Coffee lovers need to try these cinnamon coffee rolls with maple espresso frosting! These soft and fluffy cinnamon rolls are filled with a cinnamon espresso filling and topped with a maple espresso cream cheese icing. These cinnamon rolls use the tangzhong technique, a simple yeast bread method where we cook the flour, milk, and water on the stove before adding the paste to the remaining dough ingredients. This will make these cinnamon coffee rolls super, super soft, moist, and pillowy!
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I started hearing about the tangzhong method a few years ago and was so curious to try it! If you want to read more about this technique, I really recommend this post on King Arthur.
The tangzhong method was popularized by Yvonne Chen in her book 65 Degrees C. By making the paste on the stove of flour and liquid, you're adding more hydration to the dough. That way, the cinnamon coffee rolls don't harden after the first day and instead stay soft and fluffy for days!
One of my favorite drinks in the fall is a maple espresso latte, so I thought I would use those flavors in the icing!
If you're a cinnamon roll lover like me, then you should try my brown butter cinnamon rolls or chocolate cinnamon rolls. Just a note that these two recipes use a brioche dough and not the tangzhong method!
Why these are the best coffee rolls ever!
- Tangzhong Method: Creating this simple paste on the stove will make these coffee cinnamon rolls like soft lil pillows you'll want to lay your head on. Seriously, just a few extra minutes of creating this paste will make a difference. It's the same base recipe I use in my small batch cinnamon rolls!
- Tons of Coffee Flavor: When testing this recipe, I decided to use fine espresso powder in the filling to get tons of espresso flavor. I also added it to the frosting to get even more coffee oomph!
- Perfect for Holidays: These coffee rolls would be a DELIGHT for Christmas, Thanksgiving, mother's day, and father's day, because you really want them...
Grab These Key Ingredients!
- Flour: I've only tested this recipe with all-purpose flour, but you can use an equal amount of bread flour if you want.
- Espresso Powder: Use the extra-fine espresso powder, not granules.
- Yeast: I'm using instant yeast, but you can use an equal amount of active dry yeast.
- Spices: I'm using a combo of ground cinnamon and cardamom because I love adding cardamom to coffee flavors.
- Milk: I recommend using whole milk if you can, and not semi-skimmed or skimmed milk.
- Heavy Cream: Now, this is optional but I love pouring in warm heavy cream just before baking the coffee rolls. It'll make them extra ooey and gooey!
Instant VS Active Dry Yeast
There are two types of dry yeast that you can find in the grocery store: active and instant.
Active dry yeast has to be activated in warm liquid, while liquid can just be added to dry ingredients. Want to know which one you've got? Check the ingredients! Instant yeast will mention 'ascorbic acid'.
Now, what's the difference between the two? Instant yeast will rise faster than active dry yeast. But the good news is that you can use them interchangeably. Just note that if you're using active dry yeast, it needs to be put in warm liquid first, and your dough might take longer to rise.
How to Make This Recipe
You can find the full recipe below, but let's walk through the recipe with some step-by-step photos. If you prefer learning via video, there's a video in the recipe card!
- Mix the flour with the liquid in a saucepan. Whisk over medium-low heat until thick. Let cool slightly.
- Place the paste in a bowl. Add the other ingredients and mix until smooth. Grease the bowl and let the dough rise for 60-90 minutes.
- While the dough rises, make the filling. Mix the softened butter with the filling ingredients.
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Roll out into an 18x12-inch rectangle.
- Spread the filling on top. Roll from the long edge, then use a serrated knife or dental floss to cut 12 pieces. Place in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Let rise for 40-50 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Optional, heat up heavy cream and pour on top. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
- In a bowl with a handheld mixer, beat all the frosting ingredients together until smooth.
- Spread the maple espresso frosting over the warm coffee rolls and enjoy!
Overnight Rise
Want to prep these the night before so you've got gooey cinnamon coffee rolls in the morning? Pop them in the fridge for the second rise overnight, making sure they're tightly covered.
