Description
Soft, buttery cinnamon rolls that rise overnight for a hands-off prep, topped with a rich and nutty brown butter frosting. Perfect for cozy mornings and easy to customize.
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (480g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
- 1 teaspoon salt (5g)
- 1 cup whole milk (240ml), warmed to 110°F (43°C)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (85g), melted
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (45g), softened
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon (24g)
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed (200g)
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar, optional (50g)
- 4 tablespoons salted butter (57g), softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar (240g), sifted
- 6 tablespoons brown butter (85g), made by browning unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5ml)
- 2–3 tablespoons milk or half-and-half (30-45ml)
Instructions
- Warm milk to about 110°F (43°C). In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine warm milk, instant yeast, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
- Add melted butter, remaining sugar, salt, egg, and 3 cups flour. Mix until combined.
- Knead dough by hand for about 8 minutes, gradually adding remaining 1 cup flour until dough is smooth and slightly tacky but not sticky. Or knead with mixer dough hook for 5-6 minutes.
- Lightly grease a large bowl, place dough inside, cover tightly with plastic wrap or damp towel, and refrigerate overnight (8-12 hours) for slow rise.
- Next morning, remove dough from fridge and let rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
- Roll dough on floured surface into a 16×12 inch rectangle.
- Spread softened salted butter evenly over dough.
- Mix cinnamon, brown sugar, and optional dark brown sugar; sprinkle evenly over buttered dough.
- Starting from long side, roll dough into a tight log and pinch edges to seal.
- Cut log into 12 equal slices using dental floss or a sharp knife.
- Place rolls in greased 9×13 inch baking dish, leaving space between each.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm spot for about 45 minutes until puffy.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake rolls for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
- While rolls bake, melt unsalted butter in small saucepan over medium heat, swirling frequently until golden brown and nutty. Remove from heat.
- Whisk in powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 2-3 tablespoons milk or half-and-half until smooth and spreadable.
- Once rolls are warm from oven, generously spread brown butter frosting over top.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
[‘Do not walk away while browning butter; swirl constantly and remove from heat as soon as nutty aroma appears.’, ‘Slow overnight rise in fridge develops better flavor and tender crumb.’, ‘Use dental floss to cut rolls cleanly without squishing dough.’, ‘Check rolls at 25 minutes to avoid overbaking and drying out.’, ‘Use room temperature eggs and butter for better dough texture.’, ‘You can prepare dough and rolls up to second rise, then refrigerate for a few hours before baking for flexible timing.’, ‘Freeze unbaked rolls after shaping but before second rise for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in fridge before baking.’, ‘For dairy-free version, substitute butter with coconut oil and milk with almond or oat milk.’]
- Prep Time: 15 minutes active
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Brunch
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 220
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 6
Keywords: overnight cinnamon rolls, brown butter frosting, cinnamon rolls recipe, easy cinnamon rolls, cozy breakfast, homemade cinnamon rolls