Name: Christmas Tree Cinnamon Rolls
Prep time: 120 min
Cook time: 24 min
Total time: 144 min
Ingredients: 1 cup Whole milk, warmed to 100 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit (Warm, not hot milk activates the yeast.); 2 tablespoons Granulated sugar (Helps with yeast activation.); 2 1/4 teaspoons Instant or rapid rise yeast (One standard packet. Red Star and SAF are reliable.); 2 large Eggs, room temperature (Adds richness and tenderness.); 6 tablespoons Unsalted butter, very soft (Plugra or Land O Lakes are great choices.); 1 teaspoon Kosher salt; 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract; 3.5 to 4 cups All purpose flour, plus more for dusting (King Arthur Flour delivers consistent results.); 6 tablespoons Unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup Light brown sugar, packed; 2 tablespoons Ground cinnamon (Look for fresh, aromatic cinnamon.); 1 pinch Fine salt; 4 ounces Cream cheese, softened (Philadelphia brand works well.); 3 tablespoons Unsalted butter, softened; 1.5 to 2 cups Powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract; 1 pinch Fine salt; 1 to 3 tablespoons Whole milk or heavy cream, to thin; Green gel food color, a few drops, optional (McCormick or AmeriColor both give a vivid hue.); Assorted sprinkles or edible pearls (Wilton makes festive mixes.); A small yellow candy or a star sugar cookie for the topper; Optional extras: mini chocolate chips, crushed peppermint, sugared cranberries, orange zest for a citrus sparkle

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Christmas Tree Cinnamon Rolls are soft spiraled cinnamon buns shaped into a festive tree, baked until golden, and finished with a rich cream cheese icing and cheerful sprinkles. This recipe delivers pillowy dough, a buttery cinnamon swirl, and a playful holiday shape that wows at first glance. The aroma brings everyone to the kitchen, and the first bite seals the memory. You will learn how to shape, bake, frost, and decorate like a pro, and you will have fun while you do it.

Image suggestion: Overhead shot of a baked cinnamon roll tree on a parchment lined sheet pan with green icing, a candy star on top, and scattered sprinkles.

Quick Answer Box

Best method: Make a soft enriched dough, roll with cinnamon sugar, slice and arrange in a tree shape, proof, bake, then frost and decorate.
Bake time: About 20 to 24 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Yield: Serves 10 to 12 as a treat, or 8 for a heartier brunch.
Icing: Cream cheese icing tinted green or left snowy white.

If you want a show stopping holiday breakfast that feels as magical as the lights on the tree, this is it. Christmas Tree Cinnamon Rolls turn a beloved weekend treat into a twinkly centerpiece. The rolls are tender and buttery, with swirls that melt into a caramel like cinnamon center.

The shape is simple to build, and the decorating is pure joy. Expect cozy spice, silky icing, and a soft, tear apart texture. With this guide, you will master every step and serve something that looks bakery perfect.

Quick Recipe Overview Box

Prep time: 30 minutes active plus 1 hour 30 minutes rise time
Cook time: 20 to 24 minutes
Total time: About 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 to 12
Difficulty: Moderate home baking
Key ingredients: Flour, milk, yeast, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, cream cheese, powdered sugar
Dietary tags: Vegetarian, kid friendly, festive breakfast
Result: A tender pull apart tree shaped pan of cinnamon rolls with creamy frosting and bright decorations.

Why Make This Recipe

Festive look, familiar comfort. You get classic bakery style cinnamon rolls dressed up as a playful tree. The first glimpse brings smiles, and the aroma says celebration.
Soft and pillowy texture. A rich dough with milk, eggs, and butter bakes up cloud soft with golden edges and gooey cinnamon ribbons.
Easy to decorate. Tint the icing green, add a candy star, and scatter sprinkles or sugared cranberries. Kids love to help with this step.
Make ahead friendly. Prepare the shaped tree the day before, then bake fresh on Christmas morning for a low stress start.
Crowd pleasing centerpiece. It serves a group, pulls apart cleanly, and pairs with coffee, cocoa, or spiced tea. I remember making a version for my first tiny apartment holiday, and even with a wobbly oven, it felt like a party.

How to Make Christmas Tree Cinnamon Rolls

Start with a soft enriched dough so the rolls bake tender and moist. Warm the milk to gentle warmth that feels like a hot bath, then dissolve the sugar and sprinkle in the yeast. When the yeast gets foamy, you will mix in eggs, butter, and flour to create a smooth dough.

Knead until the dough is elastic and just slightly tacky. Let it rise until it puffs up and looks airy. Roll it into a large rectangle, spread with soft butter, and cover with a lush brown sugar cinnamon blend. Roll the sheet into a tight log so the spirals stay neat.

