Halloween Cinnamon Roll Recipe
If you’re looking to brighten up your Halloween breakfast or treat your loved ones to something fun and festive, I’ve got just the thing for you. This Halloween Cinnamon Roll Recipe is not only festive with its bright orange dough and spooky black filling, but it’s also soft, buttery, and downright delicious. I promise you, these cinnamon rolls will steal the show at any Halloween gathering or even just a cozy weekend morning.
Why This Recipe Works
- Vibrant Halloween Flavors: The combination of orange-dyed dough and black cinnamon filling creates the perfect spooky look with delicious taste.
- Soft, Buttery Dough: Using warm milk, melted butter, and active dry yeast guarantees fluffy, tender rolls every time.
- Fun Festive Decorations: Mini marshmallows and candy eyeballs turn these rolls into a Halloween party centerpiece that’s as fun to look at as it is to eat.
- Simple Yet Impressive: Despite the festive flair, the recipe uses straightforward ingredients and techniques, so you’ll feel like a pro baker.
Ingredients & Why They Work
This Halloween Cinnamon Roll Recipe mixes classic baking staples with seasonal fun. The warm milk and yeast team up to create that perfect rise, while the orange and black food coloring give a dramatic flair that won’t fade through baking—plus the maple extract adds a nice hint of warmth to the dough. Let me walk you through the ingredients and what makes them magic.
- Active dry yeast: It’s what makes your dough rise beautifully fluffy—just as long as your milk is warm but not too hot to keep the yeast happy.
- All-purpose flour: The backbone of your dough; use fresh flour for best results and a soft crumb.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetness that helps feed the yeast and tenderizes the dough.
- Egg: Adds richness and binds the dough together.
- Warm milk: Provides moisture and helps activate the yeast.
- Melted unsalted butter: Ensures the dough is tender and adds buttery flavor.
- Maple extract: Adds an extra cozy, autumnal note that pairs perfectly with cinnamon.
- Orange and black food coloring: For that Halloween pop — add as much as needed for bold color that won’t fade.
- Light brown sugar: Deep molasses flavor that complements the cinnamon and creates a sticky filling.
- Cinnamon: The star spice of our filling giving warm, comforting spice.
- Halloween sprinkles: Adds crunch and festivity inside and on top.
- Powdered sugar and milk: For the sweet green frosting that finishes the rolls with a fun, colorful touch.
- Mini marshmallows and candy eyeballs: Turn your cinnamon rolls into adorable (or spooky!) Halloween treats.
- Red food coloring (optional): Perfect for making “bloody” effect on marshmallow “teeth” if you want to be extra spooky.
Make It Your Way
One of the best things about this Halloween Cinnamon Roll Recipe is how easy it is to add your personal spin. I love experimenting with the filling—sometimes adding a pinch of cayenne for a surprising hint of heat, or swapping maple extract for vanilla if I’m out. Feel free to adjust the food coloring intensity for a lighter or more dramatic effect. Don’t forget, it’s your kitchen, your fun!
- Variation: I once swapped the black food coloring for a deep purple gel for a “witchy” twist—still spooky but with a fresh color vibe that my kids adored.
- Dietary modification: For a dairy-free version, I use coconut milk and vegan butter; the texture is just as soft and the flavor still on point.
- Difficulty level: New to baking? I recommend using a stand mixer with a dough hook—that helped me keep the dough from being too sticky, especially on busy mornings.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Halloween Cinnamon Roll Recipe
Step 1: Wake Up Your Yeast & Start Your Dough
Begin by whisking your yeast, half the flour, and granulated sugar in your stand mixer bowl. Add the egg, warm milk (test it on your wrist—should feel like a warm hug), melted butter, maple extract, and your orange food coloring. I always add a good 4-5 drops here, then check the color after kneading. Use the dough hook to mix this until everything comes together nicely.
Step 2: Knead and Color Your Dough
Add the remaining flour and knead on medium-low speed for about five minutes. This is where the magic happens! The dough becomes soft and elastic. Don’t forget to peek at the color—your dough should look very bright orange because the color fades in the oven. If it looks pale, I usually add another drop or two of food coloring and knead a little more.
