1-First Step: Prepare the Brown Butter Start by browning your butter, as this is the star ingredient that gives these rolls their incredible flavor. Melt 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the butter turns a rich amber color and you see brown bits forming at the bottom of the pan. This usually takes about 5-7 minutes. Once it reaches that perfect golden-brown color, immediately pour it into a heat-safe container to cool. You’ll need some of it liquid for the dough and filling, and some to solidify for the icing, so set it aside accordingly.

2-Second Step: Mix the Dry Ingredients While your butter cools, start preparing the dough. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups of the all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 packets of instant yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons). Mixing these dry ingredients first ensures even distribution of the yeast and sugar throughout the dough.

3-Third Step: Prepare the Wet Mixture In a separate bowl or measuring cup, warm 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup water, and 1/3 cup of your browned butter until just warm not hot. It’s crucial that the liquid is warm enough to activate the yeast but not so hot that it kills it. A good rule of thumb is to test it with your finger; it should feel comfortably warm, like a nice bath. Add 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract) to this warm mixture and whisk gently to combine.

4-Fourth Step: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients Pour the warm milk mixture into your bowl of dry ingredients. Mix until combined. The mixture will be quite wet at this stage, which is perfectly normal. Gradually stir in 2 more cups of flour to form a wet, sticky dough. Then add 1 to 1 1/2 more cups of flour until the dough is shaggy and tacky but still somewhat sticky. Avoid adding too much flour, as this can result in dense rolls.

5-Fifth Step: Knead the Dough Turn your dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand until smooth and sticky but manageable. This usually takes about 5-8 minutes. Add flour sparingly only if the dough is too sticky to handle. The dough should still feel slightly tacky when you’re done kneading. This slight stickiness is a good sign and will result in softer rolls. Once kneaded, cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten.

6-Sixth Step: Prepare the Filling While the dough rests, make your filling. In a small bowl, mix 1/3 cup browned butter, 1 cup packed light brown sugar, and 3 tablespoons cinnamon. Stir until the mixture has a texture similar to wet sand. This ensures even distribution and prevents the filling from spilling out when you roll the dough.

7-Seventh Step: Roll and Fill the Dough On a floured surface, roll your rested dough into a 12 by 16-inch rectangle. Try to keep the edges as even as possible for uniform rolls. Spread your brown butter and cinnamon filling evenly over the surface, leaving a 1/2-inch border on one long edge. This border helps seal the roll shut. Starting from the long side opposite the border, roll the dough tightly into a log. Pinch the seam gently to seal.

8-Eighth Step: Cut and Arrange the Rolls Use unflavored dental floss to cut off the uneven ends of the log, then slice it into 12 equal rolls. Simply slide a piece of floss under the dough log, cross the ends over the top, and pull to slice cleanly through. Place the rolls in a parchment-lined 9 by 13-inch dish, leaving a little space between each for rising.

9-Ninth Step: Proof the Rolls Cover the dish and let the rolls proof until doubled in size. In a warm kitchen, this will take about 45 minutes at room temperature. If your kitchen is cold, you can proof the rolls in a turned-off oven preheat it to the lowest temperature for 5 minutes, turn it off, then place the rolls inside with the door closed for 30-45 minutes. The rolls are ready when they’re puffy and doubled in size.

10-Tenth Step: Bake to Golden Perfection Preheat your oven to 350°F while the rolls finish proofing. Once risen, bake the rolls uncovered for 25-30 minutes until they’re golden brown on top. You’ll know they’re done when they’re lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

11-Final Step: Prepare and Apply the Icing While the rolls bake, prepare the cream cheese icing. Use 1/3 cup solidified but softened browned butter and 2 ounces room-temperature cream cheese. Mix these together by hand or with a mixer until combined. Gradually add 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract), 1 tablespoon milk, and a pinch of salt. Whisk until smooth. When the rolls come out of the oven, spread the icing over them while they’re still warm. This allows the icing to melt into the swirls, creating those delicious gooey pockets. Serve warm and enjoy!