Then, in the morning, let them come to room temperature (for about an hour) before baking.
Storage
Keep the cooled coffee rolls in an airtight container in the fridge. I like heating mine up in the microwave before enjoying!
Made This Recipe?
Make sure to leave a ⭐️ rating and review below! You can tag me on Instagram @alpineella or follow along on Pinterest, Facebook and TikTok!
Thank you!
Ella
Recipe
Cinnamon Coffee Rolls with Maple Espresso Frosting
Equipment
- Small Saucepan
- Whisk
- 9x13-inch baking dish
- Stand Mixer
- Kitchen Scale
Ingredients
Tangzhong
- ¼ cup (¼ cup) water
- ¼ cup (59 ml) whole milk
- ¼ cup (31 grams) all purpose flour
Dough
- 4 cups (480 grams) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 1 cup (225 ml) whole milk
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ cup (119 ml) heavy cream
Cinnamon Filling
- ¾ cup (165 grams) light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom optional
- pinch kosher salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons instant espresso powder
- 8 tablespoons (110 grams) butter room temperature
Maple Espresso Frosting
- 4 oz (115 grams) cream cheese room temperature
- 3 ½ tablespoons (50 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ¼ cup (150 grams) powdered sugar sifted
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
Instructions
- Mix the water, milk and flour together in a small saucepan with a whisk.¼ cup water, ¼ cup (59 ml) whole milk, ¼ cup (31 grams) all purpose flour
- Place over medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until it becomes thick. Make sure to scrape along the sides of the saucepan. It should look like mashed potatoes. Take off the heat and pour into your mixing bowl. Set aside for a few minutes so it cools down.
- Add the milk, eggs, flour, salt, sugar, butter and yeast to the bowl with the tangzhong.4 cups (480 grams) all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon instant yeast, 1 cup (225 ml) whole milk, 2 large eggs, 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Mix on medium speed for about 12-15 minutes, until it become smooth but slightly sticky. If too sticky, add up to quarter cup of flour, one tablespoon at a time. Depending on the weather, sometimes I needed to add more flour so it wasn't too sticky so feel free to add a bit more!
- Take the dough out of the bowl and use oiled hands to shape it into a ball. Lightly grease the bowl and place the dough ball back in. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for 60-90 minutes (the time depends on how hot your kitchen is!).
- Mix the softened butter with the remaining filling ingredients until you have a paste. I used a fork to do this.¾ cup (165 grams) light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground cardamom, pinch kosher salt, 8 tablespoons (110 grams) butter, 1 ½ tablespoons instant espresso powder
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it into a 18x12-inch rectangle.
- Spread the paste filling on the dough, leaving about ¼ inch border around the edges.
- Roll from the long edge. Use dental floss or a large serrated knife to cut into 12 equal pieces pieces. Place in a greased 9-x13 baking sheet.
- Cover the pan with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rise for 40-50 minutes. If you want to make these rolls the night before, let them rise overnight in the fridge, making sure they're tightly covered.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉/175℃.
- This is optional, but you can heat up the heavy cream in the microwave so it's warm but not boiling. Pour the warm cream over the coffee rolls.½ cup (119 ml) heavy cream
- Bake for 25-30 minutes. They should be golden brown. While the rolls cool slightly, make the frosting.
- In your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or with a handheld mixer, mix all of the frosting ingredients together until smooth.4 oz (115 grams) cream cheese, 3 ½ tablespoons (50 grams) unsalted butter, 1 ¼ cup (150 grams) powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon heavy cream, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- Spread over warm cinnamon rolls and enjoy!
Save This Recipe! 💌
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Lauren says
These turned out so amazing. The amount of espresso suggested was perfectly balanced and not too strong. Can’t wait to make these again!
Ella says
Thank you so much for your review Lauren, I really appreciate it!