The Best Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

I cannot tell you how excited I am to share this recipe for gingerbread cinnamon rolls with you! I’ve made it three times in a week and a half, it’s that good. I took a batch to my Mom’s for her to try too. One of my favorite holiday flavors is gingerbread so I really wanted to put a twist on the classic cinnamon rolls by infusing them with the rich flavors of molasses, brown sugar, and ginger! These will make the perfect Christmas morning breakfast to enjoy while watching the twinkling tree lights with family! They’re the perfect blend of ooey gooey cinnamon deliciousness and holiday gingerbread flavors!

My brother is the king of yeast (no really, he makes everything from scratch all the time), but I’ve always been intimidated by it. Finally, a recipe made for beginners (using Fleischmann’s® RapidRise® Yeast) that is easy to follow and amazingly delicious. So don’t worry one tiny bit if you’re new to yeast! Rest assured that this is easy and doable. I included step-by-step photos for you below so you can follow along as you make yours. The full written instructions are below.

One of my favorite tricks that I learned was that you can use unflavored dental floss to cut the cinnamon rolls into perfect rounds! Who knew?! Oh, and the Fleischmann’s® Yeast website is an amazing resource for tips and tricks to help you get started and to ensure that your cinnamon rolls turn out perfect.

Here are mine right after I sliced and set them in my baking dish. I left room between them so they could double in size.

Print Recipe

The Best Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

Servings: 12 cinnamon rolls

Ingredients

• 4-1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 packets Fleischmann's® RapidRise Yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 6 tablespoons butter OR margarine
• 1 egg

For the Filling:

• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons Spice Islands® Ground Saigon Cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons butter OR margarine very soft

For the Frosting:

• 2-1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter OR margarine softened
• 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon Spice Islands® Pure Vanilla Extract

Instructions

• Combine 2 cups flour, sugar, dry yeast, salt and spices in a large mixer bowl and stir until blended. Place water and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH in 15 second increments until very warm but not hot to the touch (120° to 130°F. Butter won’t melt completely). Add to flour mixture with egg. Add molasses.
• Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add 1 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in just enough remaining flour so that the dough will form into a ball.
• Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic and dough springs back when lightly pressed with 2 fingers, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cover with a towel; let rest for 10 minutes.
• For filling, combine sugar, cinnamon, and spices in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Roll dough into a 15 x 10-inch rectangle using a rolling pin. Spread 3 tablespoons butter over dough stopping at least 1/2-inch from the edges on the long sides. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Beginning at long end of each rectangle, roll up tightly. Pinch seams to seal. Cut into 12 equal pieces.
• TIP: Use unflavored dental floss instead of a knife to cut rolls. To do, cut a piece of floss about 12 inches long. Slide floss under the roll; bring the ends up and cross over to cut each slice. Place, cut sides down, in greased 13 x 9 inch baking pan . Cover with towel; let rise in warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour .
• Bake in preheated 350ºF oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until rolls are golden brown. Cool on wire rack for at least 20 minutes.
• Combine all frosting ingredients (start with 2 tablespoons milk and add more if needed) in a large bowl and beat until creamy. Spread over rolls.

Aren’t they pretty? I hope you’ll enjoy these gingerbread cinnamon rolls with your family this holiday season! Check out more holiday dessert recipes and baking ideas over on The Food Network here!

There’s a sense of pride in sharing something you’ve baked from scratch. With
Fleischmann’s Yeast, you won’t be afraid to find your creativity in the kitchen or even get your apron a little dirty. Baking with yeast this holiday season can be as easy as pre-heating the oven. To find out more, visit foodnetwork.com/holidaybaking.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of ACH. The opinions and text are all mine.