Go Back
–+ servings
Fresh gingerbread rolls are a perfect Christmas breakfast.
Print Recipe
5 from 5 votes

Festive Gingerbread Rolls

Bake up some festive Gingerbread Rolls! These tender flaky rolls are filled with the flavor of the holidays.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Additional Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Bread Recipes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12
Calories: 435kcal
Author: Laura

Equipment

Ingredients

Rolls

  • 4 1/2 -5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 packets Rapid Rise Yeast
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cups warm water
  • 6 TBSP unsalted butter
  • 1 egg

Gingerbread Filling

  • 5 TBSP unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 TBSP molasses
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 3 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 TBSP heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp salt

Instructions

  • mix 2 cups of flour with the dry ingredients for the rolls together in the bowl of a stand mixer and set aside
  • warm the water and melt the butter together in a saucepan just until the butter melts
  • let the water butter mix cool to JUST warm
  • set up your stand mixer with a dough hook
  • then stir the water and butter together with the eggs
  • stir it into the flour mix with the dough hook on low speed
  • add one cup of flour and blend on low again
  • add the fourth cup of flour and stir until incorporated
  • knead the dough in the machine on low adding as much of the remaining flour as needed to form a soft pliable but not sticky dough
  • knead for 3-4 minutes until the dough is finished, check it by stretching a small piece of dough thin enough to see through, if you can't stretch it that thin knead it again for 1-2 minutes and try it again
  • cover the dough and let it rest 10 minutes
  • make the filling while the dough rests
  • melt the butter together with the molasses in a small saucepan
  • then add the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg and stir together
  • remove from the heat and let it cool
  • roll the dough out into a 10x15 inch rectangle
    Ball of gingerbread dough with a rolling pin on top, ready for shaping into cinnamon rolls.
  • if it's too stretchy and won't roll out let it rest a little longer
  • when it's rolled flat spread the filling over the dough leaving a one-inch strip of dough on one of the long sides without filling
    A spoon spreading the filling onto dough for gingerbread cinnamon rolls.
  • roll the dough beginning on the long end of the dough with filling, pinch the area without filling to seal the seam on the long roll of dough
  • use a sharp knife to slice 12 rolls, you can also use cotton string, thread, or unflavored dental floss to slice rolls
    Cinnamon roll cut with a string.
  • lightly butter a 9x13 inch pan and place the rolls in the pan
    Unbaked gingerbread cinnamon rolls arranged in a pan, set aside to rise.
  • cover tightly and let them rise for 45-60 minutes until the rolls are doubled in size
    Doubled-in-size gingerbread cinnamon rolls ready to be baked.
  • preheat the oven to 350˚ about 30 minutes into the rising period
  • bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes, turn the pan halfway through baking to evenly bake if needed
  • cool on a baking rack for 20 minutes before frosting
  • make the frosting
    Ingredients for gingerbread cinnamon roll dough.
  • mix all the frosting ingredients together and beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer until well combined
    Whipped cream at a soft peak stage being mixed in a bowl for gingerbread cinnamon rolls.
  • frost the gingerbread rolls with the frosting while they're still warm but not piping hot
    Spreading cream cheese frosting on overnight cinnamon rolls.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 435kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 256mg | Potassium: 106mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 692IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg