12 Christmas Cinnamon Roll Ideas

Cinnamon rolls are a classic holiday treat—soft, sweet, and full of warm spices.

With a little creativity, you can turn them into festive Christmas-themed treats that wow your family and friends.

Here are 12 Christmas cinnamon roll ideas with full recipes.

1. Classic Christmas Cinnamon Rolls

Soft and fluffy rolls swirled with cinnamon sugar, baked to golden perfection, and topped with cream cheese icing.

Ingredients

• 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

• 3 tbsp sugar

• 1 tsp salt

• 2 ¼ tsp instant yeast

• ½ cup milk, warm

• ⅓ cup butter, melted

• 1 large egg

• ½ cup brown sugar

• 2 tsp cinnamon

• ¼ cup butter, softened

• ½ cup cream cheese icing

Instructions

1. Mix flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add milk, melted butter, and egg; knead into dough.

2. Let dough rise 1 hour.

3. Roll dough, spread with butter, sprinkle cinnamon sugar.

4. Roll up, cut into 12 rolls, place in greased pan.

5. Let rise 30 minutes. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20–25 minutes.

6. Drizzle with cream cheese icing.

2. Peppermint Christmas Cinnamon Rolls

Festive rolls topped with crushed candy canes and peppermint icing.

Ingredients

• Basic cinnamon roll dough (from Classic recipe)

• 2 tsp peppermint extract

• ½ cup crushed candy canes

• ½ cup cream cheese icing

Instructions

1. Prepare rolls as in classic recipe.

2. Add peppermint extract to icing.

3. Bake rolls and drizzle with peppermint icing.

4. Sprinkle crushed candy canes on top while icing is still wet.

3. Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls

Red velvet-inspired rolls with cocoa and red coloring, paired with cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients

• 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

• ¼ cup cocoa powder

• 3 tbsp sugar

• 2 ¼ tsp yeast

• ½ cup warm milk

• ⅓ cup butter, melted

• 1 large egg

• Red food coloring

• ½ cup brown sugar

• 2 tsp cinnamon

• ¼ cup butter, softened

• ½ cup cream cheese frosting

Instructions

1. Prepare dough with cocoa powder and red food coloring.

2. Roll, spread with butter and cinnamon sugar.

3. Cut, rise, and bake as usual.

4. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

4. Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

A holiday classic with ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and molasses for festive flavor.

Ingredients

• 2 ¾ cups flour

• ½ tsp ginger

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• ¼ tsp nutmeg

• 2 tbsp brown sugar

• 2 ¼ tsp yeast

• ½ cup warm milk

• ⅓ cup butter, melted

• 1 egg

• ¼ cup molasses

• ½ cup cream cheese icing

Instructions

1. Mix dough with spices and molasses.

2. Roll out, spread butter and brown sugar, sprinkle additional cinnamon.

3. Roll, cut, and bake 20–25 minutes at 350°F.

4. Drizzle with cream cheese icing.

5. White Chocolate Raspberry Cinnamon Rolls

Sweet rolls filled with white chocolate chips and fresh raspberries.

Ingredients

• Cinnamon roll dough (classic)

• ½ cup white chocolate chips

• ½ cup fresh raspberries

• ½ cup cream cheese icing

Instructions

1. Spread butter on dough, sprinkle cinnamon sugar.

2. Add white chocolate chips and raspberries.

3. Roll, cut, rise, and bake.

4. Top with cream cheese icing.

6. Eggnog Cinnamon Rolls

Holiday rolls infused with the flavor of creamy eggnog.

Ingredients

• Classic cinnamon roll dough

• ½ cup brown sugar

• 2 tsp cinnamon

• ¼ cup butter, softened

• ½ cup eggnog

• ½ cup cream cheese icing

Instructions

1. Mix cinnamon, sugar, and butter, spread over dough.

2. Roll, cut, rise, and bake 20–25 minutes.

3. Drizzle eggnog-flavored icing before serving.

7. Caramel Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

Sweet rolls topped with gooey caramel sauce and crunchy pecans.

Ingredients

• Classic dough

• ½ cup brown sugar

• 2 tsp cinnamon

• ¼ cup butter

• ½ cup caramel sauce

• ½ cup chopped pecans

Instructions

1. Spread butter and cinnamon sugar on rolled dough.

2. Roll, cut, rise, and bake.

3. Drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle pecans on top.

8. Cranberry Orange Cinnamon Rolls

Festive rolls with dried cranberries and orange zest for a holiday twist.

Ingredients

• Classic dough

• ½ cup dried cranberries

• Zest of 1 orange

• ½ cup brown sugar

• 2 tsp cinnamon

• ¼ cup butter

• ½ cup orange glaze

Instructions

1. Spread butter, sprinkle cinnamon sugar, cranberries, and orange zest.

2. Roll, cut, rise, and bake.

3. Drizzle with orange glaze.

9. Chocolate Hazelnut Cinnamon Rolls

Rich rolls filled with chocolate-hazelnut spread for a festive dessert feel.

Ingredients

• Classic dough

• ½ cup chocolate-hazelnut spread

• ½ cup chopped hazelnuts

• ½ cup cream cheese icing

Instructions

1. Spread chocolate-hazelnut spread on rolled dough.

2. Sprinkle hazelnuts.

3. Roll, cut, rise, and bake.

4. Frost with cream cheese icing.

10. Maple Bacon Cinnamon Rolls

Savory-sweet combination with crispy bacon and maple glaze.

Ingredients

• Classic dough

• ½ cup brown sugar

• 2 tsp cinnamon

• ¼ cup butter

• 6 slices cooked bacon, chopped

• ½ cup maple glaze

Instructions

1. Spread butter and cinnamon sugar on dough.

2. Sprinkle bacon.

3. Roll, cut, rise, and bake.

4. Drizzle with maple glaze.

11. Pistachio Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls

Festive rolls with chopped pistachios and dried cranberries for color and crunch.

Ingredients

• Classic dough

• ½ cup pistachios, chopped

• ½ cup dried cranberries

• ½ cup brown sugar

• 2 tsp cinnamon

• ¼ cup butter

• ½ cup cream cheese icing

Instructions

1. Spread butter and cinnamon sugar on rolled dough.

2. Sprinkle pistachios and cranberries.

3. Roll, cut, rise, and bake.

4. Drizzle with icing.

12. Snowman Cinnamon Rolls

Fun holiday rolls shaped like snowmen, perfect for kids.

Ingredients

• Classic dough

• ½ cup brown sugar

• 2 tsp cinnamon

• ¼ cup butter

• Mini chocolate chips and icing for decorating

Instructions

1. Shape dough into three small circles stacked to make a snowman.

2. Fill with butter and cinnamon sugar.

3. Bake 20–25 minutes at 350°F.

4. Decorate with chocolate chips and icing for eyes, buttons, and scarf.

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