buns

Swedish Cinnamon Rolls

Swedish Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon blog. These are twisted and knotted cinnamon rolls filled with a sugar spiral filling and dotted with Swedish pearl sugar. Cardamom and spices flavor the dough and filling. These make delicious breakfast brunch or dessert pastries and can be topped with a glaze if desired. Read more on the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

We’ve got a lot to look forward to this year. After all, there’s a new decade upon us. In the spirit of new beginnings, my site will be undergoing a bit of a face lift over the next few days. We’ve been trucking along here for almost FOUR years now, and it’s time this little place got some nips and tucks in all the right places. Please bear with me for a few days while recipes are unavailable, and feel free to reach out to me via email if you need anything immediately. Before the transformation, I do have one more recipe to share with you all, and boy, it’s a cute one. These Swedish cinnamon rolls are lookers for sure, and I think you’ll enjoy the taste as much as the style. Let’s chat all about them.

Swedish Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon blog. These are twisted and knotted cinnamon rolls filled with a sugar spiral filling and dotted with Swedish pearl sugar. Cardamom and spices flavor the dough and filling. These make delicious breakfast brunch or dessert pastries and can be topped with a glaze if desired. Read more on the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

Remember the overnight cinnamon rolls that I posted near the end of 2018? They continue to be a hit on this site, for reasons that are perfectly understandable. They’re fluffy, flavorful, and convenient with their make-ahead capabilities. These Swedish cinnamon buns are similar in preparation and ingredients, but their twisted forms and cardamom-scented innards give them a special feel for these warm and cozy months. Still, the dough begins the same with milk, yeast, and water, followed by butter, eggs, and loads of dry ingredients. These rolls are baked with a spiced simple syrup in for an extra bite of sweet that compensates for the lack of frosting or glaze. Of course you could always add a frosting at the end anyways… who am I to stop you from living your best life?

Swedish Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon blog. These are twisted and knotted cinnamon rolls filled with a sugar spiral filling and dotted with Swedish pearl sugar. Cardamom and spices flavor the dough and filling. These make delicious breakfast brunch or dessert pastries and can be topped with a glaze if desired. Read more on the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

Making Swedish Cinnamon Rolls

The twisting for these Swedish cinnamon buns is a little tricky at first. Practice a bit on your first strip of dough until you come up with a knot that you’re fond of. Keep in mind that the doughy buns will fluff upon rising and fill out a bit so don’t be sad if they look a little funny right after you twist them. Nothing is going to look gross with that beautiful pearl sugar on it.

Swedish Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon blog. These are twisted and knotted cinnamon rolls filled with a sugar spiral filling and dotted with Swedish pearl sugar. Cardamom and spices flavor the dough and filling. These make delicious breakfast brunch or dessert pastries and can be topped with a glaze if desired. Read more on the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

Speaking of which, if you’re wondering, “What the heck is this pearl sugar?” you’re not alone. It’s exactly what it sounds like, little pearls of sugar, and you can find it in speciality stores, boujie grocery stores, and on Amazon. The sugar on top is entirely optional, but don’t you think it looks adorable?

Swedish Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon blog. These are twisted and knotted cinnamon rolls filled with a sugar spiral filling and dotted with Swedish pearl sugar. Cardamom and spices flavor the dough and filling. These make delicious breakfast brunch or dessert pastries and can be topped with a glaze if desired. Read more on the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

Happy New Year to you, sweet friends, and thank you in advance for your patience while my site gets a makeover. I can’t wait to share it with you! Happy Baking!

If you like these Swedish Cinnamon Rolls you should try:

Orange Cardamom Rolls

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

Chocolate Rolls

Funfetti Rolls

Orange Swirl Bread

Print

Swedish Cinnamon Rolls

These Swedish cinnamon rolls are lightly scented with cardamom and speckled with pearl sugar! Enjoy for breakfast or dessert!

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 30
  • Cook Time: 25
  • Total Time: 240
  • Yield: 17
  • Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • 1 cup (240 gm) milk, lukewarm
  • ¼ cup (60 gm) water, lukewarm
  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 6 tablespoons (85 gm) unsalted butter, melted but not too hot
  • 1 large egg plus 2 egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup (50 gm) brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup (50 gm) sugar
  • 23/4 cups (385 gm) all-purpose flour
  • 11/2 cups (210 gm) bread flour
  • 1 teaspoon cardamom
  • ½ teaspoon salt

For the glaze:

  • ¼ cup water
  • ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon cardamom
  • Swedish Pearl Sugar

For the filling:

  • 5 tablespoons (70 gm) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon cardamom
  • ½ cup (100 gm) brown sugar

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, combine the milk and water and sprinkle the yeast over top of it. Allow the yeast to dissolve, about 5 minutes. Stir in the butter, egg, egg yolks, and brown sugar, and sugar until smooth. In a small bowl, combine the flour, bread flour, cardamom, and salt. Dump about half of the dry ingredients into the yeast mixture and stir until combined. Pour in the remaining dry ingredients and knead in the bowl using the dough hook attachment until smooth and slightly tacky, about 7 minutes. If you notice your dough isn’t pulling away from the sides of the bowl or it’s too wet, add flour 2 tablespoons at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a little dough “tornado” around the dough hook. Once done kneading, place the dough into a large lightly greased bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap to double in size, about 1-1/2 – 2 hours. (Tip: I like to allow mine to refrigerate overnight so that the dough is easier to work with. This is totally optional but is great if you’d like to let it rise in fridge overnight instead of on counter!)
  2. In the meantime, prepare the glaze. Combine the water, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stirring regularly, bring the mixture to a boil and then remove from heat to cool completely.
  3. Once the dough has risen, dump it out onto a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll it out into a large rectangle about 12”x26” in size. Pour the melted butter and spread it out over top. Combine the cinnamon, cardamom, and brown sugar and sprinkle evenly over the buttered dough. Fold the dough in half lengthwise to form a 9″x10″ square and roll or pat it out to thin the folded dough a bit. Using a sharp knife, cut 1/2″ strips of dough (approximately 12 total). Take one strip of dough and wrap it around your index and middle finger twice. Remove the double loop from your fingers and tuck both ends of the dough back through the center loop to form a bit of a twisted knot. Place each knot on a prepared sheet or dish about two inches apart, being sure to keep the loose ends on the underside of the bun. Cover the baking sheets with plastic wrap and set aside to rise while you let the oven preheat to 350 degrees. (Alternatively, you can let the buns rise in the fridge overnight). Once the knots have risen, about 30 minutes, brush the tops with the cooled syrup and sprinkle generously with pearl sugar. Bake in the oven for about 180-20 min or until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before eating.

