Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll Pizza

While we didn’t invent the combination of pizza dough and cinnamon rolls — hello, Pizza Hut cinnamon sticks! — we think it’s one worth perfecting. So we took everything we love about the rolled treat (sugar, icing, warmth) and added the spice of gingerbread for a holiday dessert pizza with a kick. Gingerbread pizza or cinnamon roll pizza? We choose both.

The flavor starts with the dough. Cinnamon, cloves, and powdered ginger transform classic pizza dough into a winter warmer that smells as good as it tastes. Baking it with a brown sugar and butter mixture that turns crunchy as it cools creates the base for chewy candied ginger, powdered sugar icing and crunchy pecans. 

Not only is this pizza much tastier than a week-old gingerbread house — it’s a lot easier to put together. 

This recipe is featured in For Sweet Pizzas, Consider Par-Baking. Find more holiday recipes here. 


Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll Pizza

Note

For the dough

1. Place two-thirds of the water in a large bowl.

Boil the rest of the water in a saucepan or microwave, then pour into the cold water. (This will create the correct temperature to activate the yeast.) Whisk salt and yeast into the warm water.

If mixing by hand: Place the flour, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a large bowl and pour the yeast mixture into it. Stir with a wooden spoon until a dough starts to form. Continue mixing by hand until the pizza dough comes together in a ball. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead with both hands for about 10 minutes, until it’s firm and stretchy. Return the dough to the bowl. Cover with cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.

If using a mixer: Fit the mixer with a dough hook and place the flour, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in the mixer bowl. Turn the machine on at low speed and gradually add the yeast mixture to the flour. Once combined, leave the dough to continue mixing at the same speed for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it’s firm and stretchy. Cover the dough with cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for about 2 hours or until doubled in size. 

Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Ball up the dough, ensuring the tops of the balls are smooth. You can find out how to do so here.Place each piece in a separate bowl or tray, cover with cling film and leave to rise for another 30 to 60 minutes, or until doubled in size.


For the brown sugar mixture

1. Add brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and cloves to a microwave-safe bowl and heat until melted together, about 45 seconds.

 

Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll Pizza

For the icing

1. Add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and melted butter to a microwave-safe bowl and heat until melted together, about 45 seconds.

 Set aside, keeping the icing and brown sugar mixtures at room temperature as you stretch the dough.


Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll Pizza

For the pizza

1. Fire up your oven.

Aim for 750 to 850°F (400 to 450°C) on the baking stone inside. (Use the infrared thermometer to quickly and accurately check the temperature of the middle of the stone.) Stretch your dough out on a lightly floured surface. Push the air from the center out toward the crust, then use your knuckles to stretch out the base to 12 inches. 


Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll Pizza Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll Pizza

2. Spread a third of the brown sugar mixture onto the dough.

Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll Pizza

3. Slide the pizza off the peel and into your oven.

Cook for a minute or two, using a peel to turn your pizza every 20 seconds or so to ensure an even bake. 

Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll Pizza Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll Pizza

4. Remove from the oven and top with one-third each of the chopped pecans and candied ginger.

Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll Pizza Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll Pizza

5. Drizzle icing on top.

(If the icing has thickened, microwave for 20 seconds.)


Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll Pizza

6. Slice and serve immediately.

(And of course, enjoy!)


Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll Pizza