.
- Adjust the size. If you want mini rolls, roll the soft dough into a much longer rectangle before rolling. Want huge rolls to share with your family? Roll the dough from the short side and cut into 3-4 large pieces. Let the rolls double before baking and adjust the baking time as needed.
- Add a hint of citrus. Give the cream cheese frosting a citrus twist by adding in lemon juice or orange juice.
How to Serve
These gingerbread cinnamon rolls are delicious served on their own for a snack, breakfast, or dessert. If including it as part of a holiday brunch spread, pair it with some of these classics breakfast recipes:
- Egg and Potato Breakfast Casserole
- Baked Gingerbread French Toast Casserole
- Breakfast Strata
- Gingerbread Pancakes
- Hash Browns
- Egg Muffins
Need more ideas? Try these 50 Best Christmas Breakfast and Brunch Recipes.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Use the right yeast. This gingerbread cinnamon roll recipe calls for instant yeast, which begins working immediately. Active dry yeast can be substituted, but it may take slightly longer to finish its rise. They're typically interchangeable.
- Adjust to your holiday schedule. If you're trying to make these rolls for Christmas morning, start the dough on Christmas Eve. After mixing the dough together, let it complete the first rise in the fridge overnight. The next morning, roll out the dough, add the filling, cut out the individual rolls, and let them complete the second rise before baking. You'll still have perfectly baked cinnamon rolls, but you'll get to sleep in a little longer!
- Keep it moist. If the dough dries out during the first or second rise, your cinnamon rolls will have a dry, wrinkled appearance. Make sure you cover the dough with plastic wrap, a plastic bag, or a damp kitchen towel at all times.
- Use the right knife. It'd be a shame to drag the wrong knife through the dough to cut out the rolls. You need to use a very sharp knife, ideally a long carving knife.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
How to Store
Store leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
How to Reheat
The easiest way to reheat a cinnamon roll is to microwave it for about 30 seconds. Be careful to microwave for too long as it can harden the dough and cause the cream cheese frosting to melt.
How to Freeze
You can easily freeze the baked cinnamon rolls for later, but store the frosting separately. After thawing and reheating the rolls, spoon on the icing right before serving.
FAQ
Cinnamon rolls are very easy to adapt into gingerbread rolls! They already have a tender enriched dough filled with a warm, spiced brown sugar and butter mixture. To make gingerbread cinnamon rolls, tweak the filling by adding molasses and even more warm spices. This will meld into a warm, gingerbread-spiced mixture that tastes amazing. Take the holiday flavor to the next level by topping the warm rolls with a cream cheese frosting. They taste like the holidays in every bite!
Mot cinnamon roll recipes call for two rises. In the first rise, you're just waiting for the dough to double in size. This also relaxes the dough after kneading to make sure it isn't too firm or dense. Once the dough springs back when you poke it, it's ready to roll and fill. After you place the rolls into the prepared baking dish, let them rise a second time. Make sure the rolls are fully doubled before you bake them in the oven, but be careful not to overproof them, or they may collapse after baking.
Every part of the cinnamon roll can be adapted from the dough to the filling and the glaze. You can add chopped nuts, extracts, zest, and spices to any part of the recipe, although you want to be careful not to weigh down the dough. The filling is a great part to tweak. Add different spices, dried or fresh fruits, mini chocolate chips, and more. You can also adapt the glaze by adding maple syrup, bourbon, citrus zest, and so much more. Just make sure you start with a strong basic recipe before you change things to get the best results!
More Cinnamon Roll Recipes
- Skillet Cinnamon Rolls
- Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Twist Bread
- Lemon Sweet Rolls
- Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls
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