These Coffee Cinnamon Rolls are made with a soft, fluffy and pillowy brioche dough, filled with a brown sugar, espresso, and cinnamon filling, then topped with an espresso cream cheese glaze.
These Coffee Cinnamon Rolls are the perfect treat for your morning wake up. They're made with a beautiful brioche dough and topped with an espresso cream cheese glaze that is so silky and bursting with coffee flavor! If you weren't awake before taking a bite, you sure will be after!
If you love sweet rolls, try my Raspberry Lemon Rolls or Chocolate Pistachio Rolls.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Soft & Fluffy: The Coffee Rolls dough has a fluffy and soft texture that melts in your mouth and stays soft for days.
Espresso glaze: The cream cheese espresso glaze is a dream with the perfect amount of espresso.
Perfect to have for breakfast or dessert: These will go great with your morning coffee, but also as an evening treat.
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Ingredient Notes
Coffee Cinnamon Rolls Dough
- Flour: This Coffee Cinnamon Rolls recipe can be used with either Bread Flour or All-Purpose Flour. I prefer bread flour, but if you don’t have any, all-purpose will work.
- Yeast: My favorite yeast to use is Active Dry Yeast, which requires proofing before adding it to the flour mixture.
- Milk: It’s best to use whole milk since this is an enriched dough, the more fat, the better.
- Salt: ALWAYS important in any recipe. Without salt, the bread will taste flat.
- Granulated Sugar: This adds sweetness to the Brioche dough and creates a bit more of a softness.
- Egg: I use two egg yolks for this recipe, adding more fat, without the added liquid of the whites.
- Butter: A key ingredient in Brioche is butter. This recipe calls 6 tablespoons of during softened butter during the second kneading. Make sure the butter is very soft, otherwise it will take a while to incorporate into the dough.
- Vanilla extract: I like adding it to flavor the dough when I'm making a sweet dough.
- Espresso: About a teaspoon of espresso goes into the dough to create a bit of a kick. I like using Delallo or King Arthur Baking espresso powder.
Cinnamon Roll Filling
- Butter: I like melting my butter for my cinnamon rolls and using unsalted butter.
- Brown sugar: Both dark or light brown work for this recipe.
- Cinnamon: Lots of cinnamon is used in this recipe.
- Espresso: A little espresso goes into the filling to create a coffee cinnamon rolls flavor.
Espresso Cream Cheese Glaze
- Milk: You can use any type of milk. If you don't have any milk, cream or half and half work too.
- Espresso: A whole tablespoon of espresso for all that coffee flavor.
- Cream Cheese: Use full fall cream cheese.
- Powdered Sugar: I use a cup and a half, but you can taste test as you make it and add more or less.
- Salt: I like adding salt to my glaze to balance out the sweetness.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Coffee Cinnamon Rolls
For detailed instructions, read all about How to Make Brioche Dough
Yeast Mixture: In a small bowl, add the warm milk, yeast, and teaspoon of sugar and set aside to activate and foam, about 5-10 minutes. Then add the espresso powder and mix.
First knead: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the bread flour, sugar, salt, egg yolks, vanilla extract, and yeast mixture. Knead (on medium speed: 2 to 4 on KitchenAid) for about 10 minutes until completely combined and forms a dough that pulls away from the bowl.
Second knead: After the first knead, add in the softened butter and knead (on medium speed: 2 to 4 on KitchenAid) for an additional 10-20 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Hint: Once it forms a ball, you can perform the windowpane test. Take a small piece of dough and stretch it between your fingers until it's thin and light can pass through it without tearing.
Proof the dough: Place the dough ball in an oiled bowl and cover and let rise for an hour or until doubled in size.
Roll & Fill: Once proofed, flour your work surface and roll out your dough to about a 15x9 inch rectangle. Spread the filling all over the surface of the rolled out dough. Start rolling the dough from the short end (the 9 inch end), then divide it into 12 pieces, depending on how big or how many you want.
Shape & Proof: Line them up in your baking dish, then cover with a towel or saran wrap and let proof for 30-45 minutes until doubles in size.
