Brown butter cinnamon rolls

Makes:12 rolls
Oven:350°F
Cook mode

Ingredients:

  • 2¼ tspactive dry yeast
  • 250 gwhole milk, lukewarm
  • 4 tbspsugar (50 g)
  • 565 gall-purpose flour
  • 1 tspsalt, for the dough
  • 2eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tspvanilla bean paste
  • 125 gunsalted butter, room temperature, for the dough
  • 500 gunsalted butter, to brown (makes about 350 g)
  • 375 gdark brown sugar
  • 3 tbspcinnamon
  • 1 tbspall-purpose flour, for the filling
  • pinch of salt, for the filling
  • 200 gcream cheese, room temperature
  • 250 gpowdered sugar, sifted
  • ½ tspsalt, for the frosting

Steps:

  1. Brown the butter ahead: melt the over medium heat and keep cooking, swirling often, until it foams and turns golden brown and nutty, 3 to 4 minutes. Cool slightly, freeze until solid, then let it soften at room temperature, stirring often, until spreadable.

  2. Stir the lukewarm , and . Let it sit 10 to 15 minutes, until foamy.

  3. In a stand mixer with the dough hook, briefly mix the , and .

  4. Add the milk mixture, and . Mix on low 2 to 3 minutes, then on medium for 5 minutes.

  5. Add the a little at a time, letting each piece mix in before the next. Mix 7 to 10 minutes more, until smooth and soft.

  6. Cover and let rise somewhere warm until doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour, or overnight in the fridge.

  7. Line a 9 by 13 inch pan with parchment. Mix , , , , and for the filling.

  8. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 24 by 16 inch rectangle, squaring the edges. Spread the filling evenly over it.

  9. Roll it up tightly from a long side. Cut the log in half, set both pieces on a lightly greased, parchment-lined sheet, cover loosely and freeze 20 minutes to firm up. Skip this if the dough rose overnight and holds together well.

  10. Cut each log into 6 even pieces and set them in the pan, evenly spaced.

  11. Cover loosely and let rise 45 minutes to 1 hour, until puffy and a gentle poke leaves a dent. Heat the oven to 350°F meanwhile.

  12. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until deep golden brown. Let them stand about 15 minutes.

  13. For the frosting, beat the remaining and with the paddle until combined. Add the , and and whip until light and fluffy.

  14. Spread the frosting over the rolls while they're still slightly warm.

Tips:

500 g of butter browns down to about 350 g, which covers the 250 g for the filling and 100 g for the frosting. That's not a mistake.

Brown all the butter at once, and stir it while it firms so the brown bits mix in. It keeps in the fridge; bring it back to room temperature before using.

An overnight first rise in the fridge splits up the work and makes the dough easier to roll.

Or shape the rolls the day before and do the second rise overnight in the fridge.

Chill the log, then cut with a sharp serrated knife or unflavored dental floss. Uneven rolls even out as they rise.

The spoonful of flour in the filling stops it leaking while baking.

Store leftovers airtight at room temperature and rewarm in the microwave.