Brown sugar and cinnamon rolled up in buttery brioche dough, baked to perfection and topped with cream cheese frosting. This cinnamon roll recipe is the first and last recipe you will ever need. You can also turn this into an overnight brioche cinnamon rolls recipe so they are ready to bake by the morning.
These cinnamon buns are the perfect breakfast to enjoy on Christmas morning. There is nothing more magical than being a kid and walking downstairs to the smell of cinnamon rolls baking and seeing all your presents waiting for you. They also keep well and are still good the next morning so you can enjoy them for a few breakfasts in a row! These cinnamon rolls are also delicious to make on Thanksgiving morning while watching the parade and can also be very inviting on New Year's day.
This was inspired by my Salted Honey Butter Parker House Rolls on this site, and pairs well with these Cinnamon Brown Sugar Pancakes.
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Ingredients
In order to make the dough a brioche dough, there are a few things added that you would not have in a normal cinnamon roll dough.
- butter
- whole milk
- eggs
- flour
- instant yeast
- sugar
- kosher salt
- brown sugar
- cinnamon
- confectioners sugar
- cream cheese
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
It is very important to follow this recipe closely in order to prepare the dough. While it may seem like a lot, but once you get the hang of it the process is very simple to follow.
Add the flour, active dry yeast, sugar and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix the dry ingredients. Add in the eggs and warm milk. Using a dough hook, mix a dough forms. Add in the softened butter and mix again until a sticky dough forms. This will take about 2-3 minutes. If your dough is still sticky, add about a tablespoon of flour at a time. You do not want to add to much flour and the dough should have a sticky texture.
Place the dough in a bowl that is lightly coated in oil. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and place the bowl in a warm place. Placing the bowl inside your oven when it is off is a great place to put the dough so it keeps a consistent temperature. Let the dough rise about an hour and fifteen minutes. Once the dough has risen, punch it down with 5 fingers.
Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a lightly floured work surface. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough into the shape of a rectangle. The dough should be about ¼ of an inch thick. Spread soft butter evenly over the dough. Evenly spread the cinnamon brown sugar mixture over the butter. Roll the dough towards you along the long edge. You want to try your best to keep the roll tight.
Once rolled, pinch the ends together so that you do not lose any additional cinnamon sugar mixture from the rolls. Using a bench scraper, cut the dough into 12 equal pieces. Evenly space your rolls in a large casserole dish. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the rolls to rise 30-45 minutes. Bake the rolls at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Using the frosting attachment for the stand mixer, beat cream cheese and butter. Add powdered sugar and mix on low. Once the powdered sugar is mixed in, mix on medium high until a frosting forms.
Hint: make sure before you let your cinnamon rolls rise in the casserole pan that you make sure they are even and circular. This will help them stay even and circular when they bake.
Substitutions
- Cream Cheese Icing - the cream cheese icing can be replaced with a buttercream icing.
- Milk - the milk can be replaced with warm water.
- Flour - the flour can be replaced with a 1:1 gluten free baking flour.
- Butter - melt butter on a low heat in a small saucepan. Stir the melted butter constantly until a brown butter forms. This will add hints of rich flavor throughout the dish. Let the butter start to solidify and use once it is at room temperature.
Variations
There are a few delicious ways you can change up the flavor of this recipe to adjust it to the different seasons!
- Apple Cinnamon Rolls - add apples to the middle of the cinnamon rolls for a delicious fall inspired twist.
- Blueberry - replace the cinnamon sugar mixture with a blueberry reduction.
- Pecans - add chopped pecans to the inside of the rolls and sprinkle some on top.
Equipment
To make this recipe you will need a stand mixer, large casserole dish, bench scraper, rolling pin and a rubber spatula.
For the stand mixer, I suggest a KitchenAid mixer. I have found that they work the best and the dough hook does a great job of forming your dough properly.
Storage
Leftovers can be stored in the casserole dish placed in the refrigerator covered with aluminum foil for up to 5 days. The leftover frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
These ingredients do stand up well to freezing. The leftovers can be frozen in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months.
Top tip
When mixing the frosting, start on a low speed after adding the powdered sugar. If you use too high of a speed, the powdered sugar will go everywhere.
FAQ
Loosely scoop the flour into a measuring cup. Using the back end of a serrated knife, chop the top of the flour multiple times so that any crevices are filled in. Scrape the remaining flour on top using the knife to get a flat top.
Yes, you can prep the dough the night before. To make overnight cinnamon rolls, prep the cinnamon rolls up to the point where you place the rolls in the casserole dish. You will then place them in the refrigerator. In the morning, bring the rolls to room temperature and then allow them to rise 30-40 minutes. This process can take about 2 hours. You will then bake your rolls according to the recipe.
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📖 Recipe
Brioche Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- bench scraper
- Mixing Bowl
- Rubber Spatula
- Large Casserole Dish
Ingredients
Cinnamon Rolls
- 3 ¾-4 cups flour
- 1 packet instant yeast 2 ¾ tsp
- 3 tablespoon sugar
- 3 eggs
- ¾ cup whole milk warm (between 110-120 degrees)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 tablespoon butter softened
Cinnamon Filling
- 8 tablespoon butter softened
- 3 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 cup brown sugar
Cream Cheese Icing
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
- 2 cup confectioners sugar
- 8 oz cream cheese
Instructions
Cinnamon Rolls
- Add the flour, active dry yeast, sugar and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix the dry ingredients. Add in the eggs and warm milk. Using a dough hook, mix a dough forms. Add in the softened butter and mix again until a sticky dough forms. This will take about 2-3 minutes. If your dough is still sticky, add about a tablespoon of flour at a time. You do not want to add to much flour and the dough should have a sticky texture.
- Place the dough in a bowl that is lightly coated in oil. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and place the bowl in a warm place. Placing the bowl inside your oven when it is off is a great place to put the dough so it keeps a consistent temperature. Let the dough rise about an hour and fifteen minutes. Once the dough has risen, punch it down with 5 fingers.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a lightly floured work surface. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough into the shape of a rectangle. The dough should be about ¼ of an inch thick. Spread soft butter evenly over the dough. Evenly spread the cinnamon brown sugar mixture over the butter. Roll the dough towards you along the long edge. You want to try your best to keep the roll tight.
- Once rolled, pinch the ends together so that you do not lose any additional cinnamon sugar mixture from the rolls. Using a bench scraper, cut the dough into 12 equal pieces.
- Evenly space your rolls in a large casserole dish. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the rolls to rise 30-45 minutes.
- Bake the rolls at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
- Once cinnamon rolls slightly cool, spread the icing on top.
Cream Cheese Icing
- Using the frosting attachment for the stand mixer, beat cream cheese and butter. Add powdered sugar and mix on low. Once the powdered sugar is mixed in, mix on medium high until a frosting forms.
Notes
- Leftovers can be stored in the casserole dish placed in the refrigerator covered with aluminum foil for up to 5 days. The leftover frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- These ingredients do stand up well to freezing. The leftovers can be frozen in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
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Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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