The Ultimate Guide to Super Fluffy Brioche Cinnamon Rolls with Heavy Cream & Cream Cheese Frosting (Overnight Option)

Prepare to fall in love with these incredibly soft, rich, and utterly irresistible brioche cinnamon rolls. What makes them truly stand out? A special secret ingredient: a generous pour of heavy cream just before baking! This TikTok-famous technique guarantees an unparalleled level of moistness and fluffiness, transforming ordinary cinnamon rolls into a gooey, melt-in-your-mouth experience. Filled with a delightful brown sugar and cinnamon swirl and crowned with a luscious, tangy cream cheese frosting, these rolls are pure perfection. Plus, with a convenient overnight proofing option, you can wake up to warm, freshly baked cinnamon rolls without the morning rush.

This beloved recipe was first published in June 2021 and has since been updated with new, mouth-watering images and enhanced tips to ensure your baking success. Our commitment to delivering the best possible results means continuously refining our recipes to bring you truly exceptional treats.

For years, I’ve been incorporating warm heavy cream into my cinnamon roll recipe just before they hit the oven, long before it became a viral sensation on TikTok. This seemingly simple step is a game-changer! As the rolls bake, they slowly absorb the heavy cream, resulting in a profoundly moist, tender, and incredibly fluffy texture that will have everyone asking for your secret. It’s the key to achieving those dreamy, gooey centers that are so characteristic of the best homemade cinnamon rolls.

Whether you’re an experienced baker or new to working with yeast dough, this recipe is designed to guide you through each step, ensuring a successful and delicious outcome. The brioche dough provides a rich, buttery base, while the cinnamon-sugar filling offers that classic comforting spice. And let’s not forget the decadent cream cheese frosting – the perfect finishing touch that balances the sweetness with a hint of tang. Get ready to bake the best cinnamon rolls you’ve ever tasted!

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Why You’ll Adore These Brioche Cinnamon Rolls!

These brioche cinnamon rolls aren’t just a treat; they’re an experience. Here’s why this recipe will quickly become your go-to for cozy mornings and delightful desserts:

• Unrivaled Softness and Richness: The secret to their superior texture lies in the brioche dough. Made with a generous amount of milk, butter, and sugar, this dough creates an incredibly soft, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth base that sets these rolls apart from traditional recipes. The richness of the brioche contributes to a luxurious feel and taste.
• Effortless Overnight Prep: Baking fresh cinnamon rolls can often feel like a time-consuming endeavor. This recipe streamlines the process with an optional overnight rise in the fridge. This means you can do most of the work the evening before, allowing the dough to slowly develop flavor and rise to perfection while you sleep. Imagine waking up to the aroma of freshly baked cinnamon rolls with minimal morning effort – pure bliss!
• The Heavy Cream “Magic”: A truly transformative step involves pouring warm heavy cream over the rolls just before baking. As they bake, the dough beautifully soaks up the cream, infusing every bite with extra moisture and creating an irresistibly gooey, soft texture. This technique ensures your cinnamon rolls are never dry and always wonderfully tender, elevating them to a new level of indulgence.
• Dreamy Cream Cheese Frosting: No cinnamon roll is complete without a decadent topping. These rolls are lavishly covered in a rich, tangy, and silky-smooth cream cheese frosting. This simple frosting can be whipped together by hand in just a few minutes, providing the perfect sweet-and-creamy contrast to the warm, spicy rolls.
• Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether it’s a special holiday breakfast, a weekend brunch, or simply a craving for something sweet and comforting, these brioche cinnamon rolls are always a crowd-pleaser. Their impressive appearance and incredible flavor make them ideal for sharing, yet they’re so good, you might just want to keep them all to yourself!

Essential Ingredients for Your Cinnamon Roll Journey

Crafting the perfect brioche cinnamon rolls begins with selecting quality ingredients. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need and why each component is crucial:

