Make easy Brown Butter Cinnamon Rolls with refrigerated dough, heavy cream, and a buttery brown sugar cinnamon sauce. A simple shortcut for gooey, bakery-style rolls.
If you love warm cinnamon rolls but don’t always have time to make them from scratch, this is such an easy way to make breakfast feel a little more special.
I’m starting with refrigerated cinnamon rolls and adding heavy cream to the bottom of the baking dish, along with a simple brown butter and brown sugar topping. The cream helps keep the rolls soft and gooey, and the brown butter adds a rich, nutty flavor that makes these taste a little more homemade.
You still get the convenience of store-bought cinnamon rolls, but with just a few extra ingredients, they feel like something special to serve on a weekend morning or during the holidays.
Why You’ll Love These Cinnamon Rolls
- They’re easy to make. There’s no dough to prepare, no rising time, and very little prep work.
- The brown butter makes a difference. It adds a warm, nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with the cinnamon and brown sugar.
- They’re soft and gooey. Baking the rolls with heavy cream helps create a tender texture, especially around the bottom of the rolls.
- They’re perfect for sharing. Serve them warm from the baking dish with coffee for an easy breakfast everyone will enjoy.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Refrigerated cinnamon rolls: Use your favorite brand, including the icing that comes with the package.
Heavy whipping cream: Pour the cream into the bottom of the baking dish around the rolls before baking.
Butter: Browning the butter gives the topping its delicious nutty flavor. Keep an eye on it as it cooks because it can go from golden to burnt quickly.
Brown sugar and cinnamon: These make a simple topping that melts into the rolls as they bake.
How to Make Brown Butter Cinnamon Rolls
Start by arranging the cinnamon rolls in a buttered baking dish. Pour the heavy cream into the bottom of the pan, around the rolls.
Next, brown the butter in a small saucepan until the milk solids turn golden and the butter smells nutty. Remove it from the heat and stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon.
Drizzle the brown butter mixture over the cinnamon rolls and bake according to the package directions, checking that the centers are fully cooked. The added cream may mean they need a little extra time in the oven.
Let the rolls rest for a few minutes before spreading the icing over the top. Serve them while they’re still warm.
A Few Tips
- Arrange the rolls fairly close together in the baking dish.
- Pour the cream around the rolls rather than directly over the tops.
- Watch the butter carefully while browning it.
- Check the center rolls before taking the pan out of the oven, since they may need a few extra minutes to bake.
When to Serve Them
These brown butter cinnamon rolls are wonderful for a weekend breakfast, a holiday morning, or whenever you want something warm and sweet without making everything from scratch.
I love recipes that make an ordinary morning feel a little more special without adding a lot of extra work. This is an easy one to keep in mind when you want something homemade-tasting with very little effort.
Brown Butter Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 can refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, for the bottom of the pan
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat according to your cinnamon roll package directions, usually 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a baking dish.
- Arrange the cinnamon rolls in the baking dish.
- Pour 1/2 cup heavy cream into the bottom of the baking dish.
- Brown the butter. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, swirling until it bubbles and the milk solids turn golden brown.
- Remove from stovetop and stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
- Drizzle the brown butter mixture evenly over the rolls.
- Cover with foil and bake according to package instructions, about 25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and add the icing.
- Allow to sit for a few minutes and then serve!
