Perfect Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls
When you don’t want 4 dozen cinnamon rolls staring you in the face, what do you do? You make this amazing small batch cinnamon roll recipe and then gaze lovingly at 12 of the most perfect cinnamon rolls ever!
There is certainly a time and a place for a huge batch of cinnamon rolls.
But if you don’t need 20+ cinnamon rolls staring you in the face, this recipe for a small batch of cinnamon rolls is the perfect solution!
12 Cinnamon Rolls
This recipe makes twelve perfect cinnamon rolls nestled together in a basic 9X13-inch pan.
They’re amazing. And I’m going to show you just how easy they are to make.
How to make small batch cinnamon rolls
Mix the dough ingredients in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
The dough should be soft and smooth after mixing, not over floured (dry rolls!) or under floured (sticky, doughy rolls!).
If you focus on the feel of the dough rather than the exact flour amount in the recipe, you’ll achieve the perfect dough.
Ultimately, when the dough goes from lumpy and shaggy and forms a ball that doesn’t leave a lot of sticky residue on your fingers, you’re good to go.
Perfect Texture for the Dough
You can see that this beautiful lump of cinnamon roll dough holds it’s shape and isn’t sticky, but it is still stretchy and soft.
Holding it up like this, if it starts pulling and sagging without sticking to your fingers, you have yourself a really good cinnamon roll dough.
Plop the dough in a lightly greased bowl and let it rise until noticeably puffy and pretty much doubled in size. The exact time will depend on the temperature of your kitchen, but it should be right around 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Rolling out Cinnamon Rolls
Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly greased countertop (I prefer using nonstick cooking spray over using flour so the rolls stay soft and not over floured).
This dough is so malleable and easy to work with that I never mess with a rolling pin. I just pat it into a rectangle, about 14X10-inches, and call it good.
Spread about 6 tablespoons of softened butter on top. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon together (and the little bit of flour, if using – more details on that in the recipe below) and sprinkle that lovely concoction over the butter.
Starting with one long end, roll up the cinnamon rolls. The key to this rolling action is to roll them up as tightly as possible without stretching the dough.
Stretching and pulling on the dough while rolling them up will cause the rolls to shrink weirdly in the oven and can cause some of those dreaded gaps in the rolls after they bake and cool.
Once rolled, cut the dough into 12 equal pieces. I find it’s easiest to use a serrated knife (I have this inexpensive one and love it; it’s amazing – aff. link) or a piece of thread or unflavored dental floss.
Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan with cooking spray and place those cute rolls evenly in the pan. I like to tuck the ends of the rolls underneath. Habit, I guess.
Let the rolls rise until puffy. I know they’re ready when they are starting to get in each others’ personal space. Sides touching and they’re ready to go!
Bake the rolls in a 350 degree F oven for about 18-20 minutes. A tiny bit of browning on top is ok, but don’t let them bake too long or they might be dry.
While they are cooling, I like to whip up the icing and slather it on when they are just warm. Not too hot, not too cold. It’s the perfect frosting situation.
I’ve made these several times over the last few months just for our family. The recipe is the perfect size without too many dangerous leftovers.
So easy, you’ll be asking yourself why you aren’t making cinnamon rolls every day! Haha. Ok, that was a stretch. But maybe cinnamon rolls every couple weeks/months is a very, very good idea. 🙂
How to make these cinnamon rolls ahead of time
It’s really easy to make cinnamon rolls ahead of time!
This post on making cinnamon rolls ahead of time can be used for any variety of sweet roll.
One Year Ago: Easy Homemade French Bread
Two Years Ago: Harvest Pasta Sauce {Trader Joe’s Copycat}
Three Years Ago: Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake with Chocolate Cookie Crust
Four Years Ago: Pumpkin White Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake {Egg-Free, Easily Gluten Free}
Five Years Ago: Apple Crumb Pie
Perfect Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1 cup milk (see note)
- ¼ cup (57 g) butter (I use salted butter)
- ¼ cup (53 g) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast (see note)
- 1 large egg
- 3 to 4 cups (426-568 g) all-purpose flour (see note)
Filling:
- 6 to 7 tablespoons (85-99 g) butter
- ⅔ cup (141 g) packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons flour , optional (see note)
Frosting:
- 3 tablespoons (43 g) cream cheese, softened
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) butter, softened (I use salted butter)
- 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups (143 g) powdered sugar
Instructions
- For the dough, heat the milk in a medium saucepan until the milk is scalded (which is basically heating it until right before it simmers – it will start steaming and little bubbles will form around the edge of the pan; you can also do this in the microwave). Pour the milk into the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook (or you can do this by hand with a large bowl and wooden spoon).
- Add the butter, sugar and salt. Mix until the butter is melted and let the mixture cool until warm but not hot. Add the yeast and egg and mix until combined.
- Gradually add the flour until the dough clears the sides of the bowl. The exact amount will depend on the temperature, humidity and how you measure flour. I usually end up with right around 3 1/2 cups of flour. The dough should be soft and just slightly sticky without leaving a lot of residue on your fingers. Knead the dough for 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let it rise until doubled, about an hour. Roll or pat the dough into about a 14X10-inch rectangle. Spread the softened butter evenly across the top.
- Stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon (and flour if using) and sprinkle it evenly over the butter. Pat it in slightly with the palms of your hands. Starting with one long end, roll up the cinnamon rolls as tightly as possible without stretching the dough, pinching the seam lightly to seal.
