These gooey coffee cinnamon rolls are soft and fluffy, filled with delicious brown sugar coffee filling, frosted with coffee cream cheese frosting, all while drenched in a truly decadent and sticky brown sugar coffee caramel sauce on the bottom. A perfect, indulgent treat to bake for all coffee lovers!

Why You’ll Love these Coffee Cinnamon Rolls

The bottoms are drenched in a sticky, buttery brown sugar coffee caramel sauce. Basically just like extra cinnamon roll filling all over the bottom of the rolls- YUM.

They’re full of coffee flavor. The rolls are filled with a delightful brown sugar coffee filling. As they bake, the bottoms also get covered in a coffee caramel sauce to make them extra gooey and delicious. Each bite is full of espresso flavor!

They are extremely soft. Seriously like little pillows of doughy, buttery, sweet coffee goodness.

They are really fun to make! They do take a little time, but making them is half the fun. There’s something about working with yeast dough that makes making the dessert even more exciting. I love to see the dough rise, and transform into a delicious treat. It really makes you feel like you’ve accomplished something!

For the full recipe, including measurements, step by step instructions, and bake time, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is just a brief overview!

Bloom the yeast, make the dough, then form it into a ball and place in a large, greased bowl.
Let the dough proof in a warm spot until it has doubled in size.
While the dough proofs, make the coffee caramel sauce. Dissolve the espresso powder into the vanilla extract. Mix the butter, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, cream, vanilla espresso mixture, and honey together. Then spread it evenly over the bottom of a greased 9×13-inch casserole dish.
While the dough rises, also make the filling. Dissolve the espresso powder into the vanilla. Then mix the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, espresso mixture, and salt together in a medium bowl.
Once the dough has had a chance to rise, remove it from bowl, punch the dough to release the air, and roll out on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into about an 18 x 12 inch rectangle. It should be about 1/4 inch thick. Spoon the coffee brown sugar filling over the dough and spread it evenly with an offset spatula.
Roll up the dough tightly into a long log shape starting from the end closest to you. Cut off a bit of the ends to make the log even. Cut 12 rolls about 1 1/2 inches wide using unflavored floss, kitchen twine or a very sharp knife.
Place the rolls in the prepared casserole dish with the coffee caramel sauce mixture and pour room temperature heavy cream in between each roll.
Cover them with plastic wrap and let them proof in a warm spot for about an hour, or until they have doubled in size. Once the rolls have proofed, bake them at 350℉ for 29-34 minutes until golden brown.
While they bake, make the coffee cream cheese frosting.
Let the rolls cool for 10 minutes, then cover the warm rolls with the cream cheese icing. Then serve! 

Tips to Make Perfect Coffee Cinnamon Rolls

Lightly grease the plastic wrap for covering the dough while it proofs. This will help it not to stick to the rolls.

Use dental floss to cut the dough into rolls. This will allow for really pretty, clean cuts that a knife really can’t give you.

Measuring your flour properly. If you learn anything from making this recipe, please let it be this: measure your flour (and all other ingredients) with a digital kitchen scale. Don’t scoop your measuring cup into your flour. This will always lead to inaccurate flour measurements and therefore, a wonky bake.

Let your dough proof outside if it’s warm enough, or in a cold oven with the light on.

Coffee Cinnamon Rolls FAQs

Can the rolls be prepared the day before? 

Yes. To prepare ahead of time follow recipe up until you are about to proof the buns for the second time. Cover the prepared cinnamon buns and place in the fridge. The next morning when ready to bake, take the buns out of the fridge, pour room temperature cream in between them and allow them to proof somewhere warm until they’ve doubled in size. Keep in mind it will take longer than an hour because the dough is cold and has to come all the way to room temperature and then proof. Once they’ve doubled in size, bake according to the recipe.

Why didn’t my dough rise? 

Check that your yeast is not expired. If it did not get very foamy on top and smell “yeasty” after it bloomed, the yeast is dead. I’ve found that if it is just bubbly on top, but not foamy, this is an indication that the yeast is dead. Secondly, perhaps the dough just needed more time. Some times it can take up to 1 1/2 hours for the dough to proof all the way to “doubled in size”.

How do I store the rolls?

Keep left over cinnamon rolls in an airtight container for up to three days, but I have a feeling they’ll be gone before that!

If you make this coffee cinnamon rolls, please leave a star review! Also, tag me on Instagram @inbloombakery_ so I can see your creation! Follow me on Pinterest for other dessert ideas!

