This easy gingerbread cinnamon rolls recipe is filled with gingerbread spices, molasses, and is topped with a gingerbread cream cheese frosting. If you love gingerbread cookies, you'll love these sweet rolls!
These homemade gingerbread cinnamon rolls takes your classic cinnamon rolls and adds Christmas flavors that are perfect for the holiday season.
This is a soft dough that is filled with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. And with the addition of molasses, they have a true gingerbread flavor.
Looking for more Christmas brunch recipes? Then check out these: gingerbread muffins, white chocolate cranberry bread, and baked gingerbread donuts.
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Why You'll Love These Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
- They're super soft and fluffy.
- Molasses is in both the dough and filling.
- Gingerbread flavor is tasted with every bite.
- It's topped with a cream cheese icing.
- They'd make for a perfect Christmas morning breakfast.
Christmas day wouldn't be complete without an ooey gooey cinnamon roll!
Ingredients Needed
Here are some notes on the ingredients we'll be using. For the full list of ingredients, look at the recipe card below.
- Milk: You need warm milk that has been heated to about 110 degrees fahrenheit so the yeast can rise.
- Butter: This needs to be at room temperature for both the filling and icing.
- Yeast: I used active rise yeast. You could also use instant yeast or active dry yeast.
- Molasses: Use unsulphured molasses, as it contains no preservatives or artificial flavors. I like to use Grandma’s molasses as it is pure molasses.
- Flour: I used all-purpose flour.
- Brown Sugar: Use either light or dark brown sugar.
- Spices: A mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger are used to create that classic gingerbread flavor.
- Cream Cheese: Use the block-style cream cheese, not the spreadable kind.
Instructions
Here are the step by step instructions on how to make these Christmas cinnamon rolls.
Step 1: Prepare the milk. In a small bowl, heat the milk and cubed butter for about 30 seconds.
Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer and mix in the yeast, sugar, beaten eggs, molasses, and salt with a fork or whisk.
Step 2: Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Using the dough hook attachment, add in the flour and mix on low speed until the dough starts to form.
Increase to medium speed and knead until the dough is soft and slightly tacky.
Step 3: Rise the dough. Place the dough into a lightly greased large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise for 1 hour in a warm place.
Step 4: Gingerbread filling. In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg on high speed until completely combined.
Then mix in the molasses.
Step 5: Roll out the dough. On a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to ¼ inch thick large rectangle.
Use a rubber spatula to spread the filling all over the dough.
Step 6: Roll, cut the dough, and second rise. Roll the cinnamon roll dough into a log and use a serrated knife to cut and make 15 rolls. Place into a prepared 9x13 inch baking pan, cover, and let the dough rise for 20 minutes.
Step 7: Bake. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and bake the rolls for 15-20 minutes, or just until lightly golden brown on top.
Cinnamon Roll Icing
In the bowl of an electric mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on high speed until combined and creamy.
Add the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg and beat on low speed for about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for an additional 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
Immediately frost the rolls with the icing and serve immediately.
Storage Tips
Keep any leftover rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To reheat, place one cinnamon roll on a plate and heat for 15-20 seconds in the microwave.
Expert Baking Tips
- Baking Pan: These rolls are baked in a 9x13-inch baking dish. I used a glass pan. Be sure to spray the pan with cooking spray as well.
- Measuring Flour: To help ensure you don’t add extra flour, follow these three simple steps: 1) Fluff up the flour using a fork. 2) Spoon the flour into your measuring cup. 3) Scrape a knife across the top of the measuring cup to level out the flour.
- Rising Method: If possible, I recommend the first rise to happen in the oven. If you can't, then the dough can rise on the counter. I prefer the oven method when I can.
- Bake Time: Be careful not to over bake the dough. If over cooked, the dough will be hard and not soft.
- Icing: As soon as the rolls come out of the oven, spread the icing over the top. That way it'll melt into all of the cracks, which is the best part!
Recipe FAQs
It might need a little more flour. If the dough sticks to your fingers when trying to remove it, mix in 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until it doesn't.
I don't recommend it because molasses is what gives gingerbread that rich warm flavor. I think it's essential to any great gingerbread recipe.
I used a serrated knife to gently cut through the dough. You could also use unflavored dental floss to slice the rolls as well.
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below. I love hearing from you! Also, please tag me on Instagram and check out my Pinterest for even more recipe ideas.
It brings me so much joy to see you make my recipes. 🙂
Happy Baking!
More Christmas Recipes
📖 Recipe
Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- 9x13 Glass Baking Pan
- Electric Stand Mixer
- Rolling Pin
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients:
Dough
- 1 cup milk, warmed to 110°F
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 packets active rise yeast (4 ½ teaspoons)
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Gingerbread Filling
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 tablespoons molasses
Gingerbread Icing
- 3 ounces block-style cream cheese, room temperature
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions:
Dough
- In a microwaveable-safe bowl, heat the milk and cubed butter for 30-40 seconds, or until around 110°F. Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer and mix in the yeast, sugar, beaten eggs, molasses, and salt with a fork or whisk.
- Using the dough hook attachment, add in the flour and mix on low speed until the dough starts to form. Once formed, increase the speed to medium and knead until the dough is soft and slightly tacky (2-3 minutes). If the dough sticks to your fingers when trying to remove it, mix in 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until it doesn't (I needed to add 3 tablespoons).
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased large bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and once preheated turn it off, place the bowl in the oven, and keep the door slightly open. Allow the dough to rise in that warm space for 1 hour.*If you can't do this in your oven, let the dough rise on the counter.
Gingerbread Filling
- In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg on high speed until completely combined. Add the molasses and beat on high speed for another 30-60 seconds until combined. Set aside.
Assemble
- After the dough has risen, roll it out on a lightly floured surface to ¼ inch thick and into a rectangle. Use a rubber spatula to spread the gingerbread filling all over the dough.
- Starting on the long end, roll the dough up as tightly as you can into a log shape. Use a serrated knife and cut off the uneven ends. Then cut the log into 15 rolls (about 1 inch wide).
- Spray a 9x13-inch pan with non-stick spray and place the rolls inside of it. Cover with a towel and rise for 20 minutes on the counter.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and bake for 15-20 minutes, or just until the rolls are lightly golden brown on top and the center of the rolls are cooked through.
Gingerbread Icing
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on high speed until combined and creamy (2-3 minutes).
- Add the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg and beat on low speed for about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for an additional 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
- Spread the icing over the hot cinnamon rolls and serve immediately. Keep any leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes:
- Baking Pan: These rolls are baked in a 9x13-inch baking dish. I used a glass pan. Be sure to spray the pan with cooking spray as well.
- Measuring Flour: To help ensure you don’t add extra flour, follow these three simple steps: 1) Fluff up the flour using a fork. 2) Spoon the flour into your measuring cup. 3) Scrape a knife across the top of the measuring cup to level out the flour.
- Rising Method: If possible, I recommend the first rise to happen in the oven. If you can't, then the dough can rise on the counter. I prefer the oven method when I can.
- Bake Time: Be careful not to over bake the dough. If over cooked, the dough will be hard and not soft.
- Icing: As soon as the rolls come out of the oven, spread the icing over the top. That way it'll melt into all of the cracks, which is the best part!
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