Step 3: First Rise and Prep
Grease a large bowl with butter and pop your dough ball inside. Cover with plastic wrap and let this rise in a warm spot for about 2 hours or until doubled. This is the perfect time to tidy up your kitchen or prep your filling ingredients.
Step 4: Roll It Out & Spread the Spooky Filling
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C), and butter a 9×13-inch baking pan. On a floured surface, roll your dough into a 10×14-inch rectangle. In a separate bowl, mix together brown sugar, room temperature butter, cinnamon, black food coloring, and sprinkles until it’s a wet sand-like black mix. Spread this evenly over the dough, leaving a bit of border around the edges.
Step 5: Roll and Slice Your Rolls
Starting at a long edge, tightly roll your dough into a log. Use a sharp knife and slice into 12 equal pieces. Place these in your greased pan, cover with a towel, and let them rise for about 10 minutes while you prepare the frosting.
Step 6: Bake and Decorate
Bake your rolls for 23 minutes until golden and fragrant. Meanwhile, whisk powdered sugar, milk, and green food coloring for that perfect bright green frosting. When the rolls come out, let them cool 5 minutes, then drizzle with frosting. Add marshmallow halves for “teeth” (feel free to dab a little red coloring for blood effects!), candy eyeballs, and finish with sprinkles for that extra Halloween charm.
Tips from My Kitchen
- Bright Color Trick: Always add extra food coloring before baking—colors fade in the oven, so err on the side of bold.
- Dough Consistency: If your dough feels sticky, sprinkle flour gradually during kneading but avoid over-flouring, or rolls get tough.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Using room temp egg and butter helps your dough come together easier and rise better.
- Even Slicing: Use a sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to keep your cinnamon rolls neat and well-shaped.
How to Serve Halloween Cinnamon Roll Recipe
Garnishes
I’m a huge fan of the mini marshmallow teeth and candy eyeballs—it really brings the rolls to life! For extra sparkle, I finish with a handful of Halloween sprinkles that add crunch and vibrant colors. If you want to get playful, a tiny red drizzle on the marshmallow teeth mimics “blood,” making the design more spooky.
Side Dishes
These cinnamon rolls pair perfectly with a warm cup of coffee or hot apple cider on a crisp fall morning. If you’re serving them for a light brunch, a bowl of mixed berries or a simple green salad balances the sweetness beautifully.
Creative Ways to Present
For a Halloween party, I like to place these rolls on a black or orange platter lined with paper doilies. Adding some fall leaves or little plastic spiders around the plate ups the festive factor. Kids love it when you serve each roll on its own mini plate with a “bloody” marshmallow mouth look — trust me, it’s a crowd-pleaser!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I store any leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. They stay wonderfully soft thanks to the butter in the dough, but if your house is warm, pop them in the fridge to keep them fresh longer.
Freezing
I love freezing leftover rolls (once fully cooled) by wrapping them tightly in plastic wrap and placing them in a freezer bag. When you want to enjoy them, thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm gently in the oven or microwave—frosting freshens up nicely after reheating.
Reheating
To reheat, I usually place the rolls in a 300°F oven for about 10-12 minutes until warmed through, which keeps the dough soft and the frosting melty. If you’re in a hurry, a quick zap of 20 seconds in the microwave works too—just don’t overdo it or the rolls get tough.
FAQs
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Can I make the dough ahead of time for this Halloween Cinnamon Roll Recipe?
Absolutely! You can prepare the dough up to the first rise stage, then refrigerate it overnight. Just make sure to let it come to room temperature and rise fully before rolling it out and adding the filling. This is a great way to save time on busy mornings.
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What if I don’t have orange or black food coloring?
You can get creative with what you have! For orange, try mixing red and yellow food coloring, or use natural dyes like pumpkin puree (though it can affect dough moisture). For black filling, a strong cocoa powder mix can add color and flavor, or use purple gel food coloring for a different spooky look.
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Can I substitute maple extract with vanilla?
Yes, vanilla extract is a fine substitute here and will give a more traditional cinnamon roll flavor. Maple extract just adds a special autumn twist that feels extra cozy for Halloween.
