Upgrade traditional cinnamon rolls with toasty brown butter flavor! These warm and gooey brown butter cinnamon rolls have the same look and feel as the classic roll but with brown butter in every component. They're soft and fluffy with gooey and sweet filling and perfectly melty and sticky cream cheese icing.
browning butter for cinnamon rolls
As with any great recipe, this one starts with brown butter. Since each part of this recipe uses brown butter (to maximize on flavor!) it's easiest to just brown all the butter at once and divide it up afterwards. Here's a quick breakdown of how to brown butter for cinnamon rolls:
- Add butter to a skillet and place over medium heat. It's important to use medium heat so the butter browns evenly and gradually (to prevent burning and uneven cooking).
- Heat until the butter is melted and then starts sizzling. Once it starts sizzling, start whisking constantly to (again) ensure even browning. The milk solids (the part that actually browns) will sink to the bottom, so whisking ensures the bottom doesn't burn.
- Keep a close eye! Once the butter starts sizzling and foaming, it will brown relatively quickly. So keep an eye on it!
- Transfer to a measuring cup as soon as it's browned. Leaving the browned butter in the hot pan can cause it to burn from the residual heat. It's important to pour the butter out as soon as it's browned!
After browning the butter, it's time to divide it into 3 parts (for each component of the cinnamon rolls). We're going to use liquid brown butter for the dough, and then chill the remaining brown butter until it reaches a softened consistency for the filling and icing.
how to make brown butter cinnamon rolls
Making cinnamon rolls definitely is a labor of love, but they're really not difficult to make! The worst part is the patience involved, but it's all worth it in the end.
To make the dough, simply whisk together dry and wet ingredients separately, then combine! Knead the dough until it's smooth and elastic. Once the dough is made, it needs a very short 20 minute rest. This make it easier to roll out without it springing back on itself.
After the dough has rested, it's time to fill and shape the rolls. Start by rolling the dough out into a rectangle (it doesn't need to look perfect!) Spread some of the softened brown butter on top, then sprinkle over the brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll the dough up into a tight log then cut into 12 rolls.
Arrange the rolls, cut side up, in a baking dish then cover with plastic wrap. Set aside until puffed up. Bake the risen rolls until golden brown on top then set aside while you prep the cream cheese icing.
To make the brown butter cream cheese icing, all you need to do is combine all the ingredients together in a bowl and whisk until smooth! Spread it over the warm cinnamon rolls and then dig in!
tips
- Browning the butter: I mentioned this above, but it's important enough to get a second mention! When browning the butter, keep a close eye on it once it starts sizzling. It can very easily go from perfectly browned to burnt in a matter of seconds! That's why it's also important to pour it out of the pan as soon as it's browned to prevent any burning caused by the residual heat of the skillet.
- Ingredient temperatures: For yeast to work properly, it needs ingredients that are neither too cold (or the yeast won't activate) nor too hot (which can kill the yeast and render it unusable!) For the egg, it should be at room temperature. For the water and browned butter, they should be warm but NOT HOT! You should be able to comfortably stick your finger into the water / butter and it should feel like a warm bath. If it's too hot for you, it's too hot for the yeast!
- Kneading the dough: Under or over kneading the dough can negatively impact the final texture of the cinnamon rolls. Under kneading is more often a problem when kneading by hand while over kneading is more likely when using a stand mixer. You'll most likely get tired way before the dough is over kneaded if you're doing it by hand! To test for perfectly kneaded dough, simply poke the top - the indent from your finger should spring back slowly. If it doesn't spring back, it's under kneaded. If it springs back in an instant, it's over kneaded.
- Cutting the dough: My favorite method for cutting cinnamon rolls is using unflavored dental floss. It cuts the rolls easily without squishing and misshaping them. To cut the rolls with floss, snip off a large piece of floss then wiggle it under the rolled up dough, positioning it right where you want to cut. Lift the ends of the floss up and over the log, twist the 2 ends to form an X above the dough, then yank on the ends to cut through. You can see a visual of what I mean in my Biscoff cinnamon rolls recipe here. If you prefer to use a knife, I recommend using a serrated knife and make sure it's nice and sharp. When cutting, don't just press straight down - that can smoosh the rolls! Instead, cut in a sawing motion to get cleaner cuts.
