Chai Spiced Cinnamon Rolls feature warm chai spices, brown sugar and butter wrapped around a pillow soft homemade dough that’s slathered with cream cheese icing. It’s the ultimate holiday breakfast – with overnight instructions included – so you can wake up to freshly baked cinnamon rolls the next morning!
Looking for more holiday breakfast recipes? Check out Chai Scones, Gingerbread Muffins and Vegetarian Breakfast Strata.
This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. As always, thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help Fit Mitten Kitchen bring you new recipes!
Why You’ll Love These
- From scratch, homemade dough that is SO much easier than you think!
- Warm and cozy breakfast recipe that doubles as dessert!
- Follow the overnight directions to prep the night before!
Cinnamon Roll Ingredients
Although you may think cinnamon rolls take a ton of ingredients, most of them are probably already hanging about in your pantry and fridge. The ingredients have been broken down into three parts – dough, filling and icing.
Dough
- unsweetened cashew milk – I like the subtle sweetness of cashew milk, but any dairy-free milk or regular dairy whole milk will do.
- instant yeast – also known as rapid rise yeast or quick yeast, pick up a set of the individual packages. If you do a lot of bread baking, you can also buy a bulk quantity. You will need 2 ¼ teaspoons for this recipe.
- granulated sugar – to add sweetness and help feed the yeast. You can use brown sugar here, but this will add more moisture, so you may need a bit more flour.
- unsalted butter – Melt first and allow to cool down while you bloom the yeast and gather together the rest of the ingredients.
- egg – for binding ability and to add richness.
- bread flour – bread flour will make the fluffiest rolls, but all purpose flour can also be used (more on this below). The amount of flour will vary based on moisture in the air and temperature.
- salt – to enhance the dough’s natural sweet flavor.
Filling
- unsalted butter – make sure to use room temperature or softened butter. It spreads much more easily.
- brown sugar – for sweetness and deep color.
- ground cinnamon – for warming spice.
- chai spice – chai spice is easy to find in the spice aisle of most grocery stores nowadays, or you can always make your own homemade chai spice blend.
Icing
- softened cream cheese – for richness and tang. Leave it out on the kitchen counter while the dough is baking away in the oven.
- vanilla extract – for a pop of floral sweetness.
- powdered sugar – confectioner’s sugar dissolves easier and makes for a smooth frosting.
- cardamom – for a final pop of spice and to really bring out the chai spices in the filling.
- unsweetened cashew milk – to add moisture and loosen up the frosting a bit.
Recommended Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- 9×13 Baking Dish
- Unflavored Floss
- Tape Measure
Why Bread Flour?
Bread flour is a high-protein flour milled from a particular strain of wheat. The higher protein content of bread flour (typically 12-13%) means more gluten – and more gluten means better texture and chew. Note: All-purpose flour’s protein content is usually somewhere between 10-11%.
Bob’s Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour is made from America’s highest quality wheat and the brand I always turn to for my dough making. It also makes the most gorgeous cinnamon rolls. See here, and here.
Look for it in the baking aisle of most grocery stores or online.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Chai rolls take a little bit of time and patience, but I can assure the rewards are well worth the effort. Here’s how I like to do it from start-to-finish:
Warm Milk
In a microwave safe bowl or glass measuring cup, heat milk for about 20-30 seconds, or until the temperature reaches 110ºF (or lukewarm). If it’s too hot, it will kill the yeast, and then you’ll have to start over.
Into the large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, add yeast and sugar, then slowly add the milk. Stir until combined and allow to sit for 10 minutes, until the top is foamy.
NOTE: if your mixture does not get foamy, it means the yeast was not activated and you should start this first step over again.
Combine Wet & Dry Ingredients
Once the milk and yeast mixture is foamy, whisk in melted butter and egg. Use a wooden spoon to stir about 1/2 cup flour at a time. After 1 cup, add in salt and continue stirring gently while adding more flour, stopping at 3 cups. Dough should be soft but not overly sticky. Knead the dough by hand on a floured surface, using a couple additional tablespoons of flour. If dough feels very sticky, add in more flour.
TIP: If you have a stand mixer, start with the paddle attachment. While you add the flour, watch the dough start to get elastic. Then switch to the dough hook to knead the dough.
