Brioche Cinnamon Rolls

Angled view of an iced cinnamon roll cut up on a white plate with a fork.

5 from 2 votes

These soft and gooey brioche cinnamon rolls are the absolute best, made from scratch with a plush and tender brioche dough, sweet cinnamon spice filling, and vanilla cream cheese icing.

Prep Time1

Cook Time20

Rise & Chill Time2 30

Total Time3 50

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 454kcal

Author: Allison Ferraro

Equipment

Instant read thermometer
Stand mixer with dough hook attachment
Unflavored dental floss (or pizza cutter or serrated knife)
Stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer

Ingredients

Brioche Dough:

½ cup whole milk
1 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
1 large egg, room temperature
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup heavy cream

Cinnamon Filling:

3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
pinch of ground cloves (optional)
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but not melted

Cream Cheese Icing:

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
pinch of salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners' sugar

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the brioche dough.

Warm the milk to between 110ºF and 115ºF either in the microwave or on the stove. Use a thermometer to check the temperature of the milk. It should be warm but not hot to the touch. Pour the warmed milk into the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl) and add the yeast.
Add the egg, melted butter, flour, sugar, and salt and mix until the ingredients are blended. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes (to give the flour time to hydrate).
Using the stand mixer's dough hook attachment, beat on medium speed until a sticky dough forms. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for another 5 minutes, or until the dough is soft and smooth. (NOTE: If not using a stand mixer with a hook attachment, knead the dough by hand for about 10 minutes, or until a soft and smooth dough forms.)
Knead the dough gently with your hands on a lightly floured surface for 1 minute before gently forming the dough into a ball. Transfer the ball of dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover the bowl with a clean dish towel.
Place the dough in a warm spot and let it rise until doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes.
Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
Remove the dough from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature while you prepare the filling. Lightly grease a quarter baking sheet or a 9 inch round metal cake pan and set aside.

Prep the cinnamon filling.

In a small bowl, whisk together the sugars and spices. Set aside.

Shape the cinnamon rolls.

Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and, using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle that's 9 inches x 12 inches. (TIP: Use a bench scraper to gently nudge the edges of the rolled dough to form a perfect rectangle.)
Use a small spatula to spread the softened butter over the rectangle of dough. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the butter, covering the dough all the way to the edges.
Beginning at the short (9 inch) end of the rectangle of dough, roll the dough tightly to form a log that's 9 inches long.
Slice the log into 6 equal pieces. (TIP: I like to cut cinnamon rolls using unflavored dental floss - wrap it around the log of dough, cross the two ends over each other, and pull taught to slice the dough without squashing it.)
Place the rolls cut side up onto your baking sheet or pan.
Cover the pan with a clean dish towel and place it in a warm spot until the rolls have doubled in size, about 20 to 30 minutes.
While the rolls rise, position the oven rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375ºF.

Bake the cinnamon rolls.

Once the rolls have risen, pour heavy cream over them immediately before baking.
Bake the rolls for 15-20 minutes, or until they're golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a roll comes out clean with no raw dough. (NOTE: If the rolls become golden brown before they're finished baking, carefully place a sheet of aluminum foil over the rolls to keep them from over-browning as they continue to bake.) Remove the baked rolls from the oven, and allow them to cool slightly on a wire rack while you prepare the cream cheese icing.

Make the cream cheese icing.

Add the cream cheese and butter to a medium bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth and combined. Add the salt and vanilla and beat until combined. Add the confectioners' sugar slowly and continue to beat until blended and smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed using a rubber spatula while mixing the icing.
Spread the icing over the still warm cinnamon rolls and enjoy!

Notes

Storage: Cinnamon rolls are best when they're fresh from the oven, though this recipe keeps incredibly well for several days when stored properly.

Room Temperature: Any cinnamon rolls that have not yet been iced can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Reheat the cinnamon rolls (see recommendation below) and cover with cream cheese icing before serving. Do not store iced cinnamon rolls at room temperature.

Refrigerator: Leftover cinnamon rolls that have already been iced should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat the cinnamon rolls (see recommendation below) before serving.

How to Reheat: The best way to reheat cinnamon rolls (either iced or not) is in the microwave to preserve the softness of dough. Heat the roll(s) on a plate in the microwave for about 20 seconds on full power. The roll should be warm and soft and the icing slightly melty.

Nutrition