Espresso Coffee Cinnamon Rolls

Coffee and cinnamon rolls are two of my favorite things in the morning. I love the smell of both brewing and baking when I wake up. But making fresh cinnamon rolls from scratch on a busy weekday? That’s not happening in my house.

That’s why these coffee cinnamon rolls are perfect for my family. They combine both flavors into one treat that I can make ahead of time. I prep the dough the night before and let it rise slowly in the fridge. In the morning, I just pop them in the oven while I’m getting the kids ready for school.

The coffee flavor isn’t too strong, so even my husband who drinks his coffee black loves these. And the best part? My kitchen smells amazing, and I look like I spent hours baking when really I just planned ahead.

What Kind of Instant Espresso Should I Use?

For these coffee cinnamon rolls, any good quality instant espresso will work perfectly fine. You’ll find instant espresso in the coffee aisle of most grocery stores, and popular brands like Medaglia d’Oro or Café Bustelo work great for baking. If you can’t find instant espresso specifically, you can substitute with instant coffee, though you might want to use a bit more since it’s usually milder in flavor. The key is making sure it dissolves easily when mixed with your other ingredients, so avoid using regular ground coffee beans which won’t blend properly into the dough and glaze.

Options for Substitutions

This coffee cinnamon roll recipe has some room for swaps if you need to make adjustments:

• Instant espresso: If you don’t have instant espresso, you can use instant coffee instead – just use about 1.5 times the amount since it’s not as concentrated. For a non-coffee version, simply omit the espresso entirely and add an extra teaspoon of cinnamon to the filling.
• Whole milk: You can substitute with 2% milk or even buttermilk for a slight tang. If using non-dairy milk, stick with something creamy like oat milk or whole coconut milk from a can.
• All-purpose flour: Bread flour will give you chewier rolls if that’s your preference, but don’t substitute with cake flour as it won’t provide enough structure for the dough.
• Strong coffee for glaze: You can replace this with the same amount of milk, heavy cream, or even maple syrup for a different flavor profile in your glaze.
• Brown sugar: White sugar works fine, but you’ll lose some of that rich molasses flavor. You can also try coconut sugar for a slightly different taste.
• Instant yeast: Active dry yeast works too – just dissolve it in the warm milk first and let it foam for about 5 minutes before adding to your dough.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making cinnamon rolls is adding too much flour at the beginning, which creates dense, heavy rolls instead of soft, fluffy ones – start with the base amount and only add more flour gradually if the dough is still too sticky to handle after kneading.

Another common error is not letting your dough rise in a warm enough environment, so try placing it in a slightly warmed oven (turn it on for just 1-2 minutes, then turn off) or on top of your refrigerator where it’s naturally warmer.

Don’t rush the proofing process by cranking up the heat, as this can kill the yeast – the dough should roughly double in size during the first rise and look puffy during the second rise before baking.

Finally, resist the urge to add the coffee glaze while the rolls are still hot, as it will just melt and run off – let them cool for about 10 minutes so the glaze stays put and creates that perfect sweet finish.

What to Serve With Coffee Cinnamon Rolls?

These coffee cinnamon rolls are pretty much perfect on their own, but they’re amazing with a hot cup of coffee or espresso to really play up those coffee flavors. I love serving them alongside some crispy bacon or breakfast sausage for a hearty weekend brunch, and fresh fruit like berries or sliced oranges helps balance out all that sweet, rich goodness. If you’re hosting a brunch crowd, scrambled eggs and hash browns make great sides that won’t compete with the star of the show. For a cozy morning treat, just grab your favorite mug of coffee and enjoy these warm rolls straight from the oven.

Storage Instructions

Store: These coffee cinnamon rolls stay soft and delicious when covered tightly with plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you want to keep them longer, pop them in the fridge for up to a week – just know they might firm up a bit in the cold.

Make Ahead: You can prep these rolls the night before! After shaping and placing them in your baking dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, let them come to room temperature and rise for about 30-45 minutes before baking.

Freeze: Both baked and unbaked rolls freeze really well for up to 3 months. For unbaked rolls, freeze them on the baking sheet first, then transfer to freezer bags. For baked rolls, wrap them individually in plastic wrap before freezing to prevent freezer burn.

Warm Up: To bring back that fresh-baked taste, warm individual rolls in the microwave for 15-20 seconds or pop the whole pan in a 350°F oven for about 5-10 minutes. The coffee glaze might need a quick stir or a tiny splash of coffee to get it smooth again.

Preparation Time	30-45 minutes
Cooking Time	30-40 minutes
Total Time	60-85 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3500-3800
• Protein: 45-55 g
• Fat: 120-135 g
• Carbohydrates: 540-590 g

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 1 tsp fine salt
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (plus up to 1/2 cup extra if dough is too sticky)
• 1 large egg (room temperature for better incorporation)
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
• 2 tbsp instant espresso (for coffee flavor throughout the dough)
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast (I use SAF instant yeast)

For the filling:

• 2 tbsp instant espresso
• 1 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter (room temperature for easy spreading)
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar (firmly packed)

For the coffee glaze:

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter (softened, I prefer Kerrygold)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tbsp strong brewed coffee (freshly brewed for best flavor)

Step 1: Prepare the Filling

• 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp instant espresso

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and instant espresso.

Mix them thoroughly and set aside — this mixture will be used as the flavorful filling for your cinnamon rolls.

Step 2: Make the Dough

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus up to 1/2 cup extra if needed
• 2 1/4 tsp (1 packet) instant yeast
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp instant espresso
• 1 large egg, at room temperature

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the all-purpose flour (starting with 3 1/2 cups), instant yeast, and fine salt.

In a separate microwave-safe bowl, mix the whole milk, white sugar, unsalted butter, and instant espresso.

Heat in the microwave for 60-90 seconds until the butter is melted, then stir to combine.

Slowly pour the warmed milk mixture into the dry ingredients while mixing with a dough hook on medium speed.

Add the egg and mix on low until a sticky dough forms.

Continue mixing for 2-3 minutes on medium-low speed until the dough is elastic.

As it mixes, add extra flour 1 tablespoon at a time as needed, until the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.

I like to let my dough rest at this stage — it really helps the gluten relax and makes rolling much easier!

Step 3: Roll Out and Fill the Dough

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• filling from Step 1

Place the rested dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a large rectangle, about 12 x 18 inches and roughly 1/2 cm thick.

Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch strip along one long edge uncovered.

Sprinkle the prepared cinnamon-espresso filling from Step 1 evenly over the buttered area.

Starting from the opposite long side, tightly roll the dough toward the uncovered edge to form a log.

Pinch the edge to seal.

Step 4: Slice, Pan, and Give an Assisted Rise

Slice the rolled dough log into 9 equal pieces.

Lightly grease an 8 x 8-inch baking pan and place the rolls inside.

Preheat your oven to 200°F (93°C) briefly, then turn it off.

Cover the pan with foil and place it in the warmed (but turned off) oven for about 30 minutes to allow the rolls to rise.

Step 5: Bake the Cinnamon Rolls

Remove the pan from the oven and remove the foil.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Once heated, bake the cinnamon rolls for 26-30 minutes, or until the rolls turn golden brown and are cooked through.

I recommend letting them cool just slightly — the aroma is irresistible!

Step 6: Make the Coffee Glaze and Finish

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tbsp strong brewed coffee
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

While the rolls bake, prepare the coffee glaze.

In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, strong brewed coffee, softened butter, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.

Once the cinnamon rolls are warm but not hot, drizzle the glaze generously over the tops.

Serve and enjoy!

For extra flavor, I sometimes sprinkle a touch more espresso powder over the glaze.