Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

This cinnamon roll recipe just seems natural to me. Instead of white yeast bread with no sweetness used in most other cinnamon roll recipes, why not use a sweetened dough, especially one sweetened in the classic gingerbread way?

Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

Serves

16 people

This cinnamon roll recipe just seems natural to me. Instead of white yeast bread with no sweetness used in most other cinnamon roll recipes, why not use a sweetened dough, especially one sweetened in the classic gingerbread way?

Enjoy making these Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 3/4 cup molasses
  • 1 (.25-ounce) package yeast
  • 2-1/2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons ginger
  • 2 tablespoons cinnamon, divided
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
  • As needed butter flavored nonstick cooking spray
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup water

Preparation

  • 1 Heat buttermilk and molasses mixed together until a little above room temperature. Stir in yeast well. Set aside 10 minutes, or until yeast is foaming.
  • 2 Meanwhile, in a large bowl, blend flour, ginger, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, salt and cloves. When yeast has foamed, stir in melted butter. Stir in the flour mixture, a cup at a time, until a soft dough forms. You can use a hook attachment on a tabletop mixer or use a sturdy wooden spoon.
  • 3 Spray the top of the dough with cooking spray and place a towel over the top. Let rise until double in size in a warm spot of  your kitchen (see Note).
  • 4 Turn the dough out onto a generously floured work surface and, with floured hands, knead gently until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
  • 5 Line a cookie pan with parchment paper or grease pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
  • 6 In a small bowl, combine remainder of cinnamon with brown sugar; set aside. 
  • 7 Using a rolling pin, roll ball of dough into a large rectangle about a 1/2-inch thick. Spray the dough with cooking spray and sprinkle cinnamon mixture to within an inch of the sides.
  • 8 Starting at the long side, roll up rectangle tightly, ending with the seam downward. Slice each roll an inch and a half to 2 inches thick. Place on place cut side up on prepared pan. Let rise, uncovered, until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
  • 9 Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F. Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven to cool slightly. Whisk powdered sugar with water and drizzle over each roll. (I baked them apart for crispiness and I rolled each in more powdered sugar when cooled.)
  • 10 Note: I place my dough, covered, in my dishwasher with the plate warmer on for a few minutes. I keep the door closed and turn off the plate warmer. This exponentially shortens the rising period.

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