Mini Cinnamon Rolls

Mini Cinnamon Roll Ingredients

Cinnamon Rolls

• All-purpose flour (2¾ cups): Provides the structure for the dough while keeping the rolls soft and tender. We use all-purpose flour because it creates a light, fluffy texture without being too dense.
• Granulated Sugar (¼ cup): Sweetens the dough and helps feed the yeast, which encourages a better rise. It also helps the rolls brown beautifully as they bake.
• Unsalted butter (2 tablespoons): Adds rich flavor and creates a softer, more tender dough. We prefer unsalted butter so you can control the amount of salt in the recipe.
• Egg (1): Enriches the dough, adds structure, and helps create soft, fluffy cinnamon rolls with a golden color.
• Instant yeast (1 tablespoon): Leavens the dough so the rolls rise quickly and bake up light and airy. Instant yeast can be mixed directly with the dry ingredients, making the recipe extra easy.
• Water (½ cup): Hydrates the dough and activates the yeast. Warm water works best to encourage a good rise.
• Whole milk (¼ cup): Adds richness and moisture, resulting in softer, more flavorful cinnamon rolls. Whole milk provides the best texture, but 2% milk can also be used.
• Salt (1 teaspoon): Enhances the flavor of the dough and helps balance the sweetness while strengthening the gluten for better texture.

Filling

• Butter, melted (¼ cup): Helps the cinnamon sugar mixture stick to the dough while adding rich, buttery flavor throughout every swirl.
• Brown sugar (⅔ cup): Sweetens the filling and creates a soft, caramel-like center. Light or dark brown sugar both work, though dark brown sugar gives a deeper molasses flavor.
• Cinnamon (1¼ tablespoons): Gives the rolls their classic warm, comforting flavor. Fresh cinnamon provides the best taste.
• Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon): Adds extra warmth and rounds out the sweetness of the filling with a subtle homemade flavor.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• Cream cheese, room temperature (4 ounces): Creates a smooth, tangy frosting that perfectly complements the sweet cinnamon rolls. Full-fat cream cheese gives the richest flavor and texture.
• Unsalted butter, room temperature (¼ cup): Adds richness and helps create a creamy, spreadable frosting. Room temperature butter blends more easily for a smooth finish.
• Powdered sugar (1 cup): Sweetens the frosting while keeping it smooth and fluffy without any graininess.
• Whole milk (1 to 2 tablespoons, to desired thickness): Thins the frosting to your preferred consistency. Add it a little at a time until it is easy to spread.
• Vanilla extract (½ teaspoon): Adds a warm, sweet flavor that brings all of the frosting ingredients together. Pure vanilla extract provides the best flavor.

How to Make Mini Cinnamon Rolls

DOUGH. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, yeast, and salt. In a small microwave safe bowl (or glass measuring cup), combine the sugar, butter, water, and milk.

Heat in the microwave until the mixture is hot and the butter is almost melted (it took about 1 minute on HIGH in my microwave). Let the mixture come down to 120 degrees. Gradually add the milk mixture into the flour mixture. Add the egg and mix until a soft and sticky dough forms.

OVEN. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.

KNEAD + REST. If using a stand mixer, switch to the dough hook and set on the lowest mixing setting for 4 minutes, or until the dough becomes elastic, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 3-4 minutes. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow it to rest on the counter for 10 minutes.

FILLING. Once the dough has rested, roll it out on a lightly floured surface until it measures a 24×16 inch rectangle. Prepare the filling by combining all of the ingredients in a small mixing bowl except for the butter. Spread the butter over the top of the rolled dough, then cover with the filling.

CUT + ROLL. Using a pizza roller/cutter, to cut the long rectangle in half, and then each half into twelve pieces to make 24 strips. Roll each up into a tight roll.
Place the rolls into the prepared baking dish and gently place a piece of aluminum foil over top.

RISE. Turn OFF your oven and place the covered rolls inside to rise for 45 minutes.

BAKE. Remove the rolls from the oven and turn ON your oven to 375 degrees. Once heated, remove the foil and bake the rolls for 16-22 minutes or until the centers are lightly golden brown in color.