- Using a serrated knife, cut the large roll in half. Then cut each half in half again (forming four equal portions). Cut each of the four portions into three rolls for twelve cinnamon rolls total.
- Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish. Place the rolls in the pan (3 across, 4 down), tucking the loose end of the cinnamon roll underneath, if desired. Cover the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let the rolls rise until double, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the rolls for about 18-22 minutes until only very slightly golden on top.
- While they cool (or before), prepare the icing by adding the cream cheese and butter to a medium bowl. Whip with a handheld (or stand) mixer until creamy. Add the milk or cream and vanilla. Mix again. Add the powdered sugar and whip until light and creamy. Spread the slightly warm rolls evenly with the icing. Serve immediately or let cool completely and serve at room temperature (or warm lightly before serving).
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (adapted from this favorite recipe)
211 Comments on “Perfect Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls”
My first time ever making cinnamon rolls and it was SO easy and SO delicious!
Love this recipe! Thanks for all the tips too. They turned out great!
We have made these several times and they are always fluffy and delicious!!
We have these every Christmas morning, easy to put together the day before and any leftovers freeze wonderfully.
Greetings, I have just subscribed to your newsletter, recipes, etc about 5 minutes ago. I am a vegetarian so I am sure there will occasionally be recipes for me. If possible, would you note how much if you want your treats to be gluten-free.
Thank You so much, Happy Holidays,
Karen
I make these all the time for my family! They’re super fun to bake when I don’t have anything going on and they’re always delicious.
These are literally the best cinnamon buns.
I have a question. The block of cream cheese is divided into ounces. But the recipe calls for 3 tablespoons. How many ounces are you using?
Lucie
It’s 1.5 ounces.
I made these exactly as written including the flour in the filling and they were perfect! The dough is beautiful to work with. I did have to add a bit more than 3 1/2 cups of flour. My tips would be to make sure you add flour slowly at the end, mixing carefully to make sure you don’t add too much. This can make for dry rolls. Also you can over knead. I used my Kitchen-aid with dough hook on medium to medium high. Stopping a couple of times to remove the dough from the hook and bottom of the bowl to make sure it all gets mixed well. I have a very cold home, so I turn the oven on for about 40 seconds to just start to warm and then turn it off and place the covered dough bowl in to rise. I periodically turn it on for about 20 seconds so it keeps heat in. I needed very little flour to roll the dough. Using unflavored dental floss is good for cutting without smashing. Slide floss under the roll and bring it up crossing over while pulling together. If you smoosh while cutting with something else just lightly reshape them so they are not flat on one side. Don’t overbake! Since cream cheese frosting must be refrigerated I don’t frost the whole pan. I ice only what we’ll be eating at the time. I store the buns at room temp and then microwave to warm them up and then frost . Thanks for a great recipe!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! These are true to their name and sooooo yummy! Husband a cinnamon roll lover was very very happy with these! Thank again!
These are fantastic! My daughter and I made them the day before for Christmas morning and they were perfect and enjoyed by all! Great share, Mel. (I also loved your post on make-ahead bun tips. So helpful.) Hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas.
Mel, Thank you for sharing your recipe and step by step tips on these cinnamon rolls that I made ahead of time for Christmas morning. My family and I LOVE them and, not being a natural cook, you have eased my burden to keep them all fed and happy. We are living out of the country right now and so good homemade food is an extra comfort. We are truly grateful to you and all considered adding you to our Christ as card list, ha! Thank you and merry Christmas!
Lori…thank you so much for this sweet comment! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
What if you dont have a stand mixer? Could you use a handheld or just hands to make the dough?
Yes, you can make the dough by hand with a bowl, spoon and a little elbow grease.
Hi there, I’m wondering how to double this recipe?
Thanks!
You can just double all of the ingredients straight across and either roll out and place in two 9X13-inch pans or use a half sheet pan.
The perfect cinnamon roll! The dough is super easy to work with and the fresh out of the oven better-than-the-bakery cinnamon rolls are always quickly devoured! I’m sure they are just as good the next day, but we never have leftovers!
So, I made these wonderful cinnamon rolls yesterday. Let me tell you, I always always read a recipe twice before making. I’m this case, I did not. Let me tell you what I did. For the dough, I ended up using 3 cups of flour. I live in Olympia, WA. It was raining so maybe that’s why. I put the dough into my oven with the light on for an hour and a half and it rose beautifully. I tried to pat it out into a square and it wouldn’t let me, I don’t know why, so I ended up rolling it out.
For the filling, I accidentally mixed the butter in…. Oppps, I won’t do that again! BUT they turned out fine. After rolling it and cutting the rolls, I put it into the oven…. Ooops. I didn’t READ they have to sit again. So, I let them sit on top of the oven for an hour. In the oven they went and they came out perfect.
For the filling, I added 4 tbsp of cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar and just used heavy cream until the mixture became the consistency I wanted! I will make this again!!! Thank you for sharing.
I just made these for the first, but definitely it last, time. They are by far the best cinnamon rolls ever!! Simple to make, soft, and sooooo yummy
I recently have gone gluten free and was sad to think I would not to be able to enjoy your fabulous cinnamon rolls! So you can imagine my excitement when I subbed out the flour for Bob Mills gluten free flour (with 1tsp/cup xanthan gum) and this recipe turned out amazing!! I ended up using almost 4 cups of the four but I’m happy to say cinnamon rolls will now be enjoyed gluten free!! Thank you for a simple and adaptable recipe!!
