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Overhead view of a baking dish with partially eaten cinnamon rolls covered in cream cheese frosting, revealing gooey cinnamon filling beneath.
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Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls

Small batch, big cinnamon roll energy. ✨ These Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls are everything you love about classic cinnamon rolls, just in a smaller, more manageable batch. This easy recipe makes six rolls with gooey cinnamon sugar centers and smooth cream cheese frosting. You get full bakery-style taste, made in the comfort of your own home.
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Rise Time 2 hours
Servings 6 rolls
Calories 850kcal
Author Tawnie Graham of Kroll's Korner

Ingredients

Tangzhong

  • 2 Tbsp. bread flour
  • 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. whole milk *if this scaling recipe, see notes below

Dough

  • 1/4 cup whole milk warmed to 110°-115°F
  • 1 ½ tsp. instant yeast **see notes for using active dry yeast
  • 2 ⅓ cups bread flour or all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg room temp, whisked
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter very soft

Cinnamon Caramel Sauce (for bottom of pan)

  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter very soft
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ tbsp heavy cream
  • 1/8 tsp. salt

Filling

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter very soft
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
  • 2-3 Tbsp. warm heavy cream for pouring between rolls before baking

Frosting

  • 4 oz. full-fat cream cheese softened
  • 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter softened
  • 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the tangzhong first (it’s so easy I promise!)

  • In a small saucepan, whisk together the bread flour and milk until smooth. Place over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens into a paste (about 1–2 minutes). Transfer to a small bowl and set aside to cool slightly.
    2 Tbsp. bread flour, 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. whole milk
    Two side-by-side images showing the tangzhong process. On the left, milk and flour are combined in a small saucepan; on the right, the mixture has been cooked into a smooth, thick paste.

Bring the dough together:

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
    1 ½ tsp. instant yeast, 2 ⅓ cups bread flour or all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 3/4 tsp. salt
    Two overhead images of a mixing bowl showing the dry ingredients for cinnamon roll dough. On the left, yeast, flour, sugar, and salt are added; on the right, they are whisked together into a uniform mixture.
  • Add the warmed milk, egg, vanilla, and prepared tangzhong. Mix on low speed until the dough begins to come together.
    1/4 cup whole milk, 1 egg, 2 tsp. vanilla extract
    Two images showing the start of the dough-making process. On the left, a bowl with flour, tangzhong, egg, milk, and vanilla extract; on the right, a smooth dough beginning to form after mixing.
  • Add the softened butter and continue mixing until fully incorporated.
    1/4 cup unsalted butter
    Two images showing butter being incorporated into the dough. The left image shows a pat of butter on top of the dough, and the right shows the dough after kneading, becoming soft and elastic.
  • Knead on medium-low speed (I knead on speed #2 on my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer) for ~5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and no longer overly sticky. You should be able to form it into a ball.
    Close-up image of the finished dough formed into a smooth ball in a mixing bowl, ready for its first rise.
  • 1st rise: Transfer to a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and let rise ~1 hour. It won’t double in size because of the tangzhong. I like to use the proof function on my oven.
    Side-by-side images of dough before and after rising. The left shows the dough as a small ball, and the right shows it doubled in size, smooth, and puffy after proofing.
  • Prepare sauce for bottom of the pan: In a medium bowl, mix together all ingredients until well combined. Spread evenly over the bottom of a greased 8- or 9-inch baking dish. This helps to make the bottom of the rolls extra gooey and delicious!
    1/3 cup unsalted butter, 1/3 cup light brown sugar, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 1 ½ tbsp heavy cream, 1/8 tsp. salt
    Three-step collage showing how to make the cinnamon caramel sauce for the pan. Top-left: ingredients including butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, sugar, vanilla, and cream. Bottom-left: mixture combined into a thick paste. Right: the sauce spread evenly over the bottom of a baking dish.
  • Roll out dough: Lightly flour a clean work surface with bread flour. Roll the risen dough into a 9 x 13 inch rectangle (about ¼ inch thick). Spread with the softened butter.
    1/4 cup unsalted butter
    Two images showing rolled-out cinnamon roll dough on parchment paper. On the left, the plain rectangle of dough; on the right, the dough spread evenly with softened butter, ready for cinnamon sugar.
  • Cinnamon sugar: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the buttered dough. I like to kind of rub it into the butter so it adheres to it. Also tip: leave about a ¼ inch of space along one long edge to help the dough seal together when you roll it up. (We will use the heavy cream later on prior to baking)
    Overhead image of rolled-out cinnamon roll dough spread evenly with a thick layer of brown sugar and cinnamon filling, ready to be rolled into logs.
  • Roll or slice: to form the rolls you can either. A. Roll the dough tightly into a log and cut evenly into 6 rolls (I like using floss). Or B. Slice the dough into 6 even strips, and roll each individual strip. Arrange them in the prepared pan in the cinnamon caramel sauce. FYI: If you want to prepare the rolls the night before you bake them, pause after you finish this step, and scroll down to the Notes section to see the next set of instructions.
  • 2nd rise: cover again and allow to rise for 30 minutes - 1 hour or until noticeably puffy.
  • Preheat: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  • Bake: Pour the warm heavy cream (I just microwave it for a few seconds to take the chill off) over the rolls right before baking. Bake the rolls for ~30 minutes, or until lightly golden and the centers register at least 190°F. Do not overbake, cover with foil if the tops are browning too quickly. The sauce should be bubbly and the house will smell sooo good.
    2-3 Tbsp. warm heavy cream
  • Frosting: In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in the vanilla bean paste, then gradually add powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Spread over warm rolls before serving. Time to dig in and enjoy all your hard work! :)
    4 oz. full-fat cream cheese, 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste, 1 cup powdered sugar
    Two images showing the finishing stage. On the left, a hand spreads cream cheese frosting over warm baked cinnamon rolls; on the right, the pan is fully covered with creamy frosting, ready to serve.

Notes

  • *Scaling this Recipe: If you're using the "servings" button on the recipe card to scale this recipe, note that it will only adjust the "1/4 cup" portion of "1/4 cup + 2 TBSP of whole milk" in the Tangzhong ingredients. You will need to double or triple the 2 TBSP depending on if you're doubling or tripling the recipe.
  • **Active Dry Yeast: If you want to use active dry yeast (instead of instant yeast) you need to bloom the yeast with the warm milk and a tiny pinch of sugar. Let it sit 10 min until foamy then add it in when adding in the egg, vanilla etc. (So you will NOT add the yeast in with the dry ingredients like written in step 1 of "bring the dough together" in the recipe card.)
  • Overnight Instructions: If you want to prep the rolls the night before so they’re ready to bake fresh in the morning, here’s how to do it:
    • Follow the recipe through Step 10 (where you shape the rolls, arrange them in the pan with the cinnamon caramel sauce, and cover them).
    • Instead of letting them do the second rise at room temperature, cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate overnight (up to about 12 hours).
    • The next morning, remove the rolls from the fridge and let them sit at room temperature for 45–60 minutes before baking. They should look a little puffy. Not necessarily doubled, just noticeably risen and soft.
    • Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
    • Right before baking, pour the heavy cream over the rolls, then bake as directed, about 25–30 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
    • Frost while warm and enjoy your freshly baked rolls without all the morning work!

Nutrition

Serving: 1roll | Calories: 850kcal | Carbohydrates: 111g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 374mg | Potassium: 207mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 68g | Vitamin A: 1376IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 1mg