Baking to Satisfy the Senses {Recipes: Cinnamon Rolls with Browned Butter Glaze, Cream Cheese Icing or Caramel Icing}

To me, cinnamon rolls are the most satisfying thing to bake. The gorgeous swirls of cinnamon, sugar, and buttery yeast dough that make the house smell heavenly when baking; everything that makes for a delightful baking experience. 

Although I don't remember the first time I made cinnamon rolls, it's likely this was the recipe I used. It comes from the first cookbook I was ever given, Betty Crocker's Cookbook, 1974 edition. I like to try new recipes for cinnamon rolls, but this remains my go to recipe.

Traditionally I make cinnamon rolls with vanilla glaze or cream cheese icing, but recently I tried a Browned Butter Glaze on them and it is amazing! Funny thing is I thought browned butter was a fairly recent thing people started adding to baked goods, like maybe the last 10 yrs. or so, but the recipe for the glaze was also in my old cookbook. How did I notice noticed glorious glaze before?!! 

Traditional Sweet Roll Recipe

The following recipes are adapted  from a one found in Betty Crocker's Cookbook, 1974 edition. It can be used for various sweet rolls and coffee cakes, I have only it used for cinnamon rolls. 

2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)
1/2 cup lukewarm milk (scalded then cooled)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 1/4 to 5 cups all-purpose flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in milk, sugar, salt, eggs, butter, and 2 1/2 of the flour. Beat until smooth. Mix in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle. 

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board, knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in a large greased bowl; turn greased side up. (At this point, dough can be refrigerated 3 to 4 days.) Cover; let rise in a warm place until double in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.  (Dough is ready if impression remains when touched.)

Punch down dough. Shape dough into desired rolls or coffee cake.* Cover; let rise until double, about 30 minutes. 

Bake in a 375°F pre-heated oven as directed in roll or coffee cake recipe used. 

*There are several recipes in the cookbook that use this dough for their base. 


Cinnamon Rolls

Traditional Sweet Roll Recipe*
1/4 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon 
Brown Butter Glaze or Cream Cheese Icing (recipes below)

Grease** 9x13" baking pan; set aside. 

Roll dough into a recatangle, 9x15 inches; spread with butter. Mix together sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle rectangle. Roll up, beginning at the wide side. Stretch roll to make it even. 

Cut the roll into 15 slices. Place slightly apart in prepared baking pan. Let rise until double. Bake 25 to 30 minutes. While warm, frost rolls with glaze or icing. 

Makes 15 rolls

*The book specifies halving the recipe for cinnamon rolls, but  I use the whole recipe and find it works well.

**I also line the pan with a parchment sling so I can lift all of the cinnamon rolls out together to serve, but it is not necessary if you don't want them to all come out together.  I have also found that they bake nicely on a Silpat lined 15x10" baking sheet and are easier to separate. 


Brown Butter Glaze


1/3 cup butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 to 4 tablespoon hot water

Heat butter in saucepan over medium heat until it becomes a delicate brown color. Remove from heat, whisk in confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Stir in hot water 1 tablespoon at a time until proper glaze consistency is achieved. 



Cream Cheese Icing

2-4 ounces cream cheese, softened*
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt
1-3 teaspoons of milk, if needed

Combine all the ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl, except for milk; stir until smooth. If the mixture is too stiff, add a little milk a teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved. 

*Add the amount of cream cheese according to taste. For a hint of cream cheese flavor, add 2 ounces, for a more pronounced cream cheese flavor, add 4 ounces. 

December 2021 update: This year we tried these rolls with Caramel Glaze and they were fantastic! Here is the recipe for the Caramel Glaze:

Caramel Icing:

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

Pinch of salt

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup powdered sugar

In a small saucepan, combine butter brown sugar, salt, milk, and vanilla. Cook over medium-low heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar; mix until smooth. Drizzle over cinnamon rolls while they are still warm. 

Enjoy!