Overnight Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

These overnight gingerbread cinnamon rolls are perfect for the make ahead breakfast for Christmas Eve or Christmas morning breakfast! These gingerbread rolls are a delightful twist to the classic cinnamon rolls recipe. It has the subtlest gingerbread flavor and is perfect for this holiday season.

Every Christmas Day I make cinnamon rolls for breakfast for me and the boys. It has become one of my favorite traditions for the last few years. And while I LOVE the smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls Christmas morning, I GREATLY dislike waking up extremely early to prepare the dough, let the dough rise, and bake the dough. I’d rather spend my Christmas mornings enjoying watching the excited faces of my boys and the giddiness of their anxious little bodies as they play with their new gifts.

Like what mom doesn’t!

So finally, I decided overnight cinnamon rolls needed to be a new tradition! Then I decided, heck!, why not make them gingerbread, because gingerbread is totally Christmas!

So here we have it, overnight gingerbread cinnamon rolls.

You’re welcome.

What ingredients do I need for Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls?

The ingredients used in these gingerbread cinnamon rolls are similar to other cinnamon roll recipes you may have used, with the exception of a few gingerbread spices.

Here are some ingredients you will need for the dough:

• Whole milk- One cup of warm whole milk
• Unsalted butter
• All purpose flour
• Light brown sugar
• Eggs- 2 large eggs will need to be lightly beaten before adding into the mixture
• Instant Yeast packet- I love Fleischmann’s. You can also use active dry yeast.
• Pure vanilla extract
• Salt

The ingredients you will need for the gingerbread filling:

• Light brown sugar
• Granulated sugar
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground ginger
• Ground nutmeg
• Unsalted butter- you will use melted butter here
• Molasses- this can be tricky to find at the grocery store. I found it right next to the syrup. You can also purchase it here.

Okay, now, let’s get that house smelling like Christmas to go along with all of your beautiful Christmas decorations!

How to Make Overnight Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

Firstly, you can either use a hand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment or a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook. I have hyper linked both of those for you, so you can see what they look like and if you need to purchase anything.

Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set this aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, combine 3 and a half cups of flour, the yeast packet, and salt. Mix this on low speed until everything is mixed together. About 5-10 seconds. Really you just want it to mix in a little.

Next, add the warm milk, beaten eggs, and room temperature unsalted butter into the yeast mixture bowl.

Mix until the flour is completely combined. This will take about 4-5 minutes, so be patient. The dough will begin to separate from the sides of the bowl

If the dough seems to be too sticky still and 1/4 cup of flour at a time until you feel the consistency is right. Be sure not to add too much flour or the dough will be dense.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes or up to a couple of hours to let the dough rest.

As the dough is rising, let’s make the filling!!

How to Make Overnight Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll Filling

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix until combined. Use your fingers or a fork to break up any clumps.

In a new bowl mix the butter and molasses together with a fork, wooden spoon, or rubber spatula.

Now, let’s put everything together and make these overnight gingerbread cinnamon rolls!!

How to Assemble Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour, punch down the dough and transfer it from the bowl to the floured work surface.

Roll the dough into a large rectangle shape with a rolling pin.

Spread the molasses and butter mixture over the dough. Move it around with the back of a spoon so it is spread out evenly and covers most of the gingerbread dough.

Using a large spoon, sprinkle the sugar mixture over the butter and lightly push the sugar mixture into the butter with the back of the spoon.

Now let’s roll that dough!!

Starting with the long edge of the dough (this is usually closest to you), gently roll the dough into a log. Keep the dough log as tight as you can as you roll. Go slow. You want the dough to be in a tight log because they will expand as they sit overnight and bake the next morning. This will help keep the filling and dough parts together better.

When you reach the end, seal the edges by pinching them together.

Next, using a sharp knife or dental floss, cut the roll into 12-15 rolls depending on the thickness of rolls you want. Place these homemade cinnamon rolls in the prepared baking dish. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and place in the fridge over night.

The next morning, set the cinnamon roll dough on the counter for 30-45 minutes to bring to room temperature.

Once at room temp, bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until the gingerbread rolls are golden brown.

Let them cool slightly for 5 minutes before frosting them with cream cheese frosting! You can use store bought frosting or make you own! Check out this recipe here.

How to Store Overnight Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

If you find that you don’t eat all of these delicious cinnamon rolls (which I really doubt), you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.

What Frosting to use on top of Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

Cream Cheese Frosting

Vanilla Frosting

Make sure to tag me @raesbakeryblog on Instagram and comment below if you make these overnight gingerbread cinnamon rolls. 

This post contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something off one of those links I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting my blog!

Coffee and Brownies, 

Ashley Rae

Overnight Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

Yield: 12-15 rolls

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

These overnight gingerbread cinnamon rolls are perfect for having a delicious and fun breakfast for the family on Christmas Day, but without needing to spend all morning in the kitchen! Enjoy the subtle gingerbread flavor of these rolls with hot coffee, tea, or milk!

Print

Ingredients

The Dough

• 1 cup warm whole milk
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large egg lightly beaten
• 2 1/4 teaspoons Instant Yeast 1 yeast packet
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Filling

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1  tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons unsalted melted butter
• 2 tablespoons molasses

Instructions

1. For the Dough: Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set this aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, combine flour, the yeast packet, and salt. Mix this on low speed until everything is mixed together. About 5-10 seconds.
3. Next, add the warm milk, beaten eggs, and room temperature unsalted butter into the yeast mixture bowl. Mix until the flour is completely combined. This will take about 4-5 minutes. The dough will begin to separate from the sides of the bowl. If the dough seems to be too sticky still and 1/4 cup of flour at a time until you feel the consistency is right.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes or up to a couple of hours to let the dough rest.
5. For the Filling: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix until combined. Use your fingers or a fork to break up any clumps.
6. In a new bowl mix the butter and molasses together with a fork, wooden spoon, or rubber spatula.
7. To Assemble: Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour, punch down the dough and transfer it from the bowl to the floured work surface.
8. Roll the dough into a large rectangle shape.
9. Spread the molasses and butter mixture over the dough. Move it around with the back of a spoon so it is spread out evenly and covers most of the gingerbread dough.
10. Using a large spoon, sprinkle the sugar mixture over the butter and lightly push the sugar mixture into the butter with the back of the spoon. Starting with the long edge of the dough (this is usually closest to you), gently roll the dough into a log. Keep the dough log as tight as you can as you roll. Go slow.
11. When you reach the end, seal the edges by pinching them together.Next, using a sharp knife or dental floss, cut the roll into 12-15 rolls depending on the thickness of rolls you want.
12. Place these rolls in the prepared baking dish.
13. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and place in the fridge over night.
14. The next morning, set the cinnamon roll dough on the counter for 30-45 minutes to bring to room temperature.
15. Once at room temp, bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until the gingerbread rolls are golden brown.
16. Let them cool slightly for 5 minutes before frosting them with cream cheese frosting!
17. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.