These brown butter cinnamon rolls are a bite of heaven. You'll brown butter and add it to both the filling and the frosting, taking the brown butter flavor to the next level. These are the perfect special breakfast or treat that will be a crowd pleaser every time! Serve them warm with lots of brown butter cream cheese frosting.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Brown butter in both the filling and the frosting creates the most delicious cinnamon roll with a caramel, nutty flavor.
- There is only one additional step from your normal cinnamon roll recipes.
- They're great for a special occasion like Christmas morning or to have for a special breakfast or dessert.
- The brown butter cream cheese icing is the perfect combo.
Ingredient Notes
Ingredients for the dough
- Milk - feel free to use normal milk or almond milk.
- Instant yeast - we have also used regular active dry yeast and it will work, but it isn't ideal because active dry yeast is supposed to be handled differently by dissolving it instead of just adding it to the dough. We recommend instant yeast for the yeast dough.
- Butter - unsalted butter is what we use. If you use salted, feel free to adjust the salt content slightly.
- White sugar - just standard plain white sugar.
- Egg
- Salt
- All-purpose flour or bread flour - you will need extra for rolling out the dough. Bread flour or all-purpose flour will work, however bread flour is a bit more fluffy.
For the filling
- Butter - we recommend unsalted butter for these brown butter cinnamon rolls.
- Brown sugar - dark brown sugar or light brown sugar will work.
- Cinnamon
For the frosting
- Cream cheese - feel free to use regular cream cheese or reduced fat. You can buy either at the store in a "brick" form.
- Butter - again we recommend using unsalted butter. If you use salted butter, we recommend you taste the frosting before adding the pinch of salt as it may not need additional salt.
- Vanilla extract - vanilla bean paste will work as well.
- Pinch of salt - again, may not be needed if you use salted butter instead of unsalted butter.
- Powdered sugar
- Milk - almond milk or regular milk will work here.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Equipment You’ll Need
- Large mixing bowl and wooden spoon or stand mixer with paddle* and dough hook* attachments
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Dish or hand towel
- Nonstick pan or medium saucepan
- Rubber spatula
- Two small bowls
- One medium mixing bowl
- Rolling pin
- Large serrated knife
- 9x13 inch baking dish
- Thermometer for measuring temperature of milk (optional)
Step by Step Directions
For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Step 1: Begin by warming the milk to around 110 degrees fahrenheit. Sprinkle the instant yeast on top of the warmed milk. Add the milk and yeast mixture, softened butter,white sugar, and egg to a large mixing bowl or stand mixer. Mix well (using the paddle attachment if using a Kitchenaid mixer). Add the salt and flour to the mixer and knead for 6 minutes (switch to the dough hook attachment if using a Kitchenaid mixer). The dough should be slightly sticky but not difficult to handle or sticking a lot to the sides of the bowl. If the dough is too sticky, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until you reach the desired texture.
Step 2: Spray a bowl with non-stick spray and set the dough in the bowl. Cover with a towel and let it sit (preferably somewhere warm, like a turned off oven with the oven light on) to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Step 3: While the dough is rising, brown the butter. Add ¾ cup butter to a medium saucepan. Let the butter melt, stirring constantly, until you start to see golden brown bits at the bottom of the saucepan. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Once it has slightly cooled, add it to a measuring cup to divide the butter between the butter needed for the filling and the butter needed for the frosting. Add ½ cup to a small bowl and add the remaining ¼ cup to another small bowl. Set the bowls in the fridge to cool until the butter reaches room temperature, but don’t leave them in the fridge long enough that the butter solidifies. If the butter does solidify, simply pull it out of the fridge and let it sit until it comes to room temperature.
Step 4: Next, create the brown sugar cinnamon mixture. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon to a bowl and mix until combined. Line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper or grease it well with butter.
Step 5: Once the dough has risen to double, sprinkle a little flour on the counter and use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 14x9 inches.
Step 6: Spread the ½ cup of brown butter evenly on the top of the dough, leaving a ¼ inch without filling on one of the long sides so you can close the cinnamon rolls.
Step 7: Once the butter layer is done, evenly sprinkle over the cinnamon brown sugar mixture. Gently press the brown sugar into the dough to pack it down.
Step 8: Begin rolling the dough up into the cinnamon roll shape on the long edge. Tightly roll the cinnamon rolls and pinch the dough at the end to secure the roll.
Step 9: Use a sharp bread knife to cut 9 or 12 (depending on preference) even cinnamon rolls. You can choose whether to cook the ends or discard them depending on their size and shape.
Step 10: Evenly spread the cinnamon rolls out in the 9x13 inch pan. Cover with a light kitchen towel and let them rise for 1 hour.
Step 11: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Let the cinnamon rolls bake for 20-25 minutes, until they are lightly golden brown.
Step 12: While the cinnamon rolls are baking, make the frosting. Add the cream cheese and browned butter to a mixing bowl or Kitchenaid stand mixer. Beat them together until very light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, pinch of salt, and powdered sugar. Mix the frosting until light and fluffy. Add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
Step 13: Let the cinnamon rolls cool for 10 minutes before evenly spreading the frosting. Enjoy them warm!
Tips & Variations
- To help with the rising process, place the dough in a warm environment. We typically turn the oven light on and set it inside the oven, but be careful to not turn the oven on. A warm place helps the dough rise faster.
- For more instructions on how to brown butter, reference this post.
- You may need to add extra flour to your dough until it is at a point where it can be easily handled. The amount of flour you may need can depend on various factors, so feel free to add a little at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
- If you don't want to do the extra step of browning the butter, you can just proceed with normal butter. However, we highly recommend browning the butter, you won't regret it!