FROST. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before frosting. While rolls are cooling, prepare the frosting by combining all of the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and beating by hand or with a hand mixer until smooth. Spread over the tops of the rolls.

Kristyn’s Recipe Tips

• Let the heated milk mixture cool to about 120°F before adding it to the flour mixture.
• Knead until the dough becomes elastic so the rolls bake up soft and fluffy.
• Roll the dough into an even 24×16 inch rectangle so the mini rolls are the same size.
• Turn the oven off before placing the covered rolls inside to rise.
• Make-ahead tip: assemble the rolls the night before, cover and refrigerate, then let them rise before baking in the morning.

4.98 from 99 votes

Mini Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

By: Natalie Dicks

Mini Cinnamon Rolls are soft, sweet, bite-sized rolls with brown sugar cinnamon filling and creamy cream cheese frosting.

Servings: 24 rolls

Prep: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

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Equipment

• pizza cutter
• rolling pin

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

Cinnamon Roll

• ▢ 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ ¼ cup sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• ▢ ½ cup water
• ▢ ¼ cup whole milk
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt

Filling

• ▢ ¼ cup butter, melted
• ▢ ⅔ cup brown sugar
• ▢ 1¼ tablespoons cinnamon
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting

• ▢ 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• ▢ ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup powdered sugar
• ▢ 1-2 tablespoons whole milk, (to desired thickness)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions 

• In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, yeast and salt.
• In a small microwave safe bowl (or glass measuring cup), combine the sugar, butter, water and milk. Heat in the microwave until the mixture is hot and the butter is almost melted (it took about 1 minute on HIGH in my microwave). Let the mixture come down to 120 degrees. Gradually add the milk mixture into the flour mixture. Add the egg and mix until a soft and sticky dough forms.
• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.
• If using a stand mixer, switch to the dough hook and set on the lowest mixing setting for 4 minutes or until the dough becomes elastic or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 3-4 minutes. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow it to rest on the counter for 10 minutes.
• Once the dough has rested, roll it out on a lightly floured surface until it measures a 24×16 inch rectangle. Prepare the filling by combining all of the ingredients in a small mixing bowl except for the butter. Spread the butter over the top of the rolled dough, then cover with the filling. Using a pizza roller/cutter, to cut the long rectangle in half, and then each half into twelve pieces to make 24 strips. Roll each up into a tight roll.
• Place the rolls into the prepared baking dish and gently place a piece of aluminum foil over top. Turn OFF your oven and place the covered rolls inside to rise for 45 minutes.
• Remove the rolls from the oven and turn ON your oven to 375 degrees F. Once heated, remove the foil and bake the rolls for 16-22 minutes or until the centers are lightly golden brown in color.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before frosting. While rolls are cooling, prepare the frosting by combining all of the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and beating by hand or with a hand mixer until smooth. Spread over the tops of the rolls.

Notes

Recipe Tips.

• Let the heated milk mixture cool to about 120°F before adding it to the flour mixture.
• Knead until the dough becomes elastic so the rolls bake up soft and fluffy.
• Roll the dough into an even 24×16 inch rectangle so the mini rolls are the same size.
• Turn the oven off before placing the covered rolls inside to rise.
• Make-ahead tip: assemble the rolls the night before, cover and refrigerate, then let them rise before baking in the morning.

Make ahead of time. You can shape the dough ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze it before baking. Just know the rolls may not rise quite as much, but they will still be delicious.

Fridge: Cover shaped rolls with greased plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Let rise at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes before baking.

Freezer: Cover rolls tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for 1 to 2 months. Thaw and let rise for several hours before baking. 

Store. Keep frosted rolls covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days 

Freeze. Freeze for up to 6 months. When freezing, be sure to wrap them in plastic wrap and then in foil, or place them in a freezer Ziploc bag.

Allow the frozen rolls to thaw and then reheat them in the oven. Preheat it to 275⁰F and heat for 10-15 minutes or until warm throughout. You can also reheat them in the microwave. Just eat them before they cool; otherwise, they get pretty hard and stale.

Nutrition

Calories: 168kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 25mg, Sodium: 134mg, Potassium: 42mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 227IU, Vitamin C: 0.02mg, Calcium: 23mg, Iron: 1mg

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This recipe was first shared April, 2017.