5 from 1 review

This post may contain affiliate links. See the Disclosure Policy.

This cinnamon brown butter glaze brings rich, nutty sweetness with every drizzle. Five simple ingredients turn melted brown butter and powdered sugar into a smooth, cinnamon-spiced icing that feels fancy without the fuss. Spoon it over cakes, pies, or breakfast pastries for a just-sweet-enough finish.

Creamy brown butter cinnamon glaze in a mixing bowl.

When I made my apple brown sugar hand pies, they needed a finishing touch. That’s how this buttery cinnamon glaze came to be. The spice leans into fall, but honestly, it works any time of year.

But it had to be more than just a sweet drizzle. Brown butter gives it that something extra — a rich texture and nutty depth from those golden flecks at the bottom of the pan. The result is a glaze that tastes layered and a bit luxurious, even though it takes minutes to make.

The glaze made its way onto a few of my fall bakes. Like my small batch of pumpkin scones for extra sweetness. And it’s a fun flavor to drizzle over cinnamon buttermilk biscuits. I’m sensing a pattern … it’s good on just about any breakfast treat!

Making The Glaze

Use a stainless skillet if you can — it helps you see exactly when the butter starts to brown. Swirl it around as it melts so the heat stays even, and watch for those little brown flecks to appear. They can turn from golden to burnt in seconds, so stay close.

Then add the cinnamon (this is the fun part). It will bubble and bloom, releasing that warm spice and deepening the flavor.

Pour the brown butter into a mixing bowl and whisk in the powdered sugar and salt. The mixture will be thick at first — that’s what you want.

Before adding milk, warm it in the same skillet you used for the butter. This keeps the temperatures even, so the glaze doesn’t seize. Start with a tablespoon, whisk, then add more until it reaches the consistency you like. Make it a little thicker if you want to dunk a small batch of caramel apple cookies into it.

Let it cool and thicken for a few minutes, then drizzle away!

See the cinnamon glaze in action: dripping off apple hand pies!

Did You Make It? Let’s Hear About It!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you try this glaze, let me know how it went — and what you drizzled it on. A quick comment below (and a star rating would be great too!) helps others discover the nutty-sweetness of this recipe. 💛

Cinnamon Brown Butter Glaze Recipe

5 from 1 review

With only 5 easy ingredients and a few simple steps, this cinnamon brown butter glaze transforms nutty brown butter into a thick, cinnamon-spiced icing. Perfect to drizzle over cakes, pies, and breakfast pastries.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe

by Erin Cernich

DietGF

Yield6 Servings

Prep10

Cook8

Total Time18

Equipment

▢
Small Skillet (or Small Saucepan)

Ingredients

▢ 1 tablepsoon unsalted butter
▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
▢ ¼ cup powdered sugar
▢ ⅛ teaspoon salt
▢ 2 tablespoons milk, any kind

Instructions

Add the butter to a small skillet set over medium heat. Stir the butter around the pan with a spatula as it melts and heats. Once the butter has melted, keep stirring as it gets foamy and brown, and brown butter flecks develop in the butter. The butter will have a rich, nutty aroma. This will take anywhere from 3 to 8 minutes. Note – Once the butter begins to brown, it browns quickly. Do not walk away from it, or it may burn!
1 tablepsoon unsalted butter
Remove the skillet from the heat and add the cinnamon. It will foam up as it blooms in the hot butter. Stir with a spatula or whisk to combine.
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pour the brown butter into a small mixing bowl. Then, add the milk to the skillet you just used to warm the milk. Tip – Warming the milk will bring it to the same temperature as the butter, so the butter doesn't seize up. Which will make the glaze easier to mix.
2 tablespoons milk, any kind
Add the powdered sugar and salt to the brown butter in the bowl. Whisk until thoroughly combined – it will be thick. Add about 1 tablespoon of the warm milk and whisk to loosen the glaze. Add more milk until you reach your desired consistency. Allow the glaze to sit for about 10 minutes to cool and thicken. Note – Using the full 2 tablespoons of milk will yield a looser glaze, however, the glaze does thicken as it cools.
1/4 cup powdered sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt
The glaze is ready to use immediately. Or completely cool glaze can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or longer. The glaze will thicken and harden when refrigerated. To loosen, microwave for 5 to 10 seconds.

I’d appreciate a review!If you try the recipe, please let me know! Leaving a comment + star encourages others to try it, and the support helps me continue to provide FREE recipes. Thank you!

Notes

Serving Size – This is a small batch glaze recipe that is easily doubled.
Butter – Higher quality butter will yield a richer flavor. This is because of a higher fat to water ratio in good butter.
Skillet – I recommend a stainless skillet vs. non-stick to make brown butter. This way you can see how brown the butter is getting, and prevent it from burning. You can also use a small stainless saucepan.
Storing – Cover and store leftover glaze in the refrigerator for 1 week, maybe longer.
Re-Heating The Glaze – The glaze will thicken and harden in the refrigerator. Microwave it for 5 to 10 seconds to loosen.