Cinnamon Roll Christmas Tree
These fun and festive cinnamon rolls baked up in the shape of a Christmas tree are perfect for the holidays!
Yield 11 cinnamon rolls
Ingredients
Dough
- 3/4 cup (185ml) whole milk
- 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter
- 2 1/2 cups (300g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 (0.25oz) package (7g) or 2 1/4 teaspoons Red Star Active Dry Yeast
- 1 large egg
Filling
- 1/3 cup (75g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup (105g) light or dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Frosting
- 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- 2 ounces (56g) cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 2 cups (227g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2-3 tablespoons milk or eggnog
- Holiday sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Warm the butter and milk in a saucepan over medium low heat until butter is melted and reaches 120-130°F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, or in a large bowl if you plan to mix by hand, add 1 1/2 cups of the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast.
- Add the warm butter mixture and egg and mix to make a wet dough.
- With the mixer running, add remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until dough mostly clears the bowl but still feels sticky. Knead the dough a few minutes more until smooth and elastic.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Gently punch down the dough to release gases and knead to bring back into a ball. Let sit for a few minutes while you get the filling ingredients ready.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a rectangle roughly 12x17-inches. No need to be exact.
- Spread melted butter evenly over the rolled dough. Sprinkle with brown sugar and ground cinnamon.
- Starting with one long end, gently roll up dough into a log. Using a sharp knife or unscented floss, remove ends to make a clean edge and cut into 11 rolls.
- Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment (see Notes) about 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart to make a tree shape: 1 roll on top row, 2 rolls in next row, 3 rolls in next row, 4 rolls in next row, and 1 roll for the trunk at the bottom.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled again, 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F.
- Bake until cinnamon rolls are golden brown, 22-25 minutes.
- Make the frosting: In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and milk or eggnog until smooth and creamy. Add more milk or eggnog if needed to get a spreadable consistency.
- Spread frosting over warm or cooled rolls. Sprinkle with holiday sprinkles if desired.
Notes
- If you have a large rimless cookie sheet pan, that is ideal as the rolls will have more room and tree will keep its shape, but a rimmed sheet pan will work too.
- To make ahead: shape rolls and place on a sheet pan as directed. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge overnight. The next morning let come to room temperature while oven preheats, then bake as normal.
- Cinnamon rolls are best the day they are baked, but will keep at room temperature for a few days.
