Homemade Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls are a must for the holiday season. These sweet rolls are made from yeasted dough and a seasonally spiced gingerbread filling. Dairy free friendly and overnight instructions included.
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If you love gingerbread recipes, check out Vegan Gingerbread Cookies, Healthy Gingerbread Loaf, Gingerbread Muffins, and Homemade Gingerbread Latte!
I don’t know about you, but cinnamon rolls are an absolute must for the holidays. If you’ve never made them before, now is your chance! And they are not nearly as challenging as you may think. I go over everything in depth from start to finish in this post. So let’s get to it!
Why You’ll Love This
- Rise time is half the time of classic cinnamon rolls thanks to one special ingredient.
- Prep the night of Christmas Eve for fresh cinnamon rolls on Christmas day.
- Imagine waking your family up on Christmas morning with the sweet scent of cinnamon rolls.
- That classic gingerbread flavor is best served during Christmas brunch.
Recipe Ingredients
The ingredients list looks long but it’s mainly fridge and pantry staples, with a few somewhat special ingredients for the gingerbread flavor.
Here’s what we need for the cinnamon roll dough:
- milk of choice – use dairy-free or whole milk (I just would stay away from pea protein milk or protein milks in general). Whole milk will give the rolls a richer texture.
- rapid rise yeast – using rapid rise (or quick rise) is best for this cinnamon roll recipe, or the rise time will be double from what is written in the recipe.
- brown sugar – you can use light or dark brown sugar, just be aware that some store brands have different amounts of molasses added to the brown sugar that changes its flavor in comparison to traditional brands like Domino.
- unsalted butter – butter will give these rolls the best flavor, but you can also use softened coconut oil. If dairy free, use vegan butter, something like Country Crock plant butter sticks or Earth Balance.
- egg – this recipe does require an egg and I am not sure how a egg replacer would work here. You could potentially sub in the egg for a flaxseed egg or applesauce, but I haven’t tried that myself.
- molasses – a necessary ingredient for gingerbread flavor. Don’t skip it!
- whole wheat pastry flour – using whole wheat pastry flour will keep these cinnamon rolls whole grain, but you can use all-purpose flour. You might need a couple of more tablespoons when using all-purpose flour, see more notes on the flour below.
- fine sea salt – to enhance all those gingerbread flavors.
- gingerbread spice – ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves is a classic combination. If you are not a fan of ground cloves, you can omit them.
For the frosting:
- cream cheese – to make the cream cheese frosting, of course. Use your favorite vegan cream cheese, if needed.
- yogurt – I like full-fat plain Greek yogurt or 2%, but vanilla Greek yogurt also works. Use dairy-free yogurt, if needed.
- vanilla extract – to enhance the frosting. Option to use almond extract or maple extract instead.
- powdered sugar – confectioner’s sugar sweetens the frosting just right. If you want to go dairy-free, option to make a simple glaze with confectioners’ sugar and non-dairy milk.
Find the full detailed instructions with measurements in the recipe card below, at the end of this post.
Recommended Tools
- Stand Mixer, an effortless way to make cinnamon rolls, but they can be made by hand with a strong arm and wooden spoon.
- Large heat proof bowl, for letting the dough rise in a warm environment.
- Rolling pin, for rolling out the dough into a rectangle.
- Floss or string, the easiest way to slice rolls without crushing them!
How to Make Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls
So the process for making homemade cinnamon rolls isn’t anything to be afraid of. If you enjoy baking or even if you’re just getting into it, you can make these. Trust me – first time cinnamon roll bakers, you will feel a sense of accomplishment after making these! Using yeast is not as scary as it seems.
BAKING TIP: One of the best tips for making cinnamon rolls is to read through the entire recipe first and gather your ingredients before getting started. That way, by the time you’re ready to start, you’ll be able to move step-by-step and the whole process will feel much easier.
Make the gingerbread cinnamon roll Dough
Proof the yeast by combining the instant yeast with warm milk and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let the yeast mixture sit for 10 minutes. It should get foamy and that means your yeast is active and you’ll get a good rise in the dough.
TIP: If your yeast did not get foamy, your yeast was either old or you may have killed it by using milk that was too hot.
After the yeast has activated, add in the melted butter, egg and molasses, stirring on low speed. Then begin to add the flour 1/2 cup at a time (about 3 1/4 cups of flour total).
Dough should be elastic and start to pull away from the sides of the bowl when it is ready. At this time, change the attachment to the dough hook, and allow the hook to knead the dough for about 3-4 minutes. Dough should remain soft but not overly sticky. If needed, add another ¼ cup flour.
Once you have your cinnamon roll dough ready, place dough in a lightly greased heat-proof bowl (you can use butter, olive oil, or cooking spray), cover and let the dough rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size, about 45 minutes.
TIP: Set oven to warm or preheated to 200F then turn off. Place bowl in the warmed oven and allow to rise.
Add gingerbread Filling
Once the dough has risen, transfer to a lightly floured surface and gently roll out the dough into a rectangular shape, about 15 x 9 inches. Then spread on softened butter, brown sugar, and gingerbread spices.
Roll up & Slice
Gently roll the dough up, starting at the long edge, into a log. Place seam side down.