You might want to look at the recipe showing up on Pinterest. You talk of a small batch but the recipe listed is huge. And who would measure 146 Tbsp of flour?
Unfortunately, Pinterest alters the measurements in recipes and I’m not able to change that. It’s frustrating.
Love cinnamon rolls! I’ve had really good luck cutting them with dental floss, but not the mint flavor, of course!
Could you use a portion of the milk to proof the yeast w. some sugar? Trying to avoid a sticky dough problem, Im not a baker and trying to keep measurements close to your base recipe wout additional water, as I only have active dry yeast not instant. Thanks!
Yeast doesn’t usually proof as well in milk as it does in water, but you could try!
These rolls were perfection! The dough was a dream to work with. I patted it out to exactly the size of my silicone mat before rolling. I wanted to bake them in the morning, so the day before, I cut the rolls and laid them out on a cookie sheet and put in my freezer and froze them all day. That night I pulled them out of the freezer and arranged them in my greased 9×13 and covered with Saran Wrap and let sit out overnight, and they were perfectly risen in the morning 8 hours later and ready to bake. My family loved them! Thank you!
Made these last weekend. I was so pleased. I have a Sunbeam mixer and had never used the dough hooks before. Worked like a charm. I did wake up around 4:30 and put them out of my fridge into the oven with the light on. That turned out to be perfect. Walked around my neighborhood delivering them around 8:00am to my neighborhood friends–because even though it is a small batch 12 rolls is still too many for my husband and I!!
These were excellent. I used frozen butter so it would cool the milk. Because my dough was cooler I only needed 2-3/4 c flour. They were delicious! Thank you Mel for doing the work of shrinking the recipe.
Just made these today and they are amazing!!! Very easy!
I love my Bosch! Made these today. Fantastic and perfect sized recipe.
You don’t mention how much flour you add to the cinnamon mixture. Never made these yet so I have no idea. Thanks.
It’s listed in the ingredients list: 2 teaspoons.
I finally tried my hand at cinnamon rolls. (dangerous territory!) Excellent recipe! I will make these again. I had a slight operator error but I learned something AND the rolls were edible and that’s all that matters. lol I think my error was a combination of possibly slightly under-flouring (I use active yeast so I proofed it) and I also refrigerated them over night and quite possibly got impatient letting them rise (2 hours in a cold kitchen is not enough). I did make sure they were baked thoroughly, but my error combo was definitely an oopsie. lol Now I know. If I’ve learned anything, is that perfection is overrated and reading all the recipes and dos and don’ts won’t matter until I apply it. That’s my takeaway from 2020. lol Oh and I have to learn to check that impatience! lol Now I know why you do the lazy version of letting them finish rising as the oven is heating up! lol
These are incredible. Perfect balance of sweetness and I like that they are not gooey. Frosting is on point. NOTE: The directions mention adding salt to the frosting but I didn’t see salt in the frosting section. I don’t think it needed salt though. I may add a bit more salt to the dough, but I’d really hate to modify the recipe because it’s amazing as is.
Hey Jason, thanks for mentioning that. I edited the recipe instructions (glad you liked them!)
AMAZING!! This was my first time making cinnamon rolls and I wanted to do something for Christmas morning. And they turned out great!! The recipe yielded more than 12, but who couldn’t eat more rolls! It was probably my cutting or size of the dough before rolling. Either way, my family LOVED them! This recipe is a keeper. Thanks Mel!
this isn’t a small batch
not sure why a long drawn out article is needed for every recipe.
tired of this site coming up in my google searches
Now, please don’t ask why Shay hates Mel. No one quite knows the reason.
It could be, perhaps, that her shoes were too tight.
It could be her head wasn’t screwed on just right.
But I think that the most likely reason of all
May have been that her heart was two sizes too small.
Lo
Just an internet tip, if you like or comment on something that comes up in your google search it will make it more likely to come up in future searches…
There is this handy little button. It’s called “jump to recipe.” You’re probably new to cooking blogs so just thought I’d share.
Can you make this dough by hand? I don’t have a mixer
Yes…it’s a bit more work, but you can definitely make it by hand.
Wow ! Finally ….a keeper ! Tried so many but this is definitely the easier one and the best , didn’t make the icing , just a glace
Ok, these cinnamon rolls really are perfection. I love that it only makes 12 (perfect for my limited amount of self control) and that it didn’t involve a huge amount of work. The rolls themselves are light and fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth delicious. I will say, my favorite frosting to use is the one from your vanilla pudding cinnamon rolls. I have made this frosting, and it is yummy. It is light and fluffy, with a hint of cream cheese, whereas the other one is thick and creamy, with a stronger cream cheese flavor. Both are good, but I prefer the latter.
I’m going to have to be hard pressed to try another cinnamon roll recipe. This one is my keeper!
My family loves these cinnamon rolls. They swear that they taste like Cinnabon the 2.5 yo can eat 2-3 of them and want more. I know what I’m bringing to family events from now on (after Covid, ofc)
I have always been intimidated to work with yeast, thank you for this recipe. I made it this weekend and my family loved them. I will be using yeast alot more often now. Also I made your Cashew Chicken OMG that was to die for. I didn’t change a thing.
