Mark my words- you'll be making these gourmet brioche cinnamon rolls weekly, with their soft, balanced, delicious textures and flavors. The brown butter filling and sweet frosting on top finishes these perfectly, so they'll satisfy every craving and have you and your family coming back for more.
Combine heavy cream and milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Warm in microwave until lukewarm (about 110 degrees).
Pour milk mixture into a large bowl, then add yeast. Add 1 stick of butter, the sugar, egg, and salt and mix until roughly combined.
Add flour, 1 cup at a time, until fully mixed in.
Knead the Dough.
If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment until fully combined. Then switch to the dough hook and knead on medium-low speed for about 8-10 minutes. Alternatively, you can knead by hand for about 10-12 minutes.
Proof the Dough.
Put the dough in a large bowl for proving. Place in a warm area (around 70 to 80 degrees), or in an oven on the proving setting, and cover with a damp towel or paper towel. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
After risen, press down on the dough to remove the air that has developed. The dough should be back down to about it's original size. Let rise again until doubled in size again, about 30 minutes.
Roll the Dough.
Grease your pan with butter in preparation to make the filling and rolls.
Place the risen dough on a countertop or board. Roll it out to ¼ inch thick, about 22 by 12 inches.
Prepare the Filling.
Start by making the brown butter. Put butter in a pan on the stove, and turn on medium heat. Allow butter to melt and bubble, stirring occasionally to ensure butter is not burning.
Keep a close eye on the butter. It will go through a stage of bubbling, separating, then foaming. Once it gets to the foaming stage (about 10 minutes), watch until brown flecks begin coming through the top of the bubbles.
Stir briefly, allow to bubble for 15 more seconds, then remove browned butter from heat and pour into a glass or heat-proof bowl. You'll see flecks of brown in the butter, and it will be amber-colored. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes or until cool to the touch.
Preheat the oven to 400.
Pour and spread cooled melted butter across the dough. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl and sprinkle evenly on top of the butter.
Make the Rolls.
Roll up the dough into a long log, and pinch the seam to seal. Cut each roll 1.5 inches wide, using a serrated knife. Place the cut rolls in a baking dish, about 1 inch apart from each other.
Place in a warm area, cover with a damp towel or paper towel, and allow to rise again for 30 minutes.
Bake.
Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes or until light golden brown on top. Remove and allow to cool.
Make the Frosting.
Make the frosting by whisking together ½ stick butter, 4 tablespoon milk, the vanilla, and the powdered sugar. Pour over the rolls.