Brioche Cinnamon Rolls

Merry Christmas! It's been an eventful day for us. Well, it really started yesterday with a trip to the doctor for a case of the flu, and this morning our day started at the hospital with symptoms of appendicitis. Yes both kids. One with the flu and the other with stomach pains. I seriously thought about rescheduling Christmas, but we chugged along and are making it the best regardless of our situation. It will be a memorable day for sure. And we'll be making the best of this Christmas break. We already have a few holiday fun ideas planned once we're all feeling up for it.

Thank goodness I'm a planner and I prepped a lot of things ahead of time -- like our Christmas morning cinnamon rolls. They're always a hit with the kids and pretty simple to make too.

This recipe has been part of our Christmas mornings for a few years now. Since you can prep them ahead, I even make the frosting ahead of time, it's an easy step to just put them in the oven come Christmas morning. And the kids really look forward to them every year. And me too, of course!

This recipe means holiday entertaining, get-togethers with friends and family, weekend brunch, friendship, conversation, and making memories. It has become a favorite for holiday entertaining.

BRIOCHE CINNAMON ROLLSBrioche Dough yields 12 medium to large rolls3/4 cups lukewarm water1/2 tablespoon Red Star Platinum, Active Dry, or Quick-Rise yeast1/2 to 3/4 tablespoons kosher salt4 large eggs, lightly beaten1/4 cup honey (this is my all time favorite!)3/4 cups unsalted butter, melted3 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flourCinnamon Filling1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted1 cup (packed) brown sugar2 tablespoons ground cinnamona good pinch of salt1. Mix the yeast, salt, eggs, honey, and melted butter with the water in a 5-quart bowl, or lidded (not airtight) food container.2. Mix in the flour, using a spoon until all of the flour is incorporated.3. Cover (not airtight), and allow to sit at room temperature for about two hours. Note: Sometimes with brioche, with so much cold egg, if you don’t use warm enough water, the initial rise can be very slow. Professionals would fix this by letting the eggs come to room temperature, which solves the problem. You can do that, or just make sure that your final mixture of egg/butter/water is nice and warm (but not hot, or you can kill the yeast).4. The dough can be used as soon as it is chilled. This dough is way too sticky to use after the initial rise, but once it is chilled it is very easy to handle.5. Once it’s chilled, on a lightly floured surface, fold the dough over 3 or 4 times and then form it into a ball. Let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes.6. Roll the dough into 1/4-inch thick rectangle. Brush the entire surface with the melted butter. In a small bowl mix together the sugars, cinnamon and salt. Spread the mixture evenly over the butter topped dough. Use your hands to make sure you have an even coat of the sugar.7. Roll the dough up, starting at the short end. Using a sharp kitchen knife or a scissors, cut the log into 8, 10, or 12 equal pieces. (The 12 pieces here made medium-large buns, cutting less pieces will make larger buns.)8. Set the buns on a parchment lined sheet pan, 1 1/2 to 2-inches apart. Loosely cover the buns and let them rest between 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the have almost doubled in size. (You can set these up the night before and let them rest overnight in the refrigerator. In the morning take them out and let them sit on the counter for about 45 minutes to an hour.)9. Preheat the oven to 350°F and place the rack in the middle of the oven.10. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, just until the centers are set when poked with your finger (they should be caramel colored). Let them cool for about 10 minutes. Spread the brown butter frosting (recipe follows) over the warm buns.Brown Butter Frosting6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, divided6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature1 1/2 cups powdered sugar1 teaspoon vanilla extracta good pinch of salt1. Brown 4 tablespoons of the butter: Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan. You need to stay close to the pan; don’t walk away from it. Swirl the butter around until it starts to brown — it will smell nutty and you’ll see little brown bits at the bottom of the pan. 2. Remove the pan from the heat, pour the brown butter and bits into a freezer-safe bowl, and let cool for 10 minutes.2. When the butter is partially cool, place the bowl in the freezer and let the butter chill until solid, about 30 minutes (you can also put it in the fridge to cool down, but it will take a bit longer).3. When the butter is solid (but not frozen!), take it out and place it in the bowl of a standing mixer.4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoon of butter and the cream cheese to the mixer, and beat on high until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, and mix on low until combined. Increase the mixer to medium-high, and beat again until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes.Recipe adapted from The Vanilla Bean Blog for Wit & Delight