This recipe is unbelievable! A great tip to use instant yeast, using yeast you have to activate is always hit or miss for me. I accidentally made this recipe without egg the first time and somehow it turned out okay, just not fluffy. But when I remade it correctly, it was so fluffy and gorgeous!!! I did use bread flour and halved the butter in the filling, but I know it would have still been phenomenal with the original ingredient.
Made these today ü I have to say these are the softest cinnamon rolls I’ve had. And so easy to make. Saving this recipe. Thank you so much for this!
Hi, Mel!! I can’t wait to make these!!! Quick question first….the only 9×13 baking pan I have is a nonstick dark metal one. I saw that you used a ceramic dish. Will the one I have affect oven time and temperature?
As always, you and your recipes rock!! Thanks!!
Hi Dalia, you’ll probably want to decrease the oven temp by 25 degrees for a dark pan like that. Good luck!
Hello I love your recipe first of all did them a couple of times and can never get enough. I wanted to ask for to filling do you use salted butter as well or normal butter? I cant seem to remember what I have done the last time I did them. Thankyou
I always use salted butter
Made these today and success! They are not too sweet and are light and soft. Add the cream cheese icing and yummmmmdefinitely will make again. Thanks for sharing.
Sweet Lord in heaven! These are simply the best cinnamon rolls I have ever made– and I have have made a lot in my day! Lighter and fluffier than any and cinnamon-ier. I thought it was a lot of cinnamon for just 12 rolls but I was so wrong. Not your average rolls by any means. Think in will make more tomorrow!
Just made these! I could cry I’m so happy! They are heavenly and absolutely the best cinnamon roll recipe! Follow the instructions, be patient while the dough rises, and you’ll have perfection! So happy I came across your recipe. Thank you for sharing! My grandma used to add a pinch of cardamom to her rolls so I did too! Only thing I did different just to add a little touch of nostalgia to the rolls she used to make me as a kid.
This was supposed to be FIVE FULL STARS-sorry something happened when I posted my comment!
Made these today but my have increased in size SO much even in the over to the point of spilling over my pan! What did I do wrong ahhh
Did they spill over while rising or while baking?
I got great oven spring on mine too. But not too much. I did do the second rise in the fridge. Slowly. Would that make a difference?
It might – what was the texture of the dough when shaping?
So, I’ve made these twice in the last two weeks and they turned out perfectly every time. Love them so much! Now in search of friends to share them with so we don’t eat them all in one sitting!
Have you doubled this dough and the recipe was fine? I need a little bit bigger of a batch!
Yes, you can double it. 🙂
Hi.
Could you please post the recipe using fresh yeast. Thank you
Hi, I used 19 grams of fresh yeast and it worked out great.
Made this exactly as written today and they are delicious. (I added the bit of flour into the brown sugar & cinnamon, as suggested.) I have 12 very full cinnamon buns in my 9×13 glass pan. The icing is to die for. My daughters only complain is that I didn’t make 24 or 48 cinnamon buns! Lol.
I made this recipe. It was good, however next time I make this I will double the dough, then make more filling & add more milk & icing sugar for the icing. The dough made 12 small cinnamon buns, not as shown in the recipe. The icing wasn’t nearly as white or thick as it was in the pictures. If you make this definitely adjust the recipe.
Hi Mel- I made these for the second time today, and they turned out great. But for our tastes, I made a few changes. I spread the rolled-out dough with only about 3 Tbsp. butter, and even that seemed like a lot. And also cut back on the brown sugar mixture-
about 1/3 c. which was still plenty, and about half the icing, since we like a light glaze rather than gobs of extra icing. I also really like the buttermilk cinnamon roll recipe.
These were incredibly easy to make and super delicious!
Happy Easter!! Thank you for this fabulous recipe! I made these last night and we had them for Easter Sunday breakfast. I don’t usually have time to do something so elaborate Easter morning, but this year is so strange, I decided to go all out. Recipe was fabulous!! Everyone loved them! Great directions, easy to follow – thank you so much and God Bless you for all that you do!
Hi there, Mel!
Long time follower, first time commenter.
First, thank you for all the effort you put into experimenting with/verifying recipes and then posting them. For about five years now, I have thoroughly enjoyed following your blog and making your recipes.
What will Mel post today, I wonder. I unlock my smartphone. I wait impatiently as the browser opens up. I go to MelsKitchenCafe.com, and my breath catches in my chest until I read a new posting title with those three little words: Latest & Greatest. I hear nothing. Not even a sound on the streets, just the beating of my own heart. I have a new recipe blog posting to read. By you. That actually is quite close to how I excited I am when there is a new posting.
Recently, I was talking with a friend about how she was going to make cinnamon rolls for Easter morning. I became inspired to also make them, but on Saturday (today). Where would I find a tried and true recipe though? MelsKitchenCafe, of course!
I re-read your recent post on the 10 best-ever cinnamon roll recipes, picked this recipe, and followed the directions exactly. No surprise here that they turned out great and are delicious. There was a little gapping and a little brown sugar crystalization, but nothing that would significantly affect the taste and prevent me from eating the first two.
Since 12 rolls are too many for one man, I dropped them off to friends on their doorstep making sure to keep my social distance. With how great these turned out, I am super excited to make the orange sweet rolls tomorrow for Easter morning.
