Best Christmas Tree Sweet Rolls Recipes

CRANBERRY CINNAMON CHRISTMAS TREE ROLLS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt. In a small saucepan, heat the sour cream, water and butter to 120°-130°; add to dry ingredients. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs and 1/2 cup flour; beat 2 minutes longer. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about, about 1-1/2 hours. , Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring cranberries and water to a boil. Cover and boil gently for 5 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup brown sugar. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Cool. Combine the pecans, softened butter, cinnamon and remaining brown sugar; set aside. , Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Roll each into a 14x12-in. rectangle. Brush each with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Spread half of the pecan mixture. Roll up, jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam to seal. Brush with remaining melted butter. , To form a tree from each log, cut a 2-in. piece from one end for a tree trunk; set aside. Then cut each log into 15 slices. Cover two baking sheets with foil and grease well. Center one slice near the top of each prepared baking sheet. , Arrange slice with sides touching in four more rows, adding one slice for each row, forming a tree. Center the reserved slice lengthwise below the tree for trunk. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. , Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. , In a saucepan, heat corn syrup over low heat. Transfer foil with trees onto wire racks; brush with corn syrup. Cool for 20 minutes. , In a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar and milk. Fill a small pastry or plastic bag; cut a small hole in corner of bag. Pipe on trees for garlands. Garnish with cranberries and candied cherries.

CHRISTMAS TREE ROLLS

Steps:

• Unroll crescent roll dough into a rectangle. Press seams and perforations to seal; roll lightly with a rolling pin. Spread butter over dough. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over butter. Roll up, jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Seal edge. Cut into 22 slices. To form a tree, place slices on a greased baking sheet with sides touching and cut side up. Place one slice in the top row and two slices in the second row. Repeat with remaining rolls, adding one slice per row, until the tree has six rows. Center the one remaining slice under the last row for a truck. Bake at 350° for 16-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack. Combine confectioners' sugar and milk; drizzle over warm rolls. Decorate with cherries if desired.

CINNAMON-ROLL CHRISTMAS TREE

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, sugar and cinnamon., On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12x8-in. rectangle. Spread with butter to within 1/2 in. of edges; sprinkle with sugar mixture. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam to seal. Cut into 12 slices., Center 1 slice near top of prepared pan, cut side down. Closely arrange 9 more slices to form 3 additional rows, adding 1 slice per row, to form a tree. Center remaining 2 slices at base of tree for trunk. Cover with a kitchen towel; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°., Bake 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Spread with frosting; serve warm.

CHRISTMAS MORNING SWEET ROLLS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, combine sugar, salt, 1 cup flour, oil, egg and the yeast mixture; beat on medium speed until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky). , Do not knead. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and refrigerate overnight., For filling, in a small bowl, mix sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Punch down dough; turn onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 18x8-in. rectangle. Spread with butter to within 1/2 in. of edges; sprinkle with sugar mixture. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam to seal. Cut into 12 slices., Place in a greased 13x9-in. baking pan, cut side down. Cover with a kitchen towel; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes., Preheat oven to 350°. Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool slightly. Beat confectioners' sugar, butter, cinnamon, vanilla and enough eggnog to reach desired consistency; spread over warm rolls.

CHRISTMAS TREE SAVORY ROLLS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 3 cups flour, sugar, yeast, lemon zest and salt. In a small saucepan, heat milk and water to 120°-130°. Stir in oil and lemon juice. Add to dry ingredients; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat 4 ounces cream cheese until smooth. Add the mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, lemon pepper and parsley; mix well. Stir in crabmeat if desired; set aside. , Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; roll out into a 22x14-in. rectangle. Spread prepared filling to within 1/2-in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seams to seal. Cut into 22 slices., Cover a baking sheet with foil and grease well. Place 1 slice near the top center of prepared baking sheet. Place 2 slices in the second row with sides touching. Repeat, adding 1 slice per row, until tree has 5 rows. Repeat last row. Center remaining 2 slices below last row for the trunk. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. , Bake at 325° until golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Carefully transfer rolls with foil onto a wire rack to cool completely., Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat remaining cream cheese and lemon juice until smooth. Cut a small hole in the corner of pastry bag; fill with cream cheese mixture. Pipe onto rolls for garland. , Cut peppers in half vertically; remove stems and seeds. Using a 1-1/2-in. star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out stars from peppers; place on tree. Carefully remove a 2-in. piece of peel from lemon (save lemon for another use). With a 2-in. star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out a star from peel; place on top of tree. Remove foil before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

CHRISTMAS TREE MINI-CINNAMON ROLLS

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Wipe your cookie sheet with just a very thin smear of butter or veg oil. Don't overdo!
• 2. Open the crescent rolls and place them end to end ... press the perforations of all the crescent rolls together, forming one long rectangle.
• 3. Spread entire crescent dough rectangle with softened butter.
• 4. Combine the sugar, cinnamon and raisins/craisins all together. Sprinkle the mixture over the crescent dough rectangle. (You can add some pecans to this step, too, if you desire, about 2 or 3 tablespoons, FINELY chopped).
• 5. Roll up the rectangle along the LONG edge. Cut into 22 equal segments. Wiping your sharp knife with a buttered rag each time will make the cutting easier.
• 6. Starting at the top of a large cookie sheet, place ONE roll. The second row will be TWO rolls, pyramid style. The third row will be THREE rolls...and so on, until you have SIX rows. This will use a total of 21 of the cinnamon rolls. The 22nd roll will be placed at the base of the tree for the stem.
• 7. Place in pre-heated oven, and bake for about 20 minutes, until puffy and golden.
• 8. Meanwhile, mix the powdered sugar and milk together. Note: you can substitute orange juice or apple juice for the milk. Once you've removed the baked rolls from the oven, drizzle the glaze onto the tree, zig-zag fashion, to resemble garland. Using strawberry flavored powdered sugar makes this especially pretty, and you can decorate "the tree" with cinnamon red-hots or other treats for Christmas morning.
• 9. This will keep the kiddos from starving while they open presents, until you've had a chance to get something together for breakfast!