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Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon. This recipe is for holiday spiced morning buns filled with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and other Christmas cookie spices. The recipe can be prepped overnight and made in advance and the whole thing has a tangy lemon cream cheese icing that can be frosted on the fluffy giant rolls. Learn how to roll the cookies and find out more about this recipe on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood.

I have this photo of Aimee and George from a few years ago. They’re sitting next to Santa Claus and his fake stuffed reindeer. George’s face is nearly purple, screaming in terror at the proximity of this jolly stranger. Aimee stands, arms crossed, with a pout on her face that says, “I’m only doing this because I was promised a candy cane.” Christmas 2017 was short of merry, but this year, with a 5 and 3  (and 5 month!) old, the magic of Christmas is really starting to take on a life of its own. As the Mom, I’m enjoying the tradition of things like decorating our home, constructing gingerbread houses, and singing Louis Armstrong to and from school, but my absolute favorite thing to do is indulge in Christmas food and drinks- the tastes and flavors that make this season feel like what it is. These gingerbread cinnamon rolls are a choice breakfast item for getting into the holiday spirit, and I’m thrilled to be sharing them with you today.

Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon. This recipe is for holiday spiced morning buns filled with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and other Christmas cookie spices. The recipe can be prepped overnight and made in advance and the whole thing has a tangy lemon cream cheese icing that can be frosted on the fluffy giant rolls. Learn how to roll the cookies and find out more about this recipe on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood.

Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

There is absolutely no way to dream up a prettier make-ahead breakfast treat. These gingerbread cinnamon rolls have the ease and simplicity of my make-ahead cinnamon rolls with all the flavor and holiday richness of your favorite Christmas treat. The spirals, the frosting, the deep amber color of the buns all feel over-the-top in the very best way, and don’t you think that’s what Christmas food should be all about? These gingerbread cinnamon rolls are fluffy, smoothly-spiced, and are sweet and sticky from the gooey filling and lemony cream cheese frosting. They’re just divine. Let me tell you how to make them.

Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon. This recipe is for holiday spiced morning buns filled with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and other Christmas cookie spices. The recipe can be prepped overnight and made in advance and the whole thing has a tangy lemon cream cheese icing that can be frosted on the fluffy giant rolls. Learn how to roll the cookies and find out more about this recipe on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood.Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon. This recipe is for holiday spiced morning buns filled with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and other Christmas cookie spices. The recipe can be prepped overnight and made in advance and the whole thing has a tangy lemon cream cheese icing that can be frosted on the fluffy giant rolls. Learn how to roll the cookies and find out more about this recipe on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood.

Making the Rolls

We start these rolls with yeast and warm liquid in the bowl of a stand mixer. Allow the yeast to dissolve and barely bubble before stirring in the butter and molasses. The rich, dark flavor of molasses is one of the primary flavor contributors of these rolls. Together with a bit of sugar, the molasses sweetens the dough and keeps the rolls tender. Next comes the dry ingredients of flour, salt, and spice. The dry ingredients help the dough comes together in a wet and shaggy mixture that should tornado up on the kneading hook of your mixer but still feel slightly tacky to the touch. Set is all aside to double in a bowl in a warm area of your kitchen.

Once proofed, roll out the dough and slather it with melted butter, sugar, and loads of spice. Spiral it tightly into a long log and use a sharp chef’s knife to slice into individual rolls. Place the buns on a sheet pan to rise for a second time prior to baking.

Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon. This recipe is for holiday spiced morning buns filled with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and other Christmas cookie spices. The recipe can be prepped overnight and made in advance and the whole thing has a tangy lemon cream cheese icing that can be frosted on the fluffy giant rolls. Learn how to roll the cookies and find out more about this recipe on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood.

Icing the Rolls

I love to prep these gingerbread cinnamon rolls in advance and bake the following morning. If allowed, they’ll rise overnight in the chill of your fridge and will be plump and ready for baking the following morning. It’s best to frost with the butter and cream cheese frosting just before serving to keep it gooey and fresh. After baking, the rolls are soft to the fork, festively spiced, and practically beg for a cup of coffee. They’re delicious.

Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon. This recipe is for holiday spiced morning buns filled with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and other Christmas cookie spices. The recipe can be prepped overnight and made in advance and the whole thing has a tangy lemon cream cheese icing that can be frosted on the fluffy giant rolls. Learn how to roll the cookies and find out more about this recipe on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood.

I’m honored to be sharing these gingerbread cinnamon rolls in partnership with my friends at Kerrygold. Their premium butters are my go-tos in the kitchen, particularly when I’m taking time to make a special treat like these morning rolls. I love the rich flavors and higher fat percentage that they add to my baked goods, especially when I’m making something that I prefer to be soft and gooey. Kerrygold is a surefire thing, and I hope you’ll give it a try in your own kitchens. As always, thank you for supporting brands that make Wood and Spoon possible. Give these gingerbread cinnamon rolls a try and let me know what you think! Have a great week and happy baking!

Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon. This recipe is for holiday spiced morning buns filled with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and other Christmas cookie spices. The recipe can be prepped overnight and made in advance and the whole thing has a tangy lemon cream cheese icing that can be frosted on the fluffy giant rolls. Learn how to roll the cookies and find out more about this recipe on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood.

If you like these gingerbread cinnamon rolls you should try:

Bananas Foster Cinnamon Rolls

Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

Funfetti Rolls

Hazelnut Cinnamon Rolls

Print

Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

These gingerbread cinnamon rolls are loaded with molasses and holiday spice flavors and served with a lemon cream cheese glaze on top!

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 60
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 240
  • Yield: 16
  • Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • 1/2 cup (120 gm) milk, lukewarm
  • ¼ cup (60 gm) water, lukewarm
  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 6 tablespoons (85 gm) unsalted butter, melted but not too hot
  • 1 large egg plus 2 egg yolks
  • ½ cup molasses
  • 21/2+ cups (350 gm) all-purpose flour
  • 11/2 cups (210 gm) bread flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt

For the filling:

  • 5 tablespoons (70 gm) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 23 teaspoons ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¾ cup (150 gm) brown sugar

For the frosting:

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • ¼ cup (55 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 cups (230 gm) powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Milk as needed

Instructions

To prepare the dough:

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, combine the milk and water and sprinkle the yeast over top of it. Allow the yeast to dissolve, about 5 minutes. Stir in the butter, egg, egg yolks, and molasses until smooth. In a small bowl, combine the flour, bread flour, and salt. Dump about half of the dry ingredients into the yeast mixture and stir until combined. Pour in the remaining dry ingredients and knead in the bowl using the dough hook attachment until smooth and slightly tacky, about 7 minutes. If you notice your dough isn’t pulling away from the sides of the bowl or it’s too wet, add flour 2 tablespoons at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a little dough “tornado” around the dough hook. Once done kneading, place the dough into a large lightly greased bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap to double in size, about 1-1/2 – 2 hours.
  2. Once the dough has risen, dump it out onto a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll it out into a large rectangle about 11”x21” in size. Pour the melted butter and spread it out over top. Combine the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and brown sugar and sprinkle evenly over the buttered dough. Starting with one of the long ends, tightly roll the dough from end to end and pinch the edges together to seal. Cut the dough into 1-1/2” sections and lay them out 2” apart in a lightly greased baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight.
  3. In the morning, remove the rolls from the fridge and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Keep the baking dish close to the oven while it preheats to help the rolls come to room temp. Once preheated, bake in the oven for about 22-25 minutes or until the edges are barely golden and the internal temp is 185 degrees. Remove from the oven and prepare your frosting.

