Brown Butter Cinnamon Rolls
These brown butter cinnamon rolls are the perfect Fall twist on one of my favorite recipes! Brown butter is used in both the dough and filling, and of course, it's all topped with a brown butter cream cheese icing. It's a drool-worthy combination that's sure to become a Fall staple!
Servings: 12
Calories: 683kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Brown Butter
- 2 cups butter unsalted, cold and cut into Tbsp-sized pieces 452g
Brown Butter Cinnamon Roll Dough
- 4 cups all-purpose flour 520g
- 4 1/2 tsp (2 packets) instant dry yeast 14g, 1/2 oz.
- 1 tsp fine salt 6g
- 1 cup whole milk 240g
- 1/2 cup brown butter, melted 113g
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar 100g
- 2 large eggs, room temperature 112g
Brown Butter Cinnamon Roll Filling
- 3/4 cup brown butter, melted 170g
- 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar 250g
- 2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1/4 cup heavy cream - to be added later 45g
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Icing
- 1/4 cup brown butter, room temperature 56g
- 1/4 cup cream cheese, room temperature 56g
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 10g
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 1 cup powdered sugar 125g
- 2 Tbsp heavy cream or milk, room temperature 30g
Instructions
Brown Butter
- The first step is to brown the butter. Get a heatproof bowl out to pour the butter into once it's done being browned.
- Place 2 cups of unsalted butter in a large, light-colored frying pan (to make it easier to see) over medium heat. Stir the butter the entire time with a rubber spatula to prevent the milk solids from burning!
- Once melted, the butter will begin to foam and sizzle around the edges. Keep stirring!! The butter should turn golden brown after 5–6 minutes and be topped with a foamy layer of bubbles. Shortly after this the foam should kind of fade away and the milk solids at the bottom of the pan will be a perfectly toasted brown. It should have a strong, nutty aroma.
- Immediately remove the pan from heat and pour the butter into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking process. If left in the hot pan, the milk solids will burn. It can happen in a flash, trust me!! Set aside.
Brown Butter Cinnamon Roll Dough
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 4 cups of flour, 2 packets of instant dry yeast, and 1 tsp fine salt.
- In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup melted brown butter, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Heat for 30-60 seconds in the microwave and stir to combine the ingredients. The mixture should be warm but not hot to the touch (otherwise it can kill the yeast!).
- Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the flour mixture and mix on medium-low speed with a dough hook or by hand. Scrape around the edges with a rubber spatula to make sure all the flour gets incorporated.
- Add 2 large eggs, one at a time. Mix on a medium speed until a sticky dough ball forms. Continue to mix the dough on a medium speed for a couple of minutes until the dough becomes more elastic and looks smooth.
- Then mix in additional flour 1 Tbsp at a time on a low speed until the dough is tacky but no longer sticky (I usually add 1-2 additional Tbsp of flour). It should pull away/no longer stick to the sides of your mixing bowl once it's ready to rest. Another way to test the dough is to tap it with your finger. It should be tacky, but shouldn't stick to your finger or leave any residue on your finger.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to let the dough rest for 10-20 minutes to allow the gluten to relax. This will make it easier to roll out.
Brown Butter Cinnamon Roll Filling
- While the dough rests, make the cinnamon roll filling. Add 3/4 cup melted brown butter, 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar, 2 Tbsp ground cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp fine salt to a medium-sized bowl. Mix together until combined then set aside. The mixture should have a thick, paste-like consistency. Set aside.
Cut, Roll & Bake the Cinnamon Rolls
- Preheat the oven to 200°F/93°C (to help the cinnamon rolls rise), and line a metal 9x13-inch pan. If you're making these the day before, don't preheat the oven. Set aside.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it into a large rectangle that's about 24 in x 18 in. Spread 2/3 of the filling in a thin layer across the dough with an offset spatula or butter knife.
- Mix 1/4 cup of heavy cream into the remaining filling, then spread it onto the bottom of the prepared 9x13-inch pan to give them deliciously sticky bottoms.
- Use a rolling pastry cutter or pizza cutter to cut 12 equal strips that are about 2" wide - this is why it's important that the dough is 24" wide! If it's shorter, you may need to cut your strips a bit more narrow. Then roll each cinnamon roll up individually. Place them in the prepared 9 in x 13 in pan. You can also roll the dough into a log and cut each piece with a knife or dental floss if you prefer!
- If you are making these cinnamon rolls the night before, cover the cinnamon rolls tightly with plastic wrap and place them in the fridge overnight. The following morning, take them out of the fridge and preheat the oven to 200°F/93°C. Then turn off the oven, cover the rolls with foil, and place the rolls in the oven for about 30 minutes until they've risen.
- If you make these the morning of, turn off the oven, cover the rolls with foil, and place them in the oven to rise for about 30 minutes. MAKE SURE YOU'VE TURNED THE OVEN OFF. We want a nice cozy place for the rolls to rise, but we don't want to bake them yet.
- At this point, they should look puffier and have grown about twice in size. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Then bake the rolls for 24-28 minutes, or until they're just starting to brown. Rotate the pan halfway through to help them bake evenly.
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Icing
- While the cinnamon rolls rise and bake, make the brown butter cream cheese icing. Mix 1/4 cup softened brown butter, 1/4 cup of room temperature cream cheese, 2 tsp vanilla extract, and 1/4 tsp salt together with a spoon or electric hand mixer.
- Then mix in 1 cup of powdered sugar and 2 Tbsp of heavy cream or milk at a low speed until it is smooth.
- Let the cinnamon rolls cool for about 10 minutes, then spoon the icing over them and enjoy warm! Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for a few hours, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Video
Notes
For substitutions that can be made in this recipe, please refer to the substitutions and swaps section in the post above.
Using the Right Type of Yeast: Active vs. Instant Yeast
Be sure you are using instant yeast! It comes in small packets that can usually be found in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. You can use active dry yeast in place of the instant yeast in this recipe, just be sure to activate it in a small bowl with 2 Tbsp of warm water and 1 tsp sugar before adding it to the dough and allow the dough to rise for longer (active yeast takes longer to rise than instant).Making These Brown Butter Cinnamon Rolls in Advance
This recipe can be made the evening before and baked the following morning. I walk through this option in step 5 of "Roll, Cut and Bake the Cinnamon Rolls."Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 683kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 575mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 52g