Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

An overhead image of a cinnamon roll on a plate with a fork.

5 from 1 vote

Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Craving cinnamon rolls but don't want a full dozen? Make these Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls for a pan of fresh baked, soft & fluffy cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting that is perfect for a lazy Saturday morning.

Prep Time30

Cook Time22

Rising Time1 30

Total Time2 22

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 442kcal

Author: Amy Nash

Ingredients

Dough

¼ cup warm water (110°F)
¼ cup warm milk
1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar + 1 teaspoon for the yeast
1 large egg
½ teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour (250g) + extra for rolling

Filling

3 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Frosting

2 Tablespoons salted butter, softened
1 Tablespoon cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 teaspoons milk
½ to 1 teaspoon maple extract (optional for maple cinnamon roll icing)

Instructions

Start by combining the warm water in a large mixing bowl with 1 teaspoon of sugar and the yeast. Give it a little stir, then let it sit for 5-10 minutes until the yeast gets foamy. If the yeast doesn't foam up and bubble a bit, it's probably old and you should get some new yeast and start over.
Once the yeast is foamy, go ahead and add the rest of the sugar, warm milk, egg, salt, melted butter, vanilla extract, and about half of the flour. Stir or mix together well to combine. You can make this in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment for this part before switching to the dough hook to knead, but you can also do this by hand.
Dump the rest of the flour into the dough and continue to mix together until it forms a ball. Knead the ball with a dough hook for 3-5 minutes or turn it out onto a floured surface and knead by hand for 5-8 minutes until pretty smooth and not too sticky. You may need to add a little extra flour if kneading by hand to keep it from sticking too much to the surface you are kneading the dough on.
Shape the dough into a ball then place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise for 1 to 1 ½ hours until doubled in size.
In another bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon and cornstarch. Stir with a fork until evenly distributed and the texture of wet sand.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out into a large rectangle that is roughly 9x12 inches.
Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar filling over the dough. Slice into six even strips, then roll each strip up to make a cinnamon roll. You could also roll the whole thing into a log and then slice into 6 cinnamon rolls using a sharp serrated knife, unflavored dental floss, or a thread, but lately I have been enjoying this strip approach. Both work well.
Transfer to shaped cinnamon rolls to an 8-inch round pan that has been sprayed with baking spray, spacing them evenly around the pan with one in the center. (This is the point to cover the cinnamon rolls with plastic wrap and stick them in the fridge overnight if you want to make them ahead.) Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 45-60 minutes until puffy. Preheat the oven to 375°F while the rolls are rising.
Remove the plastic wrap and bake the cinnamon rolls for 22 to 26 minutes until golden brown.
Make the frosting by beating the softened butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and just enough of the milk to make a smooth, spreadable icing.
Let the cinnamon rolls cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before frosting with the icing. Serve warm.

Notes

Storage: If you have leftover cinnamon rolls, let them cool completely then store in an airtight container on the counter for 2-3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Warm them in the microwave for a few seconds before enjoying to refresh them a bit.
Freezing Baked Cinnamon Rolls: You can freeze cinnamon rolls for up to 2 months. Let them thaw on the counter and warm in the microwave before enjoying.
Freezing Dough Before Baking: You can also prepare the dough all the way through shaping the cinnamon rolls, then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for 3-4 hours. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months. To bake, place the frozen rolls into the pan and let thaw and rise covered loosely with plastic wrap for 4-6 hours until puffy before baking and frosting like normal. The frosting can even be made and frozen as well. Just freeze in a freezer-safe ziploc bag, then thaw in the fridge or on the counter. Knead the bag with your hands until smooth, then snip off a corner and pipe the icing onto the cinnamon rolls.
Pecan Sticky Buns: Use the same dough and filling recipe. For the pecan topping, add 1 cup roughly chopped pecans to the bottom of the prepared pan. In another bowl, whisk ⅓ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup melted, salted butter, 3 Tablespoons light corn syrup, ¼ teaspoon salt, 3 Tablespoons heavy cream, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract until combined, then pour over the pecans. Nestle the shaped rolls on top of the caramel pecan topping before letting the rise and bake like normal. Wait 5 minutes before inverting the pan of sticky buns onto a plate.

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