To prepare the frosting:

  1. Cream the cream cheese and butter in large bowl at medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice, and beat to combine. Add additional milk to thin out the frosting or more powdered sugar to thicken it. You can also gently warm the frosting to pour over the rolls as a glaze. Cinnamon rolls are best enjoyed warm.

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Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Apple Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon blog. These are simple morning rolls filled with brown sugar, cinnamon, and crisp Stemilt apples. On top, an Irish cream liquor cream cheese frosting gives the buns a sweetened and flavorful topping. Garnish with nuts! These pastries can be made overnight and baked fresh in the morning quickly and you can substitute in another fruit for apples! Find the st Patricks day breakfast treat on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

Is it possible we’re already in the month of March? I know I complained about January dragging on forever, but February literally was over before it started. Can someone please help me get a grasp on how fast time is moving?

Apple Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon blog. These are simple morning rolls filled with brown sugar, cinnamon, and crisp Stemilt apples. On top, an Irish cream liquor cream cheese frosting gives the buns a sweetened and flavorful topping. Garnish with nuts! These pastries can be made overnight and baked fresh in the morning quickly and you can substitute in another fruit for apples! Find the st Patricks day breakfast treat on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

My family and I have slowly been hitting our stride down here in Selma. After the busyness we endured toward the end of last year, I’m so grateful to feel like we’re arriving at some normalcy. I’ve also reached the more fun part of this third pregnancy. At 22 weeks along, I’m no longer experiencing morning sickness and my energy has perked back up again. We’ve entered the sweet stage where we can feel the baby move pretty regularly, we found out its gender (IT’S A GIRL!), and  we’re beginning to be able to envision our life as a family of 5. It’s not lost on me what an incredible gift this is that we’ve been given, and I hope you all will remind me of that if and when things start getting overwhelming. I can’t wait to meet this little beauty.

Apple Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon blog. These are simple morning rolls filled with brown sugar, cinnamon, and crisp Stemilt apples. On top, an Irish cream liquor cream cheese frosting gives the buns a sweetened and flavorful topping. Garnish with nuts! These pastries can be made overnight and baked fresh in the morning quickly and you can substitute in another fruit for apples! Find the st Patricks day breakfast treat on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Over the coming days (124 of them, but who’s counting?), I look forward to sharing more about the preparations for Baby Girl 2.0, but for now I think it’s time to scoot on over to the food portion of today’s post. I know you’re all here for the apple cinnamon rolls, right? (Raises hand.)

Apple Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon blog. These are simple morning rolls filled with brown sugar, cinnamon, and crisp Stemilt apples. On top, an Irish cream liquor cream cheese frosting gives the buns a sweetened and flavorful topping. Garnish with nuts! These pastries can be made overnight and baked fresh in the morning quickly and you can substitute in another fruit for apples! Find the st Patricks day breakfast treat on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

I am thrilled to be partnering with Stemilt Growers over the coming year as a member of their Kitchen Council! Stemilt is is a leading Washington state grower, packer, and shipper of fruit including apples, pears, cherries, and more. Each quarter, I’ll be developing recipes for their blog using their best in-season fruits. This month, I got my hands on their piñata apples, a crisp pink and golden fruit with sweet and juicy centers. Because St. Patrick’s Day is around the corner, I thought readers may enjoy an Irish, booze-inspired morning treat, and these apple cinnamon rolls are what I came up with.

Apple Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon blog. These are simple morning rolls filled with brown sugar, cinnamon, and crisp Stemilt apples. On top, an Irish cream liquor cream cheese frosting gives the buns a sweetened and flavorful topping. Garnish with nuts! These pastries can be made overnight and baked fresh in the morning quickly and you can substitute in another fruit for apples! Find the st Patricks day breakfast treat on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

Making the Rolls

The dough here is my favorite base recipe. You can prep these rolls with this dough overnight and bake them fresh the following morning, or you can opt to bake them right away! It’s so adaptable. The filling, brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped piñata apples, oozes a sweet and spicy filling when baked and the little apple bit hold up well in the oven. To finish it all off, we top the rolls with an Irish cream and cream cheese frosting. It’s sweet, tangy, and barely boozy, and it stays soft and creamy even a day later.

Apple Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon blog. These are simple morning rolls filled with brown sugar, cinnamon, and crisp Stemilt apples. On top, an Irish cream liquor cream cheese frosting gives the buns a sweetened and flavorful topping. Garnish with nuts! These pastries can be made overnight and baked fresh in the morning quickly and you can substitute in another fruit for apples! Find the st Patricks day breakfast treat on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

These apple cinnamon rolls are a festive take on the classic breakfast treat. Make them this month as a lazy Saturday treat or even to snack on all week long. A pastry this indulgent definitely can qualify as dessert, so don’t let yourself be limited to those wee morning hours of consumption. Check out the recipe and ingredients list at the link below on Stemilt’s blog and be sure to tune in later this week for another recipe and post!

CLICK HERE FOR APPLE CINNAMON ROLLS RECIPE

If you like these apple cinnamon rolls you should check out:

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

Bananas Foster Cinnamon Rolls

Funfetti Cinnamon Rolls

Hazelnut Cinnamon Rolls

Apple Bundt Cake

Funfetti Rolls

Funfetti Rolls by Wood and Spoon. These are morning sweet buns filled with a birthday cake flavored filling that makes breakfast feel like a party. This overnight dough can be made ahead and the bun are baked and frosted with a cream cheese sprinkle icing. Using Milk Bar birthday cake crumbs, butter and sugar as the filling, these "cinnamon rolls" are the most fun way to do brunch. Find the recipe by Kate Wood on thewoodandspoon.com

It’s been a while since we’ve included some sprinkles in our lineup here. The sprinkles, birthday cake flavor, and bright colors that make up these funfetti rolls make me feel like we’re celebrating, and you guys know how much I love a party. Our mornings deserve something extra-special, extra-festive, extra-fun, don’t you think? If you ask me, these funfetti rolls are just the ticket.