Let Dough Rise
Lightly oil a large bowl and shape the dough into ball. Place the dough in the prepared bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm environment until dough has doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
TIP: Set the oven to warm or preheated to 170ºF while you start the milk mixture, then turn it off. Place the bowl in the warmed oven and allow to rise.
Prepare Rolls
Grease a 9×13″ baking dish with butter.
Once the dough has about doubled in size, lightly coat a rolling pin and a clean, flat surface with flour. Roll out dough into a 15×9 inch rectangle. Be patient, and roll gently. Don’t use too much flour or your dough will be stiff.
Spread on softened butter, then sprinkle the entire surface evenly with brown sugar, cinnamon and chai spices. Gently pat to allow the sugar to absorb into the butter.
Using the heels of your hands and thumbs, gently roll the dough into a long roll, placing seam side down. Trim ½” of dough off each end and discard – these pieces tend to not have as much filling in them so it’s best to discard.
Either use the floss method to slice into rolls or a serrated knife to gently cut into about 1.25″ width. You should get 12 rolls.
Place rolls into the prepared pan, leaving room between each one to allow room to rise. Place the pan in a draft-free environment until risen slightly, about 15 minutes. You can use the warm oven tip above. Keep reading for notes on how to make overnight cinnamon rolls.
Bake
While the rolls are rising for the second time (if not using the oven method), preheat the oven to 350ºF (or, after 15 minutes, take the rolls out and wait for the oven to get up to 350ºF).
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until lightly browned. During the last 5-10 minutes of baking, cover the top of rolls with foil. Covering the rolls for the last 5-10 minutes will prevent them from getting too brown on the top. You may or may not need to cover the rolls.
Frosting Cinnamon Rolls
While the cinnamon rolls are cooling a bit, use an electric hand mixer (or stand mixer with paddle attachment) and beat the softened cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract, powdered sugar, cardamom and milk. Mix on low speed until combined.
Spread on the slightly cooled cinnamon rolls.
These are best served fresh and warm – enjoy!
Note: If you’re not a fan of cream cheese frosting, make a maple glaze by swapping out the cream cheese for coconut milk and the milk with maple syrup instead.
Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
To get one step ahead, you can prepare these chai cinnamon rolls as instructed and set them overnight in the fridge during the second proof. Here’s how to do it:
- Prepare, roll and cut the cinnamon rolls.
- Place in the prepared baking dish and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
- Leave in the fridge overnight – no more than 12 hours.
- The next morning, remove from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature. This should take about 1 hour.
- During the last 10 minutes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 30 minutes, or until the cinnamon rolls are golden brown and risen. Note: You can follow the same steps and tent the rolls with aluminum foil during the last 5-10 minutes of baking if browning too much.
- Slather with cream cheese frosting while still warm and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
If there was one way to get your family to jump out of bed in the morning, I can assure you these chai spiced cinnamon rolls are it. Some of my favorite ways to serve include:
- Christmas Morning: Surprise your family with a gorgeous holiday spread. I love to prep this on Christmas Eve, that way all I have to do is bake and frost come morning.
- New Year’s Day: Ring in the new year with a warm and cozy dish of chai cinnamon buns.
- Just Because: Make these any time of year, whenever the craving hits. Your family will thank you!
How to Store
Any extra cinnamon rolls can be stored in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap for up to 3 days in the fridge. Rewarm in a preheated 350 degrees F oven or toasted oven. Or, pop one in the microwave if you can’t wait that long!
Recipe Tips & Notes:
- Room temperature ingredients are key. Softened butter and cream cheese are easier to work with and keep you from overworking during prep.
- Refrain from using flour when rolling out the dough. This will make it tough. Keeping the dough supple and moist will make fluffier cinnamon rolls.
- Use floss or a serrated knife to cut the cinnamon rolls. If using a serrated knife, make sure to cut in long strokes (as opposed to sawing) to keep those beautiful swirls.