- Frosting the cinnamon rolls: The warmer the rolls are when they're topped with the cream cheese icing, the more melty and gooey the icing will be. If you like a thicker and less gooey icing, you can wait for the rolls to cool a bit before spreading it on top. If you like a super melty icing, frost the rolls when they're hotter!
make ahead overnight instructions
If you want to prep the cinnamon rolls and bake them later, the dough can be filled and shaped up to 18 hours in advance then baked fresh! To prep the cinnamon rolls for making ahead, after the rolls are cut and arranged in the baking pan, cover with plastic wrap and transfer them to the fridge right away (before letting them rise).
The fridge will slow down the rise, allowing them to keep for longer. Don't let the cinnamon rolls sit for more than 18 hours in the fridge or they'll overproof and may not rise properly when it comes time to bake. The best time to bake them is around the 12 to 14 hour mark, but they will hold up for 18 hours.
When you're ready to bake overnight rolls, let them sit out at room temperature for about 1 hour (covered) to allow them to warm up slightly. They may not rise as much as they would have if they were prepared fresh, but that's fine! Once the rolls no longer feel cold to the touch, continue on with the rest of the recipe as normal.
how to store and reheat cinnamon rolls
As with any homemade yeast bread, these cinnamon rolls are best enjoyed the same day they're made, but they will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge. Homemade cinnamon rolls are also best served warm, so if you did keep them in the fridge, here's my favorite technique for reheating them without drying them out:
- Add the cinnamon rolls you want to reheat to a baking dish. Make sure to leave about 1 inch of space between each roll to allow them to heat properly.
- Drizzle 1 tablespoon of milk or heavy cream on each roll. This will help them keep moist and gooey!
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. This helps trap in steam and (again) keeps them nice and gooey.
- Warm at 350F for 10 to 15 minutes or until heated through. They'll be good as new!
check out these other brown butter recipes!
• Brown Butter Brownies
• Brown Butter Maple Crumb Cake
• Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies
Lastly, if you made this or any of my recipes, be sure to leave a comment and review below! I love hearing your thoughts! Also tag me on Instagram @eatsdelightfulblog so I can see what you're making.
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Brown Butter Cinnamon Rolls
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 rolls
Description
Upgrade traditional cinnamon rolls with toasty brown butter flavor! These warm and gooey brown butter cinnamon rolls have the same look and feel as the classic roll but with brown butter in every component. They're soft and fluffy with gooey and sweet filling and perfectly melty and sticky cream cheese icing.
Ingredients
For the brown butter:
- 1 & ½ cups (345g) unsalted butter
For the brown butter cinnamon roll dough:
- 4 cups (520g) all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading and shaping
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 & ¼ teaspoons (1 package) instant yeast
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (240mL) water
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- ½ cup (115g) browned butter, melted
For the brown butter filling:
- 6 tablespoons (90g) browned butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) packed brown sugar, light or dark
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
For the brown butter cream cheese icing:
- 6 tablespoons (90g) browned butter, softened
- 4 oz (115g) block cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 & ½ cups (195g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the brown butter:
- All 3 parts of the cinnamon rolls (the dough, filling, and icing) are going to use brown butter, so just for sake of ease, we're going to brown everything at once and then divide it up.
- Add all the butter into a large skillet. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the butter melts, starts sizzling and bubbling, and eventually browns to a rich amber color. This whole process will take about 5 to 7 minutes from start to finish.
- 1 & ½ cups (345g) unsalted butter
- Pour the butter into a large measuring cup as soon as it's browned (the residual heat from the pan can continue to cook it and burn it!) You should be left with around 1 & ¼ cups of browned butter (a little more or less is fine).
- Set the browned butter aside to cool until it's no longer piping hot but still warm. Measure out ½ a cup (115g) of the browned butter for the dough and set that aside at room temperature. Divide the remaining browned butter in half (so about 6 tablespoons (90g) each - a little more or less is fine) and place them both in the fridge to allow them to solidify to the consistency of softened butter.
Make the dough:
- In a large bowl, whisk together 3 cups (390g) of flour (to start), sugar, yeast, and salt to combine.