With all of the breakfast recipes we’ve been sporting on this site this month, mornings have been seriously special in my house lately. The other morning I prepared my kids what is, to use, a normal healthy breakfast and they were appalled. Like, where’s the cinnamon rolls, Mom? Where’s the chocolate bread and pound cake and muffins? WHERE IS THE SUGAR IN THIS BREAKFAST? Clearly I need to send the little sugar junkies to breakfast bootcamp for a little reset.

Funfetti Rolls by Wood and Spoon. These are morning sweet buns filled with a birthday cake flavored filling that makes breakfast feel like a party. This overnight dough can be made ahead and the bun are baked and frosted with a cream cheese sprinkle icing. Using Milk Bar birthday cake crumbs, butter and sugar as the filling, these "cinnamon rolls" are the most fun way to do brunch. Find the recipe by Kate Wood on thewoodandspoon.com

Funfetti Rolls

These funfetti rolls really do not help the cause. Aimee caught a glimpse of a test round of these buns on the counter and literally lost all chill. Within 3 minutes she had dragged a stool over to the counter, climbed onto the marble, and was nibbling on sprinkles from the sticky tops of these treats. The look on her face was equal parts guilt and delight, because, let’s be honest- there’s not a kid (read: human) in the world that doesn’t get a little bit excited by the site of sprinkles. They’re so special that I really couldn’t blame her.

Funfetti Rolls by Wood and Spoon. These are morning sweet buns filled with a birthday cake flavored filling that makes breakfast feel like a party. This overnight dough can be made ahead and the bun are baked and frosted with a cream cheese sprinkle icing. Using Milk Bar birthday cake crumbs, butter and sugar as the filling, these "cinnamon rolls" are the most fun way to do brunch. Find the recipe by Kate Wood on thewoodandspoon.com

So these funfetti rolls are maybe the most fun you can have in your morning. Yes, they take time to prepare, and , yes, there’s several steps involved. But are they worth it? Yes. Will they make your kids/roommate/BFF feel like the most special kid on the block? For sure. And do they taste ridiculously close to the funfetti box cake mix you grew up loving? Yep. If you’re tracking with me let’s chat the ins and outs of these rolls. You’re going to love them.

To make these funfetti rolls we start with the dough. I adapted my overnight cinnamon roll dough to work for this recipe. It’s the same fluffy, lightly sweetened yeast dough that I’ve grown to love, and while it does take some time to rise and roll, you can certainly follow the instructions from that original recipe to space out the work overnight. While we wait for the dough to proof we can go ahead and prepare the birthday cake crumb filling.

Funfetti Rolls by Wood and Spoon. These are morning sweet buns filled with a birthday cake flavored filling that makes breakfast feel like a party. This overnight dough can be made ahead and the bun are baked and frosted with a cream cheese sprinkle icing. Using Milk Bar birthday cake crumbs, butter and sugar as the filling, these "cinnamon rolls" are the most fun way to do brunch. Find the recipe by Kate Wood on thewoodandspoon.com

Making the Rolls

You might remember these crumbs from the funfetti ice cream cake I made a while back, but these little beauties are the same recipe that Christina Tosi made famous at NYC’s Milk Bar. With little more than cake flour, sprinkles, and sugar, we whip up a wet, crumbly dough that bakes into crispy, cake mix-favored crumbles. The essential ingredient here is the clear vanilla extract. Regular vanilla simply will not do if you want to recreate that box cake flavor. You can find the extract at your grocery store, craft stores, or online here. Follow the instructions to create the little crumbles, allow them to cool, and then whiz them in a blender or food processor to grind them to a coarse sand consistency. If you’d like to shorten the day-of baking process, feel free to make and freeze these crumbs in advance.

Funfetti Rolls by Wood and Spoon. These are morning sweet buns filled with a birthday cake flavored filling that makes breakfast feel like a party. This overnight dough can be made ahead and the bun are baked and frosted with a cream cheese sprinkle icing. Using Milk Bar birthday cake crumbs, butter and sugar as the filling, these "cinnamon rolls" are the most fun way to do brunch. Find the recipe by Kate Wood on thewoodandspoon.com

Rolling and Filling the Rolls

When your dough is ready to roll, use a lightly floured surface and rolling pin to flatten out a large rectangle of dough. Spread your melted butter all over the dough to serve as the glue for your birthday cake crumbs, sugar, and sprinkles. Roll the dough into a long log and slice 1-1/4-1-1/2″ segments to turn out into your pan. For softer, gooier rolls, you can snuggle them into the pan closely, but if you’re looking for those perfect spirals, space them out about 2″ apart in your baking dish. Bake until the tops are barely bronzed and the internal temp reads 180 degrees. Do not overbake! Underbaked cinnamon rolls taste way better than dried out overbaked ones, so if you have a thermometer, now is the time to use it!

Funfetti Rolls by Wood and Spoon. These are morning sweet buns filled with a birthday cake flavored filling that makes breakfast feel like a party. This overnight dough can be made ahead and the bun are baked and frosted with a cream cheese sprinkle icing. Using Milk Bar birthday cake crumbs, butter and sugar as the filling, these "cinnamon rolls" are the most fun way to do brunch. Find the recipe by Kate Wood on thewoodandspoon.com

These funfetti rolls finish nicely with a sweet cream cheese frosting and a dusting of sprinkles. You can use your extra birthday cake crumbs as a garnish as well, but if you’re anything like me those little guys will already have long been consumed. These breakfast treats put the FUN in FUNfetti and are worth every ounce of the effort they require. Give them a try and let me know what you think! Happy baking, y’all!

If you like these funfetti rolls you should check out:

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

Bananas Foster Cinnamon Rolls

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

Hazelnut Cinnamon Rolls

Chocolate Sweet Rolls

Print

Funfetti Rolls

These funfetti rolls have all the birthday cake flavor wrapped up in a morning roll. Topped with a sweet cream cheese and sprinkle frosting!

