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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
You had me at eggnog! Can’t wait to try these.
I hope you love the recipe Libbie!
Good morning, I noticed in the comments you mentioned cinnamon and ginger but ginger is not noted in the ingredients. Can you please confirm. Thanks
Ps love your recipes
Hey Lisa,
No ginger in the recipe, you can follow as is:) Please let me know if you give them a try! xTieghan
These were my first successful cinnamon rolls. So good and easy. I let them sit overnight. Warning though, dont eat if you dont have milk, you will NEED it. Lol
Hey Ashley,
Wonderful!! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed. Have a great Saturday! xTieghan
Hi there! Is this recipe in one of your cookbooks?
Hey Jessie,
Nope, this recipe is just located here on the blog. Please let me know if you have any other questions. xTieghan
These were really easy and rose beautifully! I did the overnight rise. The dough was a little cakier than I wanted but I may have added too much flour—when I was mixing the dough it was very loose and did not ball around the dough hook, so I added flour until it did (as you normally would with a yeast dough recipe). The recipe didn’t include visual clues so I just went with my experience—not sure if that was right. But I will make these again for sure!
Thank you so much, I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Happy Monday 🙂 xTieghan
Hi there! I’ve made these in the past and always come back to this recipe- it’s my favorite! My fiancé just found out he has Celiac’s disease. Has anyone tried to make these with gluten free flour? I feel like I am learning how to bake all over again. I have searched through the comments and haven’t seen any mention.
Hi there! Gluten free flour should work just fine 🙂 xTieghan
Made this last weekend and my family loved ? it …and they’re requesting me to bake it again tomorrow ?? … thanks for this recipe ??❤️
Hey Ine,
Awesome! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
These are amazing! With the eggnog is just fantastic but I make them with regular milk when it’s not Christmas season and still SO GOOD! My friends and family say they are better than Cinnzeo ☺️ It’s almost a bad thing I found this recipe because I make them too much now! ? they are so easy though and this was my first time trying to bake with Yeast! I love your recipes because they really explain everything and give options!
Hey Samantha,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xxTieghan
Incredibly easy to make and they came out PERFECT! I subbed in whole milk for eggnog and these are by far the best and easiest cinnamon rolls I have ever made. Thanks Tieghan!
Hey Katie,
I am thrilled this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Happy Sunday! xTieghan
So amazing. Easy, practically fool proof, and tastes delicious every time!!
Hey Kiley,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Thanks! xTieghan
THESE ARE AMAZING!!!! Highly recommend than you half baked harvest for another incredible recipe
Hey Sarah,
Thanks a lot for giving the recipe a go, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
These are the best cinnamon bun recipe I’ve ever made!! I like to bake mine for 22 mins and they’re just the perfect amount of gooey! I have taken multiple trays to my work fresh out of the oven and everyone raves about them. I enjoy baking for others and I love making these ahead of time and having them in the fridge to pull out and bake.
The first multiple times I made them I used eggnog as it was Christmas time. I was nervous how they’d turn out with milk, but they’re just as good! I also use 2% milk as its what I always have on hand. Can’t wait to try more harvest bake recipes!
Hey Breanna,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
Delicious!! I did the whole milk instead of eggnog and just did regular cream cheese frosting. But it’s such a rich and delicious cinnamon roll! Gooey and irresistible!
Hey Ashley,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This is by far my favorite cinnamon roll recipe. I usually don’t add the white chocolate just because it’s not something I generally keep in the house and my kids don’t need the extra sugar ha. It’s so amazing with the eggnog. It tastes just as good using regular milk too. A million stars from me and my family!
Hey Rosemary,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy Sunday! xTieghan
These cinnamon rolls were AMAZING! It’s post holiday season, so most eggnog is gone… But I found some local eggnog ice cream still on shelves, so melted that with some milk and called it good. They were still fabulous! Good texture and taste. Would definitely make again!
Hey Gretchen,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Have a great week:) xTieghan