Brown Butter Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake is the perfect breakfast for your next special occasion or holiday! It's soft and tender in every bite, with a thick cinnamon swirl and drippy icing that's impossible to resist. The toasty butter adds a deep, nutty flavor that makes this recipe truly stand out from the rest. Best of all, it will be ready to serve warm and gooey in just 45 minutes, start to finish!
If you love this one, explore the rest of our favorite Brown Butter Recipes from tasty desserts to easy main dishes!
We have made many a coffee cake over the years for holidays, birthdays, or just a special weekend treat. This recipe is one that has stood the test of time and been made many times over.
You can make this any time of year, but its cozy flavors are especially fitting for the fall and winter. Pair it with any of our other breakfast recipes for a full menu.
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Why this recipe is great
- It only takes 15 minutes of hands on time to make.
- No special equipment, mixer, or rolling pin.
- All the warm, gooey vibes of homemade cinnamon rolls, but in a fraction of the time and effort.
- Toasting the butter is a low effort way to add noticeably richer flavor than other similar coffee cakes.
- Appropriate for both weekends and special occasions (think as one of your Thanksgiving recipes or for Christmas morning).
Ingredients for cinnamon roll coffee cake
These are likely all things you have in your fridge and pantry already. After years of making this, here are a few tips I wish I would have known the first time around.
- Butter: I have made this with both salted and unsalted butter. Both will work well, although I always choose salted. You will need some softened, and the rest will get browned.
- Light brown sugar: This will yield the most classic flavor, but you can substitute with dark brown sugar for a deeper flavor.
- Cinnamon: Yes, you really use a whole tablespoon!
- Milk: We're baking, guys - go for whole milk. More fat = better cake.
- Eggs: These will incorporate a bit easier if they are room temperature, but that isn't make it or break it in this recipe.
- Vanilla extract: The higher the quality, the better the taste.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is all you need. This recipe is not meant to be made with whole wheat, gluten-free, or bread flour.
- Granulated sugar: Don't cut back on this. The amount of sugar not only impacts the sweetness, but changes the texture of the final cake.
- Baking powder: I always recommend baking with fresh baking powder. I swap mine for a new box every 3-6 months.
- Kosher salt: If you used unsalted butter, you can increase this amount slightly.
- Powdered sugar: If yours looks lumpy for any reason, sift it through a mesh sieve or whisk it in a bowl before making the icing.
- Heavy cream: You can swap this with half n half if needed, although you may need less since cream is thicker.
Helpful kitchen tools
How to make cinnamon roll coffee cake with brown butter
The very first step is to get your butter a beautiful golden brown. For detailed instructions, check out one of these tutorials. Once made, set the butter aside and proceed with the next steps.
To make the filling, mix the softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. You can mix this by hand or use a hand mixer. Set this aside for later.
Next, use a whisk to combine the milk, eggs, and vanilla in a liquid measuring cup or separate bowl. Set this aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Pour the wet ingredients on top of the flour mixture, then use a rubber spatula to stir the batter until it is just barely combined.
Add half of the butter you browned earlier on top of the batter. Continue to stir gently with the spatula until the batter is evenly combined.
Pour the batter into a 9x13 baking dish that has been sprayed generously with baking spray.
Next, use a spoon to dollop the filling across the top of the batter. The easiest way to do this is to do three even dollops in the center, then six more on each side to make five rows of three.
Use a butter knife to gently swirl each dollop into the surrounding batter, drawing the cinnamon mixture out to the edges.
Bake the cake for 25-25 minutes at 350 Fahrenheit. The coffee cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center of the pan comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Don't worry if the cinnamon filling pulled away from the edges during the baking.
While the cake cools on a wire rack for a few minutes, make the icing by combining the powdered sugar, vanilla, cream, and the remaining toasty butter. Whisk the mixture together really well until the glaze is thick and smooth.
Use an offset spatula to spread the brown butter glaze on top of the warm cake. It should soften and melt as you spread.
Serve it up warm and gooey!
How to store leftovers
Cover tightly with plastic wrap or in an airtight container. We store ours in the fridge for 3-4 days, but it can also be left at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Serving suggestions
You can serve homemade coffee cake on its own or make it a complete meal with any of these breakfast favorites!