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 60
  • Cook Time: 60
  • Total Time: 240
  • Yield: 14
  • Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • 1 cup (240 gm) milk, lukewarm
  • ¼ cup (60 gm) water, lukewarm
  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 6 tablespoons (85 gm)unsalted butter, melted but not too hot
  • 1 large egg plus 2 egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon of clear vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (100 gm) brown sugar
  • 23/4 cups (385 gm) all-purpose flour
  • 11/2 cups (210 gm) bread flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt

For the funfetti crumbs (recipe adapted from Christina Tosi):

  • ½ cup (100 gm) sugar
  • 11/2 tablespoons (25 gm) brown sugar, packed
  • ¾ cup (90 gm) cake flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles
  • ¼ cup (50 gm) canola oil
  • 1 tablespoon clear vanilla extract

For the rolls:

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 3 tablespoons sprinkles
  • 2 tablespoons sugar

For the frosting:

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • ¼ cup (55 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup (115 gm) powdered sugar
  • 2+ tablespoons of milk

Instructions

To prepare the dough:

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, combine the milk and water and sprinkle the yeast over top of it. Allow the yeast to dissolve, about 5 minutes. Stir in the butter, egg, egg yolks, clear vanilla extract, and sugar until smooth. In a small bowl, combine the flour, bread flour, and salt. Dump about half of the dry ingredients into the yeast mixture and stir until combined. Pour in the remaining dry ingredients and knead in the bowl using the dough hook attachment until smooth and slightly tacky, about 7 minutes. If you notice your dough isn’t pulling away from the sides of the bowl or it’s too wet, add flour 2 tablespoons at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a little dough “tornado” around the dough hook. Once done kneading, place the dough into a large lightly greased bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap to double in size, about 1-1/2 – 2 hours. Meanwhile, prepare the crumbs.

To prepare the crumbs:

  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or silicone baking sheet. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar, brown sugar, cake flour, baking powder, salt, and sprinkles on low speed. Add the oil and extract all at once and continue to paddle on low speed until small clumps form throughout. Spread the crumbs out onto the baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, stirring twice throughout. Allow to cool completely and then use a food processor (or a plastic bag, rolling pin, and brute strength) to pulverize the clumps into a coarse, sand-like crumb. Set aside while you wait for your dough.

To prepare the rolls:

  1. Once the dough has risen, dump it out onto a lightly floured surface and use a floured rolling pin to roll it into a 10” x 22” rectangle. Spread the melted butter all over the dough and sprinkle on the sprinkles, sugar, and about ¾ of the funfetti crumbs. Starting with one of the long ends, tightly roll the dough from end to end and pinch the edges together to seal. Cut the dough into 1-1/2” sections and lay them out 2” apart in a lightly greased baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel and allow to rise on the counter for about 30 minutes or in the fridge overnight. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake in the oven for about 22-25 minutes or until the edges are barely golden and the internal temp is 190 degrees. Remove from the oven and prepare your frosting.

To prepare the frosting:

  1. Cream the cream cheese and butter in large bowl at medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar and milk and beat to combine. Add additional milk to thin out the frosting or more powdered sugar to thicken it. You can also gently warm the frosting to pour over the rolls as a glaze. Sprinkle with remaining funfetti crumbs or sprinkles, if desired.

Notes

  • Crumbs cake be made in advance! You can even make double and use the rest as an ice cream topping, cake filing, or just to scarf down on your own.
  • Clear vanilla extract is ESSENTIAL for getting that funfetti/ birthday cake flavor. You can find it at most grocery or craft stores.

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Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon. These are fluffy brown sugar and spice morning buns topped with a cream cheese frosting. The yeast dough can be prepped ahead of time, rolled, and left to rest in the fridge until baking time the following morning. This recipe makes delicious breakfast treats a cinch and is perfect for holiday entertaining. Find the recipe and how to for these pastries on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

IT’S MOVING WEEK! I can’t believe it’s finally here. After 15 months of construction, 2 years of architectural planning, and 5-1/2 years of limbo living in our rental house, we will finally get to move into our dream house this Friday. I’m beyond excited. I’ve got those night before Christmas/ tomorrow’s my birthday/ going to a surprise party kind of jitters. Basically we’re freaking out with joy over here, okay?

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon. These are fluffy brown sugar and spice morning buns topped with a cream cheese frosting. The yeast dough can be prepped ahead of time, rolled, and left to rest in the fridge until baking time the following morning. This recipe makes delicious breakfast treats a cinch and is perfect for holiday entertaining. Find the recipe and how to for these pastries on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

Our dishes and bakeware and utensils are all packed, so we’ve been living off of carry-out and protein bars this past week. I just want to simplify everything else in life so that this move, the holidays, EVERYTHING won’t feel too big of overwhelming. Maybe a week spent eating out of greasy paper bags isn’t the best way to do it, but we’re all doing our best over here. In the meantime, I’ve started dreaming about those first few bakes in my brand spankin’ new kitchen, starting with today’s recipe for overnight cinnamon rolls. I’ve held back on this recipe for a while, because it required lots of testing to determine when and how this recipe was best prepared. Finally, with a little patience and some shopping made simple with my friends at Brandless, I landed a recipe I’m really pleased with.

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon. These are fluffy brown sugar and spice morning buns topped with a cream cheese frosting. The yeast dough can be prepped ahead of time, rolled, and left to rest in the fridge until baking time the following morning. This recipe makes delicious breakfast treats a cinch and is perfect for holiday entertaining. Find the recipe and how to for these pastries on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

Brandless is an online retailer that offer quality products at fair prices. Offering everything from gift wrap to coconut oil to dinnerware, Brandless offers hundreds of everyday essentials and better-for-you products at incredibly affordable prices. Living in a rural area often limits my access to the items I need in my home and kitchen, and with Brandless I can receive those products straight to my front door in no time. Sign me up for anything that prevents me from making one more trek to the grocery store.

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon. These are fluffy brown sugar and spice morning buns topped with a cream cheese frosting. The yeast dough can be prepped ahead of time, rolled, and left to rest in the fridge until baking time the following morning. This recipe makes delicious breakfast treats a cinch and is perfect for holiday entertaining. Find the recipe and how to for these pastries on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

To prep for the overnight cinnamon rolls, I ordered Brandless’ All-Purpose Organic Unbleached Wheat Flour, Organic Light Brown Sugar, Organic Ground Cinnamon, and Organic Cane Sugar, as well as the cute spice jars and bowl scrapers you see in the photos. With the addition of a few everyday refrigerated items, the rolls were ready for making. This is a sweet yeasted dough that is rolled out and slathered with butter, brown sugar, and heaps of cinnamon. Tight little spirals of dough are allowed to rest in a baking dish over night and are then baked in a hot oven the next morning. The result is an incredibly tender, fluffy roll loaded with flavor and a generous slathering of cream cheese icing. Yes, it’s as beyond as it sounds.