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How do I keep my cinnamon rolls soft after baking?
Store them in an airtight container as soon as they’ve cooled slightly, and reheat gently when ready to eat. Avoid overbaking, and adding a little frosting moisture helps keep them tender.
Final Thoughts
I have so many fond memories making this Halloween Cinnamon Roll Recipe with my kids—it’s more than just a breakfast treat, it’s a way to celebrate the fun spirit of the season together. The bright colors, spooky decorations, and that melt-in-your-mouth dough bring smiles every time. So seriously, whether it’s your first time or you’re a seasoned baker, give these a try—you’ll feel like a Halloween baking champion! Happy baking (and spooky snacking)!
Print
Halloween Cinnamon Roll Recipe
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 23 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 18 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Halloween Cinnamon Roll recipe features bright orange dough filled with a rich black cinnamon sugar filling, topped with vibrant green frosting and spooky decorations like marshmallow teeth and candy eyeballs. Perfect for a festive treat, these soft, flavorful rolls combine classic cinnamon roll flavors with fun Halloween colors and accents to delight both kids and adults.
Ingredients
Cinnamon Rolls Dough
- 1 packet active dry yeast (1/4 ounce)
- 5 cups all-purpose flour, divided, plus extra for rolling out dough
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (8 tablespoons)
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 1/3 cups warm milk
- 5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter + 2 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter for greasing bowl and pan
- 1 teaspoon maple extract
- Orange food coloring
Filling
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup room temperature unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- Black food coloring
- 2 tablespoons Halloween sprinkles
Frosting
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Green food coloring
Decoration
- 24 mini marshmallows
- Red food coloring (optional)
- 24 candy eyeballs
- Halloween sprinkles
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the yeast, 2 1/2 cups flour, and granulated sugar until combined. Add the egg, warm milk, 5 tablespoons melted butter, maple extract, and 4 to 5 drops of orange food coloring. Using the dough hook, mix until well combined.
- Knead the Dough: Add remaining 2 1/2 cups flour and knead with dough hook on medium-low speed for 5 minutes. During kneading, check the dough color; add more orange food coloring if needed for a bright orange color, as it will fade during baking.
- First Rise: Grease a large bowl with 1 tablespoon room temperature butter. Shape dough into a ball and transfer to prepared bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise at warm room temperature for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Once dough has doubled, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with 1 tablespoon room temperature butter.
- Roll Out Dough: Transfer dough to a floured surface and roll into a 10 x 14-inch rectangle using a rolling pin.
- Make the Filling: In a medium bowl, stir together brown sugar, room temperature butter, cinnamon, and at least 5 drops black food coloring with a fork until a wet sand-like mixture with deep black color forms. Add more black food coloring if needed.
- Fill and Roll: Evenly spread the black sugar mixture over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Halloween sprinkles. Starting from one long edge, tightly roll dough into a log.
- Cut Rolls: Use a sharp knife to cut the log into 12 even pieces. Place pieces in prepared baking pan, cover with clean kitchen towel, and let rise another 10 minutes.
- Bake: Place pan on center rack of oven and bake rolls for 23 minutes until golden and cooked through.
- Make Frosting: While rolls bake, whisk powdered sugar, milk, and 3 to 4 drops green food coloring in a small bowl until smooth and bright green. Adjust coloring as needed.
- Decorate Rolls: Remove rolls from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Drizzle green frosting evenly over rolls. Cut marshmallows in half lengthwise and place 4 halves on each roll to resemble teeth. Optionally, add red food coloring to marshmallow teeth for a blood effect. Place two candy eyeballs on each roll and sprinkle with more Halloween sprinkles.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients for better dough rise and texture.
- Adjust food coloring intensity according to your preference for vibrant colors.
- If the dough is sticky during kneading, add a little more flour, one tablespoon at a time.
- Let rolls cool slightly before frosting to avoid melting the frosting.
- Marshmallow teeth with red food coloring make for a spooky but safe decorative touch.
- Store leftover rolls in an airtight container and reheat gently before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
