Brioche Cinnamon Rolls

Note: I was sent a bottle of Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

It seems like everyone has really taken to home baking while staying-at-home during this pandemic. I’ve been impressed with everyone’s sourdoughs, banana breads, and other baked goods! So why not add another awesome option to your repertoire: Cinnamon Rolls, or more specifically, Brioche Cinnamon Rolls!

Nielsen-Massey recently published a new video showing how to Knead Dough by Hand, which comes in handy while making this recipe.

This recipe for Brioche Cinnamon Rolls is based off a recipe from the Nielsen-Massey website as well.

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 2/3 cups flour, divided
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large whole eggs, divided
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cubed

Cinnamon Roll Filling:

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 egg white
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Almond Extract

Vanilla Icing:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract

Note: make the dough the evening before you want to bake the cinnamon rolls

Before beginning, measure out your flour into a small bowl.

To make the dough, warm 2 tablespoons milk in a microwave in 10 to 15 second increments to 100 degrees F (you’ll need a thermometer to test this).

Fit the dough hook on to a stand mixer. Combine the warm milk, yeast, and 1 1/2 tablespoons flour (removed from your prepared small bowl) in the bowl of the stand mixer, stirring to combine.

Let sit in a warm place for about 10 minutes. You should begin to see gas bubbles.

After 10 minutes, add the remaining flour, sugar, salt, and 2 eggs. (You won’t need your third egg until you’re about to bake the cinnamon rolls).

Mix on low speed until all of the dry ingredients have been mixed with the wet ingredients. Increase your speed to medium, until the dough begins to form a ball in the center of the bowl.

Slowly add in your cubed butter and continue mixing until all of the butter is incorporated. (The dough was supposed to come clean off of the side of the bowl after several minutes, but mine remained very sticky, that’s ok).

Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and press dough flat onto a baking sheet. Cover with plastic and let rest overnight in your refrigerator.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a cake pan or baking sheet and set aside.

Remove your dough from the refrigerator, and use the French fold technique.

Place your dough on a clean, dry countertop. Do not flour the countertop first. Grab the right side of the dough with both hands, with your fingers under the dough and thumbs on top. In one motion, pick up the dough, rotate it 90°, flip the dough towards you, and gently slap the dough down on the counter so that one half sticks to the counter. Gently stretch the half of the dough you’re holding upwards and fold it away from you, over the dough stuck to the counter. Repeat for 15-30 minutes, rotating the same direction each time, until dough is smooth and fully kneaded.

When your dough is ready to go, begin to prepare the cinnamon roll filling. In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, egg whites, brown sugar, butter, water, cinnamon and salt. Mix to a smooth paste. Add vanilla and almond extracts and mix until well combined. Set aside.

Roll the dough out on a lightly-floured surface to 12-inch wide and approximately 12 or 14 inches in length. Dough thickness will be about 1/8 inch thick.

Spread the cinnamon roll filling evenly onto the dough.

Take one of the longer edges and roll up the dough. Slice rolls about 2/3-inch thick (you should have ~12 rolls).

Place cut rolls into a baking sheet about 1-inch apart from each other. Let the rolls rise until they have increased about 50% in size, about 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, lightly beat the remaining egg. Lightly brush the tops of the cinnamon rolls for color.

Place in the oven to bake for about 14-16 minutes at 350 degrees F. They should have golden edges and golden color on the top as well. Remove from oven and let cool.

While the rolls are cooling, begin to prepare the icing. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter.

Remove pan from heat and whisk in the powdered sugar and salt; the mixture will become very thick and crumbly.

Add the milk in two parts while continuously whisking until you reach a smooth consistency, then stir in the vanilla extract.

Drizzle over the warm cinnamon rolls and serve.

Whew. Even after all that effort, these were still totally worth it!

The cinnamon rolls are fluffy and filled with cinnamon-y goodness, and the vanilla icing adds the perfect extra sweetness.

These can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to serve. I suggest storing the icing separate, heating up the rolls, and drizzling the icing over the warmed rolls.