Meet the recipe my cinnamon-roll dreams are made of: rolled-out challah dough filled with a buttery cinnamon-brown-sugar mixture and finished with an ube-infused cream cheese frosting.
Challah is my favorite dough—slightly sweet with a brioche-like texture. These rolls are pillowy and chewy, and the tangy, glossy frosting brightens each bite.
Flour. Butter. Sugar. Cinnamon. Cream cheese. Nutmeg. Vanilla. Let’s bake.
4 Tips for the Fluffiest, Most Delicious Challah Cinnamon Rolls
- Use bread flour. Its higher gluten content helps the rolls stay soft, light and chewy.
- Cream the filling. Blending the butter and sugar until smooth makes the filling easy to spread and gives a softer, creamier texture.
- Let the dough rise twice. Challah benefits from time for the gluten to develop—plan at least one day for best results.
- Cut with dental floss or butcher’s twine. These tools slice cleanly through the log without squashing the rolls, unlike many knives.
Ingredients and Tools
Yeast: This recipe uses active dry yeast, which is proofed in warm water. You can interchange active dry and instant yeast with appropriate timing adjustments. Milk may also be used in place of water for a richer dough.
Butter: Use room-temperature butter for both dough and filling for best incorporation.
Recipe flexibility: Treat this as a blueprint—swap in nuts, fruit, or different spices and frostings to make it your own.
Tools you’ll need:
- Stand mixer or food processor with a dough hook for easier kneading (hand-kneading works too).
- Rolling pin to flatten the dough. A wine or beer bottle works as a substitute if needed.
- Dental floss or butcher’s twine to slice the log without squashing the rolls; a serrated knife is the next best option.
Think of this as a cinnamon-sugar challah meeting a cream-cheese–iced cinnamon roll—and producing a tasty purple-hued offspring.
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and tag @danielagerson on Instagram so I can see your photos. Keep exploring seasonal recipes and colorful produce ideas to inspire more time in the kitchen. Let’s make waves in the kitchen.
Print Recipe
Challah Dough Cinnamon Rolls
35
30
1
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 ¼ cup warm water
- 1 package (about 2 tsp) active dry yeast
- ½ cup sugar + ½ tsp (for yeast)
- 2 eggs room temperature, divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 tablespoons butter room temperature (plus extra for greasing)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
For the Filling
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Ube Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 tablespoons full-fat cream cheese room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ube extract optional, add more for deeper color
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
For the Frosting
- In a food processor or stand mixer, combine cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add ube extract 1/2 teaspoon at a time until you reach the desired color. Set aside (can hold up to 24 hours at room temperature).
For the Filling
- In a food processor or stand mixer, blend butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg, and salt until creamy and soft, about 5 minutes. Set aside (can hold up to 24 hours at room temperature).
For the Dough
- Whisk warm water, yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar; let sit 5 minutes until bubbly.
- Add 1 egg, vanilla and butter to the activated yeast mixture.
- In a mixer bowl with the dough hook, mix salt, sugar, nutmeg and 3 cups of flour. Slowly add the liquid mixture and process until a ball forms. Add remaining flour as needed, 1/4 cup at a time.
- Turn dough onto a floured surface and finish kneading; the dough will be slightly sticky.
- First rise: Place dough in a buttered large bowl, cover, and let double in size, about 1–1.5 hours (time varies with temperature). Punch down and rest 15 minutes.
- Shaping: Roll dough into roughly a 13-inch square. Spread the cinnamon-butter filling evenly, then roll tightly into a 12-inch log. Seal the seam and place seam-side down.
- Cut the log into 1-inch slices with floss or a serrated knife to yield about 12 rolls. Arrange snugly in a greased baking or round cake pan (use two pans if needed).
- Second rise: Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight or up to 48 hours.
- To bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove rolls from the fridge and let come to room temperature while the oven heats. Brush tops with egg wash (1 egg + 1 tbsp water) and bake 25–30 minutes, until golden on the edges. Cool 10 minutes, spread the frosting, and serve warm.
Notes
- Use bread flour to help keep rolls soft, fluffy and chewy.
- Cream the filling for easier spreading and a smoother texture.
- Allow two rises for the best structure and flavor—plan ahead.
- Cut rolls with dental floss or butcher’s twine to avoid squashing.
Did you make this recipe? Share and tag @DanielaGerson—I’d love to see how you’re making colorful waves in the kitchen!