These Mini Cinnamon Rolls have everything you love about classic rolls with a buttery cinnamon swirl, cream cheese icing, and a bake time of under 2 hours. Make 24 at once or shape them smaller for bite-sized treats at brunch, holidays, or parties.
All the Goodness, half the size!
As soon as the weather turns chilly, it’s a tradition in my house to bake a batch of these mini cinnamon rolls. They’re soft, gooey, and just as irresistible as the full-sized version, only smaller and perfect for sharing. I use the same dough as my apple pie filled cinnamon rolls, but instead of making 12 big ones, I roll it into 24 minis, or sometimes even 36 tiny bite-sized rolls. My family devours them fresh from the oven with a cup of coffee or tea, and just like with my mini chocolate chip muffins, no one ever stops at just one!
Ingredient Notes
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
For the Dough
- Whole Milk: A yeasted dough like this one requires liquid (in this case, milk), that is warmed to a temperature between 105° and 115°F. At this temperature, the yeast will “bloom” or wake up and start working for us.
- Yeast: I prefer to use instant yeast, so that’s what I’m using here! This type of yeast starts working more quickly than active dry yeast, so it’s a little bit of a shortcut.
- Butter: Add fat and flavor to the dough with melted, unsalted butter.
- Eggs: Always let your eggs come to room temperature before mixing them into the dough. Cold eggs won’t incorporate as easily.
- Baking Staples from the Pantry: All-purpose flour, sugar, and salt.
For the filling and frosting
- Unsalted Butter: The butter for the filling should be very soft, but not melted. We need to be able to spread it easily over the dough without pressing too hard and tearing the dough.
- Cinnamon and Sugar: The perfect ratio uses 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon to ½ cup of brown sugar. You can use either light or dark brown sugar; just be sure to pack it into the cup to measure it.
- Cream Cheese: The absolute best icing for any size cinnamon rolls is made with regular full-fat cream cheese. Let the cream cheese soften at room temperature so that it’s easy to mix up light and fluffy.
- Powdered Sugar and Vanilla Extract: Added to the cream cheese to flavor the frosting for our mini cinnamon rolls. For extra vanilla flavor, try using vanilla bean paste.
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Mini Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook
- Rolling Pin
- Pizza cutter or sharp knife
- Quarter sheet pan (13 × 9 inch / 33 × 23 cm rimmed baking sheet)
- Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk warm (between 105°F and 115°F / 40°C and 46°C)
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 packet (2 ¼ teaspoons) (7 g) instant yeast
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 ½ cups (540 g) all-purpose flour
For the filling:
- ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter very soft
- ½ cup (100 g) light or dark brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
For the icing:
- 8 ounces (225 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine warm milk, granulated sugar, and instant yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes to ensure the yeast is active, if desired.
- Add melted butter, eggs, and salt. Mix to combine.
- Add flour and knead on medium speed for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the dough is soft and elastic.
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Lightly flour your surface and roll the dough into a 14×18 inch (35×46 cm) rectangle.
- Spread the softened butter over the dough, leaving a ½ inch (1.25 cm) border on both long sides.
- In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the buttered surface.
- Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 12 equal strips (about 1 ½ inches / 4 cm wide).
- Starting from the opposite long edge, roll each strip toward the plain edge to form a spiral.
- Arrange the rolls on a lightly greased quarter sheet pan (13×9 inches / 33×23 cm) with a rim. Cover loosely.
- While the oven preheats to 350°F (180°C), let the rolls rise for 15 minutes.
- Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the rolls are lightly golden and set.
- While the rolls bake, whisk together cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Ice the rolls while still warm.
Notes:
- For bite-sized mini rolls, cut the dough into 36 strips (1 inch / 2.5 cm wide). Bake for 11 to 13 minutes.
- These rolls are best served warm but can be reheated gently in the microwave.
- If your dough is very sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time during kneading.
- Make-ahead option: Prepare rolls up to step 10 and refrigerate overnight. Bring to room temperature and continue from step 11.
- Storage: Keep these tightly covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Recipe Tips
- Use a thermometer to check the temperature of your warm milk. The proper temperature should be between 105°-115°F (40 -46°C). At this temperature, the milk will activate the yeast, but won’t kill it.
- After adding the yeast to the milk, I like to watch it for a few minutes to make sure that it starts to bubble and get foamy. This way, I know that the yeast is active and healthy before I continue with the recipe. If your yeast doesn’t start to bubble after 5 minutes, it’s likely expired, and you should get another package.
- If your dough seems extra sticky, add extra flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, during kneading. Continue kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Kneading the cinnamon roll dough will be easiest using a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. If you’re kneading by hand, it will take longer than 10 minutes.
- When spreading the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the rolled-out dough, leave an empty border of about ½ inch (1.25 cm) on both long sides of the rectangle. This will make the mini rolls easier to roll up and seal.
- Add the cream cheese frosting to the mini cinnamon rolls while they are still warm, but not super hot. You want the icing to melt partly so that it fills in all the gaps.
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Bite-Sized Cinnamon Rolls
Tiny little cinnamon rolls can be made with just one small adjustment: Cut the dough into 36 strips that are each 1 inch/2.5 cm wide. Bake as directed, but for only 11 to 13 minutes.
Make Ahead Mini Cinnamon Rolls
Prepare the cinnamon rolls recipe up to the point that they are rolled up and on the sheet pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, pull the rolls out of the fridge and let them come to room temperature. Then bake as directed.
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