These easy brioche cinnamon rolls are extra fluffy and soft and are packed full of cinnamon and brown sugar with the most delicious cream cheese glaze on top. They can be made from start to finish in less than 3 hours There’s nothing quite like a fresh, warm and gooey cinnamon roll for breakfast! Pair with a cup of coffee, orange juice, some eggs and bacon for a well balanced breakfast or brunch.

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Why you will love these cinnamon rolls

You can have fresh, homemade, buttery and fluffy cinnamon rolls in just 3 hours
No mixer is required to make the dough. Just a bowl and your hands.
The rolls can be prepped in advance to bake in the morning if short on time.
It is an easy recipe for first time bread makers.
The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to make a big batch for parties or events.

Ingredient Notes

Milk: I always use whole milk. Specifically A2, A2 whole milk because I personally believe it yields a fluffy roll. However I have had success using dairy free milk too. I like Elmhurst coconut, cashew milk blend. You really can use whatever milk you would like. Just make sure it is 110 F so the yeast will activate when added to the milk. If the milk is too hot it will kill the yeast. Too cold and the yeast won’t bubble up.

Butter: I use slated butter. You can also use coconut oil, avocado oil or olive oil if you need a dairy free replacement. Just add the oil in where the butter is suppose to be added.

Flour: Use a high quality all purpose flour with a high protein content. I love using all purpose, organic unbleached white flour. The 365 brand from whole foods works great! Heres a link!

Yeast: I personally prefer using active dry yeast. I buy Red Star. It is the best! If you are into sourdough, I have had success replacing 1/2 cup of milk with 1/2 cup (100g) of sourdough discard to the recipe.

Salt: salt is so important when baking because it enhances the flavors of the other ingredients! A good quality sea salt is the secret ingredient for amazing tasting baked goods. I love Redmond Sea Salt because it is unrefined and contains over 60 plus trace minerals. Who said treats have to be unhealthy?

Sugar: I love honey and add it in anything that I can. It is a non refined sugar, making it great for keeping glucose levels low but you can use regular granulated sugar if you would like or even coconut sugar. Just use 4 tablespoons instead of 2 tablespoons of honey.

Eggs: It is important for the eggs to be room temperature. Cold eggs could kill the yeast and yield a dense cinnamon roll. We want fluffy, brioche style rolls. An easy trick is to place your eggs in a bowl of warm tap water for 10 minutes then use. This will bring them to room temperature quickly. Also if you double the recipe use 3 eggs. If you triple the recipe use 4 eggs and 1 egg yolk.

Recipe Variations

Orange Rolls: Make the dough as directed. For the filling mix 5 tablespoon of softened butter, with 1/2 cup granulated sugar infused with the zest of one orange, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and 4 tablespoons flour. For the frosting replace 1 ttablespoon of heavy cream with fresh orange juice. Top the rolls with extra zest if you would like.

Raspberry Rolls: Make the dough as directed. For the filling mash together 2.5 cups (10 oz pkg) of fresh, organic, washed and dried raspberries, 1/3 cup of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch, arrowroot powder or tapioca starch. For the frosting you can use almond extract instead of vanilla extract.

Nutella Sweet Rolls: Make the dough as directed. For the filling spread one jar of Nocciolata Organic Hazelnut Spread over the dough but reserve 2 tablespoons for the frosting. For the frosting add 11/2 cups of powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of hazelnut spread, 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and 1/3 cup of heavy cream to a bowl. Beat together with a whisk or hand mixer 2-3 minutes until smooth.

Apple Rolls: Make the dough as directed. For the filling mix 5 tablespoons softened butter, 2/3 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger together to spread over the dough. Then sprinkle 3 apples, peeled and diced over the dough. Roll up, rise and bake as normal. You can add a tablespoon of pure maple syrup to the frosting if you would like.

How to make the cinnamon Rolls

In a microwave safe bowl warm the milk to 110 F, about 1 minute and 30 seconds in the microwave. Add in the cubed butter. Let the butter melt. Then mix in 2 tablespoon of honey and active dry yeast. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the yeast to activate 5-10 minutes until bubbly and foamy.
Pour the yeast mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add 3 cups of flour and mix until combined. I like mixing with a dough whisk. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 5 minutes, adding up to a cup and a half more flour until the dough isn’t sticky and bounces back when you indent it with a finger. You can use a mixer with the dough hook if you want.
Form the dough into a nice ball and place into a greased bowl. Cover and let the dough rise 1 hour or until doubled in size. Using the light from your oven can help speed up the bulk rise.
After the bulk rise, punch the dough down and flip out into a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a 12×18 rectangle. Spread the softened butter to the edges of each corner, sprinkle the brown sugar on top and then the cinnamon. Now roll and tuck the dough into a nice long log lengthwise. Pinch the seem together so the filling does not leak out. Cut off the ends to revel the swirls and discard. Then cut 12 equal cinnamon rolls with a knife or floss.
Place the cinnamon rolls on a greased sheet pan and cover with a tea towel for the last and final rise for about 30 minutes. Or place the rolls in the fridge overnight to bake in the morning.
If you place the cinnamon rolls in the refrigerator overnight, bring them out the next morning and allow them to come back to room temperature while the oven preheats to 350 F. About 30-45 minutes until doubled in size. Then bake for 24-30 minutes until fluffy and tops are golden brown. Make the frosting and frost the warm rolls. Serve and enjoy.
If making the day of, preheat the oven to 350 F while the rolls are rising for the final time . Bake 24-30 minutes until fluffy and golden brown. Make the frosting while the cinnamon rolls are baking. Frost right from the oven. Serve and enjoy.