- If you want to add extra mix-ins to the filling, feel free! Chopped pecans and pumpkin spice would be delicious. However, don't add too much or you will have a hard time rolling the rolls tightly. Adding some finely chopped apples will create delicious apple cinnamon rolls.
- If you want to make these rolls extra decadent, you could add a few tablespoons of heavy cream to the bottom of the dish before baking.
- You could also use unflavored dental floss to cut the cinnamon roll dough into pieces.
FAQ
We recommend storing them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days and warming them up in the microwave. Warm cinnamon rolls are best! You can also store them at room temperature for 1-2 days.
Yes! For overnight cinnamon rolls, follow all of the recipe steps until the second rise. When the cinnamon rolls are formed in the pan and ready for the second rise, cover the pan with plastic wrap and place them in the fridge overnight. In the morning, take them out of the fridge and place them in a warm spot for 45 minutes-1 hour to let them rise or bake them immediately if they already look puffy and ready to bake. Then proceed with the directions as follows. ***Note that this is probably best to do if you are baking late in the evening because the dough can rise and fall if they are given too much time to rise in the fridge.***
Yes, you can freeze the cinnamon rolls and have two options.
1: Freeze before baking. Freeze the cinnamon rolls after the first rise. So you will get to the point where you would let the rolls rise for a second time, but instead wrap them tightly with plastic wrap and foil and let them freeze. When you plan to bake them, let them thaw in the fridge overnight, at least 8-10 hours. The next day, place them in a warm spot for an hour to let them rise for the second time. Then proceed with the recipe.
2: Complete all the steps and bake the cinnamon rolls. Once they've cooled, cover with plastic wrap and foil and freeze them. The next day, let them thaw on the counter and warm them back up in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until they are warm again. Watch closely to prevent them from getting over-baked. Then spread the cream cheese frosting on.
Yes, we often double the recipe. You can bake them on a large standard baking sheet or use two 9x13 inch baking dishes.
If the cinnamon roll pops out in the center, the rolls are likely placed too close together and don't have anywhere to spread. Be sure to give them adequate space and don't pack them too tightly in the pan.
These rolls are not gluten-free, dairy-free, or vegan. They are vegetarian. We wouldn't recommend making substitutions to this recipe.
If you like this brown butter cinnamon roll recipe, check out a few of our other desserts:
If you make these homemade cinnamon rolls, please let us know how they turn out in the comments below and/or rate the recipe! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to show us your finished product—it makes our day every time we see you trying the recipes we love!
Brown Butter Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 cup milk
- 2 teaspoon instant yeast
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour (plus extra for rolling out the dough)
For the filling
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
For the frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoon milk
Instructions
For the dough
- Begin by warming the milk to around 110 degrees fahrenheit. Sprinkle the instant yeast on top of the warmed milk. Add the milk and yeast mixture, softened butter, white sugar, and egg to a large mixing bowl or stand mixer. Mix well (using the paddle attachment if using a Kitchenaid mixer). Add the salt and flour to the mixer and knead for 6 minutes (switch to the dough hook attachment if using a Kitchenaid mixer). The dough should be slightly sticky but not difficult to handle or sticking much to the sides of the bowl. If the dough is too sticky, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
- Spray a bowl with non-stick spray and set the dough in the bowl. Cover with a towel and let it sit (preferably somewhere warm, like a turned off oven with the oven light on) to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
For the filling
- While the dough is rising, brown the butter. Add ¾ cup butter to a medium saucepan. Let the butter melt, stirring constantly, until you start to see golden brown bits at the bottom of the saucepan. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Once it has slightly cooled, add it to a measuring cup to divide the butter between the butter needed for the filling and the butter needed for the frosting. Add ½ cup to a small bowl and add the remaining ¼ cup to another small bowl. Set the bowls in the fridge to cool until the butter reaches room temperature, but don’t leave them in the fridge long enough that the butter solidifies. If the butter does solidify, simply pull it out of the fridge and let it sit until it comes to room temperature.
- Next, create the brown sugar cinnamon mixture. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon to a bowl and mix until combined. Line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper or grease it well with butter.
For assembly
- Once the dough has risen to double, sprinkle a little flour on the counter and use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 14x9 inches. Spread the ½ cup of brown butter evenly on the top of the dough, leaving a ¼ inch without filling on one of the long sides so you can close the cinnamon rolls. Once the butter layer is done, evenly sprinkle over the cinnamon brown sugar mixture. Gently press the brown sugar into the dough to pack it down. Begin rolling the dough up into the cinnamon roll shape on the long edge. Tightly roll the cinnamon rolls and pinch the dough at the end to secure the roll. Use a sharp bread knife to cut 9 or 12 (depending on preference) even cinnamon rolls. You can choose whether to cook the ends or discard them depending on their size and shape.
- Evenly spread the cinnamon rolls out in the 9x13 inch pan. Cover with a light kitchen towel and let them rise for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Let the cinnamon rolls bake for 20-25 minutes, until they are lightly golden brown.
For the frosting
- While the cinnamon rolls are baking, make the frosting. Add the cream cheese and browned butter to a mixing bowl or Kitchenaid stand mixer. Beat them together until very light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, pinch of salt, and powdered sugar. Mix the frosting until light and fluffy. Add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
- Let the cinnamon rolls cool for 10 minutes before evenly spreading the frosting. Enjoy them warm! See the FAQ section of this blog post for answers to making these brown butter cinnamon rolls in advance and storing them.
Notes
NUTRITION
The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching "BWB Brown Butter Cinnamon Rolls."
The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.
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