These Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls are not your typical, traditional rolls. The gingerbread spices add great flavor to every sweet bite and the maple cream cheese frosting is beyond amazing! You’re sure to say, “Ho Ho Hoooo”! This recipe comes together in a little over an hour and its complex flavor and simple steps, makes it one of the best sweet treats to enjoy this holiday season!

With Christmas fast approaching, I’ve been extremely busy with work, Christmas shopping, curating recipes, blog goals, my little guy, and so much more!

It’s definitely one of the busiest times of the year! I’m sure that you can relate, too! Right?

More recently, I’ve decided that I wanted to make cinnamon rolls again because it’s such a great comfort dessert!

I mean, who doesn’t enjoy a nice, warm cinnamon roll fresh out the oven!? Haha. Anyway, I didn’t want to do the classic cinnamon rolls because it wouldn’t really give off a holiday season feel, so I thought about doing something a bit more creative!

Granted, there are a few Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll recipes already out there, BUT this recipe showcases some really bold flavors that are TOO amazing not to try! Maple Cream Cheese frosting? Need I say more?

The best thing about it—-it’s not as hard as you may think it is to make!

The “rising” time takes the longest, but if you’re anything like me, you’ll probably end up using that time to get other things done OR maybe watch your favorite show, etc.

Multi-tasking much? Yup.

Once the dough doubles in size, the remaining steps are pretty easy! Just roll it out, sprinkle, roll it up, and cut! Wallah!

To make the Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1/2 pack of (8oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 2 Tbsps butter, softened
• 1/4 cup organic maple syrup
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Simply beat the cream cheese, butter, and maple syrup together on medium speed in an electric mixer until well incorporated.

Next add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract and mix until nice and creamy! Enjoy!

Lover of Cinnamon Rolls? Be sure to check out the latest dairy-free Cinnamon Roll recipe on Orchids + Sweet Tea: Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls.

Lover of Cinnamon Rolls?

These Delicious Homemade Classic Cinnamon Rolls are the best thing you’ll ever taste–seriously! Big, fluffy, tender, and smothered in a rich, but light cream cheese frosting, these cinnamon rolls are sure to win over any sweet tooth.

These Fluffy Homemade Orange Cinnamon Rolls are almost better than their Classic counter parts––seriously! Each roll boasts of it’s bigness, fluffiness, tenderness, and they come smothered in a rich, but light orange-flavored cream cheese frosting. These cinnamon rolls are sure to be your newest favorite sweet treat for the Spring/Summer.

If you’re a lover of Fall spices and sweet flavors, then these Delicious Homemade Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls are the best thing you’ll ever taste–seriously! Big, fluffy, tender, brioche-thick and smothered in a rich, but light pumpkin spice cream cheese glaze, these cinnamon rolls are sure to be a winner for any sweet tooth. Overnight option available.

These Perfect Apple Streusel Cinnamon Rolls are not your traditional cinnamon roll at all. These rolls come loaded with apple + pecan bits and topped heavily with a brown sugar and pecan crunch crumble. Every bite will have you feeling like you’re eating a warm slice of Grandma’s apple pie. There’s really no other way to eat a cinnamon roll after finding this recipe.

But here are a few tips that I’ve learned along the way to ensure that I make the perfect Cinnamon Rolls:

• Like I said—NEVER overheat the milk. 

This one is super, super imperative. You have to always make sure that your milk is warm to the touch and not even a degree hot. Even if you heat your milk and it’s hot, simply let it cool until it feels warm. This ensure that you don’t kill the yeast and your dough rise to a nicely big fluff.

• Use very soft butter at room temperature.

This is the ultimate secret to tender cinnamon rolls. Much like with other cakes and doughs, room temperature butter creates a nice texture. Simple.

• Mix, Mix, MIX! 

Unlike most other recipes, you actually want to mix (or knead) your cinnamon roll dough to its capacity so that you release the gluten and it becomes extremely elastic. This helps when rolling and allows you to create a nicely flat, thin square, which is later filled with your choice of filling and rolled.

• Overnight is better!

Although I’ve mostly made my cinnamon rolls within the same day, ultimately, rising your dough overnight in the refrigerator is the best! This slow rise process allows the yeast to completely feed off of the sugar and creates great flavor and of course—a lot more fluffiness.

• Use Bread Flour too.

One of my latest discoveries was the use of bread flour in my cinnamon rolls. Before, I would use only all-purpose flour. However, after a little experimenting, I’ve learned that bread flour creates a beautiful texture—tender, thick, and even more fluffy, almost ‘brioche’ like.

Let’s dig right into this recipe, shall we?

5 from 2 votes

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Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

These Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls are not your typical, traditional rolls. The gingerbread spices add great flavor to every sweet bite and the maple cream cheese frosting is beyond amazing! You're sure to say, "Ho Ho Hoooo"! This recipe comes together in a little over an hour and its complex flavor and simple steps, makes it one of the best sweet treats to enjoy this holiday season!

