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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
Hello, thank you for being so kind and sharing all you lovely recipes they are delicious and inspiring. I amlooking forward to this recipe and i have one question regarding the amount of butter In the filling you wrote “1 cup stick butter very, very soft (I like to place mine in the microwave for 15 seconds until extremely softened), 1/2” so it it one cup of butter or half a cup ? Because in the end it says 1/2 which made me assume half a cup ! And in the beginning it says 1 cup so im mixed up.
Hey Sara! I just adjusted the recipe to read correctly, it had some typos. You need 1 stick of room temperature butter for the filling. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Can you make this dough ahead of time or should it all be done in one swoop??
HI! Yes, you can make the dough ahead of time. That works great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and I hope you had Merry Christmas! Sorry my response is a bit late! xTieghan
Made these for a work function and they were great! I didn’t have white chocolate so I skipped the chips and made the Chai Frosting from a different cinnamon roll recipe and they were awesome! I think I overworked the dough or baked them too long because they weren’t as light as I was hoping, but flavor and texture were on point. This is the first I’ve ever baked with yeast, so thanks thanks for creating an easy and fun recipe to give me the confidence to try. I can’t wait to try another cinnamon roll recipe of yours!
I am so glad these turned out amazing for you, Brittany! Thank you so much!
HI! I’ve just prepared these and the smell is AMAZING! I haven’t baked them yet, waiting for the rolls to double in size. However, I was wondering if I could just put them in the fridge at this time and bake in the morning? What are your thoughts?
The cinnamon and eggnog smell are intoxicating!!! Thank you for this recipe. Past recipes only put eggnog in the icing. I was happy to find a recipe that adds yummy flavors to the dough!
You can certainly keep them in the fridge until ready to bake. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much and happy Holidays!! xTieghan ?
if making the night before at what stage do you put them in the fridge. do you have to bring back to room temp to bake in the morning?
HI! All directions for overnight rising are listed in the recipe. You can refrigerate them after arranging them in the baking dish. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much and happy Holidays!! xTieghan ?
How do these compare with your cookbook’s Slated Brioche Cinnamon Rolls? Honestly, I’m very hesitant to something different given how much we love your other recipe. BUT the eggnog flavour does appeal to me… Could I maybe swap the whole milk for eggnog?
Hey Deb, you can replace the milk in my brioche rolls for eggnog. That will be great. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much!! xTieghan ?
Do these need to rise in the morning if you put them in the fridge overnight? Also, what size pans are These? The recipe says prepared pans but does not say what do you need to do to prepare them?
Thank your!
HI! These do not need to rise in the morning. You nee a 9×13 inch baking dish. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much!! xTieghan ?
Wonderful cinnamon rolls! This is the second recipe of HFH’s cinnamon rolls I’ve made (the first was the apple cinnamon rolls with chai frosting) – and having never made cinnamon rolls before, I already feel like a pro. These recipes are fantastic as easy to follow! I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to enjoy cinnamon rolls from even the best bakeries again, these homemade rolls are too good. The dough is light and fluffy, so flavorful and not sugary sweet. The eggnog adds such a nice dimension to both the dough and icing. Subtle egg nog flavor despite how much is used!
I used half the vanilla bean in the dough and half in the icing. I also used normal yogurt rather than Greek yogurt – added just a touch extra flour.
SO wonderful! Thanks for making such a delicious treat – and making me look like such a good baker to my family! 🙂
Hi Lauren! I am so glad you loved this recipe and I hope you continue to enjoy all the recipes you make from my blog! Thank you so much!
These look so delicious! If I wanted to make them as an overnight breakfast like your Gingerbread Rolls what would I do differently?
Hi! Yes, you can make them overnight! That is great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
Hi! I made these last year and absolutely love them. I’m hosting a brunch for my cousin tomorrow morning before going wedding dress shopping, and I’d love to make these but with a pumpkin twist! I’m going to do half pumpkin spice, half cinnamon in the filling. Do you think I can add pumpkin puree into the mix, or is that too thick?
HI! I think adding in 1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree will be great! I would add 1/3 cup additional flour. Please let me know if you have any other questions. SO glad you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
HI! I just found out my husband has to leave Sunday morning to fight the fires down south so we are doing our Christmas tomorrow and I really want to make these! I made them last Christmas and they were amazing but I did it all the day of. If I want to prep tonight do I do everything, both roses, and then just cover and put in fridge until I bake in the morning? Thanks!
So sorry I am just seeing your comment now. These are great to prepare the night before! Hoping all went well! Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you both had a great early Christmas! Happy Holidays ? 🙂
Is it supposed to be instant dry yeast? I’ve done three batches of the yeast with sugar and water and it’s not rising or foaming at all.
HI! it should be active dry yeast, if using instant, it does not need to get foamy. Let me know if you have questions. Hope you and your family had a Merry Christmas!
Hi Tieghan, do you think these would work with vegan coconut milk egg nog? Or would it mess up the consistency? Also, would it be okay to skip the yoghurt? Maybe add a little extra egg nog? I’m always hesitant to change anything in baked good recipes because I don’t want to change the chemistry. I’m also not a fan of egg nog, but do like the coconut milk version to drink, so just thought I’d ask. I think these would be perfect for Christmas morning!
Hey Leah! I think vegan nog will be great! Use an equal amount of nog for the yogurt. You can also just use canned coconut milk, that works great too! Let me know if you have questions. Hope you love these! Have a Merry Christmas!
These look delicious! I have to make them for my family this Christmas. I sadly don’t have a stand mixer with a dough attachment (hopefully soon!). Any tips for making these with a regular electric hand mixer?
Hey Emmy! That is no problem. Just mix the dough in a bowl with a wooden spoon until it comes together. Then kneed into a ball, cover and proceed as directed. Should work just fine! Let me know if you have questions. Hope you love these!
Thanks, Tieghan! One more question – I’m not sure I’ll have time to do all the baking Christmas morning, so can I start the rolls the day before, refrigerate the dough overnight and bake the assembled rolls in the morning?
Happy Holidays!
Hey Emmy! Yes, making and keeping in the fridge works great! Let me know if you have any questions. Hope you love these and Merry Christmas! ?
Hi! I made these last year for Christmas and they were delicious! I used a 9×13 pans like the recipe says, but I was wondering what other sizes would work well. I want to make these again this year but divvy them up into disposable pans to give to friends since me and my husband shouldn’t (but definitely would!) eat these by ourselves. I’m planning on making a couple batches so there’s plenty to go around.