Freshly baked warm homemade cinnamon rolls are one of the best breakfasts.

Pillowy soft brioche dough is filled with a nutty flavoured brown butter chocolate cinnamon filing, then rolled up into perfect rolls. The rolls are then baked and slathered with a cream cheese icing. Be prepared to have some happy people who will enjoy these yeasty rolls filled with lovely flavours.

These rolls are easy to make. All you need is time and patience.

HOW TO MAKE BROWN BUTTER CHOCOLATE CINNAMON ROLLS

• Make the dough – The base of these brown butter chocolate cinnamon rolls is a light and fluffy dough that comes together easily in the mixer.
• Rise the dough – You can rise the dough at room temperature or in the fridge overnight.  Allowing the dough to rest overnight in the fridge yields good results and makes this recipe convenient for a morning bake. 
• Brown the Butter – There’s brown butter in the filling. The butter is browned and then mixed with the rest of the filling ingredients. Make sure you get all the browned bits out of the saucepan. They have so much nutty flavour. 
• Make the Filling – The brown butter gets mixed up with brown sugar, cocoa and cinnamon, into a spreadable paste. 
• Roll out dough and assemble rolls – The dough is rolled out into a rectangle and spread with the filling, then rolled up tightly and cut into rolls.
• Second rise – This second rise is important to get the rolls puffy and ready for the oven. This usually takes about an hour, but can be done overnight if you want to bake them in the morning. 

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Brown Butter Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Course Breakfast

Ingredients

For the Dough

• ¾ cup milk
• 2 tsp quick rise yeast
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ½ cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 cups + 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 3 tbsp butter, softened
• 1 egg, for egg wash

For the Filling

• ½ cup butter
• 1 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Cream Cheese Icing

• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• ¼ cup butter, room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar, sifted

Instructions

For the Dough

• Warm milk in a bowl in the microwave – 15-20 seconds until lukewarm.
• Add in the yeast and 2 tsp sugar and mix to combine.
• Cover with a tea towel and allow to sit in a warm spot for 5-10 minutes, until frothy.
• Place the yeast mixture in the bowl of a stand mixer and add the eggs.
• Mix to combine, then add in the oil.
• Add the flour, salt and sugar.
• Mix using a dough hook until the dough comes together.
• Finally add in the butter one tablespoon at time. Once the butter has blended into the dough, turn it out onto a clean surface.The dough should be firm, but elastic and springy.
• Oil a large bowl and place the dough in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap (TIP: I like to use a disposable shower cap that can be re-used) and a tea towel.
• Place in a warm spot in the kitchen and allow to rise for 2 hours.

For the Filling

• Heat a heavy bottomed saucepan on medium heat. Add the butter (if you slice it, it will melt more evenly) stirring frequently.
• Once melted, the butter will foam up a bit. Watch carefully as lightly browned specks begin to form at the bottom of the pan. Smell the butter, it should have a nutty aroma.
• Remove from heat and pour into a bowl to stop the butter from cooking further.
• Add the rest of the ingredients to the brown butter and mix well until smooth.

To Assemble

• Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead to remove any air bubbles.
• Roll the dough into a 9×15” rectangle and spread the filling evenly, keeping a ½ inch border.
• Start rolling from the longest side and roll as tightly as possible.
• Cut into rounds (I like to use dental floss for clean cuts) and place in a greased 10-inch skillet or oven safe dish, spacing them evenly.
• Cover and proof in a warm space for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Brush lightly with egg wash, and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.

Cream Cheese Icing

• Using a hand mixer beat the cream cheese and butter until combined. Add in the vanilla extract.
• Add the powdered sugar to the butter/cream cheese and beat scraping the sides of the bowl. Beat for 2-3 minutes until well combined and smooth.
• Spread the icing over the cinnamon rolls while they are still warm so it melts into the rolls. Recipe inspired by InTheMidnightKitchen