Next Post
Honey Whipped Ricotta and Prosciutto Crackers.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
Easy Fluffy Eggnog Cinnamon Rolls…with sweet vanilla white chocolate frosting…just the holiday breakfast you’re looking for. Buttery, soft, and fluffy dough made with spiced eggnog for a seasonal twist. Swirled with cinnamon sugar and frosted generously with vanilla spiced eggnog frosting. There’s nothing not to love, every bite is melt in your mouth delicious. These are a great make-ahead breakfast rolls the whole family will love, perfect for your holiday celebrations!
The holidays just would not be the holidays without cinnamon rolls for breakfast. Like a lot of families, it’s tradition to have cinnamon rolls for our Christmas Eve breakfast…as well as a few times throughout the months of November and December.
Growing up, my brothers and I would bake the canned cinnamon rolls. I remember them being our favorite breakfast of the year. I mean, what kid doesn’t love a cinnamon roll, right? Some of my favorite holiday memories involve cinnamon rolls, I remember them being soft, fluffy, and so delicious. Of course, back then I didn’t know that homemade cinnamon rolls were even a thing
My mom loved to bake, and even dabbled in some homemade breads, but never cinnamon rolls. When I started cooking and baking in middle school one of the first recipes I decided to tackle was homemade cinnamon rolls. Trying out cinnamon rolls felt a little ambitious, but also so delicious. The funny thing is, that very first attempt at cinnamon rolls was actually quite similar to these.
We had leftover eggnog in the fridge but I had no idea how to use a splash of eggnog in place of milk in my cinnamon roll dough. I decided to wing it and just go for it. I also remember being so nervous to bake with yeast. My mom had bought Fleischmann’s® Rapid Rise Yeast, which made the process of making and baking the cinnamon rolls so simple and easy. Fleischmann’s® Rapid Rise Yeast cuts down on rising time and allows you to skip the longer rise times. It contains fine granules that activate faster without the need to dissolve first. So using their rapid rise yeast made baking my first batch simple and straight forward. Crazy to think that was over ten years ago…and I’ve been making cinnamon rolls every holiday season since.
With every season, my holiday roll recipe changes slightly. I like to add a different extra special touch each year. But for the most part, I stick pretty close to the classic cinnamon sugar flavor we all love most. With the help of my little sister, Asher, this year I’m taking inspiration from my very first cinnamon roll and we’re recreating them together.
Asher was very excited. She’s always helping me with the baking recipes, but her favorite recipe is cinnamon rolls. She loves them, and I love our tradition of baking them together every holiday season.
Let’s jump into the details.
First, I want to note that even if you don’t like eggnog, you will still love these rolls. I don’t ever drink eggnog, but I love creating fun holiday recipes using this spiced nog. It makes for the most delicious sweet treats and these rolls are some of the best.
The dough is the simplest to make. Simply mix flour with Fleischmann’s® Rapid Rise Yeast, and a pinch of salt. Add warmed holiday nog (use a high-quality variety), a touch of brown sugar, eggs, and salted butter. Then mix until smooth and let the dough rest for ten to fifteen minutes. Then it’s time to shape the rolls. And that’s the beauty of Fleischmann’s® RapidRise® yeast! We get to skip an entire hour-long rise, but yet we will still get the softest, fluffiest cinnamon rolls!
For the filling, I spread the dough with butter, then sprinkle on a simple mix of brown sugar and cinnamon.
I like to use brown sugar for a nice depth of flavor. And I go heavy on the cinnamon and ginger for sweet, cinnamon, ginger swirls throughout.
These are the softest, most fluffy cinnamon rolls, the flavor is beyond amazing. It’s like Christmas in a roll!
Shaping these easy fluffy eggnog cinnamon rolls…
Roll the dough, cut into rolls, and place them into a baking dish.
If you want to enjoy warm rolls fresh out of the oven you can do a quick rise and bake right away. Then simply frost, eat, and enjoy! Cinnamon rolls in under two hours. Perfect for baking up super last minute. OR, you can cover the rolls and let them sit in the fridge overnight, then bake up in the morning. It’s just a matter of what works best for your time frame!
While the rolls are baking, I like to make the frosting. Just mix eggnog with melted white chocolate and a splash of vanilla. Then add a little powdered sugar to sweeten them up.
As the rolls bake, your home will be filled with scents of Christmas. It’s a magical smell and immediately gets everyone excited for breakfast…or just a mid-afternoon snack. These rolls are great any time of day.
As soon as the rolls come out of the oven, frost, serve, and enjoy every last sweet and delicious bite. They’re soft, fluffy, heavy in the cinnamon swirl, and perfectly spiced with light holiday nog flavors.
And gooey, SO gooey. These rolls are beyond good and our family’s favorite holiday breakfast. Hope you all enjoy too!