• Butter: For the ultimate rich flavor and tender crumb, I highly recommend using European-style butter, such as Kerry Gold. This type of butter boasts a higher butterfat content compared to American butter, contributing to a much more luxurious and flavorful dough. Ensure your butter for the dough and filling is at room temperature for optimal mixing and spreading.
• Cream Cheese: Essential for that signature tangy and sweet frosting! If you’re using cream cheese from a tub (common in the UK and Europe), it often has a higher moisture content. To prevent a runny frosting, make sure to pat it dry thoroughly with a paper towel before whipping. For block cream cheese, simply ensure it’s softened to room temperature.
• Flour: All-purpose flour works wonderfully for these rolls, yielding a beautifully soft texture. However, if you prefer a chewier cinnamon roll with a bit more structure, you can substitute bread flour. Bread flour has a higher protein content, which develops more gluten and results in a chewier bite.
• Yeast: Active dry yeast is used in this recipe. Always double-check the expiration date on your yeast package before you begin baking. Expired yeast will not activate properly, leading to a dough that won’t rise, and ultimately, flat, dense cinnamon rolls. Proofing the yeast in lukewarm milk (as detailed in the instructions) is a crucial step to ensure it’s alive and ready to work its magic.
• Heavy Cream: This is the secret ingredient that truly elevates these rolls! Just before the cinnamon buns go into the oven, a pour of warm heavy cream (or double cream if you’re in the UK) over the unbaked rolls ensures they bake up extra moist and gooey. The cream soaks into the dough during baking, creating an incredibly tender texture and a delicious, rich bottom layer.
• Milk: Whole milk is preferred for its fat content, which adds to the richness and tenderness of the brioche dough. Ensure it’s lukewarm when mixed with yeast to activate it properly without killing the live cultures.
• Eggs & Egg Yolk: These contribute to the brioche’s signature richness, color, and structure. Using one whole egg and one egg yolk adds extra moisture and tenderness without making the dough too eggy. Always use room temperature eggs for better incorporation into the dough.
• Sugars (Granulated & Brown): Granulated sugar sweetens the brioche dough and helps activate the yeast. Light brown sugar is key for the cinnamon filling, providing a molasses-rich sweetness and a wonderfully gooey consistency when combined with cinnamon and butter.
• Salt: A pinch of fine sea salt enhances the flavors in both the dough and the filling, balancing the sweetness and bringing out the depth of the other ingredients.
• Ground Cinnamon: The star of the filling! Use fresh, good-quality ground cinnamon for the best aromatic flavor.
• Vanilla Extract: A touch of vanilla in the cream cheese frosting adds a lovely warmth and complexity, complementing the tang of the cream cheese.

Easy Step-by-Step Instructions for Baking Perfection

Follow these detailed steps to create the most divine brioche cinnamon rolls. Precision and patience are your best friends when working with yeast dough!

Step One: Activate the Yeast. Begin by gently warming your whole milk. You can do this in a small saucepan over medium-low heat or in a microwave. The goal is to make it lukewarm – think baby bathwater temperature. It should be warm to the touch but not hot. Pour the lukewarm milk into a medium-sized bowl and sprinkle the active dry yeast over it. Stir gently to combine. Let this mixture sit undisturbed for 5-10 minutes. You’ll know the yeast is active and healthy when it starts to foam and produce small bubbles on the surface; this indicates it’s alive and ready to leaven your dough.

Step Two: Prepare and Knead the Dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine your all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and fine sea salt. Give these dry ingredients a quick mix to ensure they’re well distributed. Next, add the proofed milk-and-yeast mixture, along with the room temperature butter (cut into small squares), the whole egg, and the egg yolk. Mix on low speed for 2-3 minutes until the ingredients are just combined and a shaggy dough begins to form. Increase the speed to medium and continue to beat for another 2-3 minutes. Your dough should transform into a uniform, smooth, and slightly sticky mass. It’s crucial for brioche to be sticky but not wet. Lightly grease a clean bowl with oil, then scrape your dough into it. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Let the dough rise at room temperature in a warm spot until it has doubled in size, which typically takes about an hour to an hour and a half, depending on your room temperature.

Step Three: Make the Cinnamon Filling. While your dough is rising, prepare the aromatic cinnamon filling. In a small bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and a pinch of salt until thoroughly combined. This mixture will provide that classic sweet and spicy swirl inside your rolls.

Step Four: Roll and Fill the Dough. Once your dough has doubled, gently punch it down to release the air. Lightly flour your work surface and your rolling pin. Turn the dough out onto the floured surface and roll it into a large rectangle. Aim for a dimension of approximately 18 inches (46 cm) long by 12 inches (30.5 cm) wide. Now, take your softened unsalted butter (from the filling ingredients) and use a pastry brush to spread it evenly over the entire surface of the dough, leaving a ¼-inch border along one of the longer edges. This border will help seal the roll. Evenly sprinkle the prepared cinnamon-sugar mixture over the buttered dough, making sure to cover all areas up to the buttered border.

