There are few things as indulgently delicious as a cinnamon roll. A giant swirl of dough filled with cinnamon sugar, baked until golden brown then smothered in cream cheese frosting? Uh, yes please! It’s the perfect recipe for the holidays because the buns can be made the night before and baked the morning before serving. We also love putting a twist on the cream cheese frosting for Christmas. These rolls are elevated by the addition of warming chai spices in the icing. Served warm and gooey, these are the ideal Christmas morning treat served with coffee.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Instant yeast. Warm milk. I used whole milk but almond milk Sugar. Honey can be substituted. Flour. All purpose flour or cake flour work well. Butter. I used salted butter but unsalted butter can be substituted. Egg. Salt. Heavy cream. For the filling: softened butter, brown sugar, ground cinnamon. Other spices like nutmeg, ginger or all spice can also be added. For the frosting: room temperature cream cheese, powdered sugar/icing sugar, vanilla extract or paste and a teaspoon of lemon juice. For Christmas I always make a chai-spiced frosting – the recipe can be found in the recipe card.
How to make cinnamon rolls
How to make cinnamon roll icing
Freezing and making ahead
Serving Suggestions
Cinnamon rolls are an excellent weekend breakfast or brunch and even more so during fall or winter. It’s a go-to during the festive season when you need to prepare as many dishes as possible in advance. We love it served with a cup of coffee but it’s also great as part of a breakfast spread. Served alongside a breakfast board or fruit and yogurt cups, it’s guaranteed to impress.
Christmas breakfast recipes
