Brioche Cinnamon Rolls
The best and softest brioche cinnamon rolls! These brunch treats are made with an easy buttery brioche dough, brown sugar, cinnamon and pecan filling, and topped with a quick cream cheese glaze.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup full fat milk or whole milk, plus a tablespoon for egg wash
- 2½ teaspoon dry active yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all purpose flour or plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- ¾ cup strong white bread flour
- 1 tablespoon superfine granulated sugar or caster sugar
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
Ingredients for Filling
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- ½ cup light brown sugar muscovado, firmly packed
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 4 oz shelled pecans roughly chopped
Ingredients for Cream Cheese Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar or icing sugar
- 2 oz spreadable cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon full fat milk or whole milk
Instructions
- Begin by heating your full fat milk to 104°F/40C (see note).
- When your milk is at the desired temperature, add your yeast and 1 teaspoon of your sugar. Stir together lightly and set aside for 10 minutes until the yeast becomes foamy (see note).
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook, add your flour, bread flour, salt and remaining sugar. Stir together.
- Once the yeast is frothy, add this to the flour mixture, immediately followed by two eggs and one egg white. Reserve the egg yolk in a small bowl for later (see note). Begin mixing on a low speed until a dough forms and continue until it begins to pull itself away from the sides of the bowl (about 15 minutes).
- After 15 minutes, begin adding the softened butter a tablespoon at a time, allowing the butter to be incorporated into the dough.
- Once all the butter is added, continue mixing on a low-medium speed for a further 12-15 minutes until the dough again pulls itself from the sides. It will be a softer dough now that the butter is added.
- While the dough is being kneaded, grease a clean bowl with butter.
- Scrape the dough into the greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator to slow proof for about 8 hours (or overnight) until doubled in size.
- Following the first proof, prepare a clean work surface by dusting with flour. Turn the dough out and knock it back. Gently pat this into a square and use a rolling pin to roll out into a 12" x 12" square.
- Dot softened butter over the surface of the dough square and spread to cover.
- Stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped pecans. Sprinkle this over the butter and then tightly roll the dough into a log.
- Use either a sharp knife or some flavourless dental floss to cut the log. First trim about an inch or two off each end to remove uneven bits. Then divide the dough into 9.
- Line a square baking pan with parchment paper and place the 9 cinnamon rolls inside. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow to proof for a second time - this time for 2 hours at room temperature.
- When the 2 hours is nearly up, preheat your oven to 350°F (175C/155C Fan).
- Add a tablespoon of milk to the reserved egg yolk and beat with a fork to combine. Brush this over the top of your cinnamon rolls.
- Place the baking pan in the middle of your pre-heated oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes, until golden on top.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, while you prepare the icing.
- To make the frosting, whisk together the powdered sugar, spreadable cream cheese and vanilla. Slowly add the milk about a teaspoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- Spread the frosting over the buns and serve.
Notes
Heating the milk can be done in the microwave or in a small saucepan. I heat mine until simmering and then allow to cool until near the desired temperature. Your goal is warm milk, but not too hot to touch - around 104°F/40C is the best temperature for the yeast to be most active.
If your yeast does not become foamy, this means that the yeast hasn't activated. This may be due to the milk being too cold or too hot when you add the yeast.
You'll want to reserve your egg yolk for an egg wash at the time of baking. As this recipe does take several hours to proof, it is best to keep the egg yolk in a small bowl, covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator until ready for use.
Nutrition
Calories: 524kcalCarbohydrates: 48.9gProtein: 9gFat: 33.9gSaturated Fat: 15.9gCholesterol: 116mgSodium: 450mgPotassium: 224mgFiber: 3.5gSugar: 23gCalcium: 54mgIron: 3mg
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