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon. These are fluffy brown sugar and spice morning buns topped with a cream cheese frosting. The yeast dough can be prepped ahead of time, rolled, and left to rest in the fridge until baking time the following morning. This recipe makes delicious breakfast treats a cinch and is perfect for holiday entertaining. Find the recipe and how to for these pastries on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

To make the overnight cinnamon rolls we start with the dough. Yeast is sprinkled to dissolve over a mixture of warm milk and water. Eggs, melted butter, and brown sugar come next before the bread flour and all-purpose flour are stirred in with some salt. The dough is kneaded for several minutes until it becomes smooth and slightly tacky. Allow the ball of dough for your overnight cinnamon rolls to rest in a covered bowl on the counter.

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon. These are fluffy brown sugar and spice morning buns topped with a cream cheese frosting. The yeast dough can be prepped ahead of time, rolled, and left to rest in the fridge until baking time the following morning. This recipe makes delicious breakfast treats a cinch and is perfect for holiday entertaining. Find the recipe and how to for these pastries on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

Once doubled in size, roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover the dough with melted butter and sprinkle on a generous amount of brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll the dough tightly from end to end and then slice it into 1-1/2″ sections to spread out on a lightly greased pan. Cover the pan and place it in the fridge overnight.

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon. These are fluffy brown sugar and spice morning buns topped with a cream cheese frosting. The yeast dough can be prepped ahead of time, rolled, and left to rest in the fridge until baking time the following morning. This recipe makes delicious breakfast treats a cinch and is perfect for holiday entertaining. Find the recipe and how to for these pastries on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

The following morning when you’re ready to enjoy your overnight cinnamon rolls, remove the pan from the fridge and preheat the oven. I like to stick my pan right next to the hot oven while it preheats so that it can shed some of its overnight chill. If you’d like your rolls to brown a little extra in the oven you can brush them with a water or milk. Bake in the oven until the edges have just started to bronze and the internal temperature reads 190 degrees F. A thermometer really helps here because overdone rolls are usually drier and more dense rolls too. Ew.

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon. These are fluffy brown sugar and spice morning buns topped with a cream cheese frosting. The yeast dough can be prepped ahead of time, rolled, and left to rest in the fridge until baking time the following morning. This recipe makes delicious breakfast treats a cinch and is perfect for holiday entertaining. Find the recipe and how to for these pastries on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

Whip up the icing with a little cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar. You can barely warm the icing for a thin, pourable glaze, or you can leave it thick to spread directly on top of the overnight cinnamon rolls. Your choice. Either way, you’re going to love them.

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls by Wood and Spoon. These are fluffy brown sugar and spice morning buns topped with a cream cheese frosting. The yeast dough can be prepped ahead of time, rolled, and left to rest in the fridge until baking time the following morning. This recipe makes delicious breakfast treats a cinch and is perfect for holiday entertaining. Find the recipe and how to for these pastries on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

Give these overnight cinnamon rolls a try and be sure to check out all of the goodies on Brandless.com. I’m so pleased to have found a way to simplify shopping, especially this time of year, and I think you’ll agree if you give it a shot. Whip up a batch of these for Christmas morning and let me know what you think. Happy Wednesday and Happy Baking!

This post is sponsored by Brandless. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting brands that my Wood & Spoon possible!

If you like these overnight cinnamon rolls you should try:

Bananas Foster Cinnamon Rolls

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

Hazelnut Cinnamon Rolls

Chocolate Sweet Rolls

Orange Cardamom Rolls

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

 

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Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 30
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 480
  • Yield: 14
  • Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • 1 cup (240 gm) milk, lukewarm
  • ¼ cup (60 gm) water, lukewarm
  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 6 tablespoons (85 gm)unsalted butter, melted but not too hot
  • 1 large egg plus 2 egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup (50 gm) brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup (50 gm) sugar
  • 23/4 cups (385 gm) all-purpose flour
  • 11/2 cups (210 gm) bread flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt

For the filling:

  • 5 tablespoons (70 gm) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, if desired
  • ¾ cup (150 gm) brown sugar

For the frosting:

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • ¼ cup (55 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup (115 gm) powdered sugar
  • 2+ tablespoons of milk

Instructions

To prepare the dough:

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, combine the milk and water and sprinkle the yeast over top of it. Allow the yeast to dissolve, about 5 minutes. Stir in the butter, egg, egg yolks, and brown sugar, and sugar until smooth. In a small bowl, combine the flour, bread flour, and salt. Dump about half of the dry ingredients into the yeast mixture and stir until combined. Pour in the remaining dry ingredients and knead in the bowl using the dough hook attachment until smooth and slightly tacky, about 7 minutes. If you notice your dough isn’t pulling away from the sides of the bowl or it’s too wet, add flour 2 tablespoons at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a little dough “tornado” around the dough hook. Once done kneading, place the dough into a large lightly greased bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap to double in size, about 1-1/2 – 2 hours.
  2. Once the dough has risen, dump it out onto a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll it out into a large rectangle about 11”x21” in size. Pour the melted butter and spread it out over top. Combine the cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and brown sugar and sprinkle evenly over the buttered dough. Starting with one of the long ends, tightly roll the dough from end to end and pinch the edges together to seal. Cut the dough into 1-1/2” sections and lay them out 2” apart in a lightly greased baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight.
  3. In the morning, remove the rolls from the fridge and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Keep the baking dish close to the oven while it preheats to help the rolls come to room temp. Once preheated, bake in the oven for about 22-25 minutes or until the edges are barely golden and the internal temp is 190 degrees. Remove from the oven and prepare your frosting.

To prepare the frosting:

  1. Cream the cream cheese and butter in large bowl at medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar and milk and beat to combine. Add additional milk to thin out the frosting or more powdered sugar to thicken it. You can also gently warm the frosting to pour over the rolls as a glaze. Cinnamon rolls are best enjoyed warm.

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Chocolate Sweet Rolls

Chocolate Sweet Rolls Recipe by Kate Wood of The Wood and Spoon Blog. This recipe makes two pans of fluffy cinnamon buns filled with a chocolate and espresso swirl filling. A cream cheese glaze frosting finishes off these perfect breakfast treats. The dough is similar to a brioche style dough as it contains a bit of sugar, milk and eggs. This is a yeast roll. They make a great holiday brunch item , treat, or dessert. Find the recipe and the how to on thewoodandspoon.com

I may or may not be crying real tears, as the reality of #monthofchocolate coming to a close is too much for me to bear. Nothing gives me more pleasure than rolling out decadent chocolatey goodness for y’all, so you better believe we’re going to wrap up this month with two beyond-fab recipes in one week, starting with these chocolate sweet rolls.