Other Recipes to Try

The Best Cinnamon Rolls Ever

Lemon Rolls

Chai Cinnamon Rolls

Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls
No ratings yet

Coffee Cinnamon Rolls

Yield: 12 rolls
Prep: 1 hour
Cook: 30 minutes
Proofing Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Total: 4 hours
These gooey coffee cinnamon rolls are soft and fluffy, filled with delicious brown sugar coffee filling, frosted with coffee cream cheese frosting, all while drenched in a truly decadent and sticky brown sugar coffee caramel sauce on the bottom. A perfect, indulgent treat to bake for all coffee lovers!
Print Leave a Review Pin Recipe

Ingredients

For the Dough

  • 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) whole milk, warmed to about 110 ℉ (43 ℃)
  • 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 tsp granulated white sugar (to bloom the yeast)
  • 4 3/4 cups (593 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 tbsp (6 g) instant espresso powder
  • 2 tbsp (28 g) dark brown sugar
  • 2 eggs, whisked
  • 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened

For the Coffee Caramel Sauce

  • 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp (4 g) instant espresso powder
  • 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, very softened
  • 1 cup (220 g) dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup (116 g) honey
  • 3 tbsp (45 ml) heavy cream
  • 1/4 tsp salt

For the Coffee Filling

  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp (8 g) instant espresso powder
  • 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, very softened
  • 1 cup (220 g) dark brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream (for pouring in between the rolls)

For the Coffee Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 6 tbsp (84 g) unsalted butter, very softened
  • 6 oz (170 g) cream cheese, cold
  • 3/4 cup (97 g) powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 tsp (2 g) instant espresso powder

Instructions
 

For the Dough

  • To start, bloom your yeast. Mix your active dry yeast, sugar, and warm milk together and let sit for 10 minutes until foamy on top.
    1 1/4 cups (300 ml) whole milk, warmed to about 110 ℉ (43 ℃), 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast, 1 tsp granulated white sugar (to bloom the yeast)
  • Next, in a large bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, mix the flour, salt and brown sugar together.
    4 3/4 cups (593 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tbsp (28 g) dark brown sugar
  • Add the vanilla extract to a small ramekin. Sprinkle in the espresso powder and mix until dissolved.
    1 tbsp vanilla extract, 1 1/2 tbsp (6 g) instant espresso powder
  • To the dry ingredients add the whisked eggs, softened butter, and vanilla espresso mixture and mix.
    2 eggs, whisked, 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • Add in the yeast mixture and mix until everything is blended. Switch to a dough hook and knead on medium speed for 7-10 minutes until the dough pulls away from the edges of the bowl, forms a ball and springs back when pressed.
  • Form the dough into a ball. Place the dough in a large, greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and place in a warm place to rise, (outside or a cold oven with the light on works well for this), for 1- 1 ½ hours, or until the dough doubles in size.

For the Coffee Caramel Sauce

  • While the dough rises, make the sticky coffee caramel sauce for the bottoms of the rolls.
  • Add the vanilla extract to a small ramekin. Sprinkle in the espresso powder and mix until dissolved.
    1 tbsp (4 g) instant espresso powder, 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
  • In a medium bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, honey, heavy cream, salt, and vanilla espresso mixture together.
    1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, very softened, 1 cup (220 g) dark brown sugar, packed, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/3 cup (116 g) honey, 3 tbsp (45 ml) heavy cream, 1/4 tsp salt
  • Grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish. Spread the mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan.

For the Coffee Filling

  • While the dough rises, also make the filling.
  • Add the vanilla extract to a small ramekin. Sprinkle in the espresso powder and mix until dissolved.
    2 tbsp (8 g) instant espresso powder, 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • In a medium bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla espresso mixture together.
    1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, very softened, 1 cup (220 g) dark brown sugar, packed, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp salt

Assembling and Baking the Cinnamon Rolls

  • Once the dough has had a chance to rise, remove it from bowl, punch the dough to release the air, and roll it out on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into about an 18 x 12 inch rectangle. It should be about 1/4 inch thick.
  • Spoon the coffee brown sugar filling over the dough and spread it evenly with an offset spatula.
  • Roll up the dough tightly into a long log shape starting from the end closest to you. Cut off a bit of the ends to make the log even. Cut 12 rolls about 1 1/2 inches wide using unflavored floss or a very sharp knife.
  • Place the rolls in the prepared casserole dish with the coffee caramel sauce mixture and pour room temperature heavy cream in between each roll. Cover them with plastic wrap and let them proof in a warm spot for about an hour, or until they have doubled in size.
    1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream (for pouring in between the rolls)
  • Preheat the oven to 350℉ (175℃) about 15 minutes before the rolls are done proofing.
  • Once the rolls have completed their second rise, bake them for 29-34 minutes until golden brown.
    (Cover with aluminum foil for the last 5 minutes if they're getting too brown.)

For the Coffee Cream Cheese Frosting

  • While they bake, make the cream cheese frosting by adding the softened butter to a medium bowl and mixing it on high speed with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy.
    6 tbsp (84 g) unsalted butter, very softened
  • Add in the cream cheese and mix until combined on medium speed.
    6 oz (170 g) cream cheese, cold
  • Sift the powdered sugar into the mixture a little at a time and mix on low speed until all is combined.
    3/4 cup (97 g) powdered sugar
  • Add the vanilla extract to a small ramekin. Sprinkle in the espresso powder and mix until dissolved.
    1/2 tbsp vanilla extract, 1 1/2 tsp (2 g) instant espresso powder
  • Add the vanilla espresso mixture to the frosting and mix medium speed until combined and the frosting is smooth.
  • Let the rolls cool for 10 minutes, then cover the warm rolls with the coffee cream cheese icing. Then serve! 
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cinnamon rolls, coffee, coffee cinnamon rolls, coffee rolls
Did you make this recipe?Please consider Leaving a Review!