Christmas Tree Cinnamon Rolls [Recipe]
Winter mornings, especially Christmas mornings, call for cozy and delicious cinnamon rolls, suitable for any holiday treat. They’re so delicious and tender and come together in just a couple of steps from start to finish. The homemade cinnamon sugar glaze on top is the icing on the cake! How can you go wrong with a recipe that involves Christmas tree cinnamon rolls?
How to Make Christmas Tree Cinnamon Rolls?
If you’ve ever failed to prepare the perfect cinnamon rolls, don’t despair! As you probably know, cinnamon rolls contain two parts, tasty rolls and the frosting that comes on top, making them even more delicious.
Of course, you can always use Pillsbury cinnamon rolls. However, as we have seen, they can’t always turn out the same as the original, which will usually require some upgrades.
So, if you plan to make cinnamon rolls from scratch, don’t be afraid. This recipe will provide you with both exciting and easy ways to enjoy an excellent holiday activity and make something delicious. Here’s what you’ll need before you start.
To prepare the dough, you will need 3 cups (around 360 g) of all-purpose flour, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 3/4 cup (180 ml) warm whole milk, 3 tbsp (50 g) unsalted butter, a packet of active dry yeast (7 g or 1/4 oz or 2 1/4 tsp), and 1 beaten egg.
For the filling, you will need 3 tbsp (50 g) unsalted butter (softened), 1/3 cup (70 g) brown sugar, and 1 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon.
And lastly, for the cream cheese frosting, you’ll need 8 oz (230 g) cream cheese, 4 tbsp (60 g) softened butter, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 1/4 cup (28 g) confectioners’ sugar, green and yellow food coloring and colorful candies like M&M’s.
With all the ingredients in hand, it’s time to get started on preparing the meal.
Stop 1: Making the Dough
Mix the flour, salt, and sugar in a big bowl and make a hole in the middle where you will put the active dry yeast.
Warm the milk and combine it with the butter until it melts and the mixture is lukewarm for the dough to rise. Pour the milk and butter into the hole where you put the yeast and add the beaten egg.
Dust the surface with flour and knead the dough. Leave it to rest for about an hour at room temperature and cover it with cling foil to prevent it from drying.
Step 2: Filling the Dough
Slightly oil the surface and roll the dough about 0.15 inches thin (about 0.4 cm), around a 17×8-inch (43×20 cm) rectangle. Spread the extra softened butter on the dough. In a separate bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle it evenly.
Note that the butter should only be softened and not melted, which you can achieve by using a microwave or hair dryer.
Step 3: Cutting the Rolls
Roll the dough, starting with the long side. Carefully and slowly cut between 16 and 19 rolls with a serrated knife. Don’t press too hard.
If you cut 16 rolls, then you need to use the edges for the pine trunk. You can omit the edges and use two rolls for the trunk, in which case you will cut 19 rolls.
Put baking paper in the casserole and place the rolls on it, shaping them into a Christmas tree. Leave a small gap between the rolls since they will rise more. Leave them to rest for 20 minutes.
Step 4: Baking the Rolls
After they have risen, put the rolls in the preheated oven at 350 °F (180 °C) for 24-26 minutes. Once they get brownish on top, they are done. Leave them to cool for at least half an hour. Use that time to prepare the frosting.
Step 5: Preparing the Frosting
Combine all ingredients except the colors and candy. Put two spoons of frosting in a separate bowl and mix them with yellow coloring while mixing the remaining frosting with the green. To do that, add the color gradually until you get the desired color.
Spread the green color across the Christmas tree, and yellow across the trunk and at the top of the tree, making a star. Decorate the tree by placing colorful candies randomly on it.
Serve the rolls at a Christmas party!
Christmas Cinnamon Rolls Recipe Variations
There are a few quite exciting variations that will significantly change, and for some, improve, the taste of cinnamon rolls. When it comes to the dough, you can add a tablespoon of rum or maybe a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice.
The filling can be enriched with chopped pecans, while if you love nutmeg, you can add some to the frosting.
How to Store Christmas Cinnamon Rolls?
If you want to store the rolls, in case people somehow don’t grab all of them in a few minutes, you can keep them either in the fridge or at room temperature. You need to place the rolls in a cake keeper for both options.
They will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator, and they are best eaten within 2 days at room temperature.
You can also store them in the freezer for 2-3 months, but I doubt there will be any left in a few days.
Christmas Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Dough
- 3 cups All-purpose flour (380 grams)
- ¼ cup Granulated sugar (50 grams)
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¾ cup Warm whole milk (180 ml)
- 3 tbsp Unsalted butter (50 grams)
- 1 packet Active dry yeast (7 grams, ¼ oz, or 2¼ tsp)
- 1 Beaten egg
Filling
- 3 tbsp Unsalted butter Extra soften (50 grams)
- ⅓ cup Brown sugar (70 grams)
- 1½ tbsp Ground cinnamon
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz Cream cheese (230 grams)
- 4 tbsp Softened butter
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1¼ cup Confectioners' sugar (125 grams)
- Green and yellow food coloring
- ¼ cup Colorful candies like M&M's
Instructions
Making the dough
- Mix the flour, salt, and sugar in a big bowl and make a hole in the middle where you will put the active dry yeast.
- Warm the milk and combine it with the butter until it melts and the mixture is lukewarm for the dough to rise. Pour the milk and butter into the hole where you put the yeast and add the beaten egg.
- Dust the surface with flour and knead the dough. Leave it to rest for about an hour at room temperature and cover it with cling foil to prevent it from drying.
Filling the dough
- Slightly oil the surface and roll the dough about 0.15 inches thin (about 0.4 cm), around a 17×8-inch (43×20 cm) rectangle.
- Spread the extra softened butter on the dough. In a separate bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle it evenly.
- Note that the butter should only be softened and not melted, which you can achieve by using a microwave or hair dryer.
Cutting the rolls
- Roll the dough, starting with the long side. Carefully and slowly cut between 16 and 19 rolls with a serrated knife. Don't press too hard.
- If you cut 16 rolls, then you need to use the edges for the pine trunk. You can omit the edges and use two rolls for the trunk, in which case you will cut 19 rolls.
- Put baking paper in the casserole and place the rolls on it, shaping them into a Christmas tree. Leave a small gap between the rolls since they will rise more.
- Leave them to rest for 20 minutes.
Baking
- After they have risen, put the rolls in the preheated oven at 350 °F (180 °C) for 24-26 minutes. Once they get brownish on top, they are done.
- Leave them to cool for at least half an hour. Use that time to prepare the frosting.
Preparing the frosting
- Combine all ingredients except the colors and candy.
- Put two tablespoons of frosting in a separate bowl and mix them with yellow coloring while mixing the remaining frosting with the green. To do that, add the color gradually until you get the desired color.
- Spread the green color across the Christmas tree, and yellow across the trunk and at the top of the tree, making a star.
- Decorate the tree by placing colorful candies randomly on it.