Make ahead tips
I won't lie, I think this is best made and served fresh. But if you must prep ahead, you can make the icing and the cinnamon filling 1-2 days in advance and store in the fridge, then soften them thoroughly at room temperature before making the cake. The batter should not be made ahead and left sitting without baking.
How to freeze
Again, I really suggest you make this fresh. But if you have leftovers, you can freeze individual slices or the whole pan sealed tightly with plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil in the freezer for 1-2 months.
Before serving, allow plenty of time for the cake to defrost at room temperature (keep it well sealed so it doesn't dry out). I also suggest reheating slices gently in the microwave to restore some of the original yumminess!
FAQs
Absolutely! You will lose some of the nutty flavor of this recipe if you don't use the icing as written, but it's a perfectly fine option.
We most often use a light-colored metal pan like this USA 9x13 Baking Dish when baking, because it cooks evenly without overly browning the edges like a darker colored pan might. You can use glass or ceramic as well (we use ceramic when we want it to be pretty for a party), however just know that the outer edge may cook a little more in these pans. No matter the pan, always start checking at the bottom of the baking range to avoid overcooking.
Tips & tricks
- Make sure the butter for the filling is very soft, otherwise it will not easily swirl into the batter.
- Double check that your baking powder is fresh. It it's been open longer than 3-6 months, we suggest getting a new one for best results.
- Make sure to swirl thoroughly. Any large dollops left will sink to the bottom and leave you with a less than ideal look.
- For a truly moist cake, be careful not to overbake.
More brown butter recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
This post was photographed by Rhadonda Sedgwick.
Recipe
Brown Butter Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake
Equipment
- 9x13 baking dish
Ingredients
Browned Butter
- 1 cup butter browned and reserved for later
Filling
- 1 cup butter very soft
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Batter
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoon browned butter reserved from step 1
Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoon browned butter reserved from step 1
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2-4 tablespoon heavy cream
Instructions
Brown the Butter
- First, cook 1 cup of butter in a small pot on the stove until it is golden brown. It will reduce quite a bit and should leave you with about 8 tablespoon of brown butter. For detailed instructions, check out this tutorial. Once made, set the butter aside.1 cup butter
Filling
- To make the filling, mix the softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together in a bowl. You can mix this by hand or use a hand mixer. Once combined, set aside.1 cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Batter
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Liberally coat a 9x13 pan with baking spray or grease with butter.
- For the batter, start by using a whisk to combine the milk, eggs, and vanilla in a liquid measuring cup or bowl. Set this aside.1 ½ cups whole milk, 2 eggs, 2 teaspoon vanilla
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pour the wet ingredients on top of the dry ingredients, then use a rubber spatula to stir the batter until it is just barely combined.3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 4 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Add 4 tablespoons of the butter you browned earlier on top of the batter. Continue to stir gently with the spatula until the batter is evenly combined.4 tablespoon browned butter
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Use a spoon to dollop the filling across the top of the batter (I do three even dollops in the center, then six more on each side to make five rows of three. See the post for a picture). Use a butter knife to gently swirl each dollop into the surrounding batter all the way to the edges.
- Bake for 25-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pan comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Allow to cool on a wire rack for at least 5 minutes while you make the icing.
Icing
- Combine the powdered sugar, remaining 4 tablespoons of brown butter, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Whisk the mixture together really well until the glaze is thick and smooth, adding an additional 1-2 tablespoons of cream if needed.2 cups powdered sugar, 4 tablespoon browned butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2-4 tablespoon heavy cream
- Spread the glaze on top of the coffee cake while it is still warm. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure the butter for the filling is very soft, otherwise it will not easily swirl into the batter.
- Double check that your baking powder is fresh. It it's been open longer than 3-6 months, we suggest getting a new one for best results.
- Make sure to swirl thoroughly. Any large dollops left will sink to the bottom and leave you with a less than ideal look.
- For a truly moist cake, be careful not to overbake.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Misty says
This is the perfect breakfast for a special occasion or holiday!