Name: Christmas Tree Cinnamon Rolls
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 100 min
Ingredients: 1 cup whole milk; ½ cup granulated sugar (divided); 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast; 2 large eggs (at room temperature); ½ cup salted butter (melted and cooled slightly); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 4-4 ½ cups all purpose flour; ¼ teaspoon kosher salt; 6 tablespoons salted butter; ½ cup granulated sugar; 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon; 8 ounce package cream cheese (at room temperature); ¼ cup salted butter (at room temperature); 2 cups powdered sugar; ½ teaspoon vanilla extract; Pinch kosher salt; Christmas sprinkles; Red and green icing

These Christmas Tree Cinnamon Rolls are soft, gooey homemade cinnamon rolls baked in the shape of a Christmas tree. They’re a fun, festive pull-apart breakfast that’s perfect for Christmas morning!

A hand grabbing a cinnamon roll in a cinnamon roll Christmas tree.

Make Christmas morning a little more festive with these Christmas Tree Cinnamon Rolls! They’re made with soft, fluffy homemade cinnamon rolls arranged into the shape of a Christmas tree and baked until golden.

The rolls are filled with gooey cinnamon sugar, and the pull-apart design makes them fun to serve and share. They’re a delicious addition to Christmas breakfast or brunch, and the Christmas tree shape doesn’t take any additional work but makes them feel extra special for the holidays.

Ingredients for Christmas tree cinnamon rolls.

Ingredient notes and substitutions

Whole milk: Whole milk makes for richer, softer dough. You can use milk with a different fat percentage, but it may result in a leaner dough.
Butter: If using unsalted butter, increase salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
Yeast: You can substitute an equal amount of instant yeast for the active dry yeast. If you’re using instant yeast, there’s no need to proof the yeast before continuing.
Flour: It’s important to properly measure the flour. Weighing will give the most accurate measurement, but you can also sift or stir the flour to break it up, lightly spoon into a measuring cup, and level without packing.
Salt: If using table salt, use half the amount.
Cream cheese: I recommend using either full-fat cream cheese or 1/3-less fat cream cheese for best flavor.

How to make Christmas tree cinnamon rolls

Here you’ll find instructions and step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.

Dough

Step 1: Pour milk into a microwave-safe measuring cup. Microwave in 30-second intervals until it reaches about 110-115 F. (If it gets too hot, let it sit on the counter for a few minutes to come down in temperature). If the milk is too hot it can kill the yeast.

Step 2: Add warm milk, ¼ cup granulated sugar, and yeast to the bowl of your stand mixer. Use a fork to lightly stir it all together. Let sit for 5 minutes for yeast to bloom.

Step 3: Add eggs, remaining ¼ cup sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Use the fork again to lightly beat the eggs.

Step 4: Pour in 4 cups flour and salt. Use a paddle attachment on your stand mixer to combine the ingredients, then switch to the dough hook. With the dough hook, knead the flour into the liquid ingredients until combined. Continue to knead with the dough hook for another 8-10 minutes, or until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should feel sticky to the touch but shouldn’t come off on your finger if you pinch it. If the dough seems too sticky, you can add a little more flour at a time up to ½ a cup more flour.

Step 5: Grease a clean bowl lightly with oil. Remove dough from the mixing bowl and place it in the greased bowl, turning to coat in oil on all sides.

Step 6: Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set in a warm place to rise for about 20-30 minutes.

Step 7: Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Filling

Step 8: In a medium bowl, add granulated sugar and cinnamon.

Step 9: In a separate bowl, add butter. Microwave for about 10-15 seconds to soften the butter without melting it. Set aside.

Step 10: Lightly flour a clean surface and roll the dough out into a rectangle until it’s about ½ an inch thick.

Dough rolled out with butter and cinnamon sugar on it next to rolled up cinnamon roll dough.

Step 11: Spread the softened butter all over the dough and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly on top.

Step 12: Working from the longer side of the rectangle, cut 12 2-inch strips out of the dough.

Step 13: Roll each strip tightly into itself to create a spiral roll.

Unbaked Christmas tree cinnamon rolls next to baked cinnamon rolls.

Step 14: Place the rolls, swirl-side up, in a Christmas tree shape on the prepared baking sheet.

Step 15: Cover with the same clean dish towel and allow to sit in a warm place for another 20-30 minutes.
While waiting for the rolls to rest, clean the bowl of your stand mixer.

Frosting

Step 16: Beat together cream cheese and butter with the paddle attachment.

Step 17: Add in powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Beat again until smooth and creamy.

Step 18: Bake cinnamon rolls for about 23-25 minutes, or until baked in the center and golden brown on top. Tent with foil if they start to overbrown before baking through. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes.

Step 19: Spread frosting on top of warm rolls. Decorate with icing and sprinkles as you’d like.

Recipe Tips!

Measure the flour carefully: Too much flour can make cinnamon rolls dry or dense. Weighing the flour is the most accurate method. Cinnamon roll dough should be soft and a little sticky. Add only the amount of flour needed according to the recipe.
Give the dough time to rise: Yeast dough needs time to rise properly.
Spread the filling evenly: Distribute the cinnamon sugar filling across the dough so every roll has plenty of flavor.
Don’t overbake: Overbaking can dry out the rolls. Check that the center rolls are fully baked while keeping the outer rolls soft. Tent with foil if the outside browns too quickly.
Allow the rolls to cool slightly before icing: Letting the rolls cool briefly can help prevent it from melting completely.
Serving suggestions: I like to serve the cinnamon rolls along with sides like bacon, eggs, fresh fruit salad.

A hand holding a Christmas tree cinnamon roll.

Storage

Store any leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep for up to 4 days when properly stored in the fridge.

More cinnamon roll recipes!

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Ingredient notes and substitutions