There’s something truly magical about the aroma of freshly baked cinnamon rolls wafting through your home. Now, imagine taking that cozy experience to the next level by infusing it with the warm, spiced flavors of chai. These Chai Cinnamon Rolls are the ultimate fall indulgence—soft, gooey, and bursting with aromatic spices like cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and nutmeg. Each bite is a comforting blend of sweetness and spice, making them perfect for chilly mornings or festive holiday gatherings.
What makes these cinnamon rolls stand out is their rich chai caramel sauce that coats the bottom of the pan, ensuring every roll is drenched in sweet, spiced goodness. The filling is a dreamy mixture of brown sugar and chai spices, creating an irresistible swirl of flavor in each bite. To top it all off, a chai-spiced cream cheese frosting adds a luscious, creamy finish that melts into the warm rolls.
These rolls are more than just a delicious treat—they’re an experience. Whether you’re enjoying them with a steaming cup of tea or coffee, serving them at brunch, or making them for a holiday breakfast, they bring warmth and joy to any occasion. Plus, they can be made ahead, stored, or even frozen for later, making them as practical as they are delightful.
Ready to bring the flavors of fall into your kitchen? Follow this easy recipe and treat yourself to the coziest cinnamon rolls you’ve ever had! 🍂✨
Why You’ll Love These Chai Cinnamon Rolls
- Perfectly Spiced: The warm, aromatic blend of chai spices elevates these rolls beyond your classic cinnamon roll recipe.
- Ultimate Comfort Food: The gooey, caramel-drizzled layers of soft dough make these a must-have treat for cozy fall mornings.
- Great for Make-Ahead: You can prepare them the night before and bake them fresh in the morning.
- Pairs Wonderfully with Coffee or Tea: If you’re a fan of chai lattes, this is the perfect baked good to go with it.
- Homemade Goodness: Making cinnamon rolls from scratch is incredibly satisfying, and the flavors in these are worth every step!
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Dough:
- 1 ¼ cups warm whole milk
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
- 1 tsp sugar (for blooming the yeast)
- 4 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¾ tsp ginger
- ¼ tsp allspice
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp cardamom
- ⅛ tsp cloves
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup softened unsalted butter
For the Chai Caramel Sauce:
- ⅓ cup heavy cream + 2 chai tea bags
- ½ cup softened unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¾ tsp ginger
- ¼ tsp allspice
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¾ tsp cardamom
- ⅛ tsp cloves
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
For the Chai Filling:
- ½ cup softened unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 ½ tsp ginger
- ½ tsp allspice
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp cardamom
- ¼ tsp cloves
- ¼ tsp salt
For the Chai Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 6 tbsp softened unsalted butter
- 6 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ginger
- ⅛ tsp allspice
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp cardamom
- Pinch of cloves
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Dough
- In a small bowl, whisk together warm milk, yeast, and 1 tsp sugar. Let sit for about 5–10 minutes until foamy.
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, salt, and sugar.
- Add eggs, vanilla extract, and softened butter to the dry ingredients.
- Pour in the bloomed yeast mixture and knead using a dough hook for 7–10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Transfer to a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for 1–1½ hours, or until doubled in size.
Step 2: Prepare the Chai Caramel Sauce
- In a small saucepan, warm the heavy cream and steep the chai tea bags for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and set aside.
- In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, spices, honey, vanilla, and salt.
- Slowly add the chai-infused heavy cream, stirring constantly until smooth.
- Pour the caramel sauce into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 3: Make the Chai Filling
- In a bowl, mix together softened butter, brown sugar, and spices until combined.
Step 4: Assemble & Bake
- Roll out the risen dough into an 18×12-inch rectangle.
- Spread the chai filling evenly over the dough.
- Roll the dough tightly from the long end and cut into 12 even rolls.
- Place the rolls in the prepared baking dish over the caramel sauce.
- Pour heavy cream between the rolls for extra gooeyness.
- Cover and let rise for another hour.
- Bake at 350°F for 29–32 minutes or until golden brown.
Step 5: Make the Frosting
- Beat butter and cream cheese together until fluffy.
- Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and chai spices. Beat until smooth.
Step 6: Frost & Enjoy!
- Let the cinnamon rolls cool for 10 minutes.
- Spread the chai-spiced frosting over the warm rolls.
- Serve immediately and enjoy every gooey, spiced bite!
Storage & Reheating Tips
- Refrigerate: Store covered for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Microwave individual rolls for 20-30 seconds to enjoy fresh-baked flavor.
Nutritional Information (Per Roll)
- Calories: 420
- Carbs: 55g
- Protein: 6g
- Fat: 19g
Final Thoughts
These Chai Cinnamon Rolls are the ultimate fall indulgence, bursting with warm spices, gooey caramel, and velvety cream cheese frosting. Whether you make them for a cozy weekend brunch, Thanksgiving morning, or just because—each bite will transport you to autumn bliss. 🍂✨
Print🍂 Chai Cinnamon Rolls – The Coziest Fall Treat!
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: 12 Rolls 1x
Description
There’s something magical about the smell of cinnamon rolls baking, and when you add chai spices to the mix—oh, it’s pure heaven! These soft, gooey chai cinnamon rolls are filled with a rich brown sugar chai filling, drenched in a sticky chai caramel sauce, and topped with the creamiest chai-spiced cream cheese frosting. It’s the ultimate cozy treat to pair with a warm cup of tea or coffee. Give these a try and make your home smell like a bakery! ☕✨
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 1 ¼ cups warm whole milk
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
- 1 tsp sugar (for blooming the yeast)
- 4 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon, ¾ tsp ginger, ¼ tsp allspice, ¼ tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp cardamom, ⅛ tsp cloves
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup softened unsalted butter
For the Chai Caramel Sauce:
- ⅓ cup heavy cream + 2 chai tea bags
- ½ cup softened unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon, ¾ tsp ginger, ¼ tsp allspice, ¼ tsp nutmeg, ¾ tsp cardamom, ⅛ tsp cloves
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
For the Chai Filling:
- ½ cup softened unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon, 1 ½ tsp ginger, ½ tsp allspice, ½ tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp cardamom, ¼ tsp cloves
- ¼ tsp salt
For the Chai Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 6 tbsp softened unsalted butter
- 6 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp ginger, ⅛ tsp allspice, ⅛ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp cardamom, pinch of cloves
Instructions
1️⃣ Make the Dough: Bloom the yeast in warm milk with sugar. Mix the dry ingredients in a stand mixer, then add eggs, vanilla, and butter. Add the yeast mixture and knead for 7-10 minutes until smooth. Let rise for 1-1½ hours until doubled in size.
2️⃣ Prepare the Chai Caramel Sauce: Steep the chai tea bags in warm cream. Mix butter, sugar, spices, honey, vanilla, and salt. Stir in the chai-infused cream. Spread in a greased 9×13-inch pan.
3️⃣ Make the Chai Filling: Mix butter, brown sugar, spices, and salt.
4️⃣ Assemble & Bake: Roll out the dough into an 18×12-inch rectangle. Spread the filling evenly, roll it up tightly, and cut into 12 rolls. Place over the caramel sauce, pour heavy cream between the rolls, and let rise for another hour.
5️⃣ Bake at 350°F for 29-32 minutes until golden brown.
6️⃣ Make the Frosting: Beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and spices.
7️⃣ Frost & Enjoy! Let rolls cool for 10 minutes, then spread the frosting over the warm rolls. Serve and enjoy every gooey bite!
Notes
- Refrigerate: Store covered for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
Nutrition
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 19g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Protein: 6g