Everything is getting into the holiday spirit… even cinnamon rolls are putting on a little extra cheer! Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls take the rich, buttery dough with its sugar-and-spice filling and add in the festive fragrance and peppery sweetness of ginger and cloves. Draped with smooth, luscious icing infused with cinnamon, Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls smell like the most wonderful time of the year, and taste like the most wonderful time of the day! Get ready to smile like it’s Christmas morning!
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 (0.25-ounce) package active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup milk, not skim, warmed to 110-115 degrees F
- 1/4 cup water, warmed to 110-115 degrees F
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
For the filling:
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
For the spiced glaze:
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 teaspoons milk, not skim, plus more as needed
Directions
Step 1 –Grease a large bowl.
Step 2 –In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk and water.
Step 3 –In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the molasses, brown sugar, egg, oil, salt, yeast mixture, and 1 1/2 cups of flour.
Step 4 –On medium speed, beat the ingredients together until smooth, adding flour as necessary until it forms a soft, sticky dough.
Step 5 –Flour a work surface, and then turn the dough out onto it. Knead the dough for about 6-8 minutes. The dough should still be sticky.
Step 6 –Place the dough into the greased bowl, turning it so that the dough is entirely covered in the grease.
Step 7 –Cover and let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Step 8 –Combine the brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in a bowl. Set aside.
Step 9 –Lightly flour a work surface and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 10 –Punch the dough down to remove much of the air and then turn the dough out onto the floured surface.
Step 11 –Press and roll the dough out into a 12×8-inch rectangle.
Step 12 –Brush the dough with the melted butter, leaving a 1/2-inch margin at the edges.
Step 13 –Sprinkle the buttered surface with the sugar mixture evenly.
Step 14 –Roll the dough up as you would a jelly roll, starting with the long side.
Step 15 –Pinch the seam closed and cut the dough into 12 even rolls.
Step 16 –Place the rolls into the greased baking dish with the cut side down. Cover and let it rise in a warm place until the rolls have doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Step 17 –Towards the end of the second rising, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 18 –Bake the rolls until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.
Step 19 –While the rolls bake, mix the confectioners sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and milk together, adding additional milk to thin out the glaze as desired.
Step 20 –Remove the rolls from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes before draping them with the spiced glaze.
Step 21 –Serve warm!