Easy Brioche Cinnamon Rolls

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings 12 Large Cinnamon Rolls

Equipment

1 Mixing Bowl Set
1 Dough Hook
Plastic Wrap or tea towel
1 French Rolling Pin
1 Sheet Pan
1 Hand Mixer
1 Measuring Cup Set
1 Dough Scraper
1 Plastic Dough Scraper

Ingredients

Cinnamon Roll Dough:

1 ¾ cup warm whole milk (110 degrees F) can use a dairy free alternative
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
2 tablespoons raw honey or 4 tablespoons organic cane sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup salted butter cubed
1 egg room temperature
1 egg yolk room temperature
41/2 cups all purpose unbleached organic flour

Cinnamon Roll Filling:

5 tablespoons softened butter
⅔ cup organic brown sugar or coconut sugar
1 ½ tablespoon cinnamon

Glaze:

3 tablespoons butter melted
2 oz cream cheese softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 pinch sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk for consistency

Instructions

In a microwave safe bowl warm the milk to 110 F, about 1 minute and 30 seconds in the microwave. Add in the cubed butter. Let the butter melt. Then mix in 2 tablespoon of honey and active dry yeast. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the yeast to activate 5-10 minutes until bubbly and foamy.
Pour the yeast mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add 3 cups of flour and mix until combined. I like mixing with a dough whisk. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 5 minutes, adding up to a cup and a half more flour until the dough isn’t sticky and bounces back when you indent it with a finger. You can use a mixer with the dough hook if you want.
Form the dough into a nice ball and place into a greased bowl. Cover and let the dough rise 1 hour or until doubled in size. Using the light from your oven can help speed up the bulk rise.
After the bulk rise, punch the dough down and flip out into a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a 12×18 rectangle. Spread the softened butter to the edges of each corner, sprinkle the brown sugar on top and then the cinnamon. Now roll and tuck the dough into a nice long log lengthwise. Pinch the seem together so the filling does not leak out. Cut off the ends to revel the swirls and discard. Then cut 12 equal cinnamon rolls with a knife or floss.
Place the cinnamon rolls on a greased sheet pan and cover with a tea towel for the last and final rise for about 30 minutes. Or place the rolls in the fridge overnight to bake in the morning.
f you place the cinnamon rolls in the refrigerator overnight, bring them out the next morning and allow them to come back to room temperature while the oven preheats to 350 F. About 30-45 minutes until doubled in size. Then bake for 24-30 minutes until fluffy and tops are golden brown. Make the frosting and frost the warm rolls. Serve and enjoy.
If making the same day, preheat the oven to 350 F while the rolls are rising for the final time . Bake 24-30 minutes until fluffy and golden brown. Make the frosting while the cinnamon rolls are baking. Frost right from the oven. Serve and enjoy.
Cover leftover baked cinnamon rolls with a lid and eat within 2-3 days.

Notes

This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. Just use 3 eggs if you double the recipe and 4 eggs and 1 egg yolk if you triple it. After the first rise use a dough scraper to cut the dough into two if you doubled the recipe. Divide it into thirds if you tripled the recipe. Then roll each ball into 12×18 inch rectangles and spread your filling like normal. You will just do that step twice or three times. Proceed with the recipe as directed.

If you want to pre make your cinnamon rolls to freeze and have for special occasions without the mess follow these simple steps below.

Begin by making the cinnamon rolls as directed above but instead of having the rolls rise a second time, place the cut cinnamon rolls on a greased baking pan and place into the freezer for 2o minutes. It is important to not skip this step or else the cinnamon rolls will stick together in the bag and will be hard to unthaw at a later time.
While the rolls are pre freezing, take two, gallon sized, freezer friendly, zip lock bags and write out the directions for unthawing and baking the cinnamon rolls on the tag. Also write the expiration date (which will be the date 3 months later from the time that you freeze the dough.)
Next remove the cinnamon rolls from the freezer and place 6 rolls in each ziplock bag. Zip the bags up and leave a tiny space to insert a straw. With the straw, suck out as much air from the bag as possible, remove the straw and seal the bag quickly. Place the batch of cinnamon rolls into the freezer and save for a rainy day!
The frosting can also be pre made too. Just make according to the directions above and divide the frosting into two separate, freezer friendly containers and freeze for up to three months.
To bake the frozen cinnamon rolls, remove them from the freezer, place onto a greased 9×13 pan, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight. If you froze the frosting let it unthaw in the refrigerator overnight too.
The next morning remove the rolls and frosting from the fridge and place on the counter while preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. They should rise about 20-35 minutes. Then bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes until fluffy and golden brown tops.
Then beat the frosting a few times with a spoon and spread on top of the warm cinnamon rolls to enjoy.