- 3 cups (390g) all-purpose flour, ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar, 2 & ¼ teaspoons (1 package) instant yeast, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Heat water in a pot until it's warm but not hot! You should be able to comfortably stick your finger into it and just feel a slight warmth (kind of like the temperature of water you'd wash your hands in).
- 1 cup (240mL) water
- In a separate cup or bowl, whisk together warm water, egg, and ½ cup of the melted browned butter.
- 1 large egg, ½ cup (115g) melted browned butter
- Pour the wet ingredients over the flour mixture. Mix together until it forms a thick, sticky dough. Add the remaining 1 cup (130g) of flour and mix to combine.
- This step can be done either directly in the bowl or on a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough, adding flour as needed to keep it from sticking to your hands, until the dough is smooth. If you gently poke the top of the dough, it should spring back. If the indent from your finger remains, the dough needs a bit more kneading.
- Place the dough back into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place for about 20 minutes to allow it to rest. It will puff up slightly but won't quite double in size. This rest just makes it a lot easier to roll out!
- If the brown butter you set aside in the fridge still hasn't solidified to the consistency of softened butter, keep the dough covered until it does firm up.
Fill and shape the rolls:
- Line a 9x13 inch baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough out until it's a roughly 10x14 inch rectangle. Try to get it as even as possible, but it doesn't have to look perfect!
- Spread the 6 tablespoons of softened brown butter on top, leaving a roughly ½ inch border around the edges. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly on top followed by the cinnamon. Use your fingers to even out the sugar and cinnamon.
- 6 tablespoons (90g) softened browned butter, 1 cup (200g) packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- Working from the longer end of the dough, roll it up into a log then pinch the seams to seal.
- Use unflavored dental floss or a sharp serrated knife to cut the log into 12 equal rolls. If using a knife to cut the rolls, cut in a back and forth sawing motion. Avoid pressing straight down otherwise the rolls may get squished.
- Arrange the cut rolls in your baking dish. There may be some gaps between the rolls, but that's fine!
- If you want to make these cinnamon rolls ahead and bake the next morning, stop here and follow the instructions in the note section below for overnight rolls.*
- Cover the cinnamon rolls with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for 45 to 60 minutes or until they puff up and almost fully fill the pan. I like to keep the rolls in my oven (when it's cold and off) to safeguard the rolls from any cold breezes.
- Take the rolls out of the oven and preheat your oven to 350F.
- Uncover the cinnamon rolls and bake in the center of your preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown on top. Set aside to cool slightly while you prep the icing.
Make the brown butter cream cheese icing:
- In a medium bowl, combine softened brown butter and cream cheese. Using an electric mixer fitted with the beater attachment or a wooden spoon by hand, whip together until smooth and creamy.
- 6 tablespoons (90g) softened browned butter, 4 oz (115g) block cream cheese
- Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix on low speed until combined, then whip on medium high for another 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth.
- 1 & ½ cups (195g) powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Spread the cream cheese icing over the warm rolls. The warmer the cinnamon rolls, the more melty and gooey the icing will be! Once the rolls are frosted, all that's left to do is dig in!**
Notes
* Overnight cinnamon rolls: After cutting the rolls and arranging in your baking dish, stop (before letting them rise in the baking dish!) and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. The fridge will significantly slow down the rise so they can be baked off later. The rolls can be stored in the fridge for a maximum of 18 hours before baking.
To bake, take the rolls out of the fridge and let them sit at room temperature (still covered) for 60 minutes or until they no longer feel cold to the touch. They may not rise as much as a fresh batch of dough, but that's fine. They should puff up just fine as they bake. Continue on with the rest of recipe normally.
** Reheating cinnamon rolls: Cinnamon rolls are best served fresh and warm, so here's my favorite trick to reheat cinnamon rolls (without drying them out!) Arrange the rolls you want to reheat in a baking pan, leaving about 1 inch of space between each one to allow them to warm through faster. Pour 1 tablespoon of milk or heavy cream over each roll (this helps keep them moist and gooey!) Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the center of a preheated 350F oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until warmed through.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Bake Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Breads
Enjoy!
Erica Dolores Cerra says
Would it be okay to use bobs 1:1 gf flour?
Michelle says
I’m wondering if bread flour could be substituted for the regular flour? And if so, would you recommend the same amount? Thank you!