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This may be a controversial statement for some: cinnamon rolls take some time but aren’t a lot of work. There’s a difference between a strenuous task and the time it takes. Some things are strenuous, some things take some time, and some are both. These cinnamon rolls only take some time.
The reason this recipe will become a staple in your home is the result. These are not just any old cinnamon rolls. They’re brioche-style cinnamon rolls. Brioche is a French-style bread with higher than normal amounts of egg and butter. The result is a rich and tender dough with a buttery flavor that will trump any other cinnamon roll. The dough is easy to work with and nearly fail-proof. What could be better!
The important ingredients in these cinnamon rolls
- Eggs play an important role in this dough. This is evident in the fact that there’s a higher amount of eggs when compared to a regular cinnamon roll recipe. The eggs provide a richness to the dough and the yolks impart a slightly yellow color.
- Milk helps tenderize the dough. If possible, use whole milk for added richness and flavor.
- Neutral oil will provide a nice texture to the dough with the bonus of imparting a moist crumb. A neutral oil is one that has no flavor. Choose grapeseed, safflower, or canola oil.
- Sugar is used in moderation for the dough. The filling will have a high amount of sweetness, so the dough has just enough to balance out the flavor.
- Flour will provide the structure in this recipe. When it comes to cinnamon rolls, some recipes will use pastry flour. But this recipe is intended for all-purpose flour, which is common in most pantries.
- Instant active yeast is the only yeast I use. This type of yeast is available right next to the active dry yeast in most grocery stores. The advantage of the instant variety is that it does not need to be bloomed in water. Simply add it directly with the flour. Easy!
- Butter helps make this a brioche-style dough. The amount of butter is high, but imparts a soft and flavorful dough that will make anyone fall in love with this recipe. Trust me on this one!
If bread baking is a new venture for you, the steps of this recipe are simple. But each one is important in ensuring that these rolls come out as intended. Bread baking can take some time to get accustomed to and fully understand how much kneading is necessary.
The best way to learn about bread is to use a recipe continually until it is comfortable. As the dough is kneaded and gluten is developed, the texture becomes soft and smooth. When the dough has just a slight tackiness and wants to stick to the counter or bowl, but easily releases when kneaded, it is ready to rise!
If you love this recipe for brioche cinnamon rolls, you’ll also love my other versions of cinnamon rolls:
Cinnamon Roll Muffins
Ultimate Cinnamon Rolls
Easter Morning Cinnamon Rolls
Cinnamon Roll Cookies
Watch how to make these brioche cinnamon rolls
Brioche Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the rolls
- 5 large eggs
- ½ cup whole milk warmed to 100°F to 110°F
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ tsp (1 pkg) instant yeast
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 16 tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter
For the filling
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
For the frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2-3 tbsp whole milk
Instructions
For the cinnamon roll dough
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk the eggs to break the yolks. Add the milk, oil, and sugar. Whisk to incorporate. Add 2 cups of flour and yeast. Using the dough hook or by hand, mix the dough to incorporate the flour and yeast. Add the remaining flour and salt. Knead until it pulls away and cleans the side of the bowl but is slightly tacky, 6-8 minutes.5 large eggs, ½ cup whole milk, 2 tbsp neutral oil, ½ cup granulated sugar, 5 cups all-purpose flour, 2 ¼ tsp (1 pkg) instant yeast, 1 tsp kosher salt
- With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter 1 tbsp at a time, allowing the butter to fully incorporate before adding more.16 tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- Once all of the butter is incorporated, the dough will be smooth and elastic. Place the dough into an oiled bowl. Cover and allow to rise in a warm area until doubled in size, 1 to 1 ½ hours.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, punch down to remove the air. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough in a rectangle measuring 18×16 inches.
- Brush the melted butter over the dough. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle evenly over the melted butter, leaving ½-inch on the long side. Roll up the dough tightly towards the side with no sugar, and pinch the seams together. Roll the dough onto the seam and cut into 12 equal rolls. Set individual rolls in a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until almost doubled in size. While rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.5 tbsp unsalted butter, ½ cup light brown sugar, 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- Once the rolls have risen, place them in the preheated oven. Bake until the rolls are golden brown and the temperature reads 190°F in the center, 30-40 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool. While the rolls are slightly warm but not hot, frost and serve.
For the frosting
- In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese and butter. Beat until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and 2 tbsp of milk. Beat on low until smooth, and adjust with more milk as needed to achieve the desired consistency.8 oz cream cheese, 4 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract, 2-3 tbsp whole milk
I enjoy learning with you!! You have a lot of good hints, keep up the good work!!
I love your personality and how you teach. Thanks for sharing all that you do. I truly enjoy your cheerfulness and joy. Love your videos!! Keep up your great work.
you make cooking so much fun. and i love the sound of
our voice.
These are fabulous. I used melted butter and melted crunchy peanut butter on the dough along with raisins soaked in bourbon. Oh my gosh, try it, you’ll love the nuts and raisins, almost as much as the slight bourbon flavor.
The butter you use in the Brioche Cinnamon Rolls, is it salted or unsalted? What do you normally use for baking?
I made a double batch of them tonight(24 count). My husband said they were the best cinnamon rolls he’s ever eaten! Yeah! Now, tomorrow he is taking a full pan to work for his fellow employees so, I’ll let you know what they say tomorrow! I’m sure they will be generous with the compliments. Thank you again, Caleb!
These are my new favorite cinnamon buns!! Omg!! So good!! The only thing I did differently, was 4 cups of flour instead of 5 cups. I generously flour my work surface too. I’ve been on a bread making journey for a few years now, and I’ve noticed with most recipes, I have to decrease the amount of flour. I think it’s because I live in a very dry climate? This is also my first time using eggs in a cinnamon bun recipe and wow, amazing results! Thank you so much for sharing everything you do! Your videos have helped me through some very dark times. Thank you! 🙂
OMG!!! Made these today while visiting my sis in CA (I live in Ames)!!! These cinnamon rolls are sooooooooo good! Tender! Flavorful! Flakey! Just yummy! We were raised on homemade cinnamon rolls since the mid 1950’s that our Mom made, but our German ancestry had a bakery in the early 1900’s in Silver City, NM so we KNOW good cinnamon rolls!!! These are delicious! Loved them and the frosting too!!!
Maybe it’s because I used a really high quality butter but these where a little to rich for my family. Next time I may reduce the amount of butter to 1/2.
Haven’t made yet but will soon (yes, gave them 5 stars just based on what I saw!!!!). They look amazing!!!! I love your videos and personality. It’s like baking with your buddy/neighbor. Keep it up!!!!
Thank you for sharing ! Can I use a bread machine to make these?
so good thanks for sharing