Thank you again not only for the recipes, but also for the commentary you write before each recipe!
Looking to make a batch of these. Can I use almond milk instead of cow milk? If you think almond milk would work in a different cinnamon roll recipe you make I’d take the suggestion. Half the house is super intolerant to cow milk and everyone’s requesting cinnamon rolls
I haven’t tried that substitution but I think I recall others commenting they’ve used almond milk with good results.
Made these today. The BEST! Recipe was so easy. My family and friends loved them. Thank you.
These are ABSOLUTELY the best I have ever made. I have used many recipes over the years. Not only does this make just the right amount, the texture is perfect. They are soft and fluffy and stay that way even after they cool. I will never use another recipe. Thank you!!
Thank you so much, Laura!
I made these today and they were great. I will be making these again and again.
So incredibly light! I highly recommend!
Can you make these the night before and bake them in the morning?
Yes! Here’s a post about making cinnamon rolls ahead of time: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/how-to-make-cinnamon-rolls-ahead-of-time/
I halved the recipe. Used half of all the ingredients, but just used one whole medium egg. Had to add a little bit extra flour to compensate. Skipped the icing, just brushed some melted butter after baking. The rolls turned out absolutely delicious! Got 12 smaller rolls out of it. Thanks Mel for yet another foolproof recipe xx
Wonderful, fluffy and light. The frosting is so good too!
Hi Mel,
Thanks for the recipe! My 17 year old daughter loves to make these. And 12 rolls is the perfect size for our family. One quick question as we plan to make these for Christmas morning this week- do you use salted butter in the filling? I see that you mention using salted for the dough & frosting, but not the filling. Does that mean you use unsalted? Thanks!!!
Yes, I use salted butter for the filling too.
Will the cinnamon roll become hard if I let it cool down or leave it out at room temperature?
They stay soft after baking as long as they are well covered after they cool.
Th this was so good! The rolls were moist, there was the perfect amount of filling. Love the small batch option when there are so many massive recipes out there! This was very doable. I have to say, the best part is the ultra whipped, fluffy white cream cheese frosting. So amazingly good! Directions were clear and simple, easy to follow, as always. Thank you Mel!!! You make our lives better all the time.
These cinnamon rolls turned out surprisingly perfect even though I neglected to put the dry active yeast in water first.
I made these ahead of time – cooled and wrapped in heavy duty foil and froze. I heated them in the foil the oven at a low temp and frosted them while they were warm. They were a hit on Christmas morning!
So excited to find this small batch recipe! I will be baking these in a metal pan. Do you vary the temperature any vs. a glass/pyrex baking dish? Thank you.
For your readers: I exactly halved the dough and filling recipe and got 8 rolls that I baked in a 9 inch iron skillet. I didn’t exactly halve the icing, but used about 4.5 T total of cream cheese and butter and with 3/4 c powdered sugar it seemed perfect consistency and amount. I’m SO glad I decided to make your recipe, it is THE BEST cinnamon roll I’ve EVER had. How will I ever try your others?
Addendum to my last: with halving the recipe, you don’t have as much dough to actually roll, so they aren’t as pretty as the full recipe would be. I think that’s what icing is for :-).
For the benefit of other readers: I halved the dough and filling recipe exactly, I got 8 nice rolls and baked them in my 9 inch iron skillet. I added a little white whole wheat and still got an incredible light and fluffy roll, absolutely THE BEST cinnamon roll I’ve ever eaten. I didn’t exactly halve the frosting but used about four and a half total tablespoons of the cream cheese and butter, and with 3/4 c of powdered sugar, it seemed perfect consistency and amount. I am SO glad I decided to use your recipe! I don’t know how I will ever try your others because this one is so perfect. THANK YOU.
These are amazing! Best ever. Cinnamon buns are a Christmas morning tradition at our house. I make them a few days before in a greased parchment lined pan and freeze them right in the pan. I take them out the night before, reheat gently in the oven and top with icing before sliding them onto a platter via help of the parchment. Yum! Also, I’m lazy and just toss all the dough ingredients into the bread maker and it works great. Thank you for the great recipe!
I assume you just used your dough cycle on your bread machine? I would love to try these but I am lazy and really don’t feel like dragging out the stand mixer if I don’t have too.
Hi Mel,
I want to get a jump start on my Christmas baking. Is there a point up to where I could prepare this recipe ahead of time and finish on Christmas morning?
I make them for christmas every year and bake the in a greased parchment lined pan. Let cool and cover with foil and freeze. Take out Christmas eve before bed and gently reheat in the oven for breakfast. Top with icing and serve on a platter (the parchment makes it easy to transfer them with all the amazing sauce.) Enjoy! Mine are in the oven now!
Here’s a post about making cinnamon rolls ahead of time
https://www.melskitchencafe.com/how-to-make-cinnamon-rolls-ahead-of-time/
I’m new to yeast bread baking. Made these rolls and was pleased for my 1st try. Even hubby said they were OK and he dies not like cinnamon. Nicest batch will have less icing. Here is my question. What can i do so the brown sugar melts? You get the Rainey crunch. I mixed th ingredients with my new hand mixer.
Sorry for the typo. My tablet takes over and says what it wants. Should read does not like cinnamon and Rainey should be grainey.
What brand of brown sugar did you use?
