Easy Cinnamon Roll Brioche Recipe

An easy cinnamon roll brioche recipe is just the thing to bake when you want something decadent to nibble on but nothing too sweet.

The egg-y, buttery dough is tender and flavorful and the ribbon of cinnamon and brown sugar studded with dried cherries adds just a hint of sweetness that elevates this bread to something special.

If you've got a bread machine or stand mixer, this recipe can be whipped up with little effort, but even if you're doing it by hand, you'll only have to invest a bit of muscle in mixing the dough. The rest is simple.

How to Make Cinnamon Roll Brioche

If you're using a bread machine, just dump all the ingredients, except the filling, into the bowl of the machine, choose the dough setting, and, while you wait, assemble the ingredients for the filling and enjoy a cup of tea.

If you're using a stand mixer or mixing by hand, the process will require more effort and steps. Start by blooming the yeast by mixing it with warm milk and a bit of sugar then leaving it in a warm place until it's fragrant and foamy.

Then add it to a bowl with the flour, sugar, salt, and beaten eggs and mix it thoroughly. Brioche does best with thorough mixing, so don't worry if it feels like you're overdoing it. You aren't and the dough will be just fine.

Next, you'll add in the softened butter and mix it again for a good 15 minutes before setting it into a covered bowl and leaving it to rise for two hours.

Filling Ideas

Cinnamon roll brioche is simply a lovely loaf of bread with a ribbon of sweet, spicy, fruitiness that smells amazing as it bakes.

This version uses a filling of dark brown sugar mixed with cinnamon and dried cherries, but it's incredibly versatile and can easily be adjusted for your preferences.

Any dried fruit will go well with this filling: raisins, currants, cranberries, or even larger dried fruits like apricots or peaches. Just be sure you cut the larger fruits into small pieces so they can be distributed evenly. Nuts are scrumptious too, especially walnuts, pecans, or chopped hazelnuts.

If cinnamon isn't your thing, cardamom is a good substitute.

Shaping Your Roll

Cinnamon roll brioche is made like a jelly roll. Simply press the soft dough out into a rectangle the width of your bread pan, then brush the dough with melted butter and sprinkle evenly with the filling mixture. Starting at the shorter end, roll up the bread dough carefully, tucking in the ends to keep any filling from spilling out.

Line your bread tin with baking paper, then place the bread roll inside, seam side down. Brush the top with beaten egg then cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge overnight.

Note: When I'm pressed for time, I've also made it without letting it rest overnight, and honestly, it was just fine.

Serving and Tea Pairings

Salted butter is all you need to make a slice of cinnamon roll brioche a lovely treat, but you could also add a slice of cheese such as Havarti or Gouda.

Slices of this brioche spread with salted butter are ideal for morning tea with a mug of Stargazer Caramel Maté Chai, a scrumptious blend of Brazilian maté and rooibos, full of spicy goodness from cardamom, ginger, orange peel, cloves, cinnamon, aniseed, and caramel extract.

Other chai blends will also work well with this bread, like our Portland Rose City Chai made with traditional chai spices as well as lemongrass, Oregon rose petals, and blackberry essence, or Uplifting Coconut Chai with delightful additions of coconut pieces, black pepper, and cocoa nibs.