Course: Dessert

Keyword baked, brioche, cinnamon rolls, classic, cream cheese, dessert, easy, fluffy, gingerbread, healthy, holidays, homemade, recipe, sweet, vegetarian

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Rise Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Creator Shanika | Orchids + Sweet Tea

Must-Haves:

Gingerbread Dough:

• 2 1/4 cups Organic All-Purpose Flour (I used Bob's Red Mill)
• 1 cup Organic Whole Wheat Pastry Flour (I used Bob's Red Mill)
• 1 packet Rapid Rise Yeast (That's 2 1/4 tsps!)
• 1/3 cup organic brown sugar + 1 Tbsp (I used Sugar in the Raw!)
• 1 1/4 cup Almond milk (I used Califia Farms; You can also use whole milk if preferred)
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter (That's 4 Tbsps!)
• 2 large eggs, room temp.
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp allspice
• 1/4 cup molasses

Filling:

• 3 Tbsps unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup organic brown sugar (I used Sugar in the Raw!)
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Maple Cream Cheese Glaze:

• 4 oz. organic cream cheese, at room temp (That's 1/2 a pack!)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups organic powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup organic maple syrup, warmed
• 2 Tbsps unsalted butter, softened

Instructions:

1. Start by combining the yeast and 1 Tbsp brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and then slowly pouring in the warm water, while stirring everything together. Allow 10 minutes for the mixture to sit and the yeast to activate (It'll become foamy when done right!).

2. Meanwhile, melt the butter and milk together over the stove top on low to medium heat, stirring frequently until the butter has fully melted. NOTE: You don't want the mixture to get too hot or boil! Set aside and let it cool until WARM.

3. Add lukewarm butter-milk mixture to yeast and mix until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time and continue mixing on low speed until well combined. Add in the molasses.

4. Next, combine the all-purpose flour, wheat flour, brown sugar, sea salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice to the wet ingredients and mix on low-speed until well combined. 

5. Change "mixer head" to kneading accessory and knead dough for 5-10 minutes on medium-high speed until dough ball becomes smooth and elastic and dough springs back when lightly pressed with 2 fingers. NOTE: If dough is too sticky, add 1 Tbsp of flour at a time until texture is achieved!

6. Once dough ball is perfectly kneaded, add it to a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it sit and rise for 1 hour to an hour + 15 minutes.

7. In the meantime, you can work on the filling!

For the Filling:

1. Melt butter and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine cinnamon, and brown sugar and set aside as well.

2. Once the hour has gone by and your dough has risen (about double it's original size), preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, flour a flat surface and place the dough on it and using a rolling-pin, roll it out to a rectangle (approximately 9"x14), trimming the edges if needed. NOTE: Try not to make the dough too thin or else rolling it up will be hard to do!

3. Then, generously brush melted butter overtop of dough and spoon the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the butter. NOTE: I also use a 'pastry brush' to sweep sugar mixture evenly across the dough to ensure that every bite is sweet!

4. Tightly roll dough (long-ways) and using a pastry cutter, cut dough into 1.5" rolls, placing each roll into a large baking dish (lined with parchment paper!).

5. Then place plastic wrap over the baking dish with rolls and let them rise again (for another 20 minutes).

6. Once the rolls have doubled in size (once again!) or have gotten significantly larger, brush the tops of the rolls with a little more melted butter and then bake them for approximately 25 minutes in the preheated oven.

7. While all the baking magic is happening, make the maple cream cheese glaze and set aside.

8. Remove the rolls from oven and wait 5 minutes or so, and then drizzle frosting atop everything!

For the Maple Cream Cheese Glaze:

1. Simply combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer & beat together on medium-high speed until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and warm maple syrup, continuing to mix on medium speed until you reach the desired consistency. **Add more powdered sugar (for more thickness).*

2. Remove the rolls from oven and wait 15-20 minutes or so (until it completely cools), and then spread the glaze atop the rolls using a rubber spatula.

3. Bon Appetit!

Tips | Notes:

TO STORE: Cinnamon Rolls can be kept fresh at room temperature when tightly wrapped or sealed for up to 3 days. Fresh for up to 1 week in the Refrigerator. Baked rolls can be frozen up to 2 months.

OVERNIGHT OPTION: If you don’t want to make your Cinnamon Rolls on the same day, you can simply follow all steps (including the initial 1+ hour rise) and after cutting rolls and placing them into your baking pan, just cover them tightly (using foil paper of plastic wrap) and refrigerate them overnight or for 8-12 hours instead. The following day, remove from refrigerator and keeping them covered, let cinnamon rolls rise at room temp 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

RAPID (INSTANT) RISE YEAST VS. ACTIVE DRY YEAST: If you’re not using the Rapid Rise Yeast for this recipe, please know that the rise time will be twice as long (about 3 hours) since regular Active Yeast doesn’t work as quickly.

 

Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls + Maple Cream Cheese Frosting.