"Cinnamon Rolls"
Vanilla Bean Cinnamon Rolls with Brown Butter Frosting
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- Recipe Card
Prep time 1hr 30mins
Cook time 30mins
Serves or Makes: 16 rolls
Recipe Card
For the Brown Butter
ingredients
- 8 ounces salted butter
Make the brown butter
Method
Step 1
Place two 4 ounce sticks of butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat and watch closely. The butter will melt, begin to foam and sizzle, and then it will get quiet. This is when it is almost ready. Swirl the pan or use a spoon to push the foam away. Once you see it becoming light brown at the bottom and it smells like toasty caramel, remove from heat and pour into a heat safe measuring cup or bowl to cool. Place in fridge to expedite the cooling process, but don't let it get hard. You may have a bit more than needed for the recipe, but we'll brush that on the finished rolls before frosting them. No brown butter left behind; that's my motto.
For the Dough
ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup brown butter, cooled to room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For the Dough
Step 1
Preheat oven to 150-170 degrees or as low as your oven goes. Once it is preheated, turn off and keep door closed. This is just to create a warm environment to proof the dough. Prepare a 12 X 9 (or the closest pan you have to that size) baking dish (I use a 4 quart glass Pyrex), by buttering generously or spraying with cooking spray, and lining with parchment. Set aside.
Step 2
Warm milk either by blasting it in the microwave for about 90 seconds or warm it gently on the stove. You want it warm, not hot. Ideally 100 - 110 degrees F. Pour milk into bowl of stand mixer, along with brown sugar, yeast, egg, and vanilla. Whisk and let sit for about 5 minutes.
Step 3
Next, add 3 1/2 cups flour, 1/4 cup brown butter, and salt to mixer. Using your dough hook, mix dough on low to medium speed until it comes together and no longer sticks to sides of bowl. If needed, add remaining 1/2 cup flour in a little bit at a time until you have a soft, but not overly sticky dough. Remove dough hook. Cover mixing bowl with plastic wrap of a damp towel and place in warm oven for 30 minutes while you make the filling and frosting.
Step 4
While dough rises, prepare filling and frosting.
For the Filling
ingredients
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup brown butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, seeds from one vanilla bean, or tsp vanilla extract
For the Frosting
ingredients
- 8 ounces at room temperature cream cheese
- 1/4 cup brown butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, seeds from one vanilla bean, or tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
For the Filling
Step 1
In a small bowl, mix all filling ingredients with a fork until thoroughly combined.
For the Frosting
Step 1
In a medium bowl, mix all frosting ingredients with a hand mixer until combined and fluffy. About 3-4 minutes on medium speed.
To Assemble
Step 1
After 30 minutes, remove dough from oven, dump onto a lightly oiled surface, and using your baking dish as a guide, press dough into a roughly 12 X 9 inch rectangle. Don't go crazy here, it doesn't have to be exact.
Step 2
Spread or sprinkle filling evenly over the entire surface of the dough, all the way to the edges. Begin on the 12 inch side closest to you, roll dough very tightly away from you, keeping it taught all the way across as you roll. This will give you the most hypnotically swirled rolls with a great filling to dough ratio. Once you reach the end, pinch along seam to seal.
Step 3
Cut roll in half, then each half in half to make 4 equal pieces. Cut each of these into 4. You will have 16 pieces. The end pieces will be a little uneven, but they rise and bake just fine, just put the uneven side down when placing in the pan and press them down a bit. Place pieces evenly in dish. Cover with plastic wrap or damp towel and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size. About an hour. *
Step 4
Preheat oven to 375 during last 20 minutes of rising time. If you are rising your rolls in the oven make sure to TAKE THEM OUT before you preheat! Once dough has risen, remove plastic wrap or towel and bake for 30 minutes in preheated oven. Remove from oven and brush with any leftover brown butter you might have. Let cool for about 5 minutes before you slather the frosting all over. *Alternatively, place in fridge overnight, and let sit at room temp for 30 minutes before you bake the next morning.