This mini cinnamon rolls recipe is so simple to make and you don’t have to worry about kneading dough or using any type of mixer! These cini-minis are tender, sweet, bite-sized, and topped with a homemade glaze!
These mini cinnamon rolls are so cute and are perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a weekend brunch! I love that there is minimal prep work! When I make pumpkin cinnamon rolls, I make the dough from scratch, but this recipe is so much easier because we are using refrigerated dough sheets!
Want to try something new? Make campfire cinnamon rolls (or use that recipe when you are camping). If you love breads and rolls, be sure to try these buttermilk scones, braided sweet bread with apricot filling, or chocolate chip banana bread. Other brunch favorites include overnight french toast casserole and cookies and cream cinnamon rolls.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Cinnamon Roll Recipe
- Doesn’t require yeast and making homemade dough.
- Ready in under 1 hour.
- Simple to make and perfect for any occasion.
- They freeze and reheat well.
What Ingredients do I Need for Mini Cinnamon Rolls?
- crescent roll dough sheet – can also use crescent rolls, just pinch together the perforations
- light brown sugar – be sure to pack when measuring
- ground cinnamon
- unsalted butter – allow time for it to come to room temperature to make it easier to work with.
Glaze:
- confectioners’ sugar
- vanilla or maple extract
- whole milk – other varieties of milk should work as well, I just like using whole milk
Before You Start: Keep the dough refrigerated until you are ready to use, so you don’t end up with sticky dough before you are finished making them.
How to Make Mini Cinnamon Rolls
PREP: Unroll the dough onto a floured surface. Combine the butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl to form a paste. Spread over the dough sheet so it goes all the way to the edge. Roll the dough into a log and cut it into 12 equal pieces using a sharp knife.
COOK: Place each cinnamon roll into the mini muffin pan and press up on the centers so they come out of the cavity. Bake in the oven until they are light golden brown
GLAZE: Whisk together the sugar, extract, and milk in a small bowl. Dip each cinnamon roll and cool on a wire rack or a serving platter.
- By pushing up on the rolls when placing them into the pan allows them to bake up and out versus sinking down in the pan.
- You can easily double this recipe, making it great for crowds, as it is will make 12 mini cinnamon rolls.
- Instead of using a muffin pan, you can place them in an 8×8 baking dish or pie plate. However, the cooking time may need adjusting.
- If you would like to change up the glaze, you can use my homemade cream cheese frosting recipe or the store-bought kind.
- You may need to prep your pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Fun Fact
The idea of cinnamon rolls originated in Sweden, except they prefer a little lighter and less sweet. Also, there is no glaze, just a sprinkle of sugar on top.
Once they have cooled, you can transfer them to a container or bag and freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator overnight. Heat in the microwave for a few seconds if desired.
When stored in an airtight container on the counter, they are best when eaten in the first 3-4 days.
The major difference is the shape. Both of made using dough, cinnamon, and sugar. It’s obvious that cinnamon rolls are rolled into logs and then cut. Whereas, buns are more rectangular when baking and are not rolled.
More Yummy Breads and Buns
Mini Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 package crescent roll dough sheet
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ tablespoon cinnamon 1 ½ teaspoons
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
Glaze
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla or maple extract
- ⅛ cup whole milk
Instructions
- Unroll the sheet of crescent dough onto a lightly floured cutting board.
- In a small bowl, mix together the softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon to form a paste.
- Use a spatula to spread the butter/sugar mixture over the crescent dough to the edges.
- Roll the dough up tightly into a log; rolling along the long edge so that your finished roll is about 14 inches long.
- Slice the roll into 12 even pieces.
- Place one piece of cinnamon roll into each cavity of a lightly greased mini muffin tin. As you are placing each roll into the muffin tin, press up the center of each piece gently so that the spiral of the cinnamon roll is facing up in the muffin tin rather than concave down into the muffin tin – this will help the cinnamon rolls rise up and out when they bake instead of sinking in to the bottom of the muffin tin.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cinnamon rolls are lightly browned and cooked through.
- Whisk together the glaze ingredