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Coffee Cinnamon Rolls

Coffee Cinnamon Rolls

These Coffee Cinnamon Rolls combine the rich flavors of coffee and warm cinnamon in a soft, buttery dough. Perfect for breakfast or a sweet treat, they're easy to make and irresistibly delicious!
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Rise time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Servings 12 rolls

Ingredients
  

Dough:

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast 1 packet
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup warm milk
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules

Filling:

  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules

Coffee Glaze:

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons strong brewed coffee
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions
 

  • Start by dissolving 1 tablespoon of instant coffee in the warm milk. Give it a good stir until the coffee completely dissolves. This usually takes about 30 seconds of stirring.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add your coffee-milk mixture, melted butter and eggs. Mix with a wooden spoon until everything’s well combined.
  • Gradually stir in the remaining flour, about 1/2 cup at a time. Once it gets too hard to stir, turn it out onto a floured surface. The dough will still be slightly sticky – that’s exactly what you want. Knead for about 8-10 minutes until it feels smooth and elastic. If you press your finger into it, it should slowly spring back.
  • Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour.
  • While the dough rises, mix your filling. Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and instant coffee granules in a bowl. The coffee should be ground pretty fine – if your granules are large, crush them up a bit.
  • Once risen, punch down the dough (literally punch it – it’s satisfying!) and roll it out on a floured surface into a roughly 16×20 inch rectangle.
  • Spread the softened butter all over the dough, leaving about a 1/2 inch border around the edges. Sprinkle your coffee-cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the butter, patting it down gently so it sticks.
  • Starting from the long side, roll the dough up tightly – like you’re rolling a sleeping bag. Keep it snug but don’t pull so hard that you stretch the dough. Pinch the seam to seal it.
  • Cut into 12 equal pieces using dental floss or a sharp knife (about 1.5 inches each). To use floss, slide it under the roll, cross the ends over the top, and pull – this gives you clean cuts without squishing the rolls.
  • Place the rolls in a greased 9×13 inch baking pan, leaving some space between each one. Cover and let rise again for about 30 minutes, or until they’re puffy and touching each other.
  • Preheat your oven to 375°F while they’re doing their second rise. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until they’re golden brown on top and a thermometer inserted into the center roll reads 190°F. If they’re browning too quickly, tent with foil.
  • For the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, strong coffee, cream, vanilla, and salt until smooth. It should be thick but pourable – add more coffee or cream if needed, just a teaspoon at a time.
  • Let the rolls cool for about 5 minutes (they should still be warm but not hot), then pour the glaze over them.