Chocolate Sweet Rolls Recipe by Kate Wood of The Wood and Spoon Blog. This recipe makes two pans of fluffy cinnamon buns filled with a chocolate and espresso swirl filling. A cream cheese glaze frosting finishes off these perfect breakfast treats. The dough is similar to a brioche style dough as it contains a bit of sugar, milk and eggs. This is a yeast roll. They make a great holiday brunch item , treat, or dessert. Find the recipe and the how to on thewoodandspoon.com

Chocolate Sweet Rolls

I am a huge fan of sweetened yeast rolls. While the process of making, rising, filling, and baking the dough can be a bit lengthy, the end product totally justifies the means. Nothing says “WORTH IT” like two pans of sweet, fluffy dough wrapped around a rich, coffee-scented chocolate filling. If you give them a try, I think you’ll agree.

Chocolate Sweet Rolls Recipe by Kate Wood of The Wood and Spoon Blog. This recipe makes two pans of fluffy cinnamon buns filled with a chocolate and espresso swirl filling. A cream cheese glaze frosting finishes off these perfect breakfast treats. The dough is similar to a brioche style dough as it contains a bit of sugar, milk and eggs. This is a yeast roll. They make a great holiday brunch item , treat, or dessert. Find the recipe and the how to on thewoodandspoon.com

The recipe for these chocolate breakfast rolls are a combination of a few other buns on my site (see here, here, and here!) and the dough for my favorite cinnamon bread. We start the dough by dissolving the yeast in a bit of warmed milk. Once smooth, add the sugar and egg as well as the salt, leavening and flour. The dough gets kneaded by hand or in the bowl of a stand mixer before being set aside to rise.

Making the Rolls

Once the dough has risen and is nearly doubled in size, prepare the filling. Chocolate, butter, cocoa, and espresso powder are melted together on the stovetop until smooth. Pull the mixture off the heat, stir in the confectioner’s sugar, and allow the filling to cool to a spreadable consistency.  One cooled, roll the dough out into a large rectangle on a floured work surface and spread the filling evenly over thin sheet of dough. Starting with one of the long ends, roll the dough tightly into one long tube and pinch the ends to seal in the filling. Use a sharp knife to cut the tube into slices and place the rolls two inches apart in one or two greased baking dishes. Allow the dough to rise a second time before baking until golden brown.

Chocolate Sweet Rolls Recipe by Kate Wood of The Wood and Spoon Blog. This recipe makes two pans of fluffy cinnamon buns filled with a chocolate and espresso swirl filling. A cream cheese glaze frosting finishes off these perfect breakfast treats. The dough is similar to a brioche style dough as it contains a bit of sugar, milk and eggs. This is a yeast roll. They make a great holiday brunch item , treat, or dessert. Find the recipe and the how to on thewoodandspoon.com

I like to spread these chocolate sweet rolls with a cream cheese frosting. The cream cheese adds a bit of tang to an otherwise sweet frosting and perfectly compliments the chocolate sweet rolls. These buns are best eaten the day they are prepared. Nonetheless, you can easily warm them in the microwave or toaster oven for a quick breakfast treat. These chocolate sweet rolls are as delicious as they are beautiful; I would bet that if you try them once you’ll have a new weekend baking tradition in the making.

Chocolate Sweet Rolls Recipe by Kate Wood of The Wood and Spoon Blog. This recipe makes two pans of fluffy cinnamon buns filled with a chocolate and espresso swirl filling. A cream cheese glaze frosting finishes off these perfect breakfast treats. The dough is similar to a brioche style dough as it contains a bit of sugar, milk and eggs. This is a yeast roll. They make a great holiday brunch item , treat, or dessert. Find the recipe and the how to on thewoodandspoon.com

Give these chocolate sweet rolls a go and try not to eat them all in one sitting. I’ll be sharing one more #monthofchocolate recipes at the end of this week. Keep your eyes peeled for a knockout finish to this special month of recipes. Happy Monday, y’all!

Chocolate Sweet Rolls Recipe by Kate Wood of The Wood and Spoon Blog. This recipe makes two pans of fluffy cinnamon buns filled with a chocolate and espresso swirl filling. A cream cheese glaze frosting finishes off these perfect breakfast treats. The dough is similar to a brioche style dough as it contains a bit of sugar, milk and eggs. This is a yeast roll. They make a great holiday brunch item , treat, or dessert. Find the recipe and the how to on thewoodandspoon.com

If you like these chocolate sweet rolls, you should try:

Brown Sugar Danishes

Orange Cardamom Rolls

Hazelnut Cinnamon Rolls

Bananas Foster Cinnamon Rolls

Peppermint Bark Bread

Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread

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Chocolate Sweet Rolls

These chocolate sweet rolls are soft and tender, filled with a coffee-chocolate spread and topped with a sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting! Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert!

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 120
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 18

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • 1 cup (230 gm) milk (2% or Whole), lukewarm
  • ½ cup (100 gm) sugar
  • 21/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 31/2 cups (455 gm) all-purpose flour
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 6 tablespoons (85 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the filling:

  • 6 ounces (170 gm) chopped semisweet/ bittersweet chocolate, depending on your preferences
  • 6 tablespoons (85 gm) unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon espresso powder
  • ½ cup (60 gm) powdered sugar

For the frosting:

  • 6 ounces (165 gm) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups (250 gm) powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 12 tablespoons of milk, plus more as desired

Instructions

To prepare the dough:

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the warm milk and half of the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over top of the milk and allow the yeast to activate, about 5 minutes. The mixture should froth and foam slightly. You can stir it gently to make sure all the yeast has been moistened, but if the yeast does not foam, dump it out and start over. Once the yeast has been activated, stir 1/4 cup of the flour in to the milk mixture. Once combined, add the remaining sugar, 1 egg, salt, and baking powder and stir to combine. On low speed, add an additional 3 cups of  flour and beat to combine, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Once evenly combined, increase the speed to medium (I use speed number 4 on my Kitchen Aid stand mixer) and add the softened butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Add up to an additional ¼ cup flour if the dough is too soft and doesn’t hold it’s shape somewhat. Scrape the sides of the bowl and then continue to beat on medium speed for an additional 4 minutes. The dough will be quite moist and sticky.
  2. Lightly grease a large bowl and place the dough inside, covering it tightly with a piece of plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rest in a warm spot in the kitchen until it has approximately doubled in size, about 1-1/2-2 hours.

To prepare the buns:

  1. Once the bread has nearly risen, melt the chocolate, butter, cocoa powder, and espresso powder in a saucepan over low heat. Once smooth, stir in the powdered sugar until well combined. Set aside until the dough is ready. If it firms up beyond a spreadable consistency, gently melt it again.
  2. On a floured surface, roll out the risen dough into an approximately 19”x13” rectangle. Use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate filling evenly over the entirely of the dough. Starting with one of the long ends, roll the dough somewhat tightly and pinch together the ends to seal in the filling. Cut 1-1/2” slices of dough and place them about an inch apart inside of a greased baking dish. I bake mine in two 9” pans. Cover the dishes with plastic wrap and allow them to rise a second time until puffed, about 30 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  3. Once the buns have risen, remove the plastic wrap and bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until a light golden color. Allow to cool.

