Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls [No Knead]
Serves 12
15 mins prep
30 mins cook
45 mins total
These gingerbread cinnamon rolls are soft, ultra gooey, filled with an easy gingerbread filling, and topped with a classic cream cheese frosting. They have molasses and spices to make them taste like real gingerbread! The dough is an easy, no knead dough that comes together without an electric mixer! They're the perfect cinnamon rolls for a holiday celebration and the recipe includes a make ahead option so you can prep them the night before.
Dough
cupwaterwarm
packetactive dry yeast7g or 2 ¼teaspoons
cupall purpose flour600g
tspsea salt
tbspmolassesunsulphured, and not blackstrap
cupbrown sugarpacked
cupunsalted buttersoftened
large eggsroom temperature
cupmilkwarm
Filling
cupunsalted buttervery soft but not melted
cupdark brown sugarpacked
tbspmolasses
tspsea salt
tbspcinnamonground
tspgingerground
tspclovesground
tspnutmegground
Frosting
Dough
Combine warm water, 1 teaspoon sugar, and yeast in a small bowl. Stir until yeast dissolves. Let it sit for about 5 minutes so that a foam starts to form on top. If a foam doesn’t form in 10 minutes, discard and try again with a different packet of yeast.
cup water
tsp granulated sugar
packet active dry yeast
In a large bowl combine sifted flour, salt, and stir. Make a well in the middle and add the molasses, brown sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, milk, and yeast mixture.
cup all purpose flour
tsp sea salt
tbsp molasses
cup brown sugar
cup unsalted butter
large eggs
tbsp pure vanilla extract
cup milk
Mix until a cohesive dough forms. Cover the bowl with a dish cloth and place in a warm place (see notes) to rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
Filling
Have the butter very soft, almost melted, to blend easier. Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well to combine. Set aside to use later.
cup unsalted butter
cup dark brown sugar
tbsp molasses
tsp sea salt
tbsp cinnamon
tsp ginger
tsp cloves
tsp nutmeg
Assembly
Butter a 9” by 12” baking pan with a bit of cold butter and set aside.
Punch down the dough and transfer onto a floured surface. Roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 18” by 24”. Spread the filling evenly on top of the dough.
Roll into a log, starting at the bottom long edge. Mark the roll into 12 equal pieces.
Using a piece of string or unflavored floss, wrap the string around the log and pull to cut. Arrange each roll into the baking pan.
Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C) while you let the rolls rise until the cinnamon rolls puff up and fill out the pan some more.
Pour the heavy cream evenly over the rolls. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown on top. Let cool inside the pan – make the frosting while it cools.
cup heavy whipping cream
Frosting
Beat the butter, sugar, and salt in a stand mixer or with electric hand mixer until light and fluffy.
cup unsalted butter
cup powdered sugar
tsp sea salt
Add vanilla extract and chunks of cream cheese into the butter in a few additions, beating very well in between. It should be fluffy.
tsp pure vanilla extract
oz cream cheese
Spread on top of the rolls while they are still warm so that the frosting melts into the rolls a little bit. Serve warm!