Go Back

brown butter cinnamon rolls

5 from 3 votes
cinnamon rolls
[category] Breakfast, Dessert
[published] December 17, 2022
[PREP] 30 minutes
[COOK] 30 minutes
Print recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

dough

  • 1 cup warm milk between 105-110 degrees F
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) instant yeast
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 6 tbsp butter melted
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt

brown butter filling

  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp cinnamon

brown butter frosting

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 8 oz cream cheese at room temp
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  1. Add warm milk, sugar (1 tbsp), and instant yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer. Gently stir then let it sit for 5-10 minutes, until the yeast begins to grow.
  2. Add eggs, sugar, and melted butter to the bowl. Mix until everything is combined. Add flour and salt and mix again. Let the dough mix for 2 minutes. If the dough is very sticky, add 1 tbsp additions of flour until it is no longer really sticky. The dough should be very soft, but not very sticky.
  3. Let the dough mix for another 2-3 minutes, about 5 minutes total. Cover the bowl and put it in a warm place to rise for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size. **if you want to split up this process overnight, see my paragraph above the recipe for overnight instructions.
  4. While the dough rises, prep the brown butter. Add 10 tbsp of butter (enough for the filling and icing) to a pan over medium heat. Continuously stir while the butter melts. After a couple minutes the butter will begin to bubble. Keep stirring. After a couple more minutes, the butter will foam up. When the foaming subsides, you'll be left with brown, nutty smelling butter! Take the pan off the heat and pour the brown butter into a bowl. We need the butter to cool down, so put cover the bowl and put it in the fridge for 30 min or freezer for 15 min.
  5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. The dough should be soft and easy to work with. Shape it into a rectangle, then use a rolling pin to roll it out into a 12"x18" rectangle. The brown butter should be cooled, but spreadable. Add 6 tbsp of the brown butter to a bowl. Add brown sugar and cinnamon and mix until combined. Spread the mixture evenly across the dough, nearly to the edges.
  6. Using a ruler or measuring tape, make small notches in the dough, every 1.5 inches apart. Use a pizza roller (or sharp knife) to cut the dough into strips. Roll up each strip of dough, one at a time.
  7. Thoroughly grease a 9x13 inch pan. Transfer the cinnamon rolls to the pan, cover, and let rise for 30-60 minutes.
  8. When the rolls are almost done rising, preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the rolls are golden brown.
  9. While the rolls are baking, make the icing. Add the cream cheese and the remaining brown butter (4 tbsp) to a large bowl or stand mixer. Mix for 2 minutes, until completely combined and fluffier. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, and mix another 2 minutes. The icing should be smooth and creamy.
  10. Once the rolls have cooled for 5-10 minutes, spread the icing on the warm rolls. Enjoy!