Your advice to put in salt along with the yeast is HORRIBLE. It denatures yeast and prevented my dough from rising. Why would you suggest that?
Ruined a tray of otherwise good cinnamon rolls.
And I saw in the comments that I wasn’t the only one with this problem. BAD advice.
For anyone reading this, do some research and don’t blindly follow the steps in this article or you’ll be disappointed.
I’ve made this recipe a number of times and have never had an issue with the dough rising- I am always sure to activate my active dry yeast by letting it soak in warm water with a pinch of sugar for about 5 minutes while I scorch my milk and melt the butter, salt, & sugar in it- I hope this helps you!
Same here! This recipe is perfection. I don’t want to be rude but something else must have gone wrong when you made them i don’t think it was adding salt to the yeast.
Sorry you had this experience! I add salt to my yeast doughs (cinnamon rolls, bread doughs, rolls, etc) all the time without any adverse effects – I use SAF instant yeast in case that makes a difference.
I have blindly followed every yeasted dough recipe I’ve baked of Mel’s and never had an issue unless it was my mistake. These cinnamon rolls are in the oven right this minute and they look puffy and delicious!
I did a trial run bake if these cinnamon rolls in November, searching for the perfect recipe for Christmas. I actually preferred them the day after baking, instead of the same day, so I’m making them Christmas Eve to eat Christmas AM. This recipe was the winner, thanks Mel! I’m new to making cinnamon rolls and your recipe was excellent, especially the links to different tips.
The amount of salt in this recipe is too small to kill the yeast. However, I wonder if you did not cool your scalded milk enough before adding the yeast. I have made that mistake too many times before and it definitely killed my yeast! Old yeast or cold rooms can cause issues in rising as well. I hope you gave these another try! I’m with the other comments, Mel’s recipes have never failed me!
I’ve blindly followed this recipe, several times, along with two other cinnamon roll recipes, pizza dough and a handful of bread recipes and never had a problem.
Ok!!! These were delicious and I felt like a total rockstar when these turned out as good as they did. We definitely wanted to make these the very next day but resisted…these will become a staple in our family. Thank you, Mel! You rock my socks.
My sister in law is allergic to cinnamon. Is there anything else you can recommend to replace it? I’d love to surprise her with a batch!
Oh boy, not sure what to suggest for someone allergic to cinnamon. Maybe cardamom and nutmeg?
Is the egg a deal breaker? My chickens aren’t laying right now.
It will change the texture and consistency of the dough to leave it out…but you could experiment.
Fantastic. I’ve been nervous to make cinnamon rolls, but because of your post about yeast, I decided to be brave and try some. These were perfect since it is just my husband, toddler, and I. I started these after dinner and they came out of the oven around 9:30. We split a smaller roll after it had cooled and it was delicious. We heated up some in the morning for a delicious breakfast and froze the rest since we were going out of town. Really great! Will make again.
Great job, Kimberly!
Fantastic recipe! Followed exactly as written and they turned out perfectly. First prove (proof?) needed much longer than 1 hr, but I was pressed for time. Little to no rise, but I moved ahead. Slight rise on second prove after 1.5 hrs. Took out when just started to turn golden on edges at 18 min, as others suggested, and they were perfect! Great flavor, excellent texture, and easy peasy! Will use this recipe again.
Great recipe!! Ended up halving it because I only needed 6(still used a full egg though) it was just right! They came out wonderful❤
Finally! A recipe for the perfect amount! I have tried many and this one also resulted in perfect cinnamon rolls! Thank you! I’ll be saving and sharing this one!
How much salt do you put in the frosting?
Just a pinch.
These are so yummy! I used my bread maker. Added the ingredients in the order my bread maker suggests. I did use 4 cups of flour. I baked them in a 9×13 pan. They were perfect.
Very yummy! Tastes nearly as good as Cinnabon . Would recommend using a bit bigger of a baking tray as mine were a little too tightly packed
I made these tonight! They were so perfect that I almost cried! Yumm:)
Can these be made by using the “Dough” function in a bread machine to prepare the dough if one doesn’t have a stand mixer with dough hook? I’ve done other recipes that way, but wonder if you have tried it.
I haven’t tried that but as long as the quantity of dough ingredients fits in your bread machine, it should be ok.
Just made these today! Loved the smaller batch and they taste wonderful! My hubby is going to be so happy when he gets home! Thanks for the recipe.
Can this be baked on a sheet pan or do they need a deep pan ?
Yes, they can bake on a sheet pan – they may not rise quite as high unless you place them fairly close together.
These we’re perfect for conference. Thank you!! My four year old declared “ Mom, this is my best breakfast ever!”
Haha, that is adorable!!
I only have active dry yeast and I’m curious if there is a reason you can’t proof the yeast in the warm milk before adding the other ingredients? If I let the milk cool a bit after scalding and add a little of the sugar would that work fine?
Yes you can…but sometimes in milk, it’s harder to tell when the yeast has fully proofed (bubbled) in milk than it is in water.
Such an easy recipe to follow and they came out delicious–nice and soft. I wasn’t able to get them all the same size like your pictures show (but practice makes perfect and it didn’t hurt the taste). The icing takes them to another level. This is my new favorite cinnamon roll recipe!
These are so easy and so amazing! Thanks!