Step Five: Roll, Cut, and Second Rise. Starting from the long side of the rectangle opposite the ¼-inch border, carefully and tightly roll the dough into a log. Aim for a firm, even roll to ensure beautifully shaped cinnamon rolls. Once rolled, use unflavored dental floss or a very sharp serrated knife to cut the log into 12 equal pieces. For the cleanest cuts, dental floss is excellent: slide it under the log, cross the ends over the top, and pull to slice through. Generously butter a 9×13 inch baking pan. Arrange the cut cinnamon rolls in the prepared pan, leaving a little space between each roll as they will expand. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap. Let them rise again at room temperature for about an hour. To check for readiness, gently poke a roll with your finger: it should spring back slowly but leave a slight indentation. If it bounces back completely, it needs more time; if the indentation remains fully, it might be slightly over-proofed. (See FAQ for overnight option details here).

Step Six: Preheat, Add Cream, and Bake! Towards the end of the second rise, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). While the oven heats, gently warm the ½ cup of heavy cream in a small saucepan or microwave until it’s lukewarm. Once the rolls have completed their second rise, remove the plastic wrap. Carefully pour the warm heavy cream evenly over all the rolls and into the spaces between them in the baking pan. This liquid gold will be absorbed during baking, making your rolls incredibly moist. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the rolls are puffed up and cooked through.

Step Seven: Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting. While your cinnamon rolls are baking and filling your kitchen with an intoxicating aroma, prepare the luscious cream cheese frosting. In the bowl of your stand mixer (or a large bowl with a hand mixer), fit it with the whisk attachment. Add the softened cream cheese and beat on medium speed until it is smooth and creamy, with no lumps. This usually takes about 1-2 minutes.

Step Eight: Frost and Enjoy! To the smooth cream cheese, add the powdered sugar, the 3 tablespoons of heavy cream, and the vanilla extract. Begin mixing on low speed for about 30 seconds to incorporate the powdered sugar without creating a cloud. Then, increase the speed to high and beat for another minute until the frosting is light, fluffy, and perfectly smooth. As soon as the baked cinnamon rolls come out of the oven, generously spread the warm frosting over them. The warmth of the rolls will slightly melt the frosting, allowing it to seep into every nook and cranny. Serve immediately and savor every delicious, gooey bite!

Expert Baking Tips & Tricks for Perfect Rolls

Achieving bakery-quality cinnamon rolls is easier than you think with these helpful tips:

• I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale and measuring out your ingredients using the metric system (grams). Baking is a science, and measuring by weight is significantly more accurate than using volume measurements (cups), which can vary widely depending on how you scoop and level. This precision makes a huge difference in the consistency and success of your baking.
• Always ensure all of your ingredients are at room temperature, especially the milk, eggs, and butter. This allows them to emulsify and combine much more smoothly, creating a homogeneous dough and a consistent frosting texture. Plan ahead and pull out your refrigerated ingredients about 1-2 hours before you intend to start baking.
• When adding your yeast to the milk, pay close attention to the milk’s temperature. You want the milk to be lukewarm, ideally between 105°F and 115°F (40°C-46°C). If the milk is too hot, it will kill the yeast, rendering it inactive and preventing your dough from rising. A simple test: dip your clean finger into the milk; it should feel comfortably warm, not hot.
• For the cinnamon filling, it’s crucial to use softened butter, not melted butter. Softened butter will stay in place when spread over the dough, ensuring the filling remains evenly distributed within the rolls. If you use melted butter, it tends to seep out during the second rise and baking, leading to a messier pan and less filling inside your delicious rolls.
• Don’t skip the two rises. Yeast dough needs time to develop flavor and texture. The first rise allows the dough to build structure and flavor, while the second rise gives the individual rolls their signature fluffy texture.
• Grease your baking pan well. This prevents the delicious, gooey rolls from sticking to the pan, making them easier to serve and clean up.
• Use unflavored dental floss for cutting. It creates incredibly clean cuts through the rolled dough, much better than a knife, which can sometimes squish the rolls.

Frequently Asked Questions About Brioche Cinnamon Rolls

Here are some common questions to help you master these delightful rolls:

Expand Your Baking Horizons: Try These Next!

If you loved these brioche cinnamon rolls, you’re sure to enjoy these other delightful recipes:

Have you made this incredible recipe? Please rate it below! Your feedback helps other bakers, and I love hearing about your creations. Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @alpineella and Pinterest to share your pictures and see what I’m baking next!

Recipe Card: Brioche Cinnamon Rolls with Heavy Cream