Brown Butter Sweet Rolls – Pistachio & Classic Cinnamon
There’s nothing better than a warm, gooey sweet roll, and these Brown Butter Sweet Rolls take it to the next level. Inspired by The Banana Diaries ‘Small Batch Vegan Pistachio Sweet Rolls’ recipe, I swapped out the vegan ingredients for dairy-based alternatives, creating an ultra-soft, rich dough with the deep, nutty flavor of brown butter.
Wanting to experiment with flavors, I split the batch in two. Half were pistachio-flavored, staying true to the original recipe. Since pistachio has been having its moment lately, I leaned into it with a pistachio spread and pistachio praline, adding layers of nuttiness and crunch. To balance the richness, these were topped with a pistachio vanilla bean cream cheese frosting, where the tanginess of the cream cheese cut through the sweetness of the filling. As a final touch, I sprinkled finely chopped pistachios on top, reinforcing the nutty flavor and adding a bit of crunch in every bite.
For the other half, I kept it classic with cinnamon rolls, filled with a gooey cinnamon-sugar mixture and finished with a tangy vanilla bean cream cheese frosting. When vanilla is a main flavor, using high-quality vanilla extract makes all the difference—it elevates the frosting and pairs perfectly with the warm cinnamon. Or even better, use fresh vanilla bean like I did for an even deeper, more aromatic flavor that brings out the richness of the frosting. To tie everything together, I lightly dusted the tops with cinnamon, adding just the right hint of warmth.
Here are a few baking secrets that help achieve the softest, gooiest texture:
Brown butter – A simple step that deepens flavor and adds a toasty, caramel-like richness to the dough. If you haven’t tried it in baking, it’s a game-changer.
Heavy cream trick – Pouring a bit of heavy cream between the rolls before baking creates a sticky, caramelized base, keeping them soft and extra gooey.
Steam oven for proofing – If you have one, it really makes a difference! I set mine to 60% humidity and gradually increased the temperature from 30°C to 45°C during proofing, helping the dough rise beautifully without drying out.
And while they’re delicious fresh, they’re even better warmed up—the frosting melts slightly, the rolls become extra soft, and all the flavors come together perfectly. Whether you go for the nutty pistachio version or the cozy cinnamon classic, these sweet rolls are pure comfort in every bite!
Follow this link if you want to see the process✨: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNddFjuEg/
