Brown Butter Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

• 360 g all purpose flour (plus more as needed for kneading)
• 45 g sugar
• 7 g instant yeast
• 3 g salt
• 120 g whole milk
• 48 g brown butter (prepared from 280g total butter for recipe)
• 36 g vegetable oil
• 4 g vanilla extract
• 1 egg (about 57g)
• 60 g water
• 113 g brown butter (chilled until spreadable)
• 223 g brown sugar (packed)
• 2.5 tbsp cinnamon powder
• salt (pinch)
• 8 oz cream cheese (softened)
• 60 g brown butter
• 130 g powdered sugar
• 2 g vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tsp heavy cream

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the brown butter: Melt 280g of butter in a pan over medium heat, stirring constantly. The butter will melt, foam, and eventually turn golden brown with a nutty aroma and brown bits at the bottom. Immediately pour into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking process. Cool until it stops steaming, then chill until it reaches a spreadable consistency. You will use approximately 218g of this browned butter throughout the recipe.

2. 2

   In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the all-purpose flour, sugar, instant yeast, and salt.

3. 3

   In a separate container, warm the milk and water. Add 48g of the prepared brown butter, vegetable oil, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Stir to combine and ensure the mixture is lukewarm before proceeding.

4. 4

   Add the lukewarm milk mixture and the egg to the dry ingredients.

5. 5

   Mix until a soft dough forms. Knead for 5–6 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. If the dough is too sticky, add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1½–2 hours.

6. 6

   Prepare the filling by mixing 113g of brown butter, brown sugar, cinnamon powder, and a pinch of salt until well combined.

7. 7

   Prepare the cinnamon sauce: Remove 2 tablespoons of the prepared cinnamon filling and mix it with 1 tablespoon of honey and 2 teaspoons of heavy cream. Set aside.

8. 8

   Once the dough has risen, roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle. Spread the remaining cinnamon filling evenly over the dough, then roll it up tightly into a log.

9. 9

   Line a baking pan with parchment paper and spread the prepared cinnamon sauce across the bottom.

10. 10

    Cut the dough log into 8–12 even rolls. Arrange them in the prepared pan, cover, and let rise for another 45–60 minutes.

11. 11

    Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the rolls for 18–22 minutes until they are golden brown.

12. 12

    While the rolls bake, prepare the frosting: Beat the softened cream cheese, 60g of brown butter, and ½ teaspoon of vanilla together. Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth.

13. 13

    Frost the cinnamon rolls while they are still warm. Serve immediately or store for up to 5 days.

Notes

The recipe requires browning 280g of butter at the start to yield enough for all components. The water listed in the ingredients is intended to be warmed with the milk in step 2/3. Rolls can be stored for up to 5 days.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• baking
• cinnamon rolls
• brown butter
• breakfast
• sweet
• fall recipes