Slice even pieces using a sharp knife or unscented dental floss for super clean edges. Arrange the rolls in rows of decreasing length to form a tree, with a small row at the top and a few rolls down the center for a trunk. Let the tree rise again until puffy, then bake until golden with a soft center.

While it bakes, make a silky cream cheese icing. For a festive look, tint a portion green and leave some white for snow accents. Spread or pipe the icing on the warm rolls, then add sprinkles, edible pearls, or a star candy topper.

Ingredients

Dough

Whole milk, 1 cup, warmed to 100 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit
Granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons
Instant or rapid rise yeast, 2 and one fourth teaspoons one standard packet. Red Star and SAF are reliable.
Large eggs, 2, room temperature
Unsalted butter, 6 tablespoons, very soft. Plugra or Land O Lakes are great choices.
Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon
Pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon
All purpose flour, 3 and one half to 4 cups, plus more for dusting. King Arthur Flour delivers consistent results.

Filling

Unsalted butter, 6 tablespoons, softened
Light brown sugar, 1 cup, packed
Ground cinnamon, 2 tablespoons. Look for a fresh, aromatic cinnamon.
Pinch of fine salt

Cream Cheese Icing

Cream cheese, 4 ounces, softened. Philadelphia brand works well.
Unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons, softened
Powdered sugar, 1 and one half to 2 cups
Pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon
Pinch of fine salt
Whole milk or heavy cream, 1 to 3 tablespoons, to thin
Green gel food color, a few drops, optional. McCormick or AmeriColor both give a vivid hue.

Decorations

Assorted sprinkles or edible pearls. Wilton makes festive mixes.
A small yellow candy or a star sugar cookie for the topper
Optional extras: mini chocolate chips, crushed peppermint, sugared cranberries, orange zest for a citrus sparkle

Substitutions

Gluten free: Use a one to one gluten free baking flour like Cup4Cup with two teaspoons of xanthan gum if your blend does not contain it.
Dairy free: Swap butter for a quality dairy free butter, use a rich plant milk, and a dairy free cream cheese such as Kite Hill.
Yeast: Active dry yeast also works. Bloom it in the warm milk with sugar for about 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.

Directions

Warm the milk. In a small saucepan or microwave safe bowl, warm the milk until it feels like a warm bath. Stir in the sugar, then sprinkle the yeast over the surface. Wait 5 minutes until foamy.
Mix the dough. Whisk in the eggs, soft butter, salt, and vanilla. Add 3 and one half cups of flour and stir until a shaggy dough forms. If it is very sticky, add more flour a tablespoon at a time.
Knead until smooth. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 7 to 9 minutes, or use a stand mixer with a dough hook on medium low. The dough should feel soft and springy with a slight tack.
First rise. Place the dough in a lightly buttered bowl, cover with a clean towel, and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 60 to 75 minutes. It should look puffy and leave a gentle dent when pressed.
Prepare the filling. In a bowl, mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Keep the soft butter ready for spreading.
Roll the dough. Punch down the risen dough and roll it into a rectangle about 12 by 18 inches on a lightly floured surface. Spread the soft butter evenly, then shower on the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Form a log. Starting from a long side, roll the dough tightly into a log. Pinch the seam to seal. For clean slices, use unscented dental floss to loop under the log and pull to cut, or use a very sharp knife with a gentle sawing motion.
Slice the rolls. Cut 18 to 20 even pieces. You will use more for the wider base rows and fewer at the top.
Build the tree. On a parchment lined sheet pan, create a row of six rolls for the base, five above that, then four, then three, then two, then one at the top. Add two or three rolls down the center bottom as a trunk. Leave a little space between rolls for rising.
Second rise. Loosely cover and let the tree rise for 30 to 45 minutes until the rolls look full and touch at the edges. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit while it rises.
Bake. Bake for 20 to 24 minutes until the tops are golden and the center feels set but still soft. If the edges brown too fast, tent with foil for the last few minutes.
Make the icing. Beat cream cheese and butter until very smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Thin with milk to a spreadable texture. Tint part of the icing green for the tree and keep some white for accents.
Frost and decorate. Spread or pipe green icing in swoops along the tree. Add white icing as snowy garland. Sprinkle with decorations and place a candy or cookie star at the top. Serve warm.

Troubleshooting: If the dough feels tough, you may have added too much flour. Add a teaspoon of milk and knead gently. If the rolls seem doughy after baking, return to the oven for 3 to 5 minutes and check again.

Image suggestion: Step by step collage of rolling the dough, slicing the spirals, laying out the tree shape, and the baked rolls before icing.

Why This Recipe Works

The dough uses milk, eggs, and butter to create a tender crumb with a soft, enriched structure. Sugar helps yeast activity and adds browning through caramelization. Cinnamon blooms in fat, so the buttery filling carries the spice throughout the spiral. Baking at 350 degrees Fahrenheit sets the structure without drying. According to the USDA, proper baking and cooling practices keep dairy based icings safe when handled and stored correctly. See food safety guidance at www.usda.gov.