Bake & Glaze: Bake the Coffee Cinnamon Rolls for 15-20 minutes until the tops starts to get golden brown and the temperature reads 190℉ using a meat thermometer. Remove from the oven and pour espresso cream cheese glaze all over cinnamon rolls.
Equipment You'll Need
A kitchenAid or stand mixer is HIGHLY recommended for this recipe because of the very long kneading times. If you do it by hand, it will take a lot longer.
Substitutions
Milk Bread Dough: Instead of a brioche dough, you can switch it up and use my milk bread dough recipe.
Bread flour: If you don't have any bread flour, you can switch it out for all purpose flour. Keep in mind you might need extra flour.
Storage
Once baked, store any leftover Coffee Cinnamon Rolls in an airtight container for 3-4 days. They should stay soft, but you can always warm them in the oven or the microwave before eating.
Pro Tips
- Measure Flour Correctly: As always, with any recipe, use a kitchen scale, as it is the best form of measuring your ingredients. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, fluff your flour, scoop flour with a spoon into a measuring cup and level off.
- Don’t Skip Kneading: Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes before adding the softened butter. This will ensure the dough forms and pulls away from the bowl. Then once you add the butter, knead for another 10-20 minutes until the butter is completely incorporated and the dough has pulled away from the bowl again.
- Don’t add too much flour: This dough will be tacky, but shouldn’t stick to your hands. It will also be very silky (this due to all the butter added). If while kneading, the dough doesn’t come together after 15 minutes, you can add one tablespoon of flour at a time. But be patient before adding the flour. You don’t want a dry dough.
- Make Ahead: You can absolutely make this recipe ahead of time by letting the dough proof in the refrigerator overnight for the first rise. When you’re ready to use, remove from the refrigerator and continue with the recipe. You won’t need to let the dough come to room temperature because you’ll still need to proof a second time, so it will have plenty of time.
- Proof in pre-heated oven: One trick I love doing is to pre-heat the oven to 170 degrees Fahrenheit, then turning off the oven and letting my dough proof in the oven. This cuts down on proofing time, especially if I'm in a hurry, but it also helps in the winter when it's especially cold.
- Windowpane test: To know if your dough is ready, perform the windowpane test where you take a small piece of dough and stretch it out between your fingers. If it stretches out without tearing and light can pass through, then it has passed the windowpane test. If it tears, let the dough knead another 5 minutes, then perform the test again.
FAQ
You can absolutely make this recipe ahead of time by letting the dough proof in the refrigerator overnight for the first rise. When you’re ready to use, remove from the refrigerator and continue with the recipe. You won’t need to let the dough come to room temperature because you’ll still need to proof a second time, so it will have plenty of time.
To know if your dough is ready, perform the windowpane test where you take a small piece of dough and stretch it out between your fingers. If it stretches out without tearing and light can pass through, then it has passed the windowpane test. If it tears, let the dough knead another 5 minutes, then perform the test again.
My milk temperature is a guide so that you don’t use too hot of milk (could kill the yeast) or too cold of milk (won’t activate the yeast). Milk temperature between 105-115 degrees F. will do the trick and yield best results.
I haven't tried making brioche buns with dairy-free butter and milk, especially since we need the fat in both the butter and the milk to enrich the dough. You are more than welcome to try though.
Yes! If you're not a fan of coffee, leave out the espresso from all the elements and it will still taste delicious. For the cream cheese frosting, you can use the recipe from my Soft and Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls.
