Get ready for the most amazing Christmas morning treat – these gingerbread cinnamon rolls are absolutely divine! Picture this: soft and fluffy rolls infused with the warm flavors of gingerbread spice, filled with a luscious gingerbread filling, and topped with eggnog cream cheese frosting. Is your mouth watering yet?
Why These Cinnamon Rolls Are a Must-Try:
- They’re bursting with festive flavors! Think molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and cloves – the perfect blend of Christmas spices in every bite. Plus, they’re soaked in eggnog while they rise, making them extra gooey and delicious.
- And let’s talk about how soft they are. Seriously, each roll is like a little pillow of doughy, buttery, sweet gingerbread goodness.
- Making them is an adventure in itself! Sure, they take a bit of time, but trust me, it’s half the fun. There’s something magical about working with yeast dough and watching it transform into these delicious rolls. It’s like baking happiness!
Christmas Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls:
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg whisked
- 1 egg yolk whisked
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 3 tablespoons molasses
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Gingerbread Filling:
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- Pinch of salt
- ⅓ cup eggnog at room temperature (for pouring between rolls while they proof)
For the Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup eggnog
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
For the Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll Dough:
- Heat milk until lukewarm, then mix with yeast and granulated sugar. Let it sit until foamy.
- In a stand mixer, whisk together flour, spices, granulated sugar, and salt.
- Add whisked egg, egg yolk, butter, molasses, vanilla, and yeast mixture. Mix until combined, then knead with dough hook until smooth.
- Let dough rise until doubled in size.
For the Gingerbread Filling:
- Mix butter, brown sugar, molasses, spices, and salt in a bowl.
- Assembling and Baking the Cinnamon Rolls:
- Roll out dough into a rectangle, spread filling, then roll up and slice into rolls.
- Place rolls in a greased dish, pour eggnog between rolls, and let rise.
- Bake until golden brown.
For the Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth, then add eggnog and nutmeg.
- Once the rolls are done, slather them with frosting and enjoy the festive goodness!