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Christmas Tree Cinnamon Rolls

Christmas Tree Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 460
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3½ cups (440 g) all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
  • 2¼ tsp (1 packet) instant yeast
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • ¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
  • ¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • ½ cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter, very soft
  • 4 oz (113 g) full-fat cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 to 2 tbsp milk
  • Green gel food coloring
  • Rainbow sprinkles or star-shaped sprinkles

Method
 

  1. Mix flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Stir in warm milk, melted butter, and egg to form a dough. Knead 8-10 minutes until smooth. Let rise in a greased bowl, covered, until doubled, about 1 to 1½ hours.
  2. Roll dough into a 12x18-inch rectangle. Spread with 3 tbsp soft butter. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon evenly. Roll up tightly from a long side. Cut into 13 slices.
  3. Arrange slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a tree shape: 1 at top, then rows of 2, 3, 4, and a trunk of 3 rolls. Leave half an inch between each roll.
  4. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Cover rolls and let rise until puffy, 30-45 minutes. Bake 20-25 minutes until golden. Cool on pan 10 minutes.
  5. Beat cream cheese and 2 tbsp butter. Sift in powdered sugar, add vanilla. Thin with milk, tint with green food coloring. Spread on warm tree and top with sprinkles.

Notes

The tree shape rises best if your baking sheet has no rim so the parchment lies flat. If your oven runs hot, check at 18 minutes. For a taller tree with more rolls, double the recipe and make two trees, keeping the same row pattern.