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Lemon Brown Butter Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

4.91 from 20 votes
prep 45 minutes
cook 25 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour 30 minutes
total 2 hours 40 minutes
Serves 12 large or 16 medium rolls
These glorious little brown butter lemon cinnamon rolls are made with a classic brown butter sweet dough, filled with a lemon flavored cinnamon filling and topped with a sweet and tart lemon glaze. 
Author: Bernice Baran
Servings 12 large or 16 medium rolls

Ingredients

Brown Butter

  • 1 cup (230g) unsalted butter

Sweet Dough

  • 1 cup (240mL) warm milk
  • 1 Tbsp 7oz package active dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 3 1/2 cup (430g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
  • 1/2 of brown butter, about 1/3 cup

Lemon Cinnamon Filling

  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 medium lemon, zest
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 of brown butter, about 1/3 cup

Icing

  • 1 1/2-2 cup (180-240g) powdered sugar
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 2-3 Tbsp milk
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
  • fresh berries for topping, optional

Method

Brown Butter

  1. Place the butter in a small light colored saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter is fully melted it will begin to bubble- continue stirring it frequently and don't leave it unattended.
    1 cup (230g) unsalted butter
  2. The butter will foam and you won't be able to see what's happening under the foam so make sure to keep stirring. You will begin to smell an intense butter flavor with a nutty aroma and you'll see brown speckles forming in the butter. Quickly pour the butter into a heat proof bowl and allow it to cool completely to room temperature.

Sweet Dough

  1. Heat up the milk until it's warm but not too hot to touch (115-120F/46-49C). Add in the yeast and half of the sugar to the warm milk. Whisk it together and let it sit for 5-10 minutes, until it foams.
    1 cup (240mL) warm milk, 1 Tbsp 7oz package active dry yeast, 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  2. Place the flour, salt and the rest of the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Once the yeast has activated and the milk mixture looks foamy, turn the mixer on to low speed.
    3 1/2 cup (430g) all-purpose flour spooned and leveled, 1/4 tsp salt
  3. Add in the eggs to the dry ingredients, followed by the milk mixture. Pour it in slowly as it's mixing.
    1 large egg room temperature, 1 large egg yolk room temperature
  4. Once the dough is combined, add in the softened brown butter. When the butter is fully incorporated, use the dough hook attachment to knead the dough, on low-medium speed, for about 10-15 minutes.
    1/2 of brown butter about 1/3 cup
  5. The dough is done kneading once it peels itself away from the edge of the bowl & forms a ball (if this doesn't happen & the dough is too sticky, add 1-2 tbsp of flour & continue kneading). You can also do the windowpane test.
  6. Grease the sides of the bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to proof in a warm environment until it's doubled in size, about one hour.
  7. After the dough has doubled in size, use a rolling pin to spread it out onto a floured surface until it's about 1/4" thick.
  8. Lemon Cinnamon Filling
  9. Combine the granulated sugar, lemon zest and cinnamon in a small bowl and whisk them together. Spread the softened brown butter over the dough and evenly sprinkle the sugar mixture on top.
    1 cup (200g) granulated sugar, 1 medium lemon zest, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 of brown butter about 1/3 cup
  10. If you want 12-16 smaller rolls, roll it up hot dog style and if you want 9-12 larger rolls, roll it up hamburger style. Slice and place them in a greased 9"x13" or a round 10"-12" pan. You want them about a 1/2" apart in the baking dish so they have room to proof.
  11. Cover the rolls and let them rest in a warm environment for about 30 minutes, until they rise and look "fluffy". Bake on 350/177C convection (or 325F/162C conventional) for 20-25 minutes, until they're golden brown.

Icing

  1. Combine all the ingredients for the icing in a bowl and whisk them together until the sugar is fully dissolved.
    1 1/2-2 cup (180-240g) powdered sugar, 1 lemon juiced, 2-3 Tbsp milk, 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
  2. Spread it over the warm lemon cinnamon rolls, top with fresh berries if you desire, and serve warm!
    fresh berries for topping optional

Notes

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for one day, then the refrigerator for anything longer than that.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 505kcalCarbohydrates: 82gProtein: 6gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 90mgFiber: 2gSugar: 51g
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: brown butter rolls, cinnamon rolls, cinnamon rolls dough, homemade dough, lemon cinnamon rolls, lemon rolls