Lastly, if you make these Easy Fluffy Eggnog Cinnamon Rolls be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Looking for other easy holiday breakfast? Here are my favorites:
Baked Cinnamon Crème Brûlée French Toast with Raspberry Preserves
Cider Pumpkin Waffles with Salted Maple Butter
Lastly, if you make this Easy Fluffy Eggnog Cinnamon Rolls, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Easy Fluffy Eggnog Cinnamon Rolls
Servings: 12 Cinnamon Rolls
Calories Per Serving: 745 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 – 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 packet Fleischmann’s® Rapid Rise Yeast
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup high quality eggnog, warmed (you can also use whole milk)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter, at room temperature
Filling
- 1/2- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips (optional)
Frosting
- 1/4 cups high quality eggnog, warmed
- 2 ounces white chocolate chips melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- 1. To make the dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 3 ½ cups flour, the yeast, brown sugar, and salt. Add the eggnog, eggs, vanilla, and butter. Using the dough hook, mix until the flour is completely incorporated, about 4-5 minutes. If the dough seems sticky, add the remaining ½ cup of flour a little at a time. It's better to have a stickier dough rather than a dry dough, so add flour 1 tablespoon at a time.2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.3. Meanwhile, make the filling. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, and cinnamon. Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment. 4. Lightly dust your work surface with flour. Turn out the dough, punch it down, and roll it into a rectangle about 10 x 16 inches. Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar, and then the white chocolate chips, evenly over the butter and lightly push into the butter. Starting with the long edge closest to you, carefully roll the dough into a log, keeping it fairly tight as you go. When you reach the edge, pinch along the edge to seal. Using a sharp knife, cut into 12-15 rolls. Place the rolls into the prepared baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 20-30 minutes.5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the rolls for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.6. Meanwhile, make the frosting. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggnog, melted white chocolate, and vanilla until combined. Add the powdered sugar and mix well. Spread the frosting onto the warm rolls. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
To Make Ahead: prepare the rolls through step 4. Do not let the rolls rise at room temp. Cover the rolls and place in the fridge (up to overnight). When ready to bake, remove the rolls from the fridge 30 minutes prior to baking, then bake as directed.
To Prepare and Freeze: assemble the rolls through step 4, then cover the pan and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the rolls overnight in the fridge or on the counter for a few hours. Once thawed, bake as directed.
To Bake and Freeze: bake the rolls as directed and let cool completely. Cover well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and warm, then frost before serving.
To Use Active Dry Yeast: Mix 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast with the warm eggnog/milk and the brown sugar. Let sit 5-10 minutes, until bubbly and foamy on top. Add the flour and follow the directions as listed for the remainder of the recipe.
(This post is sponsored by Fleischmann’s®. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep HBH cooking!)
This post was originally published on November 24, 2020
Hi…love this recipe! I don’t live in the USA and follow metric when you click to metric the oven temp doesn’t convert to degrees. The word converts but the temp number stays the same. Thanks
Hey Tamara,
You will want to bake at 177 degree celsius. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
SO YUMMY! I’ve made these twice. They’ve been such a big hit every time. The second time I added cream cheese to the frosting which I would highly recommend 🙂
Hey Madeline,
I am so thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for making it! Happy Friday! xTieghan
I made these and they were delicious!! But they were not fluffy…mine were more dense and a little dry (still delicious and we ate all of them!). I also made your Salted Honey Better Parker House Rolls and same thing…delicious and we ate them all but just drier than expected…so I used the minimum amount of flour you suggest in the recipe for these rolls but same result. Any thoughts on what I might be doing wrong??
Hey Anne,
So sorry you are having issues with the texture. What kind of yeast have you been using? Instant you can mix right in, but if you are using active yeast it is important to activate that first. Please let me know how I can help! xTieghan
Delicious! I loved the hint of eggnog in the recipe. These turned out great.
Hey Kelly,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe. That is so great the recipe was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
What if I didn’t dissolve the yeast in the eggnog? Should I start over? I just added it??♀️
Hey Melissa,
What kind of yeast did you use? If you used instant no worries you can continue with the recipe, if you used active you want to dissolve in the warm eggnog and honey. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Can I prepare these rolls through step 1, put them in the fridge and complete the rest of the steps the following day? Or does it need to be through step 4 to prepare ahead?
Hey Veronica,
I would follow the recipe through step 4:) I hope you love the recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Super easy and very delicious!!
Thanks so much Jen! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Loved! Very fluffy. Cannot stop eating them! opted not to use the white choc chips inside the rolls (still put them in the frosting). Will definitely be making these again.
Hey Lydia,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
I made these christmas morning. Didnt have white chocolate chips and i made an eggnog cream cheese icing instead. They were unbelievably delicious!! Another win!! Thank you!
Hey Mary,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you! Happy New Year! xTieghan
We have several egg nog lovers here! I always use the higher end of the range for flour in your recipes…maybe because I’m at sea level and you’re in Colorado, but more flour works better and always turn out great!
Hey Janice,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I am SO excited to try this recipe! I wanted to make these before we head out of town for a little winter road trip tomorrow and was wondering how far ahead I can make these? Would it be too long to make them tonight and keep them cold in the car tomorrow?
We don’t have any eggnog- what is your favorite substitute for the frosting?
I can’t wait to make these!
Hey Samantha,
Yes, you can go ahead and follow the make ahead instructions and that should work well for you:) You can use whole milk in place of the eggnog. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Amazing Christmas morning cinnamon rolls!! I’ll definitely be making these for years to come! Thanks for this trusty recipe!!
Hey Jennifer,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I don’t normally like eggnog but the eggnog in these cinnamon rolls tastes fantastic! These will be a new Christmas tradition for sure. I do have an elevation question – I live at 3,700 feet (I didn’t change a thing and they turned out perfectly) and I’m going to make these at about 8,400 feet in a few weeks. What elevation did you make these at so I can make adjustments if necessary 🙂 Thank you!!
Hey Virginia,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
It was on my list to master making cinnamon rolls this year and I did it! Thank you Tieghan! This are the best, so easy! I will always keep this recipe for my annual Christmas brunch.
Hey Alison,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hands down the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever tasted! This recipe is so easy to follow and such a hit with the family on Christmas!
Hey Cherise,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you. Happy Holidays! xTieghan