Mochi Christmas Tree Cinnamon Rolls
Christmas tree cinnamon rolls are not only incredibly cute, but delicious, too! Made using a mochi bread dough, these rolls are delightfully crusty on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. They're also gluten-free and super easy to make! Decorated with an icing sugar glaze, some colored sprinkles, and a dusting of powder sugar, they are perfect for serving up during the holidays!
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 20 min
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 220 grams glutinous rice flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 large egg, (beaten)
- 1 tablespoon butter, (melted)
- 3 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- Butter, (for greasing the baking sheet)
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 2 teaspoons milk or water
- Colored sprinkles
- Icing sugar, (for dusting on top)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven 350F/190C.
- 2
Grease the bottom of a baking pan with butter (not melted). Set aside.
- 3
In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon for the filling and set aside.
- 4
In a mixing bowl, combine the glutinous rice flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk together.
- 5
Heat the milk and butter in a small pot or saucepan over medium heat until butter has just melted. Do not allow to boil.
- 6
Pour the hot milk and butter mixture into the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients and mix with a spoon or spatula until no loose flour remains. The mixture will be pebbly and crumbly.
- 7
Add the beaten egg and mix well until a dough forms.
- 8
Turn the dough out onto a work surface lightly dusted with glutinous rice flour and work with your hands to make it a cohesive dough. Shape roughly into a rectangular brick.
- 9
Dust a rolling pin with glutinous rice flour and roll the dough out into a rectangle, approximately 10" x 6". Shape the edges with your hands to get it the sides and corners mostly straight.
- 10
Brush dough with melted butter, then sprinkle the entire cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the surface. Rub the cinnamon sugar mixture in with the back of the spoon.
- 11
Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut the dough into 8 equal strips lengthwise so you end up with 8 long strips.
- 12
Carefully take a strip of dough and turn it onto it's edge. Starting at one end, start gently and loosely folding the dough back and forth to make a tree shape. If the dough cracks at the folds, simply press the cracks together with your fingers.
- 13
Pierce a toothpick into the top of the tree and another toothpick into the bottom to keep it together while baking. Place on the greased baking sheet and repeat with the remaining strips of dough.
- 14
Bake for 20 minutes.
- 15
Let cool slightly before transferring to a cooling rack. Remove toothpicks.
- 16
Icing Sugar Glaze: In a small bowl, combine the icing sugar and milk and mix well. Do not add too much milk, otherwise the glaze will be too runny.
- 17
Decorate one tree at a time: drizzle icing sugar glaze on tree and then add sprinkles right away so that they adhere while the glaze is still wet.
- 18
To add a dusting of "snow", shake icing sugar through a sieve over the trees.
- 19
Best eaten the same day they are made.