These Coffee Rolls are fluffy, golden, and irresistibly rich with deep coffee flavor. Imagine your favorite cinnamon rolls — but infused with smooth espresso notes and topped with creamy coffee frosting. They’re soft, gooey, and made for anyone who believes coffee should be enjoyed in more than just a mug!
Perfect for brunch, breakfast, or a sweet afternoon pick-me-up, these Coffee Cinnamon Rolls combine the coziness of homemade pastry with the bold aroma of a café latte. Pair them with your morning brew, and you’ve got heaven on a plate.
Why You’ll Love These Coffee Rolls
After years of making traditional cinnamon rolls, I wanted to create something special for coffee lovers — and these Coffee Rolls deliver. They’re made with a fluffy milk-bread-style dough that stays incredibly soft for days, thanks to a simple Japanese technique called tangzhong.
Each roll is filled with a buttery brown sugar–coffee–cinnamon filling, baked to perfection, and finished with a luscious coffee cream cheese frosting. The result? Rolls that taste like a barista’s dream — warm, tender, and perfectly balanced between sweet and bold.
What makes these Coffee Rolls stand out:
- ☕ Triple coffee flavor: in the dough, the filling, and the frosting.
- 🧈 A light, cloud-like texture that melts in your mouth.
- 💛 Ideal for coffee dates, lazy weekend mornings, or special brunches.
If you’re a coffee lover, this recipe is for you. And if you’ve ever wished your cinnamon rolls tasted like a latte — well, your wish just came true.
How to Make Coffee Rolls
Making Coffee Rolls is easier than it looks. You’ll start with a soft enriched dough, roll it up with a rich coffee-cinnamon filling, and finish it with a silky frosting that tastes like your favorite cappuccino.
Step-by-Step Overview
- Make the tangzhong: Whisk flour and water in a saucepan and cook until thick and smooth. This magical paste keeps your rolls extra soft.
- Mix the dough: Combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add warm milk mixed with instant coffee, an egg, vanilla, and the tangzhong. Knead until smooth, then add butter and knead again until the dough is elastic and slightly tacky.
- First rise: Let the dough rest until doubled — about an hour in a warm kitchen.
- Fill and shape: Roll the dough into a large rectangle and spread the buttery coffee-cinnamon filling evenly across. Roll it up tightly, slice, and arrange in your pan.
- Second rise: Cover and let them puff up again before baking.
- Bake: Once golden and fragrant, remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
- Make the frosting: Beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, and a touch of instant coffee until creamy and smooth.
- Finish: Spread over the warm rolls and enjoy every melty, coffee-kissed bite.
These Coffee Rolls are bakery-style soft, gooey in the center, and layered with just the right amount of coffee flavor.
💡 Tips & Notes
- Proofing time varies: Dough rises faster in a warm kitchen.
- Don’t rush the kneading: Proper kneading gives the rolls their signature fluffy texture.
- Measure flour correctly: Use the spoon-and-level method or a kitchen scale for best results.
- No coffee? You can skip it entirely for classic cinnamon rolls or replace with cocoa for mocha rolls.
🧁 Storage
Keep at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. To freeze, store unbaked rolls tightly wrapped for up to 1 month, then thaw overnight and bake as usual.
Coffee Rolls (Soft, Gooey & Full of Flavor!)
Soft, fluffy cinnamon rolls infused with coffee flavor and topped with a smooth coffee cream cheese frosting — perfect for breakfast, brunch, or any coffee lover’s craving.
- Prep Time: 2 hrs 30 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 2 hrs 50 mins
- Yield: 12 rolls
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
- Make the tangzhong: In a small saucepan, whisk together flour and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it forms a thick paste (3–5 minutes). Set aside to cool.
- Mix the dough: In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. In another bowl, mix warm milk with coffee granules until dissolved, then add the egg, vanilla, and tangzhong. Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
- Knead: Mix on low speed with a dough hook (or by hand) until a rough dough forms. Gradually add the butter, kneading until the dough becomes soft and elastic (8–10 minutes).
- First rise: Form the dough into a smooth ball, place it in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in size (45–60 minutes).
- Prepare the filling: Combine softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and coffee granules in a small bowl.
- Shape the rolls: Roll out the dough into a 14×18-inch rectangle. Spread the filling evenly, leaving a small border. Cut into 12 strips, roll each one tightly, and place in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Second rise: Cover and let rise again for about 45 minutes, or until puffy.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Bake for 20–23 minutes, until golden brown.
- Make the frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add powdered sugar, then mix in heavy cream and coffee until silky.
- Frost: Spread over warm rolls and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Tangzhong keeps the rolls extra soft and moist.
- For stronger flavor, add an extra ½ tsp coffee granules to the dough or frosting.
- Store leftover rolls covered in the fridge up to 3 days and warm before serving.