This post is sponsored by Fleischmann’s®.
Happy Friday before Christmas. I have to say, I am so excited for the next few days. Most of my family arrives tomorrow and after this weekend the bulk of my work will be done for the remainder of the year. It’s been crazy busy leading up to Christmas, but I’m feeling grateful and excited for everything we’ve been able to accomplish this last year. The next few days are all about chilling with my family, cooking our favorite holiday recipes, and probably mixing up a lot of cocktails too. So really, the cooking never stops, but I do it because I love it. When it comes to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, my family has a few traditions, but the one we never break? Cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning. I’ve been making cinnamon rolls for as long as I can remember and nothing beats homemade. Last year I made these Eggnog Cinnamon Rolls, but this year I’m switching it up again and baking these easy spiced gingerbread cinnamon rolls.
To make the dough.
First, these are not your typical cinnamon roll. I wanted them to be extra cinnamony, but also perfectly spiced with ginger and hinted with molasses too. Just like your favorite gingerbread cookies. For the dough, simply mix flour with Fleischmann’s® Rapid Rise Yeast, a touch of ginger, and a pinch of salt. Add warm milk, a touch of honey, eggs, and salted butter. Then mix until smooth, let the dough rest for ten to fifteen minutes, and then it’s time to shape the rolls. And that’s the beauty of Fleischmann’s® RapidRise® yeast! We get to skip an entire hour-long rise.
For me, skipping the rising step is everything. It means I can start making these rolls at the last minute and not be stressed about getting them prepped and ready before things get crazy in the kitchen. For the filling, I mixed the butter with blackstrap molasses for a true gingerbread swirl throughout. Then sprinkled on a simple mix of brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. I like to use brown sugar for a nice depth of flavor. And I go heavy on the cinnamon and ginger for sweet, cinnamon, gingery swirls throughout.
Shaping the rolls.
Roll the dough, cut into rolls, and place them into a baking dish. Simple, but always so pretty. If you enjoy warm rolls fresh out of the oven, you can do a quick rise and bake right away. Then simply frost, eat, and enjoy! Cinnamon rolls in under two hours. Perfect for baking up super last minute. For the frosting, I did something a little more special, but still simple. Browned butter + cream cheese + vanilla + cinnamon. Simple, but incredibly delicious when spread over these gingery rolls.
Can you make these ahead of time?
Yes, you can! I love the fact that I can make these from start to finish in under two hours. But I’m also fully aware that none of you want to be prepping breakfast on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning. So, I made sure these rolls could be made ahead of time, for any of you looking to get a jump start. Here is what I do. I make these a day or two ahead and let them rise in the fridge, skipping the counter rise completely. That way, on Christmas Eve morning, all I have to do is bake and frost them. This gives me plenty of time to one, sleep in, and two, relax instead of spending the morning in the kitchen.
I cannot think of a better holiday breakfast to enjoy with your family. Of course, these are great for Christmas, but they can truly be enjoyed all winter long. I’ve yet to share these with my family, so I can’t wait to recreate them next week. Fingers crossed that they love these rolls as much as I do! And with that, I hope to see you tomorrow for the very last Christmas Cocktail Saturday of 2019!
If you make these easy gingerbread brioche cinnamon rolls, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
{This post is sponsored by Fleischmann’s®. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Half Baked Harvest cooking!}
