14 Breakfast Roll Recipes for Christmas Morning

Draw your family from their slumber on Christmas morning with the smell of freshly baked sweet rolls wafting through the air. Recipes for sticky buns with pecans, all stripes of cinnamon rolls, or St. Lucia buns make Christmas breakfast extra special.

By
Rachel Knecht
Rachel Knecht
Rachel began testing recipes for Simply Recipes in 2018. She started her food blog in 2017 and taught children's baking classes around Seattle.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
and
Sara Bir
Sara Bir
Sara is a chef, culinary educator, and author of three cookbooks, The Pocket Pawpaw Cookbook, Tasting Ohio and The Fruit Forager's Companion. The latter won a 2019 IACP Cookbook Award.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Updated November 15, 2022
Three photos side by side. On the left is a pan of Raspberry Jam Rolls. In the center is a platter of Swedish Coffee Bread. On the right is Caramel Apple Monkey Bread.

Decadent and packed full of love, homemade breakfast rolls are the perfect way to start off Christmas morning. The smell of freshly baked rolls is enough to lure the family out of bed or (for the early and ambitious risers) away from their new gifts and over to the table.

Many of these rolls are yeasted, but you can start them the night before and let them rise overnight. Finish them up the next morning and enjoy! If you’re not an early riser you can still enjoy breakfast rolls. Open a few presents to distract yourself while these perfect rolls rise and bake. No matter which sweet roll you choose, your loved ones will be delighted.

  • Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

    The best cinnamon rolls frosted with cream cheese frosting.
    Cindy Rahe

    Topped with cream cheese frosting, this recipe makes eight huge cinnamon rolls, but you can cut them to make 12 smaller but still substantial rolls. Refrigerating the dough overnight before shaping the rolls, makes the dough extra easy to work with.

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  • Cinnamon Sticky Buns

    Cinnamon Sticky Buns
    Elise Bauer

    Skip the frosting and make these caramel pecan rolls. Be sure to not overcook the pecan topping. You only want the butter to melt before combining and adding to the pan.

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  • Raspberry Jam Sweet Rolls

    Sweet Rolls with Jam
    Cindy Rahe

    Use fresh raspberries to make a quick jam filling for these fluffy sweet rolls. Room temperature butter incorporates into the dough quicker than cold butter, so set your butter out an hour before starting.

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  • Caramel Apple Monkey Bread

    Caramel Apple Monkey Bread
    Cindy Rahe

    Kids will love rolling the little balls for these monkey rolls. Apple cider flavored caramel and fresh apples combine for a perfect pair. If you don’t have a bundt pan, no fear, a round cake pan will work but the baking time may be a bit shorter, so keep an eye on them.

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    Continue to 5 of 14 below.

  • Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

    A pan of Homemade Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls are being frosted.
    Marta Rivera

    Change up your morning rolls with these pumpkin flavored rolls. Allow to rise overnight and bake off Christmas morning or bake and freeze beforehand and thaw overnight for an easy Christmas breakfast.

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  • Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls

    A pan of easy gluten free cinnamon rolls being topped with icing.
    Kalisa Marie Martin

    Gluten free? No problem! This recipe offers tips for working with gluten free dough so you can enjoy soft, tender cinnamon rolls worthy of a second helping.

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  • St. Lucia Saffron Buns

    St. Lucia Buns
    Elise Bauer

    Saffron infused sweet bread is shaped into a lovely “S” and baked with a golden raisin tucked into each end. If using ground cardamom, substitute 1/2 teaspoon for the whole pods.

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  • Swedish Coffee Bread (Tea Ring)

    Swedish Tea Ring
    Elise Bauer

    Impress family with this almond paste, cinnamon and cardamom filled sweet bread. Half the recipe and make a braided bread for a smaller gathering.

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    Continue to 9 of 14 below.

  • Orange Breakfast Rolls

    Orange Breakfast Roll on a Plate

    Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

    A kiss of orange zest and a juice-enriched glaze make these bright and cheerful rolls exactly the thing for big-time Christmas morning vibes.

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  • Overnight Milk Bread Cinnamon Rolls

    A platter of soft cinnamon rolls.
    Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

    The Japanese technique of cooking flour and liquid before adding it to the dough makes for the fluffiest, moistest rolls you can imagine. Prep the rolls on Christmas Eve while you dream of the cinnamon swirls to come.

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  • Apple Cinnamon Rolls

    Apple Cinnamon Rolls in a Tray with a Couple Missing

    Simply Recipes / Hannah Zimmerman

    Bits of fresh apple enliven a generously spiced cinnamon sugar filling. What goes better with cinnamon than apples, after all?

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  • Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

    Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls in a Casserole Dish with Some Glazed with Cream Cheese Frosting

    Simply Recipes / Hannah Dela Cruz

    If you have a sourdough starter going, there's no better use for your discard than these light and just-tangy-enough sourdough cinnamon rolls. They get a boost from commercial yeast and are easy to bake on your busy pre-Christmas timeline.

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    Continue to 13 of 14 below.

  • Povitica

    Slices of Povitica Next to the Loaf on a Cutting Board

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    Okay, okay. This impressive swirled loaf does not qualify as a roll recipe. But how can you resist? Povitica has Easter European origins and remains beloved in American communities with large populations that celebrate their Easter European heritage.

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  • Cranberry Orange Scones

    Baked scones on baking sheet.

    Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

    Oh snap! Did you drift away to visions of sugar plums before you got to Christmas Eve kneading? No worries. These cranberry-studded scones come together quickly for those who prefer to snooze a little longer. It's why it's called quick bread, after all.

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