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Tiramisu cinnamon rolls with a cup of espresso and a pot of roasted coffee beans.

Tiramisu Cinnamon Rolls (with Espresso Mascarpone Frosting)

AndreeaB
These tiramisu cinnamon rolls are soft, coffee-infused, and topped with creamy mascarpone frosting — a dreamy brunch mash-up of cinnamon rolls and classic tiramisu.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Fermenting + Proofing 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine Italian - American
Servings 6 rolls
Calories 550 kcal

Equipment

  • 9' baking dish
  • mixing bowl
  • pizza cutter

Ingredients
  

For the dough

  • ¾ cup warm milk (100–110°F)
  • 2 ¼ tsp instant yeast or active dry yeast (1 packet)
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 egg + 1 egg yolk, room temperature
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • a pinch of salt

For the filling

  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp instant espresso powder
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 4 tbsp butter, softened

For brushing after baking

  • ½ cup strong brewed espresso or coffee
  • 1 tbsp sugar

For the frosting

  • 4 oz mascarpone cheese, softened
  • 2 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp espresso (or coffee liqueur)
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • cacao powder for dusting

Instructions
 

Activate yeast (I used instant yeast, so I skipped this part)

  • Combine warm milk, yeast, and 1 tbsp sugar. Let sit until foamy.
    ¾ cup warm milk (100–110°F), 2 ¼ tsp instant yeast or active dry yeast (1 packet)

Make dough:

  • In a bowl, mix flour, remaining sugar, and salt. Add egg, yolk, softened butter, and yeast mixture. Knead until soft and smooth (about 8 to 10 minutes).
    ¼ cup sugar, 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 egg + 1 egg yolk, room temperature, a pinch of salt, 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

First rise:

  • Cover and let rise 1 to 2 hours (depending on the temperature in your kitchen), until doubled.

Make filling:

  • Mix brown sugar, espresso powder, and cinnamon.
    ½ cup brown sugar, 1 tbsp instant espresso powder, 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Shape rolls:

  • Roll dough into a 12x16-inch rectangle. Spread softened butter (I used a cake spatula for this), sprinkle filling evenly, slice 6 equal strips with a pizza cutter (or sharp knife). Roll each slice individually (this is my preferred method).
    4 tbsp butter, softened

Second rise:

  • Arrange in a greased 9-inch pan. Cover and rise 30–45 minutes.

Bake:

  • Bake at 350°F for 22–25 minutes, until golden brown.

Espresso soak:

  • Brush warm rolls with espresso-sugar mixture for that tiramisu espresso layer.
    ½ cup strong brewed espresso or coffee, 1 tbsp sugar

Make frosting:

  • Beat mascarpone, cream cheese, powdered sugar, espresso, almond extract and vanilla until smooth and fluffy.
    4 oz mascarpone cheese, softened, 2 oz cream cheese, softened, 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tbsp espresso (or coffee liqueur), 1 tsp almond extract, 1 tsp vanilla extract

Frost & finish:

  • Spread frosting over slightly warm rolls. Dust with cocoa powder just before serving.
    cacao powder for dusting

Notes

Pro Tips

  • If your dough is too sticky to handle, don’t be tempted to add more flour. Leave the dough to rest for 5-10 minutes and attempt to knead again. If you still find it too sticky to handle, cover and let it sit for another 10 minutes. Use slightly oiled hand to handle.
  • If you like a lot of frosting on the rolls, you can double the frosting recipe. After all, you can never have too much frosting.

Overnight Make-Ahead Option

  1. Prepare the rolls through step 5 (assemble in pan).
  2. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight (8–12 hours).
  3. In the morning, let sit at room temp for 45–60 minutes until puffy.
  4. Bake as directed.

Storage & Reheating

  • Room Temp: Store in an airtight container for 1–2 days. Warm 15–20 sec in microwave before serving.
  • Fridge: Keep airtight for up to 5 days.
  • Freezer (Unbaked): Freeze assembled rolls up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in fridge, proof at room temp, then bake.
  • Freezer (Baked): Wrap cooled rolls individually and freeze. Reheat at 150°C / 300°F for 10–15 minutes, or microwave briefly.
  • Glaze Tip: If freezing, glaze after reheating for the best texture.

Nutrition

Serving: 190gCalories: 550kcalCarbohydrates: 75gProtein: 10gFat: 23g
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