These Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls combine classic cinnamon roll texture with warm holiday spices and molasses. They’re designed to be made ahead—prepare on Christmas Eve and bake on Christmas morning for an effortless festive treat.

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Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

These gingerbread cinnamon rolls are a delicious holiday breakfast, snack or dessert. Enjoy one with coffee, hot chocolate or eggnog. For a festive touch, top with sugared cranberries or serve alongside gingerbread cookies for extra seasonal cheer.

The Best Things About These Rolls

• Molasses and warm spices in the dough give an authentic gingerbread flavor.
• Versatile: enjoy for breakfast, brunch or dessert.
• Finished with a rich eggnog cream cheese icing.
• Gooey brown sugar filling scented with cinnamon and gingerbread spices.

Three Components

This recipe has three parts:

• Gingerbread dough
• Gingerbread cinnamon filling
• Eggnog cream cheese icing

Each component is straightforward and comes together easily. Follow the steps below for best results.

Gingerbread Dough

Begin by warming the milk and proofing the yeast with a pinch of sugar until frothy. Stir in melted butter, vanilla, eggs, molasses and brown sugar. Brown sugar complements the molasses and deepens the gingerbread notes.

Whisk together flour, salt and the spices (ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg). Add the wet ingredients and knead until smooth and elastic. A stand mixer with a dough hook makes this easier, but you can also knead by hand on a floured surface for 7–10 minutes.

Gingerbread Cinnamon Filling

While the dough rises, prepare the filling by combining dark brown sugar with cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves and nutmeg. Melted butter is brushed onto the rolled dough, then the sugar-spice mixture is sprinkled on top. Rubbing the brown sugar between your fingers while sprinkling helps break up any clumps and distributes the mixture evenly.

Make Them Overnight

These rolls are ideal for preparing the night before. After rolling and slicing, place the rolls in your baking dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The next morning remove them, let them come to room temperature, then bake—no lengthy morning prep required. If you prefer to bake the same day, allow the shaped rolls to rise at room temperature until doubled.

Eggnog Cream Cheese Icing

The icing combines butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, rum extract, cinnamon, nutmeg and eggnog for a silky, flavorful glaze. You can make the icing ahead and chill it; briefly warm it before spreading if needed. After the rolls come out of the oven, spread some of the warm icing right away so it melts into the swirls, then add the remaining icing once the rolls have cooled slightly.

The combination of spiced dough, gooey gingerbread filling and rich eggnog icing makes these cinnamon rolls a standout holiday indulgence. They’re warm, comforting and packed with festive flavor.

P.S. The sugared cranberries in the photos are optional and were used for presentation; instructions for making them are included in the notes below for anyone who wants to add them.

Happy holiday baking!

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Overnight Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

Yield:
12 servings

Prep Time:
3 hours

Cook Time:
30 minutes

Total Time:
3 hours 30 minutes

These rolls combine the texture of classic cinnamon rolls with the flavors of gingerbread and a smooth eggnog cream cheese icing. Ideal for preparing the night before a holiday morning.

Ingredients

Gingerbread Dough:

• 1 cup warm milk (110-115˚F)
• 1 package (2 and ¼ tsp) active dry yeast
• ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
• ¼ cup unsalted butter or margarine, melted
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• ½ cup light or dark brown sugar, packed
• ¼ cup unsulphured molasses
• 4–4½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Filling:

• 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

Eggnog Cream Cheese Icing:

• ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon rum extract
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 2–3 tablespoons eggnog

Instructions

For the Gingerbread Dough:

1. Heat milk until warm (about 110–115˚F). Sprinkle yeast and ½ teaspoon sugar on top and let sit 5–10 minutes until frothy.
2. Whisk melted butter, vanilla, eggs, brown sugar and molasses into the milk and yeast mixture.
3. In a stand mixer bowl, combine 4 cups flour, salt and spices. Pour in the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. Increase speed and knead until smooth and elastic, about 7–10 minutes. If kneading by hand, add more flour as needed.
4. Lightly oil a large bowl, add the dough, turn to coat, cover loosely and let rise in a warm place 1–1½ hours, or until doubled.

For the Filling:

1. Melt the butter and set aside.
2. In a bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg. Set aside.

Assembly:

1. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and line with parchment.
2. Punch down the risen dough and roll it into a 10×12-inch rectangle. Brush with melted butter and evenly sprinkle the sugar-spice filling, leaving a 1½-inch border.
3. Roll tightly from the long side, seal the seam and slice into 6–12 rolls depending on desired size. Place in the prepared dish.
4. Overnight: Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Same day: cover and let rise 30–60 minutes until doubled.
5. If refrigerated, remove and let come to room temperature 45–60 minutes while preheating the oven to 350°F (180°C).
6. Bake 25–30 minutes or until lightly golden. Prepare the icing while the rolls bake.

Eggnog Cream Cheese Icing:

1. Beat butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy, 3–5 minutes.
2. Add powdered sugar, rum extract, cinnamon and nutmeg; beat until smooth. Mix in 2–3 tablespoons eggnog until desired consistency is reached.
3. Remove rolls from the oven and spread half the icing while they are hot so it melts in. After 5–10 minutes, spread the remaining icing. Serve warm.

Notes

• Sugared cranberries (optional): Make a simple syrup from ¼ cup water and ¼ cup sugar, coat ¾ cup fresh cranberries and refrigerate overnight. Drain and roll cranberries in remaining granulated sugar to coat. Dry on a wire rack and store up to 3 days at room temperature or 1 week refrigerated.
• Cream cheese icing can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Warm briefly before spreading if chilled.
• Storage: Keep leftover rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave 30–40 seconds until soft and gooey.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 391Total Fat: 17gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 292mgCarbohydrates: 57gFiber: 2gSugar: 38gProtein: 5g

BON APPÉTIT!

Love, Dedra

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