These brown butter cinnamon rolls are a great way to upgrade cinnamon rolls. There is brown butter in the dough, cinnamon filling, and cream cheese icing!

Top view of close up of brown butter cinnamon rolls.

I wanted these brown butter cinnamon rolls to be an explosion of brown butter, so there is brown butter in every layer! The brown butter makes these rolls taste like the next level. Still taste like regular cinnamon rolls, but they are a bit more rich and more flavor. There is a whipped brown butter cinnamon filling that bakes beautifully into the rolls. The best part I think is the icing, the brown butter plus cream cheese is just so good.

One brown butter cinnamon roll on a plate.

Tips for making the cinnamon rolls

Here are my tips, so yours turns out like this recipe! For more tips to make brown butter, see my brown butter post.

  • Tip 1: First, make the brown butter. This process takes only about 10 minutes, but it needs plenty of time to cool down before using. The brown butter gets resolidified, so it is easier to work with in a cinnamon roll recipe. After you melt the butter, it will bubble for a few minutes and then have a layer of foam on the top. Once it starts to foam, that is when the milk deposits separate. This is where all the flavor is.
  • Tip 2: Make sure the flour is spooned and leveled. If you stick the measuring cup into the flour it will compact it. This results in a more dry cinnamon roll.
  • Tip 3: The cinnamon filling looks a little different than other cinnamon fillings on my site, this is because of the brown butter texture. When it gets beaten with brown butter, it becomes really pale in texture and almost creamy like whipped butter.
Brown butter in a pan.
After the butter browns, separate the brown butter into three separate bowls.
Rolling out the dough.
Roll the dough after the first rise into a large rectangle.
Brown butter cinnamon filling on top of dough.
Spread the brown butter cinnamon filling over the dough.
Raw cinnamon rolls in a pan.
Cut the rolls into 12, let them rise for 20 minutes before pour the cream around the rolls.
Baked cinnamon rolls in the pan.
Bake the rolls for 26-28 minutes until golden on top.
Top view of rolls in the pan.

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For more cinnamon roll recipes, try my giant cinnamon rolls and mini cinnamon rolls.

Side view of rolls in the pan.

Make sure to leave a star review if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats. To get more ideas follow me on Pinterest.

Recipe Video

Top view of close up of brown butter cinnamon rolls.
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Brown Butter Cinnamon Rolls

Stephanie Rutherford
These are brown butter cinnamon rolls, they are super soft full of the rich and nutty brown butter. There is brown butter in the dough, whipped cinnamon filling, and in the cream cheese icing.
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Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 28 minutes
Resting Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 48 minutes
Servings: 12 rolls

Ingredients
 
 

Brown Butter

  • 2 cups Butter, browned

Brown Butter Dough

  • 1 cup Milk, warmed to 110℉
  • 2 1/4 tsp Active dry yeast
  • Sprinkle of sugar
  • 4 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup White granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 3/4 cup Brown butter
  • 2 Large eggs, lightly beaten

Whipped Brown Butter Cinnamon Filling

  • 2/3 cup Brown butter
  • 3/4 cup Light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 1/2 TBSP Ground cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup Heavy cream

Brown Butter Cream Cheese Icing

  • 1/3 cup Brown butter
  • 4 oz Cream cheese
  • 1 cup Powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract

Instructions
 

Brown Butter

  • First, brown the butter. Add the butter to a large sauté pan over medium heat. Stir occasionally, the butter will melt and then will bubble. Stir occasionally until the butter starts to foam at the top, then stir consistently.
    2 cups Butter
  • After it foams, the milk deposits will separate and turn amber in color. This part goes by fast, so watch carefully. Remove from heat once it is amber. During the browning process, it will cook off the water in the butter, resulting in less amount of butter than regular melted butter. It will equal 1 3/4 cups and takes about 10 minutes.
  • You will need three bowls. In bowl add 1/3 cup of brown butter, make sure that you divide the brown butter bits evenly. Second bowl is 2/3 cup brown butter and the third is the rest which is about 3/4 cup.
  • Place the 3/4 cup of butter into the freezer for 30 minutes to help solidify it faster. Stir in between the 30 minutes. Place the 2/3 cup of butter and 1/3 cup of butter in the fridge. All three bowls will solidify until it is softened butter.

Brown Butter Dough

  • Warm the milk in the microwave for 1 minute until it reaches 110°F. Pour into a bowl and pour the yeast on top and a sprinkle of sugar. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
    1 cup Milk, 2 1/4 tsp Active dry yeast, Sprinkle of sugar
  • In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the lightly beaten eggs, brown butter, and milk/yeast mixture. Tip, use a spoon to easily remove the butter from the bowl.
    4 1/2 cups All-purpose flour, 1/4 cup White granulated sugar, 1 tsp Salt, 3/4 cup Brown butter, 2 Large eggs
  • Using a dough hook and a mixer, mix the dough on low speed until a dough starts to form. Switch to medium and knead for 5 minutes. *by hand instructions in notes. You will see the brown butter specks in the dough.
  • Preheat the oven to 200°F. Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Place in the oven and turn off the oven and crack open the door. Let it rise for 1 hour until doubled in size.

Whipped Brown Butter Cinnamon Filling

  • Using a mixer, beat the brown butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon on high speed for 2 minutes. Set aside. It will look pale in color and almost creamy due to the brown butter texture.
    2/3 cup Brown butter, 3/4 cup Light brown sugar, 1 1/2 TBSP Ground cinnamon
  • Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin. Roll until 1/4 inch thick and it is a large rectangle 15 X18 inches.
  • Spread the filling on top of the dough using an offset icing spatula. Roll the dough starting on the short side to create a log. Use a serrated knife to cut off the ends. Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces using a light sawing motion to not to squish the dough.
  • Spray a 9X13 inch pan with baking nonstick spray. Place the cinnamon rolls into the pan and cover with a kitchen towel. Let rise for 20 minutes. After the rise, pour the heavy cream around the edges of the rolls.
    1/3 cup Heavy cream
  • Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake the rolls for 27-30 minutes until the tops of the rolls are lightly golden brown.

Brown Butter Cream Cheese Icing

  • Make the icing once the rolls are done baking. Using a mixer, beat the brown butter and cream cheese on high for 2 minutes. Add in the vanilla and sifted powdered sugar and mix on high speed until creamy.
    1/3 cup Brown butter, 4 oz Cream cheese, 1 cup Powdered sugar, 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
  • Use a spoon to dollop the icing evenly across the rolls. Spread it evenly.

Notes

 
Flour- Make sure flour is spooned and leveled or use a kitchen scale. Compacted flour can dry out the dough.
Pull out dairy ingredients 2 hours before baking.
Making by hand:
Mix the wet ingredients into the dry by using a rubber spatula. Switch to using your hands to mix until a dough starts to form.
Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead using your hands for 5-8 minutes.
It is done when your spread the dough apart thinly using your fingers. Hold the dough to the light. If you can see light through it, then it is done.
Overnight Instructions
Follow instructions until you have cut the rolls and placed in a pan. Cover with foil and place in the fridge.
The next morning/day. Pull the rolls out of the fridge while the oven preheats.
Calories: 312kcal, Carbohydrates: 67g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 19mg, Sodium: 238mg, Potassium: 128mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 19g, Vitamin A: 260IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 67mg, Iron: 2mg
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