Brown Butter Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

• 2.5 cup unsalted butter (Brown the butter, then divide it among the dough, filling, and frosting; cool until soft but not fully solid before using.)
• 1.5 cup buttermilk (Warm gently until lukewarm, not hot.)
• 2.25 tsp active dry yeast (Estimated amount for a soft enriched dough.)
• 0.5 cup granulated sugar (For the dough.)
• 2 large eggs (At room temperature.)
• 5.5 cup all-purpose flour (Add gradually; the finished dough should be soft and slightly tacky but manageable.)
• 1.5 tsp fine sea salt (For the dough.)
• 1.5 cup light brown sugar (For the cinnamon filling.)
• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon (For the filling.)
• 8 oz cream cheese (Softened, for the frosting.)
• 1.5 cup powdered sugar (For the frosting.)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract (For the frosting.)
• 0.25 tsp fine sea salt (For the frosting, to balance the sweetness.)

Steps

1. 1

   Brown the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty. Pour it into heatproof containers, separating the portions for the dough, filling, and frosting as needed. Cool until the butter is soft and spreadable; for the filling it should be slightly runny but neither fully melted nor completely solid.

2. 2

   Warm the buttermilk gently until lukewarm. Do not overheat it, since very hot liquid can damage the yeast.

3. 3

   Combine the lukewarm buttermilk, yeast, and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let the mixture stand for about 5 minutes, until the yeast begins to foam.

4. 4

   Add the eggs and the cooled brown butter designated for the dough. Mix briefly until combined.

5. 5

   Add the flour and salt gradually. Knead with a dough hook until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky, about 6–8 minutes. Avoid adding excessive flour, or the rolls may lose their softness.

6. 6

   Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise in a warm environment for about 30–45 minutes, or until visibly puffy.

7. 7

   Make the filling by mixing the soft brown butter designated for the filling with the brown sugar and cinnamon until smooth and spreadable.

8. 8

   Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a large rectangle, approximately ¼ inch thick.

9. 9

   Spread the brown-butter cinnamon filling evenly over the dough, reaching close to the edges.

10. 10

    Starting from a long edge, roll the dough into a tight log. Use a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss to cut the log into 12 even rolls.

11. 11

    Arrange the rolls in a greased 9-by-13-inch baking pan, leaving a little space between them. Cover and let them rise again in a warm place until puffy, about 30–45 minutes.

12. 12

    Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the rolls for about 22–28 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden and the centers are cooked through but still soft and gooey.

13. 13

    While the rolls bake, beat the softened cream cheese with the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and the remaining brown butter until smooth and rich.

14. 14

    Spread the brown-butter cream cheese frosting over the rolls while they are still warm. Serve immediately, preferably with coffee.

Notes

The source description and transcript do not provide the complete written recipe, exact ingredient quantities, oven temperature, or full method. Quantities and several techniques above are estimated from the dish description and the partial transcript; verify them against the creator’s blog recipe before relying on them. The transcript specifically indicates a first rise of about 30–45 minutes and that the filling butter should be soft and slightly runny, not fully melted or solid.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• breakfast
• sweet roll
• baked
• yeast dough
• vegetarian
• contains dairy
• contains eggs