Bourbon Butterscotch Cinnamon Rolls

This cinnamon roll recipe takes the breakfast you love and adds a boozy, bourbon butterscotch twist. Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom for tips on working ahead when you're short on time by making these overnight or freezing them.

It's pretty much second nature at this point - When the leaves and the temperatures start falling, I start craving hot-out-of-the-oven comfort food. 

Like, if I'm going to have to drag my pajama-clad butt out of my warm, entirely-too-comfortable bed into the chilly bowels of my apartment to reach the thermostat, there better be something warm and satisfyingly sweet in it for me.

My current favorite sweet treat for crossing the artic tundra that is my uncarpeted apartment floor in the morning: Bourbon butterscotch cinnamon rolls.

This isn't just any ol' cinnamon roll recipe - is a pillowy, ooey-gooey, slathered in boozy butterscotch and a nutty browned butter frosting cinnamon roll recipe. The kind of recipe that you'll serve to your friends once and then they'll require you to bring to every subsequent get together. 

In other words, share at your own risk. 

How to make bourbon butterscotch cinnamon rolls

First, brown the butter for the browned butter frosting.

In a small sauce pan, bring the butter for the frosting to a gentle boil over medium heat. 

Once the butter begins to boil, you’ll want to stir it continually to make sure it browns evenly. As the butter browns, it’ll also start to develop a foam, which can make it hard to see how much the butter has browned.

If this happens, don’t be afraid to remove the butter from the heat so that the froth diminishes and you can see where your butter is at in the browning phase.

You know your butter is done when it’s light brown, there are visible browned bits in the bottom and it has a nutty smell.

Pour the browned butter into a bowl, cover and allow it to set overnight.

If you overcooked the browned butter and it smells burnt rather than nutty, you can simply strain the burnt bits out with a fine mesh sieve. Discard the solids and use the remaining liquid butter.

Browned butter can be stored in your refrigerator for one to two weeks.

Second, make the bourbon butterscotch sauce.

In a small saucepan, combine all of the bourbon butterscotch sauce ingredients, and cook over medium-low heat.

Continue cooking the sauce for about 15 more minutes, stirring frequently, until it coats the back of a spatula and has thickened and reduced.

Allow to cool to room temperature before using. 

Third, make the cinnamon roll dough.

Warm milk until warm (but not hot) and add 1 tbsp. sugar and 1 tbsp. yeast. Stir and let it sit (proof) for five minutes or until it becomes foamy.

Combine the remaining sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla with the yeast mixture in the bowl of a stand mixer. Use a dough hook to stir until combined

Add 4 cups flour, salt and cinnamon and stir using the dough hook, starting on low and increasing to medium.

Knead dough in the standing mixer for 3-5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. 

Grease a large bowl and place the dough inside. Cover with a damp towel.

Let the dough rise for about 1 hour or until dough has doubled in size.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 12″x16″ rectangle.

Spread the softened butter for the filling out over the dough.

In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon for the filling. Sprinkle the filling over the buttered dough.

Roll the dough into a log along the long edge and use a sharp knife or string to cut the dough into 10-12 rolls.

Personally, I find that using string helps the cinnamon rolls retain their perfect circular shape. To cut the dough with string, simply work your sting under the log, bring the ends up, over and across to the other side, pulling until the string slices all the way through.

Place the rolls in a greased 9"x13" dish with enough room between them to rise. Allow the rolls to rise for 30-40 more minutes or until they fill up the pan.

Bake your cinnamon rolls at 350F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Finally, make the frosting and assemble the cinnamon rolls.

In a bowl, beat together the room temperature browned butter and powdered sugar. Add the bourbon and mix until smooth.

Pour the bourbon butterscotch over the cooled cinnamon rolls and frost with the browned butter frosting.

Tips for making this cinnamon roll recipe

• If you overcook your browned butter and it has a burnt smell, you can salvage it by straining out the burned bits with a fine mesh sieve.
• Storing browned butter: Browned butter can be covered and stored in your refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. Be sure to bring it to room temperature before making the frosting.
• Storing the bourbon butterscotch sauce: the sauce will keep for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.
• Cutting the cinnamon rolls: Be sure to use a really sharp knife or a string to help the rolls retain their round shape. To cut cinnamon rolls with string, slide the string under the dough log, bring it up, over and continue pulling until the string cuts clean through.
• Testing for doneness: To test if your cinnamon rolls are done, use a toothpick to gently tug at the center. You want the to be able to pull the center slightly up and have it look cooked through.
• Overnight cinnamon rolls: Don’t have time to make these in one go? Simply make the dough and allow it to rise overnight in the refrigerator. To use, bring the dough to room temperature (about 30-60 minutes), roll it out and continue with the recipe.
• Freezing: If you want to work ahead by freezing your unbaked cinnamon rolls, simply take them all the way through to slicing them up and freeze them (unrisen) in your dish. To bake, allow them to thaw and rise before baking as directed.
• Storage: Store any leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear how it went in the comments below. Better still, snap a photo and tag it on Instagram with #thesimplesweetlife. I love seeing your creations!

Print

Recipe

If you liked this, you might also like...

• Sweet potato cinnamon rolls
• Bourbon butterscotch apple pie
• Bourbon butterscotch skillet cinnamon roll