Amazing Brioche Cinnamon Rolls

If you like cinnamon and bread, you’ll love these Brioche Cinnamon Rolls. You can’t find better cinnamon rolls than these, which are made with the fluffiest and richest bread dough and have more cinnamon sugar swirled throughout.

Really, this is the pinnacle of brioche cinnamon roll perfection

IN ORDER TO MAKE BRIOCHE CINNAMON ROLLS, YOU WILL NEED

Brioche dough

Here, I’m making use of my tried-and-true recipe for brioche dough. It’s a fan favourite among my readers and consistently produces great outcomes. This buttery dough is a traditional brioche recipe.

Don’t expect a healthy brioche from this dough (which is made with less eggs or butter). Due to this, the dough is extremely pliable and sticky. But if you do all I say, you will succeed with this recipe.

As there will be TWO overnight cold proofs, I forgo the initial room temperature proof while making these cinnamon rolls (in the fridge).

Cinnamon for the filling of cinnamon butter

To make these brioche cinnamon rolls really special, I’m using not one but TWO different kinds of cinnamon in the filling. A blend of Indonesian Korintje and Sri Lankan Ceylon cinnamon (from Sri Lanka). Both are extremely flavorful, yet in very distinct ways.

Cinnamon from Ceylon is sweeter and less spicy than other varieties. Corintje cinnamon is more robust in flavour. Korintje cinnamon is the standard by which most supermarket cinnamon is measured. But, any cinnamon will do in its place.

Brown sugar

As for the filling, I like to use dark brown sugar. I much enjoy the richer, more molasses-like flavour. Nevertheless, light brown sugar works just as well.

Butter

In order to make my cinnamon sugar paste for the filling, I use JUST ENOUGH unsalted butter (along with as much salt as I desire). Too much would be excessively rich, as the bread already contains butter. You shouldn’t over do the butter in the filling.

Cream cheese frosting

I’ll be honest and say that I enjoy these brioche cinnamon rolls more when they’re served plain, without the cream cheese frosting. If you’re looking for a supporting role for cream cheese, look elsewhere; the rich brioche crust and cinnamon filling already have it covered. Yet I understand, because I was once a member of the “frozen” faction myself.

You may either spread this frosting on the brioche, or use a piping tip (or a ziploc bag with the corner clipped off) to drizzle it over the top.

In order to make this frosting, you will need,

• Butter
• Cream cheese
• Confectioner’s sugar
• Salt
• Vanilla

CHART OF PROCESSING TIMES FOR BRIOCHE CINNAMON ROLLS

Cinnamon rolls made with brioche that have rested overnight

DAY ONE

1. In the morning, whip up some brioche dough.
2. Put it in the fridge until later in the day or night (at least 8 hours).
3. Do the filling with cinnamon.
4. Chill the dough for at least an hour before rolling it out into a rectangle.
5. The filling of cinnamon butter should be spread.
6. Shape the dough into a log and slice into 12 pieces.
7. Arrange cinnamon rolls on a baking sheet that has been greased (or split into two trays).
8. Place the covered trays in the fridge and let them chill overnight.

DAY TWO

1. To create perfect cinnamon rolls, take them out of the fridge at least 2 hours before baking.
2. Bring the cinnamon buns to room temperature, and then proof them until they are touching (proofed until 1.5 – 2 times the original size).
3. Buns should be baked at a high temperature until they are browned.
4. Concoct the cream cheese glaze or icing.
5. Once removing the cinnamon rolls from the oven, let them to come down to room temperature.
6. Cinnamon frosting should be spread on plates just before serving (they will melt on top of warm buns, but will stay intact on cooled down brioche cinnamon rolls).

2nd Method: Brioche Cinnamon Rolls, Refrigerated Overnight

DAY ONE

1. Ideally, the brioche dough should be prepared in the late afternoon or early evening.
2. Just give it an hour to rise in a warm place.
3. Let the dough rest in the fridge, deflated, for at least 12 hours (at least 8 hours, up to 12 hours).

DAY TWO

1. Do the filling with cinnamon.
2. Chill the dough and roll it out into a rectangle.
3. The filling of cinnamon butter should be spread.
4. Shape the dough into a log and slice into 12 pieces.
5. Spread out the cinnamon rolls on a baking sheet (or split into two trays).
6. The trays should be covered and proofed at room temperature until they have increased in size by 1.5-2 times.
7. The rolls (proofed cinnamon rolls) should be baked at a high temperature until they are golden brown on top.
8. The frosting/glaze should be made with cream cheese.
9. Let cinnamon rolls to cool slightly after baking.
10. As a finishing touch, spread on the cinnamon icing (they will melt on top of warm buns, but will stay intact on cooled down brioche cinnamon rolls).

Making Brioche Cinnamon Rolls, Step by Step

Brioche dough preparation tips

• Because of the high egg and butter content, this real brioche dough is incredibly soft.
• The dough may appear to be cake batter, but it must be kneaded repeatedly to achieve the desired consistency.
• Slowly drizzle in the butter. After adding the butter, I like to knead the dough for about 2 minutes at a time. This aids in the development of the gluten and the incorporation of the butter.
• Take your time kneading the dough towards the end as well, and it will form a shiny, smooth, soft ball. Impatience is not your friend in this situation.
• If you like, you can use AP flour or bread flour.
• Prepare the dough the morning before you want to make the cinnamon rolls so it has time to chill.
• Brioche dough that has been chilled makes it much easier to roll out and shape into cinnamon buns.