More Sweet Rolls & Buns Recipes
- Soft and Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
- Chocolate Almond Rolls
- Raspberry Cheesecake Brioche Buns
- Lemon Curd Brioche Buns
📖 Recipe Card
Coffee Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- Stand mixer
Ingredients
Brioche Dough
- 1 cup warm milk 110°
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder or instant espresso powder
- 3 cups (360g) bread flour
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoon (85g) unsalted butter softened
Filling
- ⅔ cup (135 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder or instant espresso powder
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
Espresso cream cheese glaze
- 2 oz. cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder or espresso powder
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Brioche Dough
- In a small bowl, combine the warm milk, packet of yeast and a teaspoon of sugar and let sit and foam for about 5 minutes. Once frothy, add the espresso powder and mix it together.1 cup warm milk, 1 package active dry yeast, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, add flour, sugar, salt, 2 egg yolks, vanilla extract, and the activated yeast mixture and let knead for at least 10 minutes until the dough comes away from the bowl and forms a sort of ball.3 cups (360g) bread flour, ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar, ¾ teaspoon salt, 2 egg yolks, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Start adding the softened butter slowly until all is incorporated and knead for an additional 10-20 minutes until the dough forms a smooth ball and does not stick to the sides of the bowl. When touching with your finger, the dough should not stick at all. The dough will be tacky and a lot smoother/silkier than a regular dough.6 tablespoon (85g) unsalted butter
- You know the dough is ready when it passes the windowpane test: take a small piece of dough and stretch it out between your fingers. If it stretches out without tearing and light can pass through, then it has passed the windowpane test. If it tears, let the dough knead another 5 minutes, then perform the test again.
- Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover and let rise for at least an hour.
Shaping the Cinnamon Rolls
- Line a 9x13 metal baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
- Once proofed, flour your work surface and roll out your dough to about a 15x9 inch rectangle.
- In a bowl combine brown sugar, espresso powder, cinnamon and mix, then add the melted butter and mix completely.⅔ cup (135 g) light brown sugar, packed, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon espresso powder, 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Spread the filling all over the surface of the rolled out dough.
- Start rolling the dough from the short end (the 9 inch end), then divide it into 12 pieces.
- Line them up in your baking dish, then cover with a towel or saran wrap and let proof for 30-45 minutes until doubles in size.
Baking & Glazing
- Preheat the oven to 350℉
- Bake the Coffee Cinnamon Rolls for 15-20 minutes until the tops starts to get golden brown and the temperature reads 190℉ using a meat thermometer. Remove from the oven.
- In a small bowl, heat milk for about 15 seconds, then add the tablespoon of espresso and mix, set aside. In another bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth, then add the espresso milk and continue beating (you could also use a whisk here), then add the powdered sugar ½ cup at a time until the glaze is completely mixed and smooth. Lastly, add the salt and mix for another 30 seconds.2 oz. cream cheese, ¼ cup milk, 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder, 1½ cups powdered sugar, pinch of salt
- The glaze will be quite runny (the photos in the post had less milk, which created a thicker glaze. I prefer more milk, which then gives room for the cinnamon rolls to soak up the glaze and makes it more delicious).
- Pour the glaze on the Coffee Cinnamon Rolls and enjoy warm.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container.
Notes
- Measure Flour Correctly: As always, with any recipe, use a kitchen scale, as it is the best form of measuring your ingredients. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, fluff your flour, scoop flour with a spoon into a measuring cup and level off.
- Don’t Skip Kneading: Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes before adding the softened butter. This will ensure the dough forms and pulls away from the bowl. Then once you add the butter, knead for another 10-20 minutes until the butter is completely incorporated and the dough has pulled away from the bowl again.
- Don’t add too much flour: This dough will be tacky, but shouldn’t stick to your hands. It will also be very silky (this due to all the butter added). If while kneading, the dough doesn’t come together after 15 minutes, you can add one tablespoon of flour at a time. But be patient before adding the flour. You don’t want a dry dough.
- Make Ahead: You can absolutely make this recipe ahead of time by letting the dough proof in the refrigerator overnight for the first rise. When you’re ready to use, remove from the refrigerator and continue with the recipe. You won’t need to let the dough come to room temperature because you’ll still need to proof a second time, so it will have plenty of time.
- Proof in pre-heated oven: One trick I love doing is to pre-heat the oven to 170 degrees Fahrenheit, then turning off the oven and letting my dough proof in the oven. This cuts down on proofing time, especially if I'm in a hurry, but it also helps in the winter when it's especially cold.
- Windowpane test: To know if your dough is ready, perform the windowpane test where you take a small piece of dough and stretch it out between your fingers. If it stretches out without tearing and light can pass through, then it has passed the windowpane test. If it tears, let the dough knead another 5 minutes, then perform the test again.
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