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A golden brown homemade cinnamon roll wreath drizzled with white vanilla icing on a rustic wooden table.
Maria Canilssom

Cinnamon Roll Wreath

This stunning Cinnamon Roll Wreath is the ultimate festive centerpiece for Christmas morning or holiday brunch. Soft, fluffy yeast dough is rolled with a classic cinnamon-sugar filling, shaped into a beautiful ring, and drizzled with sweet vanilla icing. It's easier to make than it looks and is perfect for a crowd to pull apart and share.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine: American
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup whole milk, warmed to about 95°F (35°C)
  • 0.66 cup granulated sugar
  • 1.5 tbsp instant yeast (2 standard packets)
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 4.5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 1.5 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 0.5 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp milk (any kind)

Equipment

  • stand mixer with dough hook (or large bowl) Optional but helpful for kneading.
  • large baking sheet
  • parchment paper
  • kitchen shears or serrated knife For cutting the dough log.
  • small oven-safe ramekin or bowl Essential for holding the wreath shape.
  • mixing bowls
  • whisk

Method
 

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, whisk the warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy. On low speed, mix in the softened butter, eggs (one at a time), and salt. Gradually add the flour. Once combined, beat on medium-high speed for 6 minutes until a soft, supple dough forms. (To knead by hand, turn onto floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes).
  2. Form dough into a ball, place in a lightly greased bowl, and cover. Let rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size.
  3. Punch down the dough. On a large piece of parchment paper, pat and stretch it into a 10x20-inch rectangle. Spread the 6 Tbsp of softened butter evenly over the dough. Mix the 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle evenly over the butter. Starting from a long side, tightly roll the dough into a 20-inch log.
  4. This is the key step: Using kitchen shears or a sharp serrated knife, cut the log into 20 slices, but only cut 3/4 of the way through. The bottom must remain connected.
  5. Carefully lift the connected log and shape it into a circle on the parchment paper. Gently tilt each slice onto its side, slightly overlapping the previous one. Place a small, oven-safe ramekin or bowl in the center of the ring to hold the shape.
  6. Loosely cover the shaped wreath and let it rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes, until puffy. Toward the end of this rise, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C).
  7. Bake for 23-27 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven, take out the center ramekin, and let cool on the sheet for 10 minutes.
  8. Whisk the confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and milk together until smooth. Drizzle generously over the warm wreath. Serve immediately.

Notes

Key Success Tips: Ensure your milk is warm, not hot, to activate the yeast. The key step is to cut the rolled dough log only 3/4 of the way through to keep it connected. Placing an oven-safe ramekin or small bowl in the center while shaping and baking is essential for holding the perfect wreath shape. For the best flavor and easy morning prep, use the overnight method.
Yeast Check: If the yeast-milk mixture does not become foamy after 10 minutes, your yeast may be inactive. Start over with fresh yeast.