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These fluffy Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls are the perfect recipe for the holiday season! They are a fluffy yeast sweet roll full of cinnamon filling that tastes like a gingerbread cookie, complete with a maple cream cheese icing – they’re SO GOOD.
Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls
These cinnamon rolls are super easy and they are great to make ahead of time for any busy holiday mornings! Whenever I am making these for Christmas or around then, I will make them the day before and then cover them in the fridge for the next morning – no one wants to get up on a holiday and have to start from scratch.
These have a delicious maple frosting that pairs so nicely with the cinnamon roll and gingerbread filling! They taste amazing and will transport you into the holiday season! I am obsessed with gingerbread flavors and I hope you love these as much as we do.
Ingredients Needed
- Active Dry Yeast: It’s important to use the proper yeast – the recipe was written for active dry.
- Warm Milk: This needs to be at the correct temperature to activate the yeast.
- Egg: The fat from the egg adds a nice richness an softness to the dough.
- Flour: All purpose flour is the best for this recipe.
- Molasses: I added this to the filling to give it that gingerbread taste, along with gingerbread spices (cinnamon, ground cloves, allspice, nutmeg, and ground ginger).
- Pure Maple Syrup: Using real maple syrup is important for the frosting, along with Maple Extract to give it that yummy maple flavor.
How to make Gingerbread Spice Cinnamon Rolls
- Heat milk until it’s between 100-110°F. Add yeast 1 teaspoon sugar and stir. Let it sit for a few minutes until the yeast is activated and foamy.
- Place remaining sugar, butter, salt, and egg in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until the butter is distributed throughout the liquids, although it may be chunky. Pour in the yeast mixture and stir for a few seconds.
- Add flour and stir with the paddle attachment just until the mixture starts to stick to the paddle. Then replace the paddle with the dough hook. Continue mixing on low speed until the dough forms a ball in the center of the bowl.
- Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough ball in it. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let sit for 2-4 hours until the dough doubles in size.
- Stir together butter, brown sugar, flour, and spices until it forms a paste.
- Roll out risen dough on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle. Spread the filling as evenly as possible over the rectangle, making sure to reach to the sides so the outer rolls have enough filling.
- Roll the dough up tightly from the long end. Slice it into 12 equal rounds with a sharp knife. Place rolls in a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- At this point, you can let them rise for about 30 minutes-1 hour until they are swelling up in the pan and bake as directed. Or you can do what I do: cover with plastic wrap and stick in the refrigerator overnight until ready to bake.
- Make the frosting: Mix cream cheese, butter, and maple syrup with a hand mixer until well blended. Mix in powdered sugar and cinnamon until smooth, stir in vanilla and maple extract. Frost rolls and serve warm.
Expert Tips
- An instant read thermometer is really helpful when making cinnamon rolls – this way you know the milk is at the right temperature to activate the yeast.
- If it is cold in your house, I may take longer to rise so keep that in mind. You can also preheat your oven to the lowest temperature, then turn the oven off and place the bowl of dough in the oven with a pan of water underneath. The steam and warmth will help rise the dough faster.
FAQs
Can I freeze these?
Yes you can! Freeze them in an airtight container for 3 months!
Gingerbread Spice Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
A fluffy homemade cinnamon roll filled with gingerbread spices.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Rising Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 50 minutes
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 1 package (7g) active dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)
- ¾ cup (177ml) warm non-fat milk
- ⅓ cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter , softened
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
For the Filling:
- 6 tablespoons (84g) unsalted butter , softened
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons (15g) all-purpose flour
For the Frosting:
- 4 ounces (113g) cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter softened
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 cups (226g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon maple extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon , optional
Instructions
- Make the Dough: Place milk in a microwave safe measuring cup. Heat for 30-45 seconds in the microwave, until it’s between 100-110°F. Add yeast 1 teaspoon sugar (from the ⅓ cup) and stir. Let it sit for a few minutes.
- Place remaining sugar, butter, salt, and egg in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until the butter is distributed throughout the liquids, although it may be chunky. Pour in the milk/yeast mixture and stir for a few seconds.
- Add flour and stir with the paddle attachment just until the mixture starts to stick to the paddle. Then replace the paddle with the dough hook. Continue mixing on low speed until the dough forms a ball in the center of the bowl.
- Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough ball in it. Spray the top of the dough ball with cooking spray (lightly) and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let sit for 2-4 hours until it doubles in size.
- Note on rising: if your house is warm, it should rise no problem. If it’s cold in your house, it may take longer for the dough to rise, so plan accordingly!
- Prepare your Rolls: Stir together butter, brown sugar, flour, and spices until it forms a paste.
- Once the dough is risen, roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle, about 10×15-inches. Spread the filling as evenly as possible over the rectangle, making sure to reach to the sides so the outer rolls have enough filling.
- Roll the dough up tightly from the long end. Slice it into 12 equal rounds. Place the rolls into a 9×13-inch baking pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
- At this point, you can let them rise for about 30 minutes-1 hour until they are swelling up in the pan and bake as directed. Or you can do what I do: cover with plastic wrap and stick in the refrigerator overnight until ready to bake.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. If the rolls have been in the refrigerator, remove them and let them warm up while the oven is preheating. Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
- Make the frosting: Mix cream cheese, butter, and maple syrup with a hand mixer until well blended. Mix in powdered sugar and cinnamon until smooth, stir in vanilla and maple extract. Frost rolls and serve warm.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- You can make and assemble the cinnamon rolls up to 24 hours in advance; chill tightly wrapped and let come to room temperature to finish rising before baking.
- Store leftovers loosely covered for up to 3 days.
- Freeze cinnamon roll dough or baked cinnamon rolls for up to 3 months.
Recipe Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 426kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 193mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 44g | Vitamin A: 332IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Dorothy – The directions say add cinnamon to the frosting, but it’s not in the ingredients. Can you add this to the recipe, please?
Thanks!
I don’t have any maple extract – and, unfortunately, I’m not buying some just for this recipe. Can one just add more syrup or do something else to do a similar thing? Thanks.
I meant to get a similar tasting frosting. Yikes.
You can use maple syrup, but it won’t have the punch of maple flavor that the extract does. Add a little extra vanilla – they’ll still be amazing!
Thank you so much, Dorothy! These were absolutely delightful! Hubby and bro-in-law raved! And I almost swooned, too.
I despise adding a ton of powdered sugar to cream cheese (cc); in my opinion, it defeats the purpose of using cc. 8 oz. cc, ~¼ c. powdered sugar, extra 2 t. vanilla, extra maple syrup (How much? Unfortunately, didn’t measure.) Probably made too much frosting, but it was very delicious.
Other changes: omitted flour in spice/sugar paste, accidentally used 1 c. milk instead of ¾ c.
I’m glad you like them! What’s so funny – when you mention that about the cc frosting. I’ve always just had it really sweet – recipes I used to follow (then created), from stores, etc. Then I made the red velvet cookie cups last week from a cookbook and there was minimal sugar and it was so cream cheesey it kind of blew my mind how good it was. Totally changing my recipes from now on. 🙂
These…OMG…look amazing! We are going to have to try! All of your recipes look so delish!
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