Overnight Orange Cinnamon Brioche Rolls
Published: January 26, 2021 | Last modified: October 21, 2023.
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Light, fluffy and flavoured with delicate notes of orange, these soft and buttery Overnight Orange Cinnamon Brioche Rolls are swirled with warming, aromatic cinnamon sugar then topped with the dreamiest vanilla cream cheese icing!
If you’ve never tried baking enriched sweet breads or pastries at home, I encourage you to give this recipe a go. Made with less butter and eggs than traditional brioche recipes, these Overnight Orange Cinnamon Brioche Rolls have a rich and tender crumb and can be made with both dairy and plant-based substitutes.
It’s the warming cinnamon-y flavour that always gets me and trust me, this is a recipe that never disappoints. They’re a lot easier to make than they look, and I’ve kept the glaze simple too.
The assembly takes a little time, but the key to the fluffy texture is the rise time. Once they’re ready to go they’re a quick, 20-minute bake making them ideal for your next Sunday brunch.
A crowd-pleasing breakfast or dessert any time of year, this flavour-packed brioche recipe is even better during citrus season when freshly squeezed orange juice and grated orange zest are readily available.
And you will LOVE those citrus notes!
5 More Delicious Bread Recipes to Make
Overnight Orange Cinnamon Brioche Rolls
Makes 6-10 servings; prep time 2 hours + overnight rise + 60-minute second rise, bake time 20 minutes.
Ingredients:
Dough
1 teaspoon (3 grams) active dry yeast
¾ cup (184 grams) unsweetened almond milk, room temperature
1¾ cups (230 grams) bread or all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (25 grams) dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher or fine sea salt
1 tablespoon (14 grams) freshly squeezed orange juice
1 egg, whisked
2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon (6 grams) freshly grated orange zest
Filling
½ cup (100 grams) dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons (5.2 grams) cinnamon
2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
Frosting
2 oz (60 grams) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1½ teaspoons (7 grams) unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons (24 grams) confectioners’ sugar
¼ teaspoon (1 gram) vanilla extract
Instructions:
First add the yeast to the almond milk and let it sit for 10-15 minutes until the yeast starts to foam.
While the yeast is activating, stir together flour, salt and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, pour in almond milk and yeast together with remaining ingredients and mix together.
When the dough begins to hold together place it on a flour-dusted surface and knead it, turning it over 10-12 times adding small amounts of flour as needed just until a ball of dough starts to form. Place the dough into a well-oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and let it sit somewhere warm for 8 hours or more. Your dough will be ready once it’s doubled in size.
Once you’re ready to form your rolls, prepare a parchment-lined 9”x13” baking dish. In a small bowl, mix together cinnamon and brown sugar and set aside.
Transfer dough to a floured surface, gently folding the dough into itself several times until a flour-covered ball is formed. Using a flour-dusted rolling pin, roll out dough into a rectangle measuring around 9”x13”.
Spread room temperature butter across the surface of the dough, then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Gently press the sugar into the surface of the dough.
Starting at one of the 9” ends roll up the dough and place it seam side down. Using a sharp knife, cut dough into 1-inch rounds. Place rolls in baking dish, cover and let rise for another 60 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Uncover rolls and bake for 20-25 minutes until slightly browned. Remove from oven, transfer to wire cooling rack and let cool for 20-30 minutes.
To prepare the frosting, whisk together cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread over rolls and enjoy!
Notes:
To make gluten free: Use an equal amount of your favourite, good quality 1:1 gluten free flour blend in place of the bread or all-purpose flour.
Dairy free substitutes: This recipe also works well using a dairy free vegan butter substitute and with both whole milk and dairy free cream cheese.
