Peppermint White Chocolate Sweet Rolls

When the cinnamon-sugar hits the buttered dough, it looks like a thin layer won’t carry through twelve rolls. But rolling from the long edge gives you plenty of cinnamon in every spiral, and the white chocolate chips settle into little pockets as the dough bakes. These peppermint white chocolate sweet rolls come out soft, golden, and rich without making the mint compete with the warm cinnamon.

I keep the peppermint in the cream cheese icing rather than mixing it into the dough. That way, its cool flavor stays clear against the buttery rolls and sweet white chocolate. A shower of crushed candy canes adds a crisp finish just before serving, while the centers stay tender under the smooth icing.

Why the Peppermint Goes Into the Icing, Not the Dough

Peppermint extract has a strong, cool aroma that can take over a sweet dough if it’s mixed into every layer. Keeping it in the cream cheese icing lets you taste it first, then meet the cinnamon and white chocolate underneath. The candy canes reinforce that peppermint note at the surface, where their crunch and flavor are easiest to notice.

That placement also gives you more control when you serve the rolls. The icing is spread after the rolls have cooled briefly, so it sits over the warm spirals instead of disappearing into them. Each bite still has a soft, buttery interior, but the top has a distinct minty finish. If you prefer a gentler peppermint taste, the icing is the part to adjust; the dough and filling can stay exactly the same.

The Ingredients That Keep These Rolls Soft Without Hiding the White Chocolate

• Whole milk and active dry yeast — Milk gives the dough richness, while the yeast builds its rise. Warm the milk to the temperature listed in the recipe; milk that’s too hot can interfere with the yeast. Instant yeast can replace active dry yeast in the same amount, added with the flour rather than proofed first, though you won’t get the same foam cue.
• Egg, yolk, and butter — The egg and extra yolk enrich the dough, and softened butter makes it tender. Room-temperature eggs blend more evenly. Unsalted butter keeps the dough’s salt level predictable; use it softened, not melted, so the dough develops as intended.
• All-purpose flour — It gives these rolls a tender, flexible crumb. Measure without packing it into the cup; excess flour can make the dough firm and dry. Bread flour isn’t the best swap here because its higher protein can make the finished rolls chewier.
• Brown sugar, cinnamon, and white chocolate chips — Packed light brown sugar melts into the cinnamon filling, while white chocolate adds creamy sweetness in distinct pockets. Choose chips you enjoy eating on their own; finely chopped white chocolate also works, but it melts more readily and may spread farther through the spirals.
• Cream cheese, peppermint extract, and candy canes — Cream cheese gives the icing its tang, which balances the sweet filling. Full-fat cream cheese is the dependable choice for a smooth, spreadable topping. Use peppermint extract rather than concentrated peppermint oil, and crush the candy canes finely so they’re easy to scatter over the icing.

From Foamy Yeast to Candy-Cane Finish: The Stages to Watch

Mix a Smooth, Elastic Dough

Whisk the warm milk, yeast, and granulated sugar in the stand mixer bowl, then let the mixture stand until foamy. Add the egg, yolk, flour, and salt, and mix with the dough hook on low until a shaggy dough forms. Work in the softened dough butter a tablespoon at a time, then knead on medium-low until the dough looks smooth and stretches without tearing easily. If it still looks rough, give it the full kneading time rather than adding flour to cover the texture.

Let the First Rise Finish

Move the dough to a large bowl coated with cooking spray, cover it, and leave it in a warm place. Look for the dough to double in size; the rise may take 60 to 90 minutes depending on how warm the room is. A slow rise is a reason to give the dough more time, not to rush it into shaping. The dough should feel airy when you gently press it.

Fill, Roll, and Shape Evenly

Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon, then spray a 9×13-inch baking dish. Roll the dough into a 16×12-inch rectangle, spread on the remaining softened butter, and distribute the cinnamon-sugar and white chocolate chips across it. Roll from a long edge into a log and pinch the seam closed so the spiral holds together. Cut the log into 12 rolls and arrange them cut side up in the dish.

Proof, Bake, and Ice

Cover the shaped rolls and let them rise until puffy while the oven heats to 350°F. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, watching for golden tops and centers that look set; a deeply browned top with a soft middle needs more baking, not just icing. Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, peppermint extract, and warm water until smooth. Spread the icing over the rolls after they’ve cooled for 10 minutes, then scatter on the crushed candy canes.

Three Ways to Shift the Peppermint-White Chocolate Balance

Questions I Get Asked About These Peppermint Sweet Rolls

Peppermint White Chocolate Sweet Rolls

Peppermint white chocolate sweet rolls bake up soft and fluffy, filled with cinnamon sugar and white chocolate chips. Cream cheese peppermint icing and crushed candy canes add a cool, festive finish.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 28 minutes mins

Yeast activation and rising 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 58 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 450

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the dough

• 1 cup whole milk warmed to 105-110°F
• 2.25 tsp active dry yeast
• 0.25 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg large, at room temperature
• 1 egg yolk large, at room temperature
• 3.75 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 10 tbsp unsalted butter softened and divided (6 tablespoons for the dough and 4 tablespoons for the filling)
• 1 cooking spray for the bowl and pan

For the filling

• 0.67 cup light brown sugar packed
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 0.75 cup white chocolate chips

For the icing

• 1 package (4 oz) cream cheese softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 0.25 tsp peppermint extract
• 1 tbsp warm water
• 2 candy canes regular, finely crushed

Equipment

• 1 stand mixer
• 1 9x13-inch baking dish

Method

 

Make the dough

1. Whisk the warm milk, yeast, and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and let stand for 5-10 minutes, until foamy.
2. Add the egg, egg yolk, flour, and salt and mix with the dough hook on low until a shaggy dough forms.
3. Add 6 tablespoons of the butter a tablespoon at a time and knead on medium-low for 8-10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
4. Transfer the dough to a large bowl coated with cooking spray, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes, until doubled in size.

Fill and shape the rolls

1. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
2. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
3. Turn the dough onto a clean work surface and roll it into a 16x12-inch rectangle.
4. Spread the dough with the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, then sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon-sugar mixture and white chocolate chips.
5. Starting at a long edge, roll the dough into a log and pinch the seam closed.
6. Cut the log into 12 rolls and arrange them cut side up in the prepared dish.
7. Cover and let rise for 30-45 minutes, until puffy, while heating the oven to 350°F.

Bake and ice the rolls

1. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and the centers are set.
2. Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, peppermint extract, and warm water until smooth.
3. After the rolls have cooled for 10 minutes, spread the icing over them and sprinkle with the crushed candy canes.

Notes

For soft rolls, knead until the dough is smooth and elastic and let each rise finish until the visual cue is reached. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; freeze baked, uniced rolls for up to 2 months. For a dairy-free variation, use plant-based milk, butter, cream cheese, and white chocolate chips.