How to Serve Christmas Tree Cinnamon Rolls

Serve the tree warm so each pull apart roll is soft and steamy with a glossy ribbon of icing. Place the pan at the center of your brunch table, then add bowls of fresh berries, vanilla yogurt, and a platter of crispy bacon for balance. For drinks, offer hot coffee, spiced tea, or a carafe of orange juice.

For a showy presentation, pipe zigzag garlands with green icing, dot with red and white sprinkles, and finish with a glittering star. If you love contrast, toss on a handful of sugared cranberries for a jewel like sparkle. A dusting of powdered sugar looks like fresh snow.

How to Store Christmas Tree Cinnamon Rolls

Room temperature: Keep the frosted rolls covered on the counter for up to 24 hours. If your kitchen is warm, store in the refrigerator after cooling.

Refrigerator: Place leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. According to the USDA, perishable dairy items should be refrigerated within two hours of baking. Learn more at www.foodsafety.gov.

Freezer: Freeze unfrosted rolls wrapped well for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, warm in a low oven, then frost and decorate.

Reheating: Warm individual rolls in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds, or place the full tree in a 300 degree Fahrenheit oven for 8 to 10 minutes. If frosting is already on, cover loosely with foil to prevent melting too fast.

Tips to Make Christmas Tree Cinnamon Rolls

Use warm, not hot milk. Aim for a temperature that feels like a warm bath, which wakes up the yeast without harming it.
Measure flour the right way. Fluff the flour, spoon into your cup, and level. Too much flour makes dense rolls.
Keep the log tight. Roll the dough snugly so the spirals hold their shape during rise and bake.
Cut clean spirals. Dental floss gives neat cuts without squashing the layers.
Do a finger poke test. If the dough slowly springs back when pressed, it is ready to bake.
Tint the icing to match your holiday style. A little gel color goes a long way.
For a make ahead plan, shape the Christmas Tree Cinnamon Rolls, cover well, and refrigerate overnight. Bring to room temp for 30 minutes, then bake. Save or share this recipe so you can build the tradition every year.

Variations and Substitutions

Orange spice. Add one tablespoon of orange zest to the filling and a splash of orange juice to the icing for a bright, sunny twist.
Pecan sticky tree. Scatter chopped toasted pecans and a drizzle of honey into the filling before rolling.
Chocolate swirl. Mix two tablespoons of cocoa with the cinnamon sugar and dot mini chocolate chips over the butter.
Apple pie tree. Add finely diced, sautéed apples to the filling for a cozy fruit layer.
Vegan friendly. Use plant milk, dairy free butter, and a vegan cream cheese. Swap honey for maple syrup if needed.
Shortcut version. Use two cans of refrigerated cinnamon roll dough, arrange in a tree, bake, then finish with tinted store bought icing.
Gluten free option. Use a quality one to one gluten free flour and check dough hydration, adding a tablespoon of milk if the dough feels dry.

No matter the spin you choose, the joy of Christmas Tree Cinnamon Rolls shines through every warm bite.

FAQs

Can I make Christmas Tree Cinnamon Rolls the day before
Yes. Shape the tree on a parchment lined pan, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight. On baking day, let the rolls rest at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes while you preheat the oven, then bake until golden.

What is the best way to get soft, fluffy rolls
Use room temperature eggs, warm milk, and do not add too much flour. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, and let it rise until truly puffy before shaping and baking.

How do I tint the icing green without thinning it too much
Use gel food color, which is concentrated and does not add extra liquid. Start with a tiny drop, beat well, then adjust until you reach your desired shade.

Can I bake the tree in a different shape
Yes. You can place the rolls in a wreath, in a large circle, or in a classic rectangle. The bake time will be similar, but watch the center and add a few minutes if needed.

What if I only have active dry yeast
Active dry yeast works well. Bloom it in the warm milk with the sugar until foamy, about 5 to 10 minutes. Proceed with the recipe as written.

How do I keep the icing smooth and not lumpy
Start with very soft cream cheese and butter. Sift the powdered sugar if it is clumpy, and beat until glossy and smooth, adding milk a little at a time.

How do I keep leftover rolls moist
Store them in an airtight container and rewarm gently. A quick microwave burst or a short time in a low oven restores their softness.

Do I have to use eggs in the dough
Eggs add richness and tenderness. For an egg free version, you can replace each egg with a quarter cup of unsweetened applesauce, but the texture will be slightly different.

Nutritional Information

Approximate per serving for 12 servings
Calories: 380
Carbohydrates: 54 grams
Total fat: 15 grams
Protein: 6 grams
Fiber: 2 grams
Vitamin A: 10 percent Daily Value
Calcium: 8 percent Daily Value
Values are estimates based on typical ingredients and methods. For detailed nutrition and food safety guidance, visit USDA resources at www.usda.gov and www.foodsafety.gov.

