Christmas Wreath Cinnamon Rolls–make ahead cinnamon rolls in the shape of a wreath that are perfect for Christmas morning!
It’s hard to beat homemade, warm, gooey cinnamon rolls right out of the oven! I can’t think of many things better! Greg’s mom always makes a cinnamon roll candy cane on christmas morning and it’s a fun tradition. I decided to try my hand at making a wreath out of cinnamon rolls. It wasn’t perfectly symmetrical or pretty but it sure was fun to make and even more fun to eat! I could eat a quarter of the wreath myself.
The cool thing about this recipe is you can do the bulk of the work the day before and refrigerate it overnight and then bake on Christmas morning. Or you can make it from start to finish in one afternoon. It’s up to you. I do think you should give this recipe a shot over the holiday break!
How to make Christmas Wreath Cinnamon Rolls
Heat milk to 95° F. I did this my microwaving the milk for about 40 seconds. I use a digital thermometer* to check temperature. Pour warm milk into stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add in the sugar and the yeast* and lightly whisk. Cover the mixer with a lid or towel and let the yeast get foamy. This will take about 5-10 minutes.
On low setting beat in the butter for 20-30 seconds. Add in the eggs, one at a time beating for about 15 seconds each. Then add in the salt and mix for 15 seconds. Turn onto low setting and slowly add in the flour until it is all added. Beat on medium speed until dough forms. Then beat on medium high speed for 6 minutes.
Transfer dough to a floured countertop and knead with your hands for 1 minute. Form the dough into a ball. Place the dough into a greased Instant Pot. Cover Instant Pot and set it to the yogurt setting. Adjust the yogurt setting until it says 24:00. Let the dough double in size (about 1 hour).
Place the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use floured hands to pat the dough into a 10×20 inch rectangle.
Spread the melted butter all over the dough. In a bowl stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon and then sprinkle it evenly over the top of the dough and butter. (I’ve tried this with white sugar and cinnamon and brown sugar and cinnamon. I prefer the brown sugar).
Slowly and tightly roll up the dough to form a 20-inch long log. Bring both ends together to form a circular shape. Pinch the ends together. Use a knife to cut a slit into the wreath ¾ of the way through so that it is still connected on the inner part of the circle. Continue cutting slits about 1 to 1 ½ inches apart all the way around the wreath.
Twist each of the cinnamon roll pieces to the side.
Place a ramekin in the middle of the wreath so it holds its shape as it rises. Cover with plastic wrap. At this point you can let the dough rise on the counter for one hour and then bake (step 12) or you can refrigerate overnight and bake the next day. To bake the next day you will refrigerate overnight (about 12-14 hours). Then let the rolls come to room temperature and sit on counter for 1 hour before baking in step 12.
Bake at 350° F for about 25 minutes until golden brown.
Make the icing by whisking together the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk until smooth. Drizzle the icing over the cinnamon rolls. If desired garnish with red hots (to look like berries) or gum drops, craisins or cranberries.
Serve and enjoy!
More Cinnamon Recipes…
Slow Cooker Cinnamon Rolls
Gooey yeast bread cinnamon rolls made easy in the slow cooker. Because they are cooked slowly you don’t have to let the cinnamon roll dough raise! Cut out the step of raising the dough twice and just let the cinnamon rolls raise and cook at the same time in the slow cooker.
Instant Pot Cracker Barrel Cinnamon Apples
Cooked tart granny smith apples in a brown sugar, butter and cinnamon sauce. A perfect treat that is healthier than a typical dessert.
Crockpot Cinnamon Candied Almonds
Crunchy candied almonds made in your slow cooker.
Copycat Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls
Copycat Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls are warm and gooey and addicting! You’re going to love the cream cheese frosting too.
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.
Christmas Wreath Cinnamon Rolls
- Yield: 20 cinnamon rolls 1x
Description
Make ahead cinnamon rolls in the shape of a wreath that are perfect for Christmas morning!
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup milk (whole milk is good)
- 2/3 cup white sugar
- 1 1/2 Tbsp instant yeast
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour (I like to measure the flour using a digital scale and it is 563 grams)
Filling
- 6 Tbsp melted butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
Icing
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 Tbsp milk
Instructions
- Heat milk to 95° F. I did this my microwaving the milk for about 40 seconds. I use a digital thermometer* to check temperature. Pour warm milk into stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
- Add in the sugar and the yeast and lightly whisk. Cover the mixer with a lid or towel and let the yeast get foamy. This will take about 5-10 minutes.
- On low setting beat in the butter for 20-30 seconds.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time beating for about 15 seconds each. Then add in the salt and mix for 15 seconds.
- Turn onto low setting and slowly add in the flour until it is all added. Beat on medium speed until dough forms. Then beat on medium high speed for 6 minutes.
- Transfer dough to a floured countertop and knead with your hands for 1 minute. Form the dough into a ball. Place the dough into a greased Instant Pot. Cover Instant Pot and set it to the yogurt setting. Adjust the yogurt setting until it says 24:00. Let the dough double in size (about 1 hour).
- Place the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use floured hands to pat the dough into a 10×20 inch rectangle.
- Spread the melted butter all over the dough. In a bowl stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon and then sprinkle it evenly over the top of the dough and butter.
- Slowly and tightly roll up the dough to form a 20-inch long log. Bring both ends together to form a circular shape. Pinch together. Use a knife to cut a slit into the wreath ¾ of the way through so that it is still connected on the inner part of the circle. Continue cutting slits about 1 to 1 ½ inches apart all the way around the wreath.
- Twist each of the cinnamon roll pieces to the side.
- Place a ramekin in the middle of the wreath so it holds its shape as it rises. Cover with plastic wrap. At this point you can let the dough rise on the counter for one hour and then bake (step 12) or you can refrigerate overnight and bake the next day. To bake the next day you will refrigerate overnight (about 12-14 hours). Then let the rolls come to room temperature and sit on counter for 1 hour before baking in step 12.
- Bake at 350° F for about 25 minutes until golden brown.
- Make the icing by whisking together the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk until smooth. Drizzle the icing over the cinnamon rolls. If desired garnish with red hots (to look like berries) or craisins or cranberries.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
You can also bake the day of making and then freeze for later. After the wreath has cooled you can cover it tightly with plastic wrap, then a layer of foil. Freeze. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then heat oven to 350 and bake with foil on top (no plastic wrap) for 20 minutes, until warmed through.
This recipe is adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction.
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
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