More Cinnamon Roll Recipes You’ll Love:
If you make this Chai Spiced Cinnamon Rolls recipe, be sure to leave a comment and review on the blog! I love hearing from you, and it helps others learn more about the recipe too! Xx Ashley
PrintChai Spiced Cinnamon Rolls
Chai Spiced Cinnamon Rolls feature warm chai spices, brown sugar and butter wrapped around a pillow soft homemade dough that’s slathered with cream cheese icing. It’s the ultimate holiday breakfast – with overnight instructions included – so you can wake up to freshly baked cinnamon rolls the next morning!
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 12 rolls 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup unsweetened cashew milk (see notes)
- 1 packet instant yeast (rapid rise yeast, equal to 2 1/4 tsp)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted & cooled, plus more for greasing
- 1 large egg
- 3.5–4 cups bread flour, plus more for rolling
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Filling
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tablespoon chai spice (see notes)
Icing
- 4 ounces softened cream cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- Pinch of cardamom
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cashew milk
Instructions
- Warm milk: In a microwave safe bowl or glass measuring cup, heat milk for about 20-30 seconds. Allow temperature of mixture to reach 110ºF (or lukewarm). If it’s too hot, it will kill the yeast. Add yeast and sugar into large mixing bowl of stand mixer and slowly add milk. Stir until combined and allow to sit for 10 minutes, until top is foamy.
- Combine wet & dry ingredients: Once the milk and yeast mixture is foamy, whisk in melted butter and egg until combined. Use a wooden spoon to stir about 1/2 cup flour at a time. After 1 cup, add in salt and continue stirring gently while adding more flour, stopping at 3 cups. Dough should be soft but not overly sticky. Knead the dough by hand on a floured surface, using a couple additional tablespoons of flour. If dough feels very sticky, add in more flour.
- Let dough rise: Lightly oil a large bowl and shape dough into ball. Place dough in the greased bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm environment until dough has doubled in size, about 45 minutes. TIP: Set the oven to warm or preheated to 170ºF, then turn it off. Place the bowl in the warmed oven and allow to rise.
- Prepare rolls: Grease a 9×13″ baking dish with butter; set aside. Once the dough has about doubled in size, lightly cover rolling pin and flat surface with flour. Roll out dough into a 15×9 inch rectangle. Be patient, and roll gently. Don’t use too much flour or your dough will be stiff. Spread on softened butter, sprinkle brown sugar, cinnamon and chai spices; gently pat to let sugar absorb into butter slightly. Using the heels of your hands and thumbs, gently roll dough into a long roll, placing seam side down. Trim ½” of dough off ends and discard. Then use floss method to slice rolls or a serrated knife to gently cut into about 1.25″ width. Discard the ends. You should get about 12 rolls for a 9×13 pan. Place rolls in greased pan, leaving room to rise, and put pan in a draft-free environment. You can use the warm oven tip above. See notes below for overnight adaptation.
- Bake: Once the rolls have risen again slightly (about 15 minutes), preheat oven to 350ºF (take rolls out and wait for oven to get up to 350ºF). Bake cinnamon rolls for 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned. Then, if necessary, cover top of rolls with foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Covering the rolls for the last 5-10 minutes will prevent them from getting too brown on the top.
- Make the frosting: In medium bowl using electric hand mixer (or stand mixer with paddle attachment) beat softened cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add in vanilla extract, powdered sugar, cardamom and milk; mix on low speed until combined. Spread on slightly cooled cinnamon rolls. Best served warm – enjoy!
Notes
MILK – Use any dairy-free milk or regular dairy whole milk.
CHAI SPICE – Combine 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 1 1/2 tablespoons ground ginger, 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon cloves and 1/4 teaspoon allspice. Use the 1/2 tablespoon of this mixture and save the rest for plenty more chai recipes!
OVERNIGHT DIRECTIONS:
- Prepare, roll and cut the cinnamon rolls.
- Place in the prepared baking dish and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
- Leave in the fridge overnight.
- The next morning, remove from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature. This should take about 1 hour.
- During the last 10 minutes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 30 minutes, or until the cinnamon rolls are golden brown and risen. Note: You can follow the same steps and tent the rolls with aluminum foil during the last 5-10 minutes of baking if browning too much.
- Slather with cream cheese frosting while still warm and enjoy!
STORAGE – Store in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Keywords: chai cinnamon rolls, chai spiced cinnamon rolls, easy overnight cinnamon rolls
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