Use unflavored dental floss (for a clean cut) or a very sharp knife to cut the rolls into equal pieces, discarding the ends (they don’t hold much filling).
Then continue slicing the rolls into about 1″ thick slices. You should have 9 cinnamon rolls.
Let Rolls Rise
Place rolls, cut side down, evenly spaced out in a 9×9-inch baking dish.
Leave room for the second rise, so they don’t overcrowd each other.
TIP: Set the oven to 200ºF then turn it off once it reaches temperature, and allow the rolls to rise again, for about 20 minutes.
Bake
Take the rolls out of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes.
The rolls are done when the top of the dough is golden brown and the dough spring back to the touch.
Baking Substitutions
Butter vs. coconut oil. I used butter in ginger rolls for more flavor, but coconut oil can also be used. Make sure it’s softened (not liquid) or use plant based vegan butter.
Flour. I used a whole wheat pastry flour but if you don’t have that on hand you can use about 1.5 cups all-purpose with 1.5 cups whole wheat flour. Or use about 3 cups of whole wheat white flour. You can also use unbleached all-purpose flour, you just may need closer to 3.5 cups. I did not test this with any gluten-free flours.
Frosting. If you’d like a simple cinnamon roll icing and/or you need dairy free cinnamon rolls, just make a simple confectioners sugar glaze. Combine 1 cup powdered sugar to 2-3 tablespoons of milk, depending on desired consistency. You could also sub a dairy-free cream cheese and dairy-free yogurt.
How to Make Overnight
Follow recipe directions in the recipe card below, preparing dough through “Step 8”. Roll out the dough into the rectangle, slice, and place in prepared baking pan. At this point, cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in fridge overnight.
Remove the pan from the fridge the next morning about an hour before baking, to allow the rolls to rise at room temperature. Or if your house is extra cold, preheat the oven to 200ºF, then turn off the oven. Let the rolls rise in the warm oven.
Once the rolls have puffed up and risen again, remove rolls from oven while preheating to 350ºF. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
How to Store & Reheat
Leftover gingerbread rolls can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days. Best enjoyed fresh but will store well tightly wrapped.
Reheat in a low oven (300 degrees F) or toaster oven for 5-10 minutes, until warm.
Recipe FAQs
Why put heavy cream in the bottom of cinnamon rolls?
Pouring heavy cream over the rolls just before baking is a technique I read about while researching this recipe. While I didn’t do this myself, you can pour 1/2 cup heavy cream over the rolls to assist in moisture, stickiness, and a fluffy texture.
What molasses is the best for baking?
Dark molasses is best for baking and easy to find at grocery stores. Blackstrap molasses is a little too bitter.
Can I skip the molasses?
I do not recommend skipping the molasses. The molasses adds moisture but also gives us that rich gingerbread flavor.
Can I omit any spices?
If you don’t have all the spices on hand, don’t sweat it. Make do with what you have. The gingerbread rolls will still be delicious, but the spices will be more mellow.
More Cinnamon Roll Recipes
If you make this Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls recipe, be sure to leave a comment and review below! I love hearing from you and it helps others learn more about the recipe too! Xx Ashley
Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 cup milk of choice, I used cashew milk
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) rapid rise yeast
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, brown, white, etc.
- 2 tablespoons butter, or ghee or coconut oil, melted
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 3 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
For the Filling
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, softened, or coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, if you don't love cloves, omit
For the Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (regular or lite)
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, plain 2% or vanilla recommended
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or almond or maple extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Read through the entire recipe before starting and get all ingredients ready. Then read through step-by-step. See notes below about preparing for overnight
- 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 gently add milk. Stir until combined and allow to sit for 10 minutes, until top is foamy.
- Add melted butter, egg and molasses stirring gently or using paddle attachment on low speed until combined.
- Start to add flour and salt, about ½ cup at a time. You will likely need about 3.25 cups. Dough should be elastic and start to pull away from edge of bowl when it is ready. At this time, change the attachment to the dough hook, and allow the hook to knead the dough for about 3-4 minutes. Dough should remain soft but not overly sticky – you may need to add another ¼ cup flour here.
- Oil large bowl and shape dough into ball, place dough in bowl and cover with towel and let rise in warm environment until dough has doubled in size, about 45 minutes. TIP: set oven to warm or preheated to 200F then turn off. Place bowl in the warmed oven and allow to rise.
- Grease a 9″ pie dish or square baking pan with butter or coconut oil, set aside.
- Once the dough has 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. If you’re new to this it could take some practice! Don’t use too much flour or your dough will be stiff.
- Using spatula, spread softened butter on dough, sprinkle on sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Roll up dough into a log shape then place the dough seam side down. Use a large sharp knife and gently cut into 9 rolls, or use floss to lift up from under the dough. Transfer rolls to prepared dish and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free environment. Again, you can use the warm oven tip above.
- Once the rolls have risen again slightly, take rolls out and preheat oven to 350F. Bake cinnamon rolls for 20 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 cream cheese frosting: In medium bowl using electric hand mixer (or stand mixer with paddle attachment) beat softened cream cheese until light and fluffy then add yogurt. Add in extract and powdered sugar; mix on low speed until combined. Spread on slightly cooled gingerbread cinnamon rolls. Best served immediately while warm. Enjoy!
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