Christmas Morning Cinnamon Rolls

A cinnamon roll on a small plate with a pan of more in the background.

Christmas Morning Cinnamon Rolls

Make a batch of Christmas morning cinnamon rolls to celebrate the holidays. They're filled with pecans and cozy spices, baked until fluffy, then topped with orange cream cheese frosting. Prepare them the night before and pop them in the oven on Christmas morning!

Prep Time 1 45

Cook Time 26

Total Time 2 11

Servings rolls

Author Heather

Ingredients

Dough

2 ¾ cups (330 g) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (53 g) brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup (170 g) whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast one standard packet
1 large egg room temperature

Filling

¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter room temperature
½ cup (106 g) brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon cloves
pinch salt
1 cup chopped pecans optional

Orange cream cheese frosting

4 ounces (113 g) cream cheese room temperature
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 teaspoons orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (113 g) confectioner's sugar

Instructions

Dough

Lightly grease a 9x9 square baking dish or 9-10 inch round cake or pie pan and set aside.
In a large bowl, add flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
In a microwave safe bowl, add milk and butter. Microwave in 20 second increments until butter has melted and mixture is warm to the touch, but not hot (about 110 degrees Fahrenheit).
Whisk in yeast and continue whisking until yeast has dissolved. Pour yeast mixture into dry ingredients. Add the egg and stir with a sturdy wooden spoon until a soft dough forms.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using floured hands, knead the dough for 3 to 5 minutes, or until dough looks smooth (not sticky).
Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl, lightly cover, and allow to rise for 10 minutes.

Filling

Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 14x9 rectangle.
Spread room temperature butter evenly across the dough. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Sprinkle evenly over the butter and press gently to adhere. Top with chopped pecans.
Starting at the long 14 inch side, roll dough up into a log. Using a serrated knife, slice into 9 even rolls and place into prepared baking dish.
Cover and transfer to the refrigerator to rise overnight. (To make the same day: Lightly cover and allow rolls to rise at room temperature for 60-90 minutes, or until they've doubled in size.)
Preheat oven to 350℉. Remove cinnamon rolls from the refrigerator and uncover while the oven preheats.
Transfer dish to the oven and bake, uncovered, for about 28-32 minutes, or until golden brown across the top and rolls reach 195-200 degrees Fahrenheit in the center (use an instant read thermometer to test internal temperature). If rolls are browning too quickly, lightly tent with foil for the remaining baking time.
While the rolls bake, prepare the icing.

Frosting

In a medium bowl, add cream cheese, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla extract. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat until creamy and smooth. Add confectioner's sugar and and mix until smooth.
Spread frosting over warm cinnamon rolls and serve immediately.

Notes

Prepare icing ingredients ahead of time: While I don't recommend making the icing ahead of time (it will harden after about an hour), the orange can be juiced and zested, then stored in the refrigerator until morning. Mix up your icing while the cinnamon rolls bake.
Leftovers: Store leftover cinnamon rolls covered at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Freezing baked rolls: Baked cinnamon rolls freeze well and keep for up to 3 months.
Freezing unbaked cinnamon rolls: Follow the directions above for assembly and rising, using a disposable foil pan (or other freezer-safe pan you don't mind freezing for a while). Bake your cinnamon rolls at 350F for 10 minutes. They should look risen and par-cooked, but not yet browned. Cool completely, then cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Transfer to the refrigerator to thaw overnight. In the morning, preheat your oven to 350F and bake for the remaining 18-22 minutes.

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