As the mornings turn crisp, there’s nothing we’d rather wake up to than the smell of freshly baked pastries. These brown butter cinnamon rolls, courtesy of food creator Anastasia Hladyr, are our idea of the perfect slow weekend breakfast.
A tangzhong paste keeps the dough pillowy soft, while a nutty brown butter and cinnamon filling and a drizzle of cream before baking make every roll rich and tender. Finished with cream cheese frosting and toasted pecans, they’re best enjoyed warm, still in your pajamas.
Makes 12 large rolls
Ingredients
Tangzhong
⅔ cup water
¼ cup bread flour
Cinnamon Roll Dough
3¾ cups bread flour
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tsp instant yeast
¾ tsp fine salt
¼ cup heavy cream
⅓ cup plus 1 tbsp whole milk
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
All of the tangzhong
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
⅓ cup heavy cream, for pouring over the rolls before baking
Brown Butter Cinnamon Filling
¾ cup plus 2 tbsp brown butter, soft and spreadable
1⅓ cups packed dark brown sugar
1½ tbsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt, if using unsalted butter
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
9–10½ oz block-style cream cheese, such as Philadelphia, cold
3 tbsp brown butter, soft but not melted or solid
1½ tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1¼ cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1½–2 tbsp heavy cream
Topping
Toasted pecans, roughly chopped
Method
Quick note: I like to prepare the brown butter first, so it has plenty of time to cool and thicken while the dough is being made.
Prepare the brown butter
1. Brown the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until golden, nutty and fragrant. Transfer it to a bowl and let it cool until it reaches roughly the consistency of softened butter – soft and spreadable, but neither liquid nor solid.
2. You can use salted or unsalted butter, or a combination of the two, depending on your preference.
Make the tangzhong
3. Add the water and flour to a small saucepan and whisk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 4–5 minutes, until the mixture thickens into a smooth, fairly thick paste.
4. Transfer to a bowl and let cool until just warm or room temperature.
Make the dough
5. Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature before you begin.
6. Add the flour, sugar and instant yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the milk, cream, whole egg, egg yolk and all of the cooled tangzhong.
7. Mix on low speed until everything begins to come together and a rough dough forms. Add the salt and continue kneading until incorporated.
8. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add the softened butter, a little at a time, letting each addition incorporate before adding more.
9. Continue kneading for about 10–12 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic and soft.
10. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 40 minutes, or until noticeably risen and puffy. I like to place mine in a turned-off oven.
Make the filling and shape the rolls
11. Mix the soft brown butter, dark brown sugar and cinnamon until smooth and spreadable. If using unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt.
12. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface into a rectangle of about 21 × 15 inches.
13. Spread the filling evenly over the dough, going almost all the way to the edges.
14. Cut the dough lengthwise into 12 strips, each about 1¾ inches wide. A pizza cutter or sharp knife works well for this.
15. Roll each strip up individually to form a cinnamon roll and arrange the rolls in a parchment-lined baking dish.
16. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1–1½ hours, or until visibly puffy and expanded and the rolls are beginning to touch.
Bake the rolls
17. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Once the rolls have finished proofing, gently warm the ⅓ cup heavy cream in the microwave until just slightly warm, then pour it around the rolls just before baking.
18. Bake for about 35–40 minutes, or until beautifully risen and golden brown on top. Ovens vary, so use the color and appearance of the rolls as your guide rather than relying solely on the baking time.
19. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 15 minutes.
Make the frosting
20. Beat the brown butter, room-temperature butter and powdered sugar together until completely smooth and creamy.
21. Add the cold cream cheese and vanilla bean paste and mix just until combined. Avoid overmixing, as cream cheese frosting can become too loose.
22. Gradually add 1½–2 tbsp heavy cream until the frosting reaches a soft, silky and easily spreadable consistency.
23. Spread the frosting generously over the rolls while they are still slightly warm and finish with toasted chopped pecans.
See the full process over on Instagram.
