Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls
A Christmas Cinnamon Roll miracle!
Nothing can match the tradition of Christmas morning in my house. Presents under the tree, Jesus placed in the nativity, but the smells of yeast and cinnamon baking in the oven remains the most familiar of all.
Since I can remember, my mother would have freshly baked sticky buns ready to savor after we opened gifts. On Christmas Eve, she would prepare the dough and leave it to double in size in the warmest part of the house (above the washer and dryer) while we enjoyed all the antipasto and fish at my grandparents’ table. When we came home, my mother filled, rolled, and sliced the buns and placed each one on top of golden honey syrup and toasted sliced almonds. The sticky buns were then ready to be baked in the morning while we opened our gifts.
In the center of the living room rug, Santa would leave a few group presents for me and my sisters. Every year, we unwrapped a selection of Christmas hot cocoa mixes. So, when the buns were ready, each of us chose our hot cocoa flavor of choice to drink alongside our sticky bun (I always chose the packet with the mini marshmallows).
After my EoE diagnosis, I could no longer eat dairy products and tree nuts, which meant I could no longer eat Christmas morning sticky buns. To keep the tradition alive, I began experimenting with yeasted dough and Christmas flavors and these Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls were born!
These Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls are a holiday family favorite. Not to mention, they are vegan- yep, no eggs or dairy! Soft, lightly spiced dough swirled with softened vegan butter, brown sugar, and spices makes for gooey centers. Vegan cream cheese adds tang to sweet icing that melts into the spirals. These rolls are easy to make and can be made in as little as 3 hours, and devoured in less than 3 minutes. You can even prepare these rolls the night before and bake them fresh in the morning while opening gifts!
Gingerbread-ifying Cinnamon Rolls
One of my favorite flavors around the holidays, gingerbread is a combination of warm spices sweetened with sugar and molasses. The emergence of ginger and spices dates back to ancient Greek and Egyptian burials and gingerbread was popularized in Eastern Europe at the start of the eleventh century. To turn ordinary cinnamon rolls into festive scrolls, these pantry ingredients:
Ground Cinnamon
Ground Ginger
Ground Nutmeg
Ground Cloves
Ground Black Pepper
Molasses
How to Deal with Dough
Cinnamon roll dough can be challenging, especially if you have never worked with a yeasted dough before. Yeast is temperamental. You must make sure the liquid dissolving the yeast is not too hot, otherwise it will kill the yeast and the dough will not rise.
Tip: To check if the liquid is the right temperature, put your finger straight down. If it is warm to the touch and does not burn your finger, it is ready for the yeast. This temperature is referred to as lukewarm (about 110°F to 120°F)).
Mixing and kneading the dough develops gluten and creates an elastic dough, but resting the gluten is key. This helps create a light, fluffy, and chewy cinnamon roll.
Tip: You will know the dough is ready to rest when it bounces back to the touch. Poke the dough with your index finger and it should rise back.
This gingerbread cinnamon roll dough is slightly sticky due to molasses. A sticky dough is normal; it releases steam when it bakes, leaving light air bubbles in the cinnamon rolls. If the dough is too sticky when kneading, sprinkle an additional 1 Tbsp of flour to help the dough come together. Refrain from adding too much flour as it can alter the flavor and texture of the gingerbread cinnamon rolls. As the dough rises, it will become less sticky and you will be able to roll the dough easily on a lightly floured surface.
Can I make Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls overnight?
I prefer my cinnamon rolls - especially on a special occasion - as fresh as possible. If you want gingerbread cinnamon rolls baked in the morning but would rather not rise before the sun, prepare them the night before and bake in the morning.
Instead of resting the rolls for 45 minutes and baking immediately after, simply cover the dish with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Place the dish in the refrigerator - this will pause the yeast - and take the dish out in the morning. Let the dish and the rolls come up to room temperature and rise (this will take about 1 hour). After resting, place the gingerbread cinnamon rolls in a preheated oven to bake.
The vegan cream cheese icing can also be made in advance. Follow the instructions and refrigerate the icing until ready to spread on top of the golden gingerbread cinnamon rolls.
For more holiday recipes like Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls, check out:
For the dough:
1. In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add warm milk of choice, warm water, yeast, and sugar and stir gently. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let stand for 10 minutes to allow the yeast to activate and bloom (it will get bubbly and foamy.)
2. After 10 minutes, add cooled melted butter and molasses. Stir to combine.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, spices, and salt.
4. Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Turn the stand mixer on a medium low setting to mix in the flour. Once combined, add the rest of the dry and mix. Once absorbed, increase the speed of the stand mixer to start kneading the dough. Allow the dough to knead for about 5 to 7 minutes until the dough is smooth. See Notes or the blog post if having difficulty.
5. Scrape the dough from the dough hook and the sides of the bowl. Place dough in a clean, lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Place in the warmest section of your kitchen or house for the dough to double in size (about 1 1/2 to 2 hours).
For the filling:
1. In a small bowl, mix softened butter, brown sugar, and spices until fully combined and smooth. Set aside.
For the rolls:
1. Lightly dust a clean surface and rolling pin with flour. Roll the dough into 10" x 14" rectangle.
2. Spread the filling evenly across the dough, leaving a 1/2" bare (this will prevent unravelling).
3. Use your fingers to roll tightly toward the bare edge. Bring the bare edge on top. Pinch the seams tightly.
4. Use a sharp knife to slice 12 uniform rolls (I slice my roll in half, slice each half in half, and cut 3 even rolls from each part to get 12).
5. Place rolls in a parchment-lined or lightly greased 13" x 9" baking dish with a little space between each roll.
6. Cover the rolls and let rise for 45 minutes. If baking rolls the next morning, cover tightly with plastic wrap and a towel and place in the refrigerator overnight.
For the icing:
1. In a medium bowl, whisk softened cream cheese until smooth. Whisk in vanilla extract. Whisk in powdered sugar a little at a time until smooth. Stir in melted butter. Set aside.
To serve:
1. Bake rolls in a preheated 350°F oven for 22 to 28 minutes until lightly browned on top but the centers are still soft. If baking rolls the next morning from the refrigerator, see Notes for instructions.
2. Spread icing on the rolls and enjoy warm!
+ If the milk and water is too hot, it will kill the yeast. To check if the liquid is the right temperature, put your finger straight down. If it is warm to the touch and does not burn your finger, it is ready for the yeast. Alternatively, use a thermometer to check. The temperature should be about 110°F to 120°F.
+ This is a sticky dough. It may not release completely from the sides of the bowl. If the dough is too sticky, add additional flour 1 Tbsp at a time. Do not add more than 4 Tbsp.
+ Overnight Baking Instructions: After slicing, cover and place rolls directly in the refrigerator overnight (do not proof for 45 minutes). The next morning, remove the rolls from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature (about 1 hour). Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake rolls for 22 to 28 minutes. Ice and serve!
