Cookie Monster Cinnamon Rolls

The first time my niece saw me adding blue food coloring to cinnamon roll dough, she looked at me like I had completely lost my mind. Then I explained we were making Cookie Monster cinnamon rolls, and her eyes widened with the kind of excitement only a six year old can summon. Now whenever she visits, these blue beauties are the first request out of her mouth, before she even takes her coat off.

Last Christmas morning, my sister walked into the kitchen, saw a dozen bright blue rolls rising on the counter, and immediately started laughing. She said it looked like Smurfs had taken over our holiday breakfast, but by the time she finished her second roll, she was already planning when to make them for her own kids. Sometimes the most ridiculous looking recipes become the ones people talk about for years.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour: Four cups give these rolls structure while keeping them tender and fluffy
• Active dry yeast: One packet ensures your dough rises beautifully into pillow soft perfection
• Warm milk: Heat to about 110 degrees Fahrenheit, exactly warm enough to activate the yeast without killing it
• Granulated sugar: Feeds the yeast and adds subtle sweetness to the dough itself
• Unsalted butter: Melted butter creates richness in the dough and helps create those tender layers
• Large eggs: Room temperature eggs incorporate better and help bind everything together
• Salt: Half teaspoon balances all that sweetness and enhances overall flavor
• Blue gel food coloring: Gel coloring provides that vibrant Cookie Monster blue without watering down your dough
• Unsalted butter for filling: Softened butter spreads evenly and helps the cinnamon sugar mixture adhere
• Brown sugar: Packed brown sugar creates that gooey caramelized texture we all love in cinnamon rolls
• Ground cinnamon: Two tablespoons gives you that classic warming spice flavor throughout the swirl
• Mini chocolate chips: Small chips distribute more evenly and create pockets of melted chocolate in every bite
• Cream cheese: Six ounces of softened cream cheese makes the frosting tangy and luxurious
• Powdered sugar: Two cups sifted creates the perfect sweet spreadable consistency
• Vanilla extract: Half teaspoon rounds out the frosting flavor beautifully
• Candy eyes: Twenty four eyes or white chocolate chips with mini chocolate chip pupils bring Cookie Monster to life
• Mini chocolate chip cookies: Six cookies halved create the perfect Cookie Monster mouth on each roll

Instructions

Wake up the yeast:

Combine warm milk, yeast and one tablespoon sugar in a large bowl, letting it sit for five minutes until foamy and alive

Build the blue dough base:

Whisk in melted butter, remaining sugar, eggs, salt and several drops of blue food coloring until everything is well incorporated

Form the dough:

Gradually add flour while mixing until a soft dough forms, adding more blue coloring as needed to achieve that bold Cookie Monster color

Knead until smooth:

Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for six to eight minutes until it feels smooth and elastic like a soft pillow

Let it rise:

Place dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm spot for one hour until it has doubled in size

Prepare the filling:

Mix softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl until combined into a spreadable paste

Roll and fill:

Punch down dough and roll out to a 16 by 12 inch rectangle, spreading filling evenly and sprinkling mini chocolate chips on top

Create the spiral:

Roll up dough tightly from the long side and slice into twelve even rolls, using a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss for clean cuts

Second rise:

Arrange rolls in a greased 9 by 13 inch baking dish, cover and let rise for thirty to forty minutes until puffy

Bake until golden:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for twenty two to twenty five minutes until rolls are golden and cooked through

Make blue frosting:

Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and fluffy, then add powdered sugar, vanilla and blue food coloring until vibrantly blue

Bring Cookie Monster to life:

Spread blue frosting thickly over warm rolls and place two candy eyes plus half a mini cookie on each roll

Save to Pinterest

My father, who takes breakfast very seriously, was initially skeptical about blue cinnamon rolls. After one bite he looked at me with frosting on his chin and admitted that sometimes the most ridiculous looking foods taste the best. Now he requests them for his birthday instead of cake.

Making Ahead

You can assemble these rolls the night before and refrigerate them before the second rise. Let them come to room temperature for about thirty minutes while your oven preheats, then bake as directed. The extra time in the refrigerator actually develops more complex flavors.

Frosting Like a Pro

Spread the frosting on rolls while they are still warm so it melts slightly into all those nooks and crannies. If your frosting becomes too stiff while working with it, microwave it for ten seconds and stir until spreadable again.

Storage and Reheating

Store these rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days, though they rarely last that long in my house. For longer storage, wrap them well and freeze for up to one month.

• Reheat individual rolls in the microwave for twenty seconds
• Warm them in a 350 degree oven for ten minutes to refresh that freshly baked texture
• Let frozen rolls thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating

Save to Pinterest

There is something genuinely magical about cutting into these blue spirals and watching everyone is face light up. Food that makes people laugh before they even take a bite is the best kind of cooking.

Recipe Questions & Answers

→ How do I achieve vibrant blue color in the dough?

Use blue gel food coloring rather than liquid drops for the most intense color. Add it gradually while mixing the wet ingredients, checking the shade before adding more. Gel coloring is more concentrated and won't affect the dough consistency like liquid coloring can.

→ Can I make these rolls the night before?

Yes, assemble the rolls and place them in the baking dish, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Let them come to room temperature and rise for 30-40 minutes before baking in the morning. The frosting can also be prepared ahead and stored in the refrigerator.

→ What if I can't find candy eyes?

You can easily make homemade eyes using white chocolate chips with a dot of melted dark chocolate in the center for pupils. Alternatively, arrange mini marshmallows with chocolate chip centers, or use small rounds of white fondant decorated with food-safe markers.

→ Why did my dough not double in size?

This usually means the yeast wasn't active or the environment was too cool. Ensure your milk is warm (110°F) but not hot, which can kill yeast. Find a warm, draft-free spot for rising, or create one by turning your oven light on and placing the dough inside with the door closed.

→ Can I use liquid food coloring instead of gel?

While you can use liquid food coloring, you'll need much more to achieve the vibrant blue shade. This may slightly alter your dough consistency. If using liquid, start with 1 teaspoon and add more as needed, being careful not to add too much liquid to the dough.

→ How should I store leftover rolls?

Store cooled rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 5 days, though the texture may become slightly denser. To refresh, warm individual rolls in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.