What kind of molasses should I use?

Unsulphured (mild or dark) molasses. Avoid blackstrap, which is far too bitter for sweet rolls.

Why is my dough darker than usual?

That's the molasses — it deepens both the color and flavor, which is exactly what gives these their gingerbread character.

Can I make these ahead for the holidays?

Yes. Assemble and refrigerate overnight, then proof and bake in the morning for fresh rolls with no early-morning fuss.

Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

Name: Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls
Prep time: 130 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 165 min
Yield: 12 rolls
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup warm whole milk (about 110°F); 2.25 tsp instant yeast; 0.25 cup granulated sugar; 3 tbsp unsulphured molasses; 0.33 cup unsalted butter, melted; 1 egg large egg + 1 yolk; 1.5 tsp ground ginger; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 4 cup all-purpose flour; 1 tsp fine salt; 0.5 cup unsalted butter, very soft; 1 cup packed dark brown sugar; 2 tbsp unsulphured molasses; 1.5 tbsp ground cinnamon; 1.5 tsp ground ginger; 0.5 tsp ground cloves; 0.25 tsp fine salt; 4 oz cream cheese, softened; 0.25 cup unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup powdered sugar; 1 tsp vanilla extract; pinch of salt

Dark, spiced holiday cinnamon rolls with molasses, ginger, and cloves for deep gingerbread flavor and color.

gingerbread cinnamon rolls with dark molasses spiced dough and swirl (AI-generated editorial image) — Image: CinnamonRollsRecipe.com · AI-generated editorial (Flux)

Total time: 2 hr 45 min
Bake: 25 min
Yield: 12 rolls
Level: intermediate

The quick answer

Gingerbread cinnamon rolls fold molasses into the dough and filling and spice them with ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, giving classic rolls a dark color and the deep, festive flavor of gingerbread cookies.

These gingerbread cinnamon rolls are the holidays in pastry form. Molasses folds into both the dough and filling for a deep, almost caramel-dark color and a bittersweet richness, while ginger, cinnamon, and cloves bring that unmistakable gingerbread-cookie warmth. They're tender, cozy, and gorgeous under a snowy cream cheese frosting — the batch you'll want baking on a cold December morning.

a dark gingerbread cinnamon roll pulled apart showing a molasses spiced crumb and swirl (AI-generated editorial image) — The soft, pull-apart crumb you're after.

Ingredients

Make

rolls

Gingerbread dough

1 cupwarm whole milk (about 110°F) — warm, not hot
2¼ tspinstant yeast — one packet
¼ cupgranulated sugar
3 tbspunsulphured molasses — not blackstrap
⅓ cupunsalted butter, melted — cooled slightly
1 egglarge egg + 1 yolk — room temperature
1½ tspground ginger
1 tspground cinnamon
4 cupsall-purpose flour — plus more to dust
1 tspfine salt

Molasses gingerbread filling

½ cupunsalted butter, very soft
1 cuppacked dark brown sugar
2 tbspunsulphured molasses
1½ tbspground cinnamon
1½ tspground ginger
½ tspground cloves
¼ tspfine salt

Cream cheese frosting

4 ozcream cheese, softened
¼ cupunsalted butter, softened
1 cuppowdered sugar
1 tspvanilla extract
pinch of salt

molasses ginger and cloves beside dark spiced dough (AI-generated editorial image) — A look at the method — follow the steps below.

Instructions

Whisk warm milk, yeast, and 1 tsp of the sugar. Let it sit until foamy.
Surface looks foamy and smells yeasty.
Add remaining sugar, molasses, melted butter, egg and yolk. Mix in the ginger, cinnamon, flour, and salt until a shaggy dough forms.
Knead until smooth and elastic — by stand mixer with a dough hook or by hand. The dough will be a deep tan from the molasses.
Dough is smooth, tacky but not sticky, and springs back when poked.
Cover and let rise in a warm spot until doubled. Molasses doughs can rise a touch slower.
Dough has doubled in size.
Stir the filling butter, dark brown sugar, molasses, and spices into a spreadable paste.
Roll the dough into a 16x12-inch rectangle. Spread the molasses filling evenly to the edges.
Roll up tightly from the long edge. Cut into 12 even rolls and arrange in a buttered 9x13 dish. Cover and proof until puffy and touching.
Rolls look pillowy and have filled the pan.
Bake at 350°F until set in the center. Dark dough browns fast, so watch the tops.
Center roll reads about 190°F; edges are set, not scorched.
Beat the frosting until smooth and spread over the warm rolls for a snowy holiday finish.
Frosting glides and partially melts into the tops.

Make ahead, store & reheat

Make ahead: Assemble through cutting and arranging in the pan, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, let them sit at room temperature for 45–60 minutes, then bake and frost.
Storage: Store covered at room temperature up to 2 days, or refrigerate up to 5 days.
Reheating: Microwave a single roll 15–20 seconds, or warm the pan covered with foil at 300°F for about 10 minutes.
Freezing: Freeze baked, unfrosted rolls up to 2 months. Thaw, warm, then frost.

Substitutions

Dark honey or sorghum syrup (flavor shifts slightly) instead of unsulphured molasses
Maple frosting for a cozier finish instead of cream cheese frosting

Troubleshooting

Rolls taste bitter: Use unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap — blackstrap is intensely bitter and overpowers the spices.
Tops browned too fast: Molasses caramelizes quickly; tent with foil for the last 8–10 minutes if the tops darken before the centers set.

Tools I reach for

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Frequently asked questions

What kind of molasses should I use?: Unsulphured (mild or dark) molasses. Avoid blackstrap, which is far too bitter for sweet rolls.
Why is my dough darker than usual?: That's the molasses — it deepens both the color and flavor, which is exactly what gives these their gingerbread character.
Can I make these ahead for the holidays?: Yes. Assemble and refrigerate overnight, then proof and bake in the morning for fresh rolls with no early-morning fuss.

Nutrition (estimate): 1 roll (of 12) · ~440 kcal. Nutrition is an automated estimate and will vary with brands and exact quantities.

Food safety: don't taste dough containing raw flour or raw egg. Refrigerate anything with cream cheese frosting, and reheat leftovers until piping hot.