These coffee rolls are a soft coffee flavored roll with a buttery, brown sugar, coffee powder and cinnamon filling, and topped with a perfect coffee buttercream frosting.
Coffee rolls are the perfect marriage of a cinnamon roll and coffee. There is a bit of coffee flavor in all the layers to give them the best balance of vibrant coffee taste and cinnamon sweet roll. And I may never want a regular cinnamon roll again!
These rolls are similar to my Mom's famous cinnamon rolls that are my usual staple recipe, but I've swapped out the milk for water in the dough and added espresso powder to give it a subtle coffee taste.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
Coffee & Cinnamon: Coffee and cinnamon is a combo that goes so perfect together.
Not Overly Sweet: The coffee is just the right balance to make these cinnamon rolls not overly sweet.
Soft & Gooey: These rolls are like pillows filled with the sweetest gooey cinnamon sugary filling.
Ingredient Notes
Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Water: You want it to be warm, but not too hot or it will kill the yeast.
- Yeast: I always use active dry.
- Instant Espresso Powder: I buy this in the baking aisle. You can use any espresso powder or even coffee powder. Avoid using coffee granules because they are thicker.
- Bread Flour: All-purpose is fine if that's what you have.
Step by Step Instructions
Start by making the dough.
Step 1: Pour warm water, sugar and yeast into a large mixing bowl, stir together with a wooden spoon or dough whisk and let sit 10-15 minutes or until yeast is bubbly. You want the water to be about 100-110 degrees, not too hot or it will kill the yeast.
Step 2: Add butter and eggs and mix together again. Add salt, espresso powder and 2 cups of flour and mix. Continue adding flour in ½ cup increments until dough forms a ball and pulls away from sides of the bowl.
Step 3: Pour dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 3- 5 minutes, incorporating more flour if needed. Dough should not be sticky, but more of a soft and tacky feel. Place dough in greased bowl, cover with a cloth and let rise until doubled in size, about 1½ hours.
Step 4: Punch dough down and roll onto a floured surface. I try for a rectangle thats about 14x18. Spread the room temperature butter into a thin and even layer, leaving about ½ inch on the bottom of the dough untouched so it can hold together.
Step 5: In a small bowl mix together brown sugar, espresso powder and cinnamon. Sprinkle the mixture evenly across the butter layer, and smooth it out being careful not to tear the dough.
Step 6: Working from the long 18 inch end of the dough, tightly roll it up into a log. Place your hands at each end of the side and give it a gentle squeeze to help compact the dough. It may have stretched out a bit during the rolling process so this brings it back together. Cut the dough into 12 rolls total. I like to make little markings first to help make sure they are all about the same size.
Step 7: Place the rolls in a greased 9×13 pan (you could also use two 9″ round pans, placing 6 rolls in each). It’s OK if all of the rolls are touching. *If wanting to bake the following day read notes down below for instructions.
Step 8: Place in a warm spot, cover and let rise again until doubled in size. This takes about 45-60 minutes depending on how warm it is. You can always put them in your oven with the light on to help with warmth, but make sure you take them out to preheat your oven.
Step 9: Preheat oven to 375 F. Bake for 14-18 minutes or until the tops are a light golden brown. While they cool, make the frosting.
Step 10: Mix all frosting ingredients together until smooth and creamy. You might need to add a little bit more powdered sugar or cream to get your desired consistency. Let rolls cool a bit before frosting or it will melt.
Overnight Option
After cutting and placing the rolls in the pan, cover in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight. Before baking the next day, allow the rolls to rest at room temperature (covered) for about 45 minutes. They may not puff up but that’s OK. Follow the same baking instructions. I love doing this to have fresh rolls the morning of a holiday.
If you want to bake the rolls the night before you want to eat them, rewarm in the oven at 275 F for about 8-10 minutes.
FAQ
You can tell if your dough is done rising if when you lightly touch the dough with your finger, the dough springs back, then you know it is ready.
If your yeast didn't activate and turn bubbly it could either be that your water was too hot and killed it, too cool and didn't get it started, or it could be old yeast.
Yes, if you prefer a regular cinnamon roll, just skip the espresso powder in all 3 steps. No need to change anything else.
Storing and Freezing
Coffee rolls can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days while remaining fresh. Refrigerating them will make them dry out quicker. We always put ours in the microwave for about 10 seconds to freshen them up.
You can freeze freshly baked rolls in an airtight container for 3 months to keep fresh. I will individually wrap them in saran wrap and then pull them out one at a time when needed for a quick breakfast. You can also freeze the whole pan, just allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Other Cinnamon Roll Recipes to Try
For more yummy treats follow me on instagram @thesaltedsweets. And be sure to tag me and comment below if you make them and love them as much as I do.
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Coffee Rolls
Ingredients
Cinnamon Roll Dough
- ½ cup water warm
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon yeast I use active dry yeast
- 2 large eggs room temp
- 6 tablespoon butter softened
- 1½ teaspoon espresso powder can also use coffee powder
- 2½-3 cups bread flour all-purpose can be used also
- ¾ teaspoon salt
For the Filling
- 2-3 tablespoon butter softened
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon espresso powder
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 4 tablespoon butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoon cream or milk
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Pour warm water, sugar and yeast into a large mixing bowl, stir together with a wooden spoon or dough whisk and let sit 10-15 minutes or until yeast is bubbly. You want the water to be about 100-110 degrees, not too hot or it will kill the yeast.
- Add butter and eggs and mix together again.
- Add salt, espresso powder and 2 cups of flour and mix. Continue adding flour in ½ cup increments until dough forms a ball and pulls away from sides of the bowl.
- Pour dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 3- 5 minutes, incorporating more flour if needed. Dough should not be sticky, but more of a soft and tacky feel.
- Place dough in greased bowl, cover with a cloth and let rise until it's doubled in size, about 1½ hours.
- Punch dough down and roll onto a floured surface. I try for a rectangle thats about 14x18.
- Spread the room temperature butter into a thin and even layer, leaving about ½ inch on the bottom of the dough untouched so it can hold together.
- In a small bowl mix together brown sugar, espresso powder and cinnamon. Sprinkle the mixture evenly across the butter layer, and smooth it out being careful not to tear the dough.
- Working from the long 18 inch end of the dough, tightly roll it up into a log. Place your hands at each end of the side and give it a gentle squeeze to help compact the dough. It may have stretched out a bit during the rolling process so this brings it back together.
- Cut the dough into 12 rolls total. I like to make little markings first to help make sure they are all about the same size.
- Place the rolls in a greased 9×13 pan (you could also use two 9″ round pans, placing 6 rolls in each). It’s OK if all of the rolls are touching. *If wanting to bake the following day read notes down below for instructions.
- Place in a warm spot, cover and let rise again until doubled in size. This takes about 45-60 minutes depending on how warm it is. You can always put them in your oven with the light on to help with warmth, but make sure you take them out to preheat your oven.
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Bake for 14-18 minutes or until the tops are a light golden brown. While they cool, make the frosting.
To make the frosting:
- Mix all frosting ingredients together until smooth and creamy. You might need to add a little bit more powdered sugar or cream to get your desired consistency.
- Let rolls cool a bit before frosting or it will melt.
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