Why This Recipe Works

Warm milk and sugar activate the yeast so the dough rises with strength. Butter and eggs enrich the dough for a soft crumb, while cinnamon and brown sugar melt into a glossy, fragrant ribbon. Baking at a moderate temperature sets structure without drying the center, so each pull apart piece stays tender. Food safety practices for dairy based icing are supported by USDA recommendations at www.foodsafety.gov.

How to Serve Christmas Tree Cinnamon Rolls

Set the pan on a wooden board or marble slab and garnish with a few sugared cranberries around the base for a winter scene. Use a star cookie or a small yellow candy at the top as your tree topper. Offer extra icing on the side for those who like an extra drizzle.

For a full holiday brunch, pair with creamy eggs, fresh fruit, and coffee. If you are building a feast, add savory sides like /roast-turkey and buttery /creamy-potatoes to round out the table.

How to Store Christmas Tree Cinnamon Rolls

Cool the rolls until just warm, then cover loosely for the first hour to prevent condensation. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate within two hours if iced. According to USDA guidance, leftovers with dairy should be kept in the fridge and enjoyed within 3 days. Rewarm gently before serving to restore softness.

For longer storage, freeze unfrosted rolls in a single layer until firm, then transfer to a bag or container. Thaw overnight, warm in the oven, and frost fresh for best texture.

Tips to Make Christmas Tree Cinnamon Rolls

Set the stage for success by preheating your oven fully and using a light colored sheet pan to prevent over browning.
Keep the butter very soft for both the filling and the icing so you get even spreading and no lumps.
Use a ruler or eye your slices to keep rolls the same size, which helps the tree bake evenly.
Do not rush the rise. Look for puffy, airy dough. Time is a guide, volume is the signal.
If your kitchen is cool, let the dough rise in a turned off oven with the light on for gentle warmth.
For clean presentation, leave a small border at the edge when spreading filling so it does not leak out.

Save or share this recipe so your friends can bring Christmas morning magic to their tables too.

Variations and Substitutions

Maple pecan. Swap half the brown sugar for maple sugar and add chopped toasted pecans.
Gingerbread spice. Add ground ginger and a pinch of cloves to the cinnamon mixture, and finish with a drizzle of molasses in the icing.
Cranberry orange. Dot the filling with chopped dried cranberries and orange zest, then top the icing with more zest.
Cinnamon roll wreath. Form a ring and place a small ramekin of icing in the center for dipping.
Easy holiday breakfast rolls. Use canned cinnamon rolls as a base and dress them up with homemade icing and sprinkles for a fast version.
Gluten free Christmas tree cinnamon rolls. Rely on a one to one gluten free flour blend, and add a touch more milk if the dough feels stiff.

FAQs

How can I make these rolls without a stand mixer
Mix with a sturdy spoon until a shaggy dough forms, then knead by hand on a lightly floured counter. It takes a few more minutes of gentle kneading, but the result is just as soft.

How do I know when the rolls are baked through
The tops should be golden, and the center should feel set but still soft. If you gently lift a center roll, the dough should not look wet or raw. Add a few minutes if needed.

Do I need to sift powdered sugar for the icing
If your powdered sugar looks clumpy, sifting helps create a silky texture. If it is fresh and lump free, you can skip sifting and beat well to smooth.

What toppings work best for the tree
Try classic sprinkles, edible pearls, crushed peppermint, or mini chocolate chips. A small sugar cookie cut as a star makes a charming topper.

Can I use bread flour instead of all purpose
Yes, though the rolls will be slightly chewier. If you want to keep them very tender, use mostly all purpose with just a small portion of bread flour.

How do I keep rolls from spreading too much during baking
Slice evenly, arrange with a little space but not too much, and do not over proof. A tighter log and a balanced second rise help the tree hold its shape.

Nutritional Information

Per serving, based on 12 servings
Calories: about 380
Carbohydrates: about 54 grams
Total fat: about 15 grams
Protein: about 6 grams
Fiber: about 2 grams
Vitamins and minerals vary by brand and exact ingredients. For general nutrition and safe food storage, refer to the USDA at www.usda.gov and www.foodsafety.gov.

Conclusion

These Christmas Tree Cinnamon Rolls bring bakery level flavor and a bit of holiday theater to your table. The dough is soft, the cinnamon center is lush, and the cream cheese icing wraps it all in a cozy hug. Shape it the night before or bake it fresh, then decorate with your family for a memory you can taste.

If you try this recipe, share your tree photo, leave a comment with your favorite variation, and pass the recipe along to a friend who loves a festive brunch. Wishing you a warm kitchen, happy hearts, and many sweet mornings ahead.