Bready or Not Original: Glazed Gingerbread Rolls

Imagine cinnamon rolls that taste like gingerbread, and you have these incredible Gingerbread Rolls.

These things are a TREAT. Make them for a special holiday breakfast or brunch, or make them just because.

I had to make this twice to get it right. I followed another recipe closely at first and did a cream cheese frosting, which was delicious, but required the rolls be refrigerated, which made them end up pretty stiff before being eaten the next day.

So, take two. This time, I made up my own glaze, and that worked beautifully. The rolls could stay at room temperature, and stay nice and pliable.

One of my husband’s co-workers described these rolls as “not as soft as Cinnabon, but better flavor.” By golly, I’ll take that, especially since the rolls had been made the day before.

These rolls are as delicious as they look… and they look pretty good, don’t they?

Bready or Not Original: Glazed Gingerbread Rolls

These delicious treats pack gingerbread flavor into soft, delicious cinnamon roll-like form! Store covered at room temperature. They are best eaten within a day or two.

Dough:

1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (divided)
1 Tablespoon dry active yeast
1 cup whole milk (or substitute 3/4 cup half & half and 1/4 cup water)
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 large egg
2 Tablespoons molasses

Filling:

1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
all-purpose flour (to dust work surface)

Glaze:

2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon milk (or half & half, use more as needed)


Make the dough:

In a large bowl (such as a Kitchen Aid bowl), combine sugar, ground cinnamon, ginger, salt, and 1 3/4 cups of flour. Stir in yeast.

In a small saucepan, warm milk and butter. Cook until butter is melted and the milk/butter is between 105 and 110-degrees.
Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture. Stir. Add the egg and molasses, and stir well.
Use a dough hook on a stand mixer or arm power to beat the dough. Gradually add the remaining 1 3/4 cups flour, kneading until the dough is smooth and pliable. Using a dough hook, this will be 4 to 5 minutes.
Transfer dough to a lightly buttered or greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Make the filling and assemble rolls:

After the dough has risen, butter or grease a 9×13 OR 8×8 OR 9×9 casserole dish.
In a small bowl, combine the filling ingredients: brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
Prepare a clean stretch of counter or table with a dusting of flour. Roll out the dough to about a 12×16 rectangle. Spread the filling all over, but not quite to the edges. Starting with the long side, roll into a log.

If using a 9×13 pan, cut the rolls into 12 equal rounds; if using a smaller pan, cut into 9. A piece of unwaxed dental floss makes this easy; wrap around dough log, then pull two ends of floss opposite directions to slice through.

Once the pan is full of rolls, cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise again until doubled, about an hour.

Preheat oven at 375-degrees. Once it comes to temperature, place rolls inside. Bake for about 12 minutes then cover with foil to reduce browning, then bake about 8 to 12 minutes. Let cool a bit.

Glazing:

Combine the glaze ingredients to each a thick yet loose texture. Add more milk or confectioners' sugar, as needed, to reach a good consistency. Spoon and spread over the rolls.

Eat immediately, or cover with foil and keep at room temperature. Enjoy right from the pan or warmed slightly in the microwave. Best within a day or two.

OM NOM NOM!