To prepare the frosting:

  1. Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add sugar and vanilla, beating until evenly combined. Add milk slowly, 1-1/2 teaspoons at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Add extra liquid to thin out frosting to a drizzling glaze. Spread the frosting evenly over the buns and eat while warm!

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Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog by kate Wood. These are fluffy, light cinnamon rolls and that make several pans or just a few large oversized big cinnamon rolls. These contain sweet potato puree or you can use pumpkin puree from a can. Filled with a cinnamon and brown sugar pecan filling and topped with a simple and easy cream cheese frosting / icing / glaze. Make these ahead if desired. Find the recipe for these fall favorite best breakfast buns at thewoodandspoon.com

When it comes to leftovers, my belief is that every person belongs to one of two camps. You either like them, or you don’t. 

I personally have always been a fan of leftovers. My brain is filled with fond memories of cold pizza, leftover birthday cake for breakfast, and carry-out Chinese from the night before. Pasta, soup, and casseroles- all better on day two. I’ve even been known to eat giant spoonfuls of mac and cheese straight from dish in the fridge, and I promise you it’s delicious.

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

Ok, ok, I can hear you gagging. 

I may have an absurd level of tolerance for leftovers, but I’m pretty sure there’s at least one day per year that we can all get behind leftovers.

THANKSGIVING! The day of giving thanks and putting down some grub. The day to fill your heart with gratitude and your plate with tan colored food. When else can you justify cooking 18 pounds of food (32 pounds if you count the turkey) and binge snacking for 72 hours straight? When else can you dirty every Pyrex dish in your house and justify running the dishwasher 4 times in one day?

Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving! That’s when! 

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

I am pro Thanksgiving leftovers. I vote yes to breakfasts made of cranberry sauce oatmeal and veggie plate dinners. I am all for lunches of open-faced turkey sandwiches on thick slices of cornbread and eating pumpkin pie as a breakfast food. And this year, I’m preparing Thanksgiving dinner with leftovers in mind because I have officially perfected the sweet potato cinnamon roll.

Yes, you heard me right. You can call your mother and tell her you’re finally eating more vegetables, because sweet potatoes. In a cinnamon roll. With pecans. And frosting. 

These sweet potato cinnamon rolls are made by combining a typical dough with some sweet potato puree. The puree, which is made simply by pureeing cooked and peeled sweet potatoes, keeps the dough fluffy and moist for days. Filled with a cinnamon sugar spread and toasty chopped pecans, these sweet potato cinnamon rolls are topped with a cream cheese frosting and will make your house smell like a fall-flavored dream.

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

This dough starts decadently by melting the butter into the milk and sugar. After some yeast proofs in the warm milk, the sweet potato puree and some dry ingredients are added. We let the dough rise before the remaining dry ingredients are tossed in. After a quick once over with the rolling pin, a schmear of butter, sugar, and spices, and a sprinkle of pecans, these sweet potato cinnamon rolls are ready for baking.

Hot from the oven, these cinnamon rolls get frosted with a glossy cream cheese frosting. I prefer sweet frosting, but you can certainly decrease the amount of butter and sugar here to have a more dominantly cream cheese flavored frosting. Once they’re frosted, the sweet potato cinnamon rolls are ready for action. And by action, I mean devouring.

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

If you’re in charge of any dish this Thanksgiving, make sure it’s the sweet potatoes… And while you’re whipping up that dish you should casually throw in an extra potato or two… And when there’s leftovers, well, you know what to do. This sweet potato cinnamon roll recipe will be waiting for you.

Cheers to you and happy Tuesday!

 

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Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

These sweet potato cinnamon rolls are fall scented buns stuffed with a cinnamon sugar filling, toasted pecans, and topped with a cream cheese frosting.

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 90
  • Cook Time: 45
  • Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the dough

  • 1 cup milk (whole or 2%)
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 21/4 teaspoons (1 package) active dry yeast
  • 3/4 cup sweet potato puree (see notes below)
  • 31/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the filling

  • 1 stick of unsalted butter, softened slightly in the microwave but not completely melted
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 11/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

For the glaze

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons of cream or milk, plus more as desired

Instructions

To prepare the cinnamon rolls

  1. In a large pot, combine the milk, butter, and sugar over medium heat and allow to warm just before the milk is scalding. Remove from burner and allow to cool until luke warm. Add the yeast and allow to dissolve, about 2 minutes.
  2. Add the sweet potato puree to the milk mixture, stirring gently to combine. Add 3 cups of the flour and stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel and allow to rest and rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour. If your dough hasn’t doubled in size within that hour, place the dough in a slightly warmer spot of the kitchen.
  3. Combine the remaining flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and add to the risen dough. Stir to combine. At this point, you can refrigerate the dough overnight or roll out to use immediately. If you decide to save it, punch dough down into bowl if it over-rises.
  4. Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface to a 12″x18″ rectangle. Combine the butter, brown sugar, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon in a bowl to create a paste. Spread softened butter mixture out across the dough , leaving a 1/2 inch border around the sides. Evenly sprinkle the pecans over the dough.
  5. With one of the long ends closest to you, begin to roll the dough away from you, pinching the dough together at the end to seal your roll. Trim off any shaggy ends (no more than 1 inch) Using a sharp knife, cut 1″ slices from your log of dough.
  6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place buns 1″ apart in a baking dish (I use 3- 8″x8″ baking dishes) and cover again with a sheet of plastic wrap or a tea towel. Allow to rise for 25-30 minutes, or until buns are puffed and rounded. Bake in the oven until buns are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool on pan for 10-15 minutes and then top with glaze.

To prepare the filling

  1. In a medium sized bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add the powdered sugar slowly and beat until combined. Add the vanilla and cream, beating until smooth. Add additional cream if you wish to have a more loose glaze.

Notes

 

  • To make sweet potato puree, peel 1 large sweet potato and cube it into 1″ pieces. Place cubes in a pot of water boiling over medium high heat and cook until tender to a fork, about 10 minutes. Drain water and set aside to cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, place potatoes in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Be sure no large clumps remain, or your rolls will also have clumps in them. Allow to cool in the fridge slightly prior to adding to the cinnamon roll dough. The puree can be made and saved in the fridge several days in advance.

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Recipe Adapted From: Ree Drummond