Elevate your pies, spiced cakes, and breakfast pastries with this delicious cinnamon brown butter glaze! With only 5 easy ingredients and a few simple steps, this easy recipe transforms decadent brown butter into a thick, cinnamon-spiced glaze – perfect for all your baked treats!
A Cinnamon Brown Butter Glaze You’ll Love
All of your fall-inspired small batch treats deserve a drizzle of this cinnamon brown butter glaze! Brown sugar apple hand pies for two and caramel apple small batch banana bread are unforgettable with this glaze!
- Brown butter bits and ground cinnamon speckles deliver a flavor that is sweet, rich, and soul-warming.
- An all-around dessert glaze perfect for cookies, cakes, breakfast bread, and even apple cider small batch guten free donuts!
- Add additional spices like nutmeg, ginger, and cloves for over-the-top fall flavors.
- Simple ingredients and easy steps and you’re well on your way to this delicious glaze.
5 Simple Ingredients
- Butter – I prefer unsalted butter since we add our own salt. I also suggest using a higher-quality butter for a higher fat to water ratio, which yields a richer flavor. Though, any butter will work great.
- Cinnamon – Ground cinnamon adds a lovely spice to the glaze, making it perfect to drizzle over slices of apple spice gluten free mini bread or my small 6-inch apple cake.
- Powdered Sugar – To make the glaze a glaze, we add powdered sugar to make it thick and sweet.
- Salt – A key ingredient in my book! Salt will balance and enhance all of the flavors in the glaze.
- Milk – Any milk will work to loosen the glaze into its drizzle consistency.
Easy Steps To Make Brown Butter Glaze
1. Brown The Butter
Add the butter to a stainless skillet (or saucepan). I recommend stainless so you can see how the butter is browning and prevent it from burning.
Swirl the butter around the pan as it melts. Once the butter melts, keep stirring, as it browns, gets foamy, and brown flecks develop. Keep a close eye on it as it can go from brown to burned very quickly!
Tip! The foam on the butter is normal as it heats. This is the water from the butter evaporating. And the brown flecks are what we strive for. These are the tasty cooked milk solids from the butter!
2. Add The Cinnamon
Remove the brown butter from the heat and add the cinnamon. Watch the fun reaction as the cinnamon bubbles as it hits the heat. The hot butter blooms the cinnamon and the spicy flavor is enhanced.
Stir the cinnamon into the butter with a spatula or whisk.
Tip! Be sure to remove the skillet from the heat when you add the cinnamon. If the skillet is on the heat when you add the cinnamon, you run the risk of overheating and burning it.
3. Add The Powdered Sugar
Pour the brown butter into a mixing bowl, and add the powdered sugar and salt. Whisk until well combined. The mixture will be thick!
4. Warm The Milk
After you pour the brown butter into the mixing bowl, use the same skillet to heat the milk.
We heat the milk to bring it to the same temperature as the butter. This way, the butter doesn’t seize up and we can mix the cinnamon brown butter glaze with ease.
Tip! Use a spatula to swirl the milk around the skillet to scrape up any tasty leftover brown butter bits in the pan!
5. Add The Milk To the Glaze
Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of warm milk into the glaze to loosen it. Whisk to combine and add more milk to reach your desired consistency.
Allow the glaze to cool and thicken for about 10 minutes, then it is ready to use!
Tip! It is important to note that the glaze will thicken as it cools, and I often use the full 2 tablespoons for this reason. The glaze thickens even more if it is refrigerated and can be loosened by microwaving for 5 to 10 seconds.
Recipe FAQ
I don’t recommend it because the brown butter will have a charred flavor
You will see the butter turn brown and little dark butter flecks will develop. Also, a good tell-tale sign is the butter will have a rich nutty aroma.
You sure can! It would be pretty delicious smeared on a buttermilk homemade biscuit or a soft and chewy homemade bagel!
Serving Suggestions For Brown Butter Cinnamon Glaze
Cinnamon Brown Butter Glaze
EQUIPMENT
- Small Skillet (or Small Saucepan)
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tablepsoon unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/8 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.
RECIPE 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.
NUTRITION ESTIMATES
about the author ...
I'm Erin and I'm all about desserts - and a little bit of butter!
I've tested, written, and photographed hundreds of recipes on my website. Here you'll find the tastiest small batch desserts - all homemade, all simple, and all for you! Click here to learn more about me!