Filling preparation

• The filling couldn’t be simpler to prepare! When you’re ready to roll out and form cinnamon rolls, make this (after the brioche dough has chilled).
• The butter should be very soft, or it can even be melted (but cooled).
• To make a paste, combine the sugar, cinnamon (both types, if using), and salt.
• If you don’t want your filling to melt away, add 2 tablespoons flour to the recipe.
• This mixture should be smooth and easy to spread. If the mixture is not easily spreadable, microwave it for a few seconds to soften. But, DO NOT allow the mixture to melt.

RECIPE: BRIOCHE CINNAMON ROLLS

Take the dough out of the fridge. Press down on it to squeeze out the air.

Make a rough square with it. Spread it out to a rectangle that’s roughly 18 by 14 inches. As much as possible, stick to a rectangle shape.

Evenly distribute the filling over the dough, leaving a 1- to 1-and-a-quarter-inch border along one long edge.

Starting at one long side (where the filling is), roll the dough towards the other long side (without filling). If you’re going to wrap something up, do so with care so it’s neither too loose nor too tight.

Trim the log of cinnamon rolls. That’s up to you.

Divide the brioche cinnamon roll into 12 even pieces, and arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Cinnamon roll cutting tips

At room temperature, brioche dough is quite soft. It may be more difficult to cut a huge log of cinnamon dough without distorting it.

I’ve got a few pointers to assist you keep the shape and cut through the brioche easily.

1. Wrap the rolled-up dough in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for 10 to 20 minutes to solidify the outside.
2. To cut the servings, use unflavored dental floss instead of a knife.

Using Dental Floss to Slice Cinnamon Rolls

To begin, make 12 parallel marks along the length of the roll. Move a length of dental floss cautiously under the dough log.

Put it in line with the first mark you made on the dough. The dental floss must be wound such that both ends are above the roll. Then, following the initial mark you made, pull the two ends of the floss in opposing directions to make a clean cut through the dough.

To make 12 uniform cinnamon rolls, repeat the process 12 times.

BAKING AND PROOFING

Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and place them on a half baking sheet pan coated with parchment paper.

You have two options: either refrigerate the cinnamon rolls overnight and bake them the next morning, or let them proof and bake them right away. The cinnamon buns should have doubled in size before baking and should be touching each other in the pan.

Turn the oven temperature up to 180 degrees Celsius (or 350 degrees Fahrenheit). Put the pan of cinnamon rolls into the oven and bake until the tops are golden brown and the buns have an internal temperature of around 180 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit.

Putting icing on cinnamon buns

The cream cheese icing can be made while the cinnamon buns bake. Cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and salt are all you need to make this. To the icing, you can also add extra cinnamon.

This is a discretionary process. While I’m aware that many people would kill for some cream cheese frosting on their brioche cinnamon rolls, my loved ones and I find that they’re perfect just the way they are.

That’s because the rolls themselves are exceptionally tender, sugary, and luscious. They don’t require the extra sugar and fat that the frosting would provide. BUT if that’s how you (cinnamon) roll, go ahead and ice these puppies to your heart’s content!

As soon as the cinnamon buns come out of the oven, you can do a few different things with them.

1. Spread a mixture of melted butter and a pinch of salt on the cinnamon rolls (or melted, salted butter). That’s just how I like it.
2. Use a simple syrup flavoured with cinnamon to glaze the cinnamon rolls.
3. Spread the frosting while the cinnamon rolls are still hot so that it melts into the dough.
4. Put some butter on the cinnamon buns while they’re still hot, but wait until they’ve cooled before adding the frosting. What you see in the pictures in this post is exactly what you get. The frosting won’t melt or separate this way, and you can use as much or as little as you wish. In addition to putting the icing on top, you may also DRIZZLE it on.

Large cinnamon rolls like these are the best ever, and they’re perfect for celebrating any special event. The baked brioche cinnamon rolls (without the frosting) can be frozen for later use, which is another fantastic thing about this recipe. You can eat them again after they’ve thawed out at room temperature.

MAY I CUTS THE RECIPE IN HALF?

In this case, I wouldn’t cut the dough in half. When using a standard kitchen mixer, the dough will knead more effectively if prepared in the amounts specified here.

Nevertheless, if you just need half of the dough, you can create a half-batch of cinnamon rolls. Then, shape the remaining dough into a beautiful loaf of brioche (French toast, anyone?). also, you may use brioche dough to bake burger buns.

Half of the recipe yields 6 huge cinnamon rolls (in a 9 x 13 pan). You can bake 9 large cinnamon rolls in a 9-by-13-inch pan, or you can bake 12 smaller buns. Keep a closer check on the smaller cinnamon buns because they will cook more quickly.

The cinnamon taste in these brioche cinnamon rolls is intense without being overpowering, and the roll itself is very tender, buttery, and sweet. If you’re a fan of cinnamon rolls and brioche, then you’re going to flip out over this combination.

They are wonderful for morning meals or as a birthday, holiday, or special occasion treat!

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