Mince Pie Cinnamon Rolls (Christmas Cinnamon Rolls with Brandy Cream)

Tray of mince pie cinnamon rolls topped with brandy cream

These mince pie cinnamon rolls are soft, fluffy Christmas cinnamon rolls filled with grated apple, raisins, orange zest and mixed spice, then finished with an optional brandy cream. They're everything you love about a mince pie in a pull apart bun, and they take about two and a half hours from start to finish, most of it rising time.

These are my signature December bake. I bring them to every pre Christmas gathering and someone always asks for the recipe, so here it is. They're my favourite holiday cinnamon rolls because they taste like Christmas without needing a jar of mincemeat.

A folded method that's quicker than rolling
An apple, raisin and orange filling
Brandy cream instead of icing, if you want it

Mince pie cinnamon roll pulled apart to show the soft fruity layers

What goes into these Christmas cinnamon rolls

Strong bread flour gives homemade cinnamon rolls their structure and that soft, stretchy pull. Erythritol sweetens the dough, and caster sugar works just as well. Grated apple and raisins make these part apple cinnamon rolls and part cinnamon raisin rolls, with the brown sugar and butter turning sticky in the oven. Orange zest is what makes them taste like a mince pie. The brandy cream is whipped cream, icing erythritol and a splash of brandy, a lighter alternative to a classic cinnamon roll frosting.

A note from your nutrition coach

Squeeze the juice out of the grated apple before it goes into the filling. It stops the layers going soggy, so the rolls bake evenly all the way through. And remember, a seasonal bake like this fits into a balanced week. Enjoy one warm with a coffee and don't overthink it.

Close up of homemade Christmas cinnamon rolls in the baking dish

For more festive baking, try my Colombian Buñuelos, my Christmas Spiced Bread Pudding or my Rice Paper Apple Danish.

You can see this recipe on my Instagram.

Alex :)

Prep Time 35 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Rest Time 90 mins

Total Time 2 hrs 30 mins

Cooking Method: Bakes

Cuisine: Fusion

Courses: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert, Healthy Snacks

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cooking Temp: 180 C

Servings: 9

Estimated Cost: 6

Calories: 322

Best Season: Winter

Dietary: Vegetarian

Description

A homemade cinnamon rolls recipe for Christmas: a soft, fluffy dough filled with apple, raisins, orange zest and mixed spice, with an optional brandy cream on top. My signature December bake for sharing.

Ingredients

For the dough

360 g strong bread flour
8 g active dry yeast (instant yeast works too)
40 g erythritol (or caster sugar)
1/2 tsp salt
55 g unsalted butter
200 ml milk (whole milk for richness)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg

For the filling

100 g brown sugar
50 g butter (softened)
1/2 tsp mixed spice
50 g raisins (chopped)
1 apple (grated, juice squeezed out)
1 orange (zest only)

For the glaze

150 ml water
2 tbsp sugar-free syrup (or honey or maple syrup)

For the brandy cream (optional)

250 ml whipping cream (or double cream)
2 tbsp icing erythritol
2 tbsp brandy (optional)

Instructions

1
In a large bowl, mix the bread flour, salt, erythritol and yeast.
2
Warm the milk gently until it's just warm enough to melt the butter, stir in the butter, then whisk in the egg and vanilla. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix to a soft, slightly sticky dough. Cover and rest for 5 minutes.
3
Tip onto a floured surface, oil your hands lightly and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
4
Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and leave somewhere warm for 50 minutes, or until doubled in size.
5
Make the filling: mix the brown sugar, softened butter, mixed spice, raisins, squeezed grated apple and orange zest.
6
Punch down the risen dough and roll it out on a floured surface into a large rectangle, about 3mm thick.
7
Spread the filling evenly over one half of the dough.
8
Fold the dough in half over the filling, cut into 4cm strips and roll each strip into a spiral. Place in a greased baking dish.
9
Cover and leave to rise for another 40 minutes, then bake at 180°C for 20 to 25 minutes until golden and fluffy.
10
Mix the water and sugar-free syrup and pour or brush it over the warm rolls to keep them soft.
11
If using, whip the cream, icing erythritol and brandy until it holds its shape, then spread over the rolls once they've cooled completely.

Nutrition Facts

Servings: 9 ServingCalories:322kcalTotal Fat:11.2gSaturated Fat: 6.6gSodium:160mgTotal Carbohydrate:46.7gDietary Fiber: 1.9gSugars: 17.5gProtein:6.8g

Note

Use strong bread flour for the fluffiest texture.
Don't skip the second rise, it makes an enormous difference.
Use room temperature ingredients for a smoother dough.
Brush the glaze on while they're warm, it keeps them soft for days.
Add extra mixed spice for a stronger Christmas aroma.
For a small batch, halve all the ingredients.
Nutrition is per roll without the brandy cream. The brandy cream adds roughly 110 calories per roll if you use it all.
The fold is my easy homemade cinnamon rolls shortcut, no rolling up a long log and slicing it.
Not a fan of raisin cinnamon rolls? Swap the raisins for dried cranberries.
If you'd rather use your own cinnamon roll frosting recipe, spread it on once the rolls have cooled.

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