Christmas Cinnamon Rolls
If you are looking for an idea of what to bake for a Christmas party, look no more! Here is the step-by-step recipe for Christmas-themed 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 17x8-inch (43x20 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.
Notes
They will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator, and they are best eaten within 2 days at room temperature. Make sure you store them in an airtight container. You can also store them in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cinnamon rollCalories: 242kcalCarbohydrates: 30.3gProtein: 3.7gFat: 11.9gSaturated Fat: 6.9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.6gMonounsaturated Fat: 3.3gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 40.1mgSodium: 49mgPotassium: 68.1mgFiber: 0.7gSugar: 14.5gVitamin A: 100IUCalcium: 34.3mgIron: 1mg