Description

These Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls combine the cozy flavors of gingerbread and cinnamon in soft, fluffy rolls topped with a luscious brown butter cream cheese icing. Perfect for holiday breakfasts or special brunches, these rolls are rich with warm spices like cinnamon and ginger, enriched with molasses, and baked to golden perfection. The brown butter cream cheese icing adds a decadent finish that complements the spiced dough and sweet filling beautifully.

Ingredients

Scale

Gingerbread Dough:

1 cup Milk, warmed to 110°F
2 1/4 tsp Active dry yeast (1 packet or 11 grams)
Sprinkle of white granulated sugar (heavy sprinkle)
2 Large eggs, room temperature
4 3/4 cups All-purpose flour
1 tsp Salt
1/4 cup White granulated sugar
10 TBSP Unsalted butter, room temperature and cubed
1/4 cup Molasses (Grandma’s molasses recommended)
1 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp Ground ginger

Gingerbread Filling:

1/2 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup Brown sugar, packed (light or dark)
1 TBSP Ground cinnamon
2 tsp Ground ginger
1 TBSP Molasses
1/2 cup Heavy cream

Brown Butter Cream Cheese Icing:

4 oz Cream cheese, room temperature
4 TBSP Browned butter (made by browning butter in a pan)
1 cup Powdered sugar
1 tsp Pure vanilla extract

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Instructions

Activate yeast: In a microwave-safe bowl, warm the milk to 110°F, then stir in the yeast and a heavy sprinkle of sugar. Let it sit for 10 minutes until frothy. Meanwhile, lightly beat the eggs and set aside.
Mix dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and ginger thoroughly.
Add wet ingredients and knead: Add the warmed milk/yeast mixture, beaten eggs, cubed butter, and molasses to the dry ingredients. Using a stand mixer with a dough hook, mix on low until dough forms, then knead at medium speed for 5 minutes until soft and tacky but not overly sticky.
First dough rise: Preheat oven to 200°F, then turn it off. Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray and place the dough inside. Cover with a kitchen towel and place the bowl in the warm oven with the door cracked open. Let the dough rise for 1 hour.
Prepare filling: Using a hand mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and ginger on high speed for 2 minutes until pale and fluffy. Mix in molasses until combined.
Roll out dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll the risen dough into a large rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.
Spread filling: Evenly spread the prepared filling over the dough rectangle using an offset spatula, making sure to cover edge to edge.
Form rolls: Starting from the short side, tightly roll the dough into a log. Use unflavored dental floss or a serrated knife with gentle sawing motions to slice into rolls.
Second dough rise: Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray and arrange the rolls inside. Cover with a towel and let rise for 20 minutes. Then, pour heavy cream around the sides of the rolls evenly.
Bake rolls: Preheat oven to 350°F and bake the rolls for 23-27 minutes until tops are lightly golden.
Make brown butter: While rolls rise the second time, melt butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Stir continuously until foam subsides and milk solids turn amber brown. Pour into a bowl and cool completely, chilling in the freezer if needed.
Prepare icing: Beat cream cheese and cooled brown butter with a hand mixer until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla, mixing until fully combined and smooth.
Ice rolls: Once the rolls are baked and bubbling has stopped, spoon the brown butter cream cheese icing over each roll to serve.

Notes

Flour measurement: Spoon and level flour or use a kitchen scale to prevent dry rolls from too much flour.
High altitude adjustment: Add an extra 4 TBSP of flour to dough.
Dairy tip: Take all dairy ingredients out of the fridge 2 hours before baking for room temperature.
Making dough by hand: Mix wet and dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until dough forms, then knead on a floured surface for 5-8 minutes until dough is thin and translucent when held to the light.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 roll
Calories: 350
Sugar: 22g
Sodium: 210mg
Fat: 15g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Unsaturated Fat: 5g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 45g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 5g
Cholesterol: 55mg