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Show-Stopping Homemade Christmas Tree Cinnamon Rolls

A stack of baked cinnamon rolls arranged in a Christmas tree shape, topped with white icing and green sprinkles, featuring a yellow star.
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Create a festive centerpiece for your holiday morning with these adorable, pull-apart cinnamon rolls shaped like a Christmas tree. This recipe includes instructions for making them completely from scratch or using store-bought dough for a quick hack.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 package (12.4 oz) refrigerated cinnamon roll dough (or use homemade dough recipe)
  • 1/4 cup (57g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream (for baking)
  • 1/2 cup (115g) powdered sugar (for icing)
  • 2 tablespoons milk or cream (for icing)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for icing)
  • Green sprinkles or colored sugar (for decoration)
  • 1 small piece of pretzel stick or yellow candy (for the tree trunk/star)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to the temperature specified on your canned dough package, typically 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet or round pizza pan.
  2. If using canned dough, unroll the contents. If using homemade dough, roll it out into a large rectangle.
  3. In a small bowl, mix the melted butter, granulated sugar, and ground cinnamon to create the filling mixture.
  4. Spread the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the dough surface.
  5. Cut the dough into strips and shapes to form the tree. Starting from one side of the dough, cut out 5-6 triangles of varying sizes to form the tree shape. You will need one large triangle for the base, and progressively smaller ones stacked on top. You can use the scraps to form the trunk or use a small strip of dough for the trunk at the bottom center.
  6. Arrange the cut pieces on the prepared baking sheet to resemble a Christmas tree shape. Place the trunk piece at the bottom center, then arrange the triangles above it, slightly overlapping the wider ends to create the tiered look.
  7. Pour the 1/2 cup of heavy cream evenly over the arranged rolls. This keeps them moist and soft.
  8. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown and cooked through.
  9. While the rolls bake, prepare the icing: Whisk together the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add more milk if you prefer a thinner consistency.
  10. Remove the rolls from the oven and let them cool on the pan for about 5 minutes.
  11. Drizzle the vanilla icing generously over the warm rolls, letting it drip down the ‘branches’ of the tree.
  12. Immediately decorate with green sprinkles or colored sugar to mimic ornaments and garland. Place the pretzel stick or yellow candy at the top for the star or trunk.
  13. Serve warm as a festive breakfast centerpiece.

Notes

  • For a richer flavor, use homemade cinnamon roll dough instead of canned dough.
  • If you want a green icing, add a drop or two of green food coloring to your icing mixture instead of using only sprinkles.
  • This pull apart bread is best eaten the day it is made for maximum fluffiness.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://gourmetgaze.com/christmas-tree-cinnamon-rolls-recipe/