This is the third recipe I tried and they came out almost perfect. Most of my mistakes were User Error LOL. But these were by far the best. And even though this is a small batch, because these are only for my sister and myself, I halved this recipe and made 6 delightful little rolls. It was also the least complex and best explained one. This one is going in my recipe book. <3
Made these as my first attempt ever at cinnamon rolls. They were simple and turned out pretty well. I will add more cinnamon to the filling in the future because there wasn’t much cinnamon flavor to them.
Can you use bread flour??
Yes!
I love this cinnamon roll recipe. The size is perfect and easy to make. One suggestion I would make is add 1 tsp of vanilla extract to the dough.
These were absolutely PERFECT! Great recipe!
This was a great recipe. My husband and kids loved it! I did 3/4Tbs of cinnamon and 1/4Tbs nutmeg/cardamom mix in the filling and it was tasty!
One question… is it really 3/4 Tablespoon of yeast? Or should it be 3/4 ounce(aka 1 packet)? (I used 2 packets of fast yeast but it just seemed like a lot!)
Yes, I use 3/4 tablespoon of yeast which is 2 1/4 teaspoons (I edited the recipe). 🙂
The easiest batch of cinnamon rolls I’ve ever made and so yummy even the next day.
I made these for Christmas morning, and they were amazing! After I cut them and put them in the pan, I put them in the refrigerator overnight, took them out in the morning to let them rise, and they turned out SO good!!
I made these today, and they are delightful. Two slight modifications: I used dry active yeast (followed notes), and I also cut back a little on the sugar for the filling and frosting. Your tips on how the dough should look were super helpful! These cinnamon rolls ended up light, fluffy, and perfect. Thanks for a great recipe!
Glad they worked out, Karen – thank you!
Hello Mel,
I tried so many recipes of cinnamon rolls till now to search for the best one. To be honest your recipe wins the heart. I am the person who seeks for balanced sweetness in my bakery. My family loves it. Even my father is diabetic but he couldn’t resist. Everyone in my family after eating these babies is like mmmmmmm 🙂
I altered toping. I usually use condensed milk, cream cheese and tinch of salt and butter scotch essence. It goes perfect with these rolls.
Thank you so much for the recipe and this recipe is all time fav for life time. 🙂
Can’t wait to try these. Look amazing!
Do you use salted or unsalted butter I your recipe?
I use salted butter
I am wondering if you can freeze these after they rise I n the pan?
I’d actually suggest freezing them before they rise in the pan and then take them out of the freezer to thaw and rise before baking.
Can you put them in the fridge before rising? Or does it have to be the freezer? Will they still rise in the fridge?
Yes, you can put them in the fridge for upto 24 hours before you take them out to ride. I think she said that in her notes, or her post she linked to!
Yes, you can refrigerate the rolls before rising!
I’ve made this recipe 3 times now. I’m a newbie with cinnamon rolls and had just made your big guys a couple of weeks before this recipe came out. I still have some in the freezer! It’s easy and delicious! The only thing I would say is that I always have a lot of the cinnamon/sugar left on the counter after cutting and transferring to the pan. There’s still plenty in the rolls though! Thanks again for your wonderful recipes!
Glad this recipe is working out for you, Heather! Thanks for letting me know!
Mel,
These are seriously the best! I made these this past weekend, letting them sit in the fridge overnight and bake the next morning. They were so easy and full of yeasty goodness! Cinnabon has some serious competition! I’m planning on freezing the half that I didn’t eat, and pulling those out for Christmas morning. I’ve already shared this recipe several times (and tagged you on IG), and will be making these again and again! Thank you!
Lisa
Thank you so much, Lisa!!
This recipe was so easy and turned out way better than what I expected! The portion is just right for some fresh homemade cinnamon rolls and the frosting was PERFECTION!! Thanks for this amazing recipe!
Thanks, Cassie!
The cinnamon rolls are in the oven right now. The smell of the house is incredible. Thanks for the awesome recipes Mel!
One thing I like to do is make a cinnamon roll Christmas tree- arrange in the shape of a C-tree on a large sheet pan, one cut in half and placed vertical for the trunk. When baked forst them and decocrate w/ sprinkle, or red and green cherries to look like ornaments. I have given these as gifts, on a rectangular cake board.
Coming in late here, but want to say Happy Thanksgiving, and many thanks for all the truly delicious recipes you share! This recipe is one of oh, about 7 or 8 recipes I just printed off to try. 🙂 God bless you & your family this holiday season!
Thank you so much, JoAnn! Happy Thanksgiving to you too!
I just pulled these rolls out of the oven and they are perfect. The dough was very easy to work with. The only change I made is that I used 1/3 cup white sugar with the butter and cinnamon in the center of the rolls. I did this as I wanted them less sweet with the frosting. They are delicious!
Can’t wait to try this. My son is lactose intolerant so I’m wondering if you have any substitute suggestions for the milk and butter. I enjoy unsweetened cashew milk as it doesn’t change the taste of most things. I can use “futter” (aka fake butter) for the spread but am wondering about the dough milk and butter ingredients in the dough itself. Thanks for any help!
Hey Kate – I haven’t tried these butter or dairy free but you might try those same dairy free subs in the dough, too.
I’ve made cinnamon rolls with soy milk and vegan butter. It works.
These are in my oven right this minute. I’m sooooooo excited. They look gorgeous. Thank you!
