Meet the cinnamon roll of my dreams: challah dough rolled thin, spread with a cinnamon–brown sugar–butter filling, and finished with a creamy ube-infused cream cheese frosting.
Challah dough is my favorite for enriched breads—slightly sweet, tender, and almost brioche-like. These rolls bake up fluffy and chewy, and the tangy, silky ube cream cheese frosting brightens and balances the sweetness.
Flour. Butter. Sugar. Cinnamon. Cream cheese. Nutmeg. Vanilla. Let’s bake!
4 Tips for Making the Fluffiest, Most Delicious Challah Dough Cinnamon Rolls
- Use bread flour. It has more gluten than all-purpose flour, which helps the rolls stay soft, light, and slightly chewy.
- Cream the filling. Beating the butter and sugar until smooth makes it easy to spread evenly and gives the filling a softer, silkier texture.
- Let the dough rise twice. Challah benefits from a proper first rise to develop gluten and flavor, and a second rise before baking keeps the rolls airy. Plan at least one day when possible.
- Use dental floss or butcher’s twine to cut the rolls. This prevents squashing the log and keeps your rounds neat—sharp knives can compress the dough.
Ingredients and Tools
Yeast: This recipe uses active dry yeast, which is proofed in warm water. Instant yeast can be used as an alternative with slight timing adjustments.
Butter: Use room-temperature butter for both the dough and the filling so it blends smoothly.
Versatile recipe: Treat this as a blueprint—swap fillings, add nuts or fruit, or try different frostings to make it your own.
Tools used:
- Stand mixer or food processor with a dough hook — for easier kneading (hand kneading works fine too).
- Rolling pin — a wine or beer bottle will work in a pinch.
- Dental floss or butcher’s twine — ideal for slicing the rolled log without flattening the rolls. If using a knife, choose a serrated blade.
Think of this as a cinnamon-sugar challah meeting cream cheese–frosted cinnamon rolls—plus a fun purple tint from ube.
If you try the recipe, leave a comment and share a photo so I can see your results. Keep exploring seasonal recipes and colorful produce ideas to inspire more play in the kitchen. Let’s make waves in the kitchen.
Challah Dough Cinnamon Rolls
35 mins
30 mins
1 d
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 1/4 cup warm water
- 1 package (about 2 slightly heaping teaspoons) active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup of sugar + 1/2 teaspoon
- 2 eggs, room temperature, divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 tablespoons butter, room temperature (plus extra for greasing)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3–4 cups bread flour (add last cup as needed)
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 to taste and for color)
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
For the Frosting
- In a food processor or stand mixer bowl, beat the cream cheese, vanilla, and powdered sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add ube extract 1/2 teaspoon at a time until you reach the desired color and flavor. Set aside (can rest up to 24 hours at room temperature).
For the Filling
- In a food processor or mixer, combine butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix until creamy and very soft, about 5 minutes. Set aside (can rest up to 24 hours at room temperature).
For the Dough
- Whisk warm water, yeast, and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Let sit about 5 minutes until bubbly.
- Add 1 egg, vanilla, and butter to the activated yeast mixture.
- In the mixer bowl with the dough hook, combine salt, remaining sugar, nutmeg, and 3 cups of flour. Slowly add the liquid mixture and mix until a dough ball forms. Add the remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time if needed.
- Dust the counter with flour and finish kneading by hand until the dough is slightly sticky but smooth.
- First rise: Place dough in a buttered bowl, cover, and let double in size (about 1–1.5 hours, depending on temperature). Punch down and rest 15 minutes.
- Shaping: Roll the dough into an approximately 13-inch square. Spread the cinnamon butter evenly, then roll tightly into a 12-inch log and seal the seam. Place seam-side down.
- Slice the log into 1-inch pieces using dental floss, butcher’s twine, or a serrated knife to yield about 12 rolls. Arrange snugly in a greased pan (use two pans if needed).
- Second rise: Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 48 hours.
- To bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove rolls from the fridge to 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 at the edges. Cool 10 minutes, spread frosting, and serve warm.
Notes
- Use bread flour for a softer, chewier texture.
- Creaming the filling helps it spread evenly and improves texture.
- Allow two rises for the best structure and flavor—plan ahead.
- Slice with dental floss or butcher’s twine to avoid compressing the rolls.
Did you make this recipe? Share and tag @DanielaGerson to show how you’re making colorful waves in the kitchen!