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Brown Butter Iced Cinnamon Rolls

These decadent cinnamon rolls with brown butter icing are lusciously fluffy, addictive and perfect for any time of day! 
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Cinnamon Rolls, Cornbread, Dinner Rolls, Icing
Prep Time 25 minutes
Rise Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 12
Author Leona G.

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowls
  • 9x13 Sheet Pan
  • Stand Mixer
  • Offset Spatula
  • Whisk

Ingredients

Rolls

  • cup flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 packet instant yeast or 2 1/4 tsp
  • 1 cup warm milk
  • 3 tbs sugar 
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 stick unsalted butter soft, not melted

Filling

  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • tbsp cinnamon

Icing

  • 5 tbsp butter
  • 4 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1½-2 tbsp heavy cream or milk

Instructions

Cinnamon Rolls

  • In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, add the yeast, warm milk and sugar. Give it a good mix and let it rest 5-10 min until foamy. Add in the eggs and mix until combined. Add the flour and salt and mix on medium. If needed, add a tbsp of flour at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Lastly, add in the softened butter 1 tablespoon at a time until it’s all incorporated. The dough will be a bit sticky. Cover to rise for 1-1.5 hours or until doubled in size. 
  • Punch the dough down to deflate and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a large rectangle about 15x20 inches. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Using an offset spatula, spread your filling evenly over the dough. Tightly roll it up into a log lengthwise and cut it into 12 even pieces. Place them onto lightly greased 9x13 sheet pan and cover. Let them rise for another 30-45 minutes until they’ve puffed up. 
  • Preheat oven to 350 and bake for 25-30 minutes until lightly golden brown. Remove them from the oven and pour the brown butter icing all over the rolls, covering them evenly and finish with flake salt. Enjoy warm! 

Filling

  • In a small saucepan, add your butter and melt on low-medium heat. Stir often. Once the butter turns golden brown, remove from the heat and transfer to a heatproof bowl. Pop it in the freezer for about 10 minutes until softened. Add the cinnamon, brown sugar & vanilla to the softened brown butter and mix it into a paste. 

Icing

  • Melt your butter in a saucepan on low-med heat. Once the butter turns a deep golden brown color, remove from the heat immediately and pour into a heatproof bowl to cool.
  • In another bowl, whisk the cream cheese until smooth. Add in the cooled melted brown butter & vanilla extract. Whisk until combined. Add in the sifted powdered sugar and mix. It will be thick. Add in heavy cream 1 tbs at a time, until a smooth icing forms. Set aside until ready to use.

Notes

  • If you are making these the night before, pop them in the fridge for the second rise., When you are ready to bake them, allow them to come to room temperature for 1-2 hours putting them into the oven. 
  • When you add the softened butter to the dough, it will separate a bit but continue mixing until the butter is completely absorbed and becomes the dough cohesive again. About 2-3 minutes.
  • You can make the icing a day or 2 in advance and leave it in the fridge until ready to use.
  • Keep a close eye when browning butter snd stir often. Once you see it turn a deep golden brown color, remove from heat immediately to prevent burning.