Hi there, sorry if I’ve overlooked if my question has already been asked/answered in other comments, but if you use active dry yeast would it change anything in the steps/recipe?
If you don’t have instant yeast and want to use active dry yeast, use the same amount and dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup water with a pinch of sugar. If doing this, you may need to add a bit more flour due to the extra water.
My family of 4 ate the whole pan in (less than) one day. So, so good. I did not read all of the instructions beforehand and had to do an overnight fridge raise, and they still turned out perfectly. Definitely Christmas-breakfast worthy. Thanks for a great recipe!
So happy to hear that, Marisa!
Hi Mel!
I want to make these sooooo badly, but I don’t have a stand mixer! Would they still turn out with a hand mixer, or just mixing manually?
Yes, I’d just mix by hand in a bowl with a spoon (just make sure not to add too much flour which can easily happen when making yeast dough by hand). You can do it!
I made this recipe. Everything looked good. Baked them for 22 minutes,. Took them out of the oven to cool and they collapsed. What can I do different next try???? They taste good, just flat and doughy. If they hadn’t collapsed, I’d rate it a five.
It sounds like they just needed more time in the oven. It’s possible my oven cooks hotter than yours – so my cinnamon rolls will bake quicker. Do you happen to live at high elevation? That can make a difference, too.
I used white whole wheat flour (fresh ground)–I love the heartiness of whole wheat cinnamon rolls. And we had some buttercream frosting left over from cookies earlier in the week, so we used that instead of making fresh frosting. They were absolutely delicious. Try them with whole wheat–they’re SOOOO good!
Thanks, Anna!
Is there salt missing for the frosting? Or am I misreading?
No, you aren’t misreading. I don’t add salt to the frosting for this small of a batch because I use salted butter and that’s enough.
You might want to add “salted butter” to your recipe if it’s all salted butter you’re using. My first attempt I found them bland. Second attempt I added more salt and then they were good. I was using unsalted butter which seems to be the general standard for baking unless otherwise stated.
I agree. My dear Mel, please add ‘salted’ butter to your recipes. I have also been taught to use unsalted as the standard for baking, and it would be super helpful to know what you use in each recipe. Thank you!
Have you ever made this ahead of time? I was thinking of making and assembling the night before thanksgiving and then the morning of, just popping in the oven?
Here’s a post I did about making cinnamon rolls ahead of time (it would work great for this recipe): https://www.melskitchencafe.com/how-to-make-cinnamon-rolls-ahead-of-time/
You folks that need a small batch are not as greedy as some folks I know.
HAHAHA! Good one!
Really great timing! I made a batch of (dairy-free) “cream cheese” icing for another recipe that flopped (not from you! Ha!) and luckily I didn’t waste it, because once I saw this post I knew it’s true destiny. The little buns are rising now! Can’t wait. Thanks!
Hope you love them!
would love a recipe for 3 buns . to me, that’s a small batch. I have made cinnamon buns, usually 12 vat a time. would prefer a smaller batch
Freeze the extras!
Yeah, I know what you mean. Twelve rolls is small batch to me but it may not be for others. I don’t have a recipe for quite that small of a batch – but these baked, cooled and frosted cinnamon rolls freeze really well so keep that in mind!
So all I have is a Bosch mixer how can I do it without a Kitchenaid mixer???
I want to make these so badly,
Kathy
Use the dough hook on the Bosch!
Oh, sorry for the confusion – you can definitely make this dough in a Bosch mixer!
Hi Mel,
Which cinnamon roll recipe would you say is your favorite? You have a lot in the “best of” category, so want to make sure I know which one is really the best of the best 🙂
I really can’t choose a favorite. I honestly love each one for different reasons. This is definitely my favorite for a small batch. The Yukon cinnamon rolls are my favorite for a cinnamon roll that’s just a little over the top, extra special. And Gloria’s recipe is my favorite all-purpose big batch cinnamon roll. 🙂
I will definitely be trying these during the upcoming holiday season! I cook for two adults and a toddler so even this is a big batch for my family. :). Would I be best to freeze some of the rolls once prepared or do you think it would be possible to freeze some before baking? Any tips would be much appreciated as your blog is a staple in my house, especially for holiday recipes!
Hey Holly – I think you could freeze prior to baking, but my preference is to make the rolls, bake them, frost them, let them cool and then slide each one into a smaller ziploc bag and freeze that way. They heat up so easily and quickly! However, cinnamon rolls really do freeze pretty well prebaked…just take them out of the freezer in time to thaw and rise a bit before baking.
I am so excited for this recipe! I am a cinnamon roll soul mate.
Haha, love it! Cinnamon roll soulmates unite!
Could this recipe (ingredients amounts) be use with the instructions of the overnight cinnamon rolls?
Yes!
Love this adaptation! I have both those recipes printed to do exactly what you did in this post (reduce Gloria’s recipe and then use the Yukon gold icing). Now I can replace them with this beautiful recipe. Thanks!
Yay! Glad we were on the same page!
How weird is it that just yesterday I googled small batch cinnamon rolls?! I’m definitely going to be trying this week! I have a family of 4 so giant recipes usually make too much and I end up giving away half or so. Which I love to do but there are times when small batch is the way to go! Thank you so much for all your amazing recipes! I’m actually wanting to try your pumpkin cinnamon rolls too this week. Thanks again!
Haha! You and I were on the same wavelength! Thanks, Rose!