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–+ servings

Brioche Cinnamon Rolls

These brioche cinnamon rolls are made with an incredibly fluffy & pillowy soft brioche bread, filled with a brown sugar cinnamon mixture, and generously topped with cream cheese frosting. These rolls have an overnight option, so they’re a convenient & delicious treat to wake up to!
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Proove Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Servings 12 large rolls

Equipment

Ingredients
 

Cinnamon Roll Dough

  • 3 ¾ cups (470 grams) all purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¾ cup (180 grams) whole milk room temperature
  • 1 standard instant/active yeast packet + ~½ tablespoon (11 grams) of another packet
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (75 grams) granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter room temperature, cut in cubes

Filling

  • 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 cup (200 grams) brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Egg Wash

  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • ¼ cup (57 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
  • 4 oz cream cheese room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups (180 grams) powdered sugar

Instructions

Cinnamon Roll Dough

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, mix the flour, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.
    3 ¾ cups all purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • Heat the milk to 110F (if you don’t have a thermometer, I usually microwave it for 30 seconds on high, which gets me to about 110-120F).
    ¾ cup whole milk
  • While the milk is heating up, whisk the yeast and the sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
    1 standard instant/active yeast packet + ~½ tablespoon of another packet, ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • While whisking constantly, slowly stream in the sugar/yeast mixture into the heated milk. If you are using active dry yeast, allow the mixture to sit for 15 minutes. The yeast will activate in this time. If using instant yeast, you don’t have to wait for the yeast to activate, simply move on to the next step.
  • Mix the eggs and vanilla extract into the milk/yeast mixture. Whisk well to combine.
    2 eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Pour the milk/yeast/egg mixture into the flour and mix on low-medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until it forms a ball around the hook.
  • With the mixer on medium speed, add the butter a few pieces at a time, allowing them to fully incorporate before adding more. Once all of the butter is fully incorporated, turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and knead for an additional 8-12 minutes (mine usually takes about 10 minutes).
    ½ cup unsalted butter
  • To check if the dough has kneaded enough, rip off a small piece of dough and spread it gently in between your fingers. If it stretches easily without ripping and you can see light passing through it, it is finished and ready to proof.
  • Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with a towel, and let it rise in a warm environment for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size. Alternatively, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in the fridge overnight.

Filling

  • If baking the rolls that day, take the butter out of the fridge so it comes to room temperature while the dough rises. If you are baking the next day, simply do this an hour before you plan on rolling out the dough. It is important that the butter is super soft and spreadable, otherwise you will have trouble spreading it and could potentially tear the dough or make holes. But also don’t make it so soft that it’s basically melted.
    6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
    1 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparing the rolls and baking

  • Lightly grease a 13x9 inch pan, casserole pan, etc., and set aside.
  • There are a few ways you can roll the dough.
  • 1) Cut the dough into strips, then roll: On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into an 18x12 inch rectangle. Spread the butter into an even and smooth layer across the rolled out dough. Sprinkle on the brown sugar cinnamon mixture so it is covering the butter. Using your hands, rub the mixture completely into the butter. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the rolled dough in half lengthwise, creating two 9x12 inch segments. Then, halve each segment again lengthwise, resulting in four segments. Next, cut those four segments into thirds, yielding 12 strips. Roll up each strip individually and arrange them in your pan.
  • 2) Roll the dough into a log, then cut with floss: On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a 20x12 inch rectangle. Spread the butter into an even and smooth layer across the rolled out dough. Sprinkle on the brown sugar cinnamon mixture so it is covering the butter. Using your hands, rub the mixture completely into the butter. Gently roll the dough into a tight log, starting from the long side. Pinch the dough to close the log. To cut: place a piece of floss under the log with the ends coming up on the sides, then cross the floss over the dough and pull to cut it. Trim an inch off of each end, so now you have an 18 inch log. Divide the log in half, and then cut those two halves in half to create four segments. Finally, cut each of the four segments into thirds, resulting in 12 rolls. Arrange the rolls in your pan.
  • Cover and let rise in a warm environment for 45-60 minutes. When the dough has 15ish minutes left to rise, preheat your oven to 350F. Then, in a small bowl, gently whisk together one egg and two tablespoons of heavy cream for an egg wash.
    1 egg, 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • Press your finger into a roll - if it bounces back immediately, it needs more rest. If it doesn’t bounce back at all, it is over-proofed and should be baked immediately. If it bounces back slowly, it’s ready to be baked.
  • Once ready, brush the rolls with the egg wash, then bake for 25-28 minutes. The tops should be lightly golden brown.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large bowl if using a handheld mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and well combined.
    ¼ cup unsalted butter, 4 oz cream cheese
  • Add the vanilla extract and ½ cup of the powdered sugar, starting on low speed to avoid any sugar flying out of the bowl, then increasing to high speed. Continue to add ½ cup of powdered sugar at a time until fully incorporated. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • Generously spread the cream cheese frosting over the warm cinnamon rolls and enjoy!
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