Christmas Tree Cinnamon Rolls

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

Christmas Tree Cinnamon Rolls

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 25

Rising 45

Total Time 1 40

Servings cinnamon rolls

Calories 530kcal

Author Kate @ I Heart Eating

Ingredients

Dough

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

Filling

6 tablespoons salted butter
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Cream cheese frosting

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

Topping

Christmas sprinkles
Red and green icing

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

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 as it can kill the yeast if it's too hot).
1 cup whole milk
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.
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
Add eggs, remaining ¼ cup sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Use the fork again to lightly beat the eggs.
2 large eggs, ½ cup salted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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. If the dough seems too sticky, you can add a little more flour at a time up to ½ a cup more flour.
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
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.
Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set in a warm place to rise for about 20-30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, add granulated sugar and ground cinnamon.
½ cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
In a separate bowl, add butter. Microwave for about 10-15 seconds to soften the butter without melting it. Set aside.
6 tablespoons salted butter
Lightly flour a clean surface and roll the dough out into a rectangle until it’s about ½ an inch thick.
Spread the softened butter all over the dough and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly on top.
Working from the longer side of the rectangle, cut 12 2-inch strips out of the dough.
Roll each strip tightly into itself to create a spiral roll.
Place the rolls, swirl-side up, in a Christmas tree shape on the prepared baking sheet. 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.
Beat together cream cheese and butter with the paddle attachment.
8 ounce package cream cheese, ¼ cup salted butter
Add in powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Beat again until smooth and creamy.
2 cups powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, Pinch kosher salt
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.
Spread frosting on top of warm rolls. Decorate with icing and sprinkles as you’d like.

Notes

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.
Nutrition values are estimates.

Nutrition