Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls With Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
These Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls are the perfect holiday treat: soft, buttery rolls swirled with gingerbread spices and topped with a delicious Maple Cream Cheese Frosting. They're perfect for holiday mornings and guaranteed to impress.
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Stand mixer
Ingredients
For the Tangzhong
- 135 g whole milk
- 30 g bread flour
For the Dough
- 490 g bread flour
- 70 g sugar
- 10 g instant dry yeast
- 6 g salt
- 1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk at room temp
- 150 g whole milk at 80°F (27°C)
- All the tangzhong from above
- 115 g unsalted butter softened at room temp
For the Gingerbread Filling
- 3 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp potato starch
- 150 g unsalted butter softened at room temp
- 150 g dark brown sugar
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of salt
For the Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
- 160 g cream cheese full-fat, at room temp
- 40 g unsalted butter softened at room temp
- 55 g pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of salt
Toppings
- orange zest
- gingerbread cookies
Instructions
Make the Tangzhong
- In a small saucepan, combine 135 g whole milk and 30 g bread flour.135 g whole milk, 30 g bread flour
- Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
- Once the mixture thickens into a smooth, paste-like consistency (about 2-3 minutes), remove from heat.
- Transfer the tangzhong to a bowl, scraping out all of it.
- Cover the surface of the tangzhong with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.
- Let it cool to room temperature before using it in the dough.
Prepare the Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the dry ingredients.490 g bread flour, 70 g sugar, 10 g instant dry yeast, 6 g salt
- Add the cooled tangzhong along with the remaining wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk, 150 g whole milk, All the tangzhong
- Using your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, knead the dough for 10-15 minutes.
- After kneading, add the softened butter, one cube at a time, allowing each piece to incorporate before adding the next. If the butter is hard to mix in or the dough starts to spin around the hook without mixing, pause the mixer, scrape down the bowl and dough hook, and restart.115 g unsalted butter
- Continue kneading for 10-15 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and passes the windowpane test (when a small piece of dough can be stretched thin enough to let light through without tearing).
First Rise + Cold Proof
- Once the dough is ready, remove it from the mixer and gently shape it into a round.
- Place the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
- Let the dough rise in a warm spot, ideally at 80℉ (27℃), for 45-60 minutes, or until it has increased in size by about 60% (it should not double in size at this stage).I know percentages can be a bit confusing—just think of 100% as the dough doubling in size, so 60% is slightly over halfway there.
- After the initial rise, transfer the dough to the fridge for at least 2 hours until fully doubled in size (or up to 10 hours if you want to let it rise overnight). This cold-proofing step allows the dough to firm up, making it easier to shape the gingerbread rolls later. If you leave it overnight, ensure the dough is well covered to prevent it from drying out.
Prepare the Gingerbread Filling
- Combine gingerbread spices, potato starch, and salt in a medium bowl.3 tsp ground cinnamon, 2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp ground cardamom, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg, 1 tsp potato starch, 1 pinch of salt
- Add butter, sugars, and vanilla to the bowl, and combine using a fork or small spatula.150 g unsalted butter, 150 g dark brown sugar, 50 g granulated sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Cover and set aside at room temperature until you're ready to shape your gingerbread rolls.
Shape
- After the dough has rested in the fridge and has fully doubled in size, remove it from the fridge and place it on a lightly floured surface.
- Roll the dough into a square measuring approximately 18x18 inches (45x45 cm) using a rolling pin.
- Spread this filling evenly over the dough using an offset spatula.
- Starting from one edge, tightly roll the dough into a log.
- Use a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss to cut the log into 12 even rolls. If you want to ensure uniform size, you can measure the length of the log, divide by 12, and mark the dough at even intervals before cutting.
- Arrange the rolls in a parchment-lined 9x13-inch (33x23 cm) baking pan.
- Cover with plastic wrap and allow the cinnamon rolls to rise, ideally at 80℉ (27℃), for another 30-45 minutes, or until they’ve puffed up nicely.
Bake
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Once the rolls have risen, bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and fully cooked through. To check if they're done, use a digital thermometer to ensure the internal temperature is at least 194°F (90°C). If the rolls start browning too quickly, cover them loosely with foil for the last few minutes of baking.
Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
- While the rolls are baking, prepare the frosting.
- Whisk the softened butter in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer for about 3 minutes, until it lightens in color.40 g unsalted butter
- Add cream cheese, and whisk for 3 minutes.160 g cream cheese
- Gradually add maple syrup, whisking between each addition.55 g pure maple syrup
- Whisk the frosting until smooth and fully combined.
- Lastly, stir in vanilla extract, taste, and a small pinch of salt to balance the sweetness.1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 pinch of salt
Frost + Finishing Touches
- Once the rolls are out of the oven, let them cool to room temperature before spreading the maple cream cheese frosting on top. Sprinkle with orange zest, add gingerbread cookies on top, and enjoy!orange zest, gingerbread cookies