These Browned Butter Cinnamon Rolls are the softest cinnamon rolls with browned butter in the dough as well as in the filling. They are frosted with an irresistible espresso cream cheese icing. These cinnamon rolls bake up tall and fluffy with a gooey cinnamon center.
These soft and fluffy cinnamon rolls are gooey and filled with a toasty cinnamon flavor thanks to browned butter. I find that espresso compliments browned butter and cinnamon so well! Adding a little espresso powder to the cream cheese icing took these browned butter cinnamon rolls over the top.
I know baking cinnamon rolls can be a little intimidating, but if you read my tips below and follow all the directions carefully you will never go back to buying cinnamon rolls again.
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Tips for getting soft and gooey Browned Butter Cinnamon Rolls
1. Use a thermometer to get the right milk temperature! I waited so long to use a thermometer and it resulted in so many failed cinnamon rolls. Here’s the thing, in order for a soft roll that rises the yeast needs to be activated by a warm liquid. If the liquid is too hot, it kills the yeast – too cold and the yeast won’t activate. The perfect temperature is around 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Use bread flour instead of all purpose. I recently started to use bread flour in my cinnamon roll recipes and I’m never going back. Bread flour gives the rolls a softer texture. In a pinch, you can use all-purpose flour – the result will still be delicious!
3. Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes before the first rise. You can knead by hand or use a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Kneading the dough distributes yeast equally and creates a consistent crumb throughout ensuring the softest cinnamon rolls.
4. Pour heavy cream over the cinnamon rolls right before you pop them into the oven. This will make the cinnamon rolls super gooey and plush. Make sure the heavy cream is room temperature, not cold. Cold heavy cream could affect how the rolls rise.
5. Do not over bake the cinnamon rolls, this can affect the texture. Remove the cinnamon rolls from the oven when they are a light golden brown. I find 25 minutes to be the perfect amount of bake time.
6. Frost the cinnamon rolls while they are still hot. I find that frosting the cinnamon rolls almost immediately after they come out of the oven allows the icing to melt and get into every crevice which makes for an even more gooey cinnamon roll.
What you need to make browned butter cinnamon rolls
For the dough you will need, butter (salted or unsalted), instant yeast, warm milk, sugar, honey, room temperature eggs, salt and bread flour.
For the filling you will need, butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
For the icing you will need, softened butter, softened cream cheese, vanilla extract, espresso powder, and powdered sugar.
I’m confident that you will love these Browned Butter Cinnamon Rolls with Espresso Cream Cheese Icing. If you make this recipe, please comment so I can hear your thoughts.
Love browned butter and espresso? Add my browned butter coffee cake with espresso icing to your baking list!
Browned Butter Cinnamon Rolls with Espresso Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients
For the cinnamon rolls
- ¼ cup butter salted or unsalted
- ⅔ cup whole milk warm (105 ℉)
- 1 packet instant yeast ( 2 ¼ tsp)
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp honey
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 3 ½-4 cups bread flour or all purpose
- ½ tsp salt
For the cinnamon filling and topping
- ½ cup butter salted or unsalted
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 2 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ cup heavy cream, room temperature for topping
For the icing
- ¼ cup butter softened
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp espresso powder
- 1 ⅓ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Add the butter from the dough ingredients and the filling ingredients ( ¾ cup or 1 and ½ sticks) to a small saucepan and melt. Once melted, stir constantly with a heat safe spoon until the butter turns brown and smells toasty like caramel. Pour into a heat safe bowl and set aside to cool off.
- Add the sugar and yeast to a large bowl. Add the milk and stir. Let the yeast activate for about 5-10 minutes or until bubbly and foamy. Add the eggs, honey. Measure out ¼ cup of the browned butter and add to the yeast mixture. Add 3 and ½ cups of the flour and the salt. Stir with a wooden spoon until everything comes together. Use your hands or the kneading attachment on a stand mixer to knead the dough very well.
- If the dough is sticking to your hands, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough is no longer sticky. It should be slightly tacky, but easy to work with and not sticking to your hands. Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
- While the dough is rising, make the filling. Mix together the remaining browned butter, the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Flour your work surface and roll out the dough into a rectangle large enough to get 12 cinnamon rolls. This doesn't need to be perfect, just eyeball it. Spread the filling over the dough, leaving about ½ an inch around all sides without filling.
- Roll the dough up lengthwise into a log. Pinch the ends together to seal. Use a large knife or floss to cut the log into 12 pieces. Place each roll into a 9x13 pan lined with parchment paper (4 rows of 3 cinnamon rolls). Cover the rolls with a towel and let rise for another 45 minutes - 1 hour or until the cinnamon rolls have almost doubled in size.
- Pour the heavy cream over the rolls and bake at 350 ℉ for 23-25 minutes or until lightly golden brown. While the cinnamon rolls are baking, make the icing. Beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the espresso powder and beat again. Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
- Spread the icing over the hot cinnamon rolls and serve. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Best served warmed.
