Description
Delicious and aromatic Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls made with a spiced molasses-infused dough, filled with a cinnamon-sugar mixture, and topped with a rich molasses cream cheese frosting. Perfect for holiday breakfasts or cozy desserts.
Ingredients
Scale
DOUGH
- ¼ cup (60mL) warm water
- 2 and ½ Tablespoons (32g) granulated sugar
- 1 and ⅛ teaspoons (3.5g) dry active yeast
- ¼ cup (60mL) milk (any kind)
- 2 Tablespoons (30mL) unsulphered molasses (do not use black strap)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 large egg
- 2 and ½ cups (300g) all purpose flour
- 3 Tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, softened
FILLING
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 and ½ Tablespoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 Tablespoon (15mL) unsulphered molasses (do not use black strap)
MOLASSES CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 2 ounces (57g) full fat block cream cheese, softened
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ Tablespoon (15mL) unsulphered molasses (do not use black strap)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ cups (90g) powdered sugar
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: Place warm water in a large bowl. Sprinkle yeast and sugar over the water. Whisk gently and allow to rest for 10 minutes until the mixture becomes bubbly and activates.
- Mix Dough Ingredients: To the activated yeast mixture, add milk, molasses, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and egg. Whisk to combine thoroughly.
- Add Flour and Butter: Gradually stir in 1 cup of flour. Then add softened butter pieces and blend until mostly incorporated. Finally, add remaining 1 and ¼ cups flour and mix until the dough mostly comes together, slightly shaggy but pulling away from bowl sides.
- Knead Dough: Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, adding flour 1 tablespoon at a time if sticky, until smooth and elastic like PlayDoh texture. Let dough rest for 10 minutes.
- Prepare Filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg until well blended. Set aside.
- Roll Dough: Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 9 by 12 inch rectangle. Handle dough patiently as it may be elastic.
- Apply Filling: Whisk melted butter and molasses together and brush evenly over dough, leaving a ½ inch border. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar filling evenly over buttered dough.
- Shape Rolls: Starting at a long edge, roll dough tightly into a 12-inch log. Pinch ends to contain filling. Using a serrated knife, cut log into 6 even slices with seam side down.
- Arrange and Rise: Place slices cut side down in a greased baking pan. Gather any spilled sugar and sprinkle over rolls. Press rolls gently to flatten slightly. Cover loosely with foil or kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Preheat and Bake: Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Bake rolls for 32 minutes or until they begin to brown on top. Cover with foil if excessive browning occurs. Remove and cool rolls for 15 minutes.
- Make Frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter, cinnamon, and molasses together on medium-high speed until smooth. Lower speed and gradually mix in powdered sugar and salt until creamy.
- Frost and Serve: Spread molasses cream cheese frosting over slightly cooled rolls and serve immediately. Store leftovers at room temperature up to 3 days or refrigerated up to 5 days. Reheat briefly before serving.
Notes
- Use an 8-inch square pan or an 8-9 inch round pan for baking. Place rolls in two rows of three for square pans or one in center and five around for round pans.
- Make ahead by assembling and allowing rolls to rise, then refrigerate overnight. Remove from fridge, let rise 1 hour, and bake next day.
- Baked rolls freeze well up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator and warm before serving.
- Freeze unbaked rolls either by parbaking 10 minutes first or freezing after slicing. Thaw and bake fully before frosting.
- For best yeast results, ensure water is warm but not hot and allow yeast to fully activate.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cinnamon roll
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
