90 Minute Brown Butter Cinnamon Rolls
If you’ve got 90 minutes, you can whip up a batch of these brown butter cinnamon rolls. Perfect for holidays, slow weekend mornings, or any time you crave the warmth of a sweet cinnamon roll.
These cinnamon rolls are something special. I’ve been making them for a few years – for brunches with friends, snow days, and holidays. Most recently, I made them for the staff at Abigail Spanberger’s campaign headquarters. I knocked doors and wrote postcards, but making food for campaign staff and other volunteers has been my favorite way to fuel the resistance. I can’t adequately describe what being involved with Abigail’s campaign meant to me, and more importantly to my daughter. Our hearts are still full after her win.
It’s been almost laughable to watch my Instagram followers drop off every time I post something political, but know this – EVERYTHING is political. I post food 99% of the time, but behind that food is a person (that majored in political science) who cares deeply about what’s happening. That won’t change just because a few people think I should “stick to food.” There’s so much more to me than food.
Let’s talk about these cinnamon rolls. The dough is soft and supple, making it a dream to work with. If yeast recipes aren’t your thing, this one is a great place to start. This is also a super fun, albeit messy, recipe for kids to help with. The brown butter adds a bit of nutty richness to these, which really pushes them over the top. (Just like the brown butter in these brownies.) Since it makes twelve rolls, this is the perfect recipe for sharing. Make the whole batch in one baking dish and invite some friends over, or split the recipe into two – one to keep and one to give. I can think of few better ways to start a cold morning than with warm, deliciously golden rolls topped with cream cheese frosting.
- COOK TIME:
- YIELD: 12 rolls
For the dough:
¾ cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
3¼ cups all-purpose flour
2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
¼ cup white sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup water
1 egg
For the filling:
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
For the frosting:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
You can make this recipe start to finish in about 90 minutes, but I’ve also made it countless times the night before to get overnight cinnamon rolls. If you want to start them at night, make them up to the point that you shape them. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. Straight from the refrigerator the next morning, place them into a warm oven to proof for about 45 minutes or so and then bake as stated in the recipe.
- 1
Warm the milk in a small saucepan just until it bubbles. Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.
- 2
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 2¼ cups of flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add the water, egg, and milk mixture and continue mixing until combined. Add the remaining cup of flour in two batches, mixing well after each.
Once the dough comes together, switch to the dough hook knead on low speed until smooth, about 3-4 minutes. Alternately, you can knead by hand on a lightly floured surface. The dough is ready when it springs back after being lightly pressed. Cover with a warm, damp cloth and rest on the counter for 10 minutes.
- 3
While the dough is resting, make the filling. Place the butter in a small saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Swirl occasionally. Once the butter has melted, watch for it to foam and then change to a golden brown color, about the color of graham cracker crumbs.
Transfer to a medium bowl and cool slightly, then stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon.
- 4
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into a 12×9 inch rectangle, using your baking dish as a guide. Sprinkle the butter-sugar mixture over the dough, all the way to the edges, then press lightly so it will stick as you roll.
Starting with the edge closest to you, roll the dough tightly. Pinch the seam to seal. Using a serrated knife, cut the log into 12 equal sized rolls and place in a 9×13 baking dish. Cover with the towel you used earlier and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 30 minutes. *See my note if you’d like to stop here to refrigerate overnight.
- 5
Heat oven to 375º. Bake the rolls for 17-20 minutes, until golden.
While the rolls are baking, make the frosting. Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and mix again, then gradually add the powdered sugar. Beat on high speed until creamy.
- 6
Let the rolls cool slightly before spreading the frosting evenly over the tops. Serve warm.
Rolls can be refrigerated and warmed in the microwave, even if they’re frosted, but they’re definitely best the first day. If you want to fully bake the night before, I recommend baking and leaving them unfrosted. Cover with foil and warm in a 350º oven for no more than 10 minutes and then frost.
