Description
Deliciously spiced Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls featuring a soft, molasses-infused dough, a warm cinnamon-ginger filling, and creamy molasses cream cheese frosting. Perfect for holiday breakfasts or cozy brunches.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- ¼ cup warm water (60mL)
- 2 and ½ Tablespoons granulated sugar (32g)
- 1 and ⅛ teaspoons dry active yeast (3.5g)
- ¼ cup milk (60mL, any kind)
- 2 Tablespoons unsulphered molasses (30mL, do not use black strap)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 large egg
- 2 and ¼ to 2 and ½ cups all purpose flour (270-300g)
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (57g)
Filling
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50g)
- ¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar (50g)
- 1 and ½ Tablespoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (28g)
- 1 Tablespoon unsulphered molasses (15mL, do not use black strap)
Molasses Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 ounces full fat block cream cheese, softened (57g)
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (28g)
- ½ Tablespoon unsulphered molasses (15mL, do not use black strap)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ cups powdered sugar (90g)
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside. In a large bowl, place warm water, sprinkle yeast and sugar on top. Whisk and let rest for 5-10 minutes until bubbly and activated. Add milk, molasses, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and egg; whisk to combine.
- Mix the dough: Gradually add 1 cup of flour to the yeast mixture; stir to combine. Add softened butter pieces and blend until mostly incorporated. Then add remaining 1 and ¼ cups flour and mix until dough mostly comes together but may still be shaggy.
- Knead the dough: Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes, adding flour 1 tablespoon at a time if sticky, until smooth and elastic, resembling the texture of PlayDoh. Let dough rest for 10 minutes.
- Prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Whisk or stir well and set aside.
- Roll out the dough: Using a rolling pin, roll dough into a 9" x 12" rectangle. Whisk melted butter and molasses together and brush evenly over the dough, leaving ½" border. Sprinkle the spiced sugar filling evenly on top.
- Assemble rolls: From a long side, roll dough into a tight 12" log. Use fingers to gently squeeze ends to contain uneven edges. Using a serrated knife, cut log into 6 even slices. Place slices cut side down in prepared pan, sprinkle any fallen sugar back onto rolls, and gently press to flatten slightly.
- Proof rolls: Cover loosely with foil or kitchen towel; let rise for 1 and ½ hours until puffed up.
- Bake rolls: Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Bake rolls for 32 minutes until golden on top; cover with foil if browning too fast. Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes.
- Prepare frosting: In a bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, cinnamon, and molasses on medium-high speed until smooth. Lower speed and gradually add powdered sugar and salt, mixing until smooth.
- Frost and serve: Spread molasses cream cheese frosting over slightly cooled rolls. Serve immediately. Store leftovers at room temperature up to 3 days or refrigerated up to 5 days. Reheat briefly before serving.
Notes
- For baking dish, use an 8" square pan arranged in 2 rows of 3 or an 8-9" round pan with one roll in center and five around it.
- Make dough ahead by assembling rolls without final rise, refrigerate up to 18 hours, then allow to rise 1 hour before baking.
- Baked rolls freeze up to 3 months; thaw overnight in fridge and warm before eating.
- For freezing unbaked rolls, parbake 10 minutes at 350°F, cool, freeze, then finish baking after thawing, or freeze unbaked sliced rolls and thaw and rise before baking.
- Yeast tips: activate yeast properly with warm water and sugar for best rise.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cinnamon roll
- Calories: 360 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 53 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
