Cinnamon Roll Christmas Tree
This Cinnamon Roll Christmas Tree is made with either homemade cinnamon roll dough or store-bought options like Rhodes frozen cinnamon rolls and covered in a creamy frosting.
Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 12 Cinnamon Rolls (Rhodes frozen cinnamon rolls or homemade cinnamon roll dough)
Frosting:
- Use the Rhodes Rolls frosting packets or homemade recipe below (add 4 oz softened cream cheese and 3/4 cup of powdered sugar)
Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 ounces Cream Cheese (softened)
- 1/2 cup Butter (softened)
- 2 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Bean Paste
Garnish:
- Maraschino Cherries
- Fresh Rosemary
Instructions
- I used 12 cinnamon rolls to make my Christmas tree shape. You can use Rhodes frozen cinnamon rolls (in a bag), my homemade cinnamon roll recipe, or even refrigerated cinnamon rolls (I haven't recipe tested this one).
- Begin by placing a piece of parchment paper on a large baking sheet. If you don't have parchment paper, spray with non-stick cooking spray or grease the pan so the cinnamon rolls don't stick.
- Begin by placing one cinnamon roll at the top center of your baking sheet to form the treetop. Below it, arrange a row of two cinnamon rolls. Below that, a row of three, and then a row of four, so you create a triangle tree shape.Add a single or double cinnamon roll at the bottom center as the tree trunk.
- Adjust the rolls slightly so they touch one another—this helps them bake together into a cohesive shape. Let the cinnamon rolls rise according to package instructions or the homemade cinnamon roll recipe.
- Once the cinnamon rolls have risen, bake the rolls as directed in your recipe or on the package. Keep an eye on them as they near the end of the recommended baking time -- don't overbake as you want a lightly golden, fluffy texture.
- Once baked, let the cinnamon roll tree cool to room temperature. You don’t want it piping hot, or the frosting will melt right off.
- If using Rhode's frozen cinnamon rolls, you may want to make some more frosting. I added 4 ounces of cream cheese and 3/4 cup of powdered sugar to the frosting. Spread the frosting generously over the cinnamon rolls in a swirly pattern.
- Add Festive Decorations. Place maraschino cherries as “red ornaments” throughout the tree.
Video
Notes
Here's a recipe for HOMEMADE CINNAMON ROLLS
If using the Rhodes frosting packets, you can add 4 ounces of softened cream cheese and 3/4 cup of powdered sugar for more frosting.