gingerbread cinnamon rolls with gingerbread caramel pan sauce

Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls make the BEST holiday brunch! They’re soft and pillowy, with gooey centers. The dough is actually flavored with molasses and spices, and so is the filling! Add cranberry jam to the filling for a fun twist, then top with classic cream cheese frosting, and prepare to forget that any other brunch food exists!

this recipe

A Note from Stephanie: There’s nothing better than sitting down to a pan full of soft, warm, pillowy cinnamon rolls this time of year. Gingerbread is to me what Pumpkin Spice is to everyone else – I cannot get enough of it! Give me Gingerbread tea, coffee, french toast, pancakes, cookies, and cinnamon rolls every day!

Why you’ll love Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls:

• Gingerbread Flavor in Every Bite – Unlike a lot of recipes online, I used molasses and gingerbread spices in the actual cinnamon roll dough, not just in the filling!
• Burst of Cranberry – You can (optionally) add cranberry jam to the filling for a burst of bright flavor.
• Silky Cream Cheese Frosting – A generous layer of cream cheese frosting tops these rolls off perfectly!

Ingredient Overview:

As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Use the table of contents (back at the top, below the first image, to navigate).

• Yeast – We’re using instant yeast (also called rapid yeast or quick rise yeast) so there’s no need to bloom the yeast, like you would need to with active dry yeast – it just gets mixed right in with the other dough ingredients, saving you a step!
• All-Purpose Flour – Spoon your flour into the measuring cup, then level it with a flat utensil for best results, or use a scale. Scooping the measuring cup directly into your flour will lead to too much flour, and a potentially dry bake. We’re using regular all-purpose flour here – no need to buy a special flour like bread flour!
• Milk – Milk is essential for the dough – I used 2% but you could use any type of milk you like.
• Molasses – Find this in the baking aisle at your grocery store. Do NOT use blackstrap molasses! It’s not the same thing and will taste unpleasant. Do use full flavor molasses (the Brer Rabbit brand has mild flavor, full flavor, and blackstrap. I’ve made these cookies with every type and full flavor Brer Rabbit far surpasses any other variety from any other brand.) If you love Molasses, be sure to try my Chewy Molasses Cookies, too!
• Eggs – Use large eggs, at room temperature.
• Butter – I always use salted buter because in my experience, it lends the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if that’s what you prefer.
• Cream Cheese – I prefer the block style cream cheese, but since this is just a frosting (vs something like a cheesecake) you could get away with using the kind in a tub.

Recipe Substitutions & Variations:

• Gluten-free/Dairy-Free: I unfortunately have been able to test a gluten-free or dairy-free version of this recipe.
• Molasses – I already know someone is going to ask about an alternative if you don’t like molasses – I’d recommend making my Incredible Gooey Cinnamon Rolls instead!

How to Make Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls:

Step 1: Make the Dough. 

Step 2: Let Dough Rise. Remove dough from the bowl, lightly spray it with cooking spray, and return the dough. Let rise for about 1 and 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size. When you make an indent with your fingertip and it holds, it’s ready!

Step 3: Make Cinnamon Roll Filling & Pan Sauce. For the filling, beat together butter, molasses, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla in a small bowl until creamy and combined. Repeat this in a second bowl with the addition of heavy cream.

Step 4: Assemble Rolls & Final Rise. Once the dough has risen, roll it out on a generously floured surface. Spread on the cinnamon roll filling as evenly as possible. Spread on the cranberry jam, if using.

Step 5: Slice, Roll & Final Rise. Slice the rolls into strips about 1 and 3/4 inches wide. Then, roll up each strip. I find this easier and faster than rolling the whole dough log and slicing it from there.

Place the rolls in your prepared 9×13 pan and cover with a kitchen towel to rise for 30-45 minutes. Use the indent test again to check for readiness!

Step 6: Bake Rolls. Pour room temperature heavy cream over the rolls. Bake according to the directions in the recipe card below. They will be lightly golden brown when done, and may not look the prettiest – that’s okay!

Step 7: Make Frosting & Frost. Beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Spread over the warm rolls.

Make Sugared Cranberries & Rosemary:

This is optional, but fun! Make a simple syrup by heating together sugar and water until the sugar is disolved. Dunk your cranberries and rosemary in the syrup, then coat in granulated sugar.

Serving + Storing:

You can decorate the rolls with sugared rosemary and cranberries and/or mini Gingerbread Cookies. These are completely optional though, and don’t go to the extra work unless you really want to!

Spread the frosting on and enjoy immediately once they’re out of the oven! There’s NOTHING better than a fresh-baked Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll, on a winter morning, preferable with snow flakes falling outside.

Expert Baking Tips:

• Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
• Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.

FAQs:

Special Tools:

• Stand Mixer – You can make these cinnamon rolls by hand, but it is a bit easier to do with a stand mixer and the dough hook attachment it comes with!
• Ruler – This probably sounds a little odd but I have a ruler or mini tape measure in my baking drawer at all times! It comes in so handy for measuring dough when rolling it out, and for slicing things evenly!
• Rolling Pin – You’ll need a rolling pin to roll out the dough.

More Cozy Cinnamon Roll Recipes:

• Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
• Incredible Gooey Cinnamon Rolls
• Peach Cobbler Cinnamon Rolls
• Maple Brioche Cinnamon Rolls
• Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls

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