These cinnamon brioche rolls are the kind of sweet treat I make when I want the whole house to smell like a bakery. No one can walk past the kitchen without tearing one apart while they're still warm. The honey in the dough gives it a soft, subtle sweetness that pairs perfectly with the warm, spiced cinnamon filling. And once that mascarpone cream cheese glaze melts into every swirl, they stay soft even the next day - if they last that long.
One of the best ways to start Christmas morning is to fill your home with the delightful scent of freshly baked cinnamon brioche buns before opening the long-awaited Christmas gifts. But I make these brioche cinnamon rolls far more often than just at Christmas.
⭐ Personally, I'm a fan of cinnamon, and I have a few cinnamon roll recipes up my sleeve, including Danish cinnamon honey rolls and my absolute favorite- cinnamon-apple rolls.
Ingredients
This dough recipe was created after a few experiments with different sugar-free sweeteners. I absolutely love the honey-sweetened dough, which yields fluffy, soft pull-apart rolls that stay soft and moist for a few days, thanks also to the mascarpone cream cheese glaze. For the dough, I use regular all-purpose wheat flour, instant yeast, warm, fresh milk, eggs, honey, and salt.
For the cinnamon filling, I use unsalted butter, brown sweetener (Sukrin Gold Brown or similar), and ground cinnamon.
Last but not least, you'll also need Mascarpone, powdered white sweetener, butter, and milk for the cream cheese frosting.
⭐ The availability of sweetener brands may vary depending on your region or country. In Europe, one of the top choices is Sukrin, while in the U.S., popular options include Swerve and Lakanto. For this recipe, you'll need a powdered sweetener, such as Swerve Confectioners.
Step-By-Step Instructions
1. Add the instant yeast to a small bowl with warm milk-make sure the milk isn't hot! Stir well and leave in a warm place for 10-15 minutes. If the yeast is fresh, it will become bubbly. If not, check the "best before" date and repeat with fresh yeast.
2. Meanwhile, take a large bowl and beat the eggs with honey, then add melted butter and a pinch of salt. Continue mixing until combined.
3. Once the yeast has become bubbly, add it to the egg mixture and stir to combine. There's no need to use a mixer anymore.
4. Start adding sieved flour to the egg mixture. You'll want to add it in 2-3 batches to ensure it incorporates well.
Combine all the ingredients using a rubber spatula, a wooden spoon, and/or your hands (no stand mixer or bread machine is needed) until uniform, and shape a ball. The dough won't be rollable just yet, but it doesn't have to be too sticky, either.
5. Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and set aside for the first rise in a warm place. The rise time depends on the type of yeast, the sweetener used, and the room temperature.
I've noticed that a honey-based dough tends to rise more slowly than a sugar-based dough. Check periodically to see if the volume is increasing (it needs to double).
6. Once the dough has risen, transfer it to a clean, lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough into a large rectangle approximately ¼ inch thick.
7. Spread the soft butter all over the dough, leaving 1 inch along the longest rectangular edges. This will allow you to close the roll once ready and ensure it doesn't open up while baking.
In a separate bowl, combine the brown sweetener (or brown sugar) with cinnamon, then spread the cinnamon "sugar" over the butter-greased dough. As before, leave 1 inch along the long edges untouched.
8. Roll the dough starting from one of the longer edges. Keep it tight, but don't press it. Once you've reached the other long side, pinch it to close.
9. Cut the long roll into equal portions, approximately ¾-1 inch thick. You'll end up with approximately 18-20 pieces. You can either use unflavored dental floss to cut through the dough roll or simply a sharp knife (I use the latter).
Place the roll pieces in a casserole dish (no need to grease it beforehand), cover with a towel, and let it rise for a second time (about an hour). If you cut the roll into equal-sized pieces, you'll end up with an even layer of brioche rolls.
You might need more than one casserole dish, depending on its size and the number of rolls you have.
Note: Leave 2-3 inches between the rolls to allow for rising. If you leave too little space, the middle parts of the rolls might rise out of the pan while baking. It's not a tragedy, though. Usually, you can press them back in once you've taken them out of the oven. However, it could negatively affect the dessert's overall appearance.
10. About 15-20 minutes before the estimated end of proofing, switch on the oven and preheat it, setting the temperature to 390 °F (200 °C).
Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Your kitchen will soon be filled with a delicious cinnamon aroma.
Once ready, take them out of the oven and let them cool for 5-10 minutes.
11. Meanwhile, prepare the frosting by combining cream cheese, powdered sweetener, and butter (room temperature). Beat until airy and uniform.
12. Spread the cream cheese frosting over the warm rolls and enjoy while still warm!
Honey Cinnamon Brioche Rolls
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1 tablespoon (10g) instant yeast
- 5 cups (600g) all-purpose flour
- 7 oz (200ml) fresh milk (warm)
- 2 eggs
- 5 tablespoon (100g) honey (or sugar)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Cinnamon Filling:
- 3.5 tablespoon (50g) butter
- 1 cup (180g) Sukrin Gold Brown natural sweetener (or brown sugar)
- 3 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 tablespoon Mascarpone cream cheese
- 4 tablespoon powdered white sweetener (Monk Fruit, erythritol, or white powdered sugar)
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon milk (optional, depending on the desired thickness of the glaze)
Instructions
Making the Dough:
- Add the instant yeast to a mug or a little bowl with warm (not hot!) milk. Stir using a spoon and leave in a warm place for 10-15 mins until the yeast becomes bubbly.
- Meanwhile, beat the eggs with honey, then add melted butter and a pinch of salt, and continue mixing until combined.
- Add the yeast to the egg mixture and stir to combine.
- Start adding sieved flour to the egg mixture. Add it in 2-3 batches to ensure it incorporates well. Combine all the ingredients using your hands until uniform and shape a ball. The dough won't be rollable just yet, but it doesn't have to be too sticky, either.
- Cover the dough ball with a towel and set aside to rise in a warm place. Proof for 2.5-3 hours.
- Once the dough has risen, transfer it to a clean, floured surface. Roll the dough into an approximately ¼-inch-thick rectangular.
Filling and Shaping the Roll:
- Spread the soft butter all over the dough, leaving 1 inch along the longest rectangular edges. This will allow you to close the roll once it's ready and ensure it doesn't open up while baking.
- In a separate bowl, combine the brown sweetener with cinnamon, then spread the "cinnamon sugar" on top of the dough greased with butter. Leave the same 1 inch along the edges untouched.
- Roll dough starting from one of the longer edges. Keep it tight, but don't press it. Once you've reached the other long edge, pinch it to close.
- Cut the long roll into even pieces, approximately ¾-1 inch thick. You'll end up with approx. 18 -20 pieces.
- Place the roll pieces into a casserole dish (there is no need to grease it beforehand), cover with a towel, and leave it for a second rise (about an hour).
Baking and Glazing:
- About 15-20 minutes before the estimated end of proofing, switch on the oven and preheat it, setting the oven temperature to 390 °F (200 °C).
- Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
- Once ready, take them out of the oven and let them cool for 5-10 minutes before glazing.
- Meanwhile, prepare the glaze by combining cream cheese, powdered sweetener, and butter (room temperature). Beat until airy and uniform. Add a little bit of milk if you want a more runny texture.
- Spread the glaze over the cinnamon rolls and enjoy while still warm!
Notes
- Try adding apples, blueberries, or raisins to the filling for added interest and texture.
- The cream cheese frosting can be easily replaced with apricot jam for another delightful flavor.
Nutrition Value
Disclaimer: This nutritional value label has been created using an online analyzer and might not be 100% accurate
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