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Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

Gingerbread cinnamon rolls with a tender, spiced dough and a soft cream cheese vanilla glaze. Yeast rises for fluffy layers, then rolls bake at 375°F until deeply golden and fragrant.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
rising 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For gingerbread dough
  • 0.75 cup warm milk
  • 2.25 tsp yeast
  • 0.25 cup molasses
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar
  • 0.33 cup melted butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 cup flour
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 0.5 tsp cloves
  • 1 tsp salt
For filling
  • 0.5 cup softened butter
  • 0.67 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp ginger
  • 0.25 tsp cloves
For vanilla glaze
  • 4 oz cream cheese
  • 2 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 stand mixer

Method
 

Activate the yeast and mix dough
  1. In a stand mixer bowl, combine warm milk and yeast with molasses, then add the brown sugar, melted butter, and eggs until smooth.
  2. Add the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt, then knead for 8-10 minutes until the dough is cohesive and elastic.
  3. Cover and let the dough rise for 1 hour in a warm spot, until visibly puffy.
Fill, roll, and cut
  1. Roll the dough into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface, keeping an even thickness for consistent swirls.
  2. Spread the softened butter over the dough, then sprinkle with the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
  3. Roll the dough tightly into a log and cut it into 12 rolls.
Proof and bake
  1. Arrange the rolls in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish and let them rise for 45 minutes, until they look fuller and touch lightly.
  2. Bake at 375°F for 22-25 minutes, until the tops are deeply golden and the center rolls feel set.
Glaze and serve
  1. Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
  2. Drizzle the glaze over the warm rolls so it melts slightly into the creases.

Notes

For clean slices, chill the shaped log for 10-15 minutes before cutting, which helps the swirls stay tight. Store baked rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days and rewarm in the microwave 15-25 seconds. Freeze baked rolls for up to 2 months (glaze after thawing for best texture). For a dairy-light swap, use lactose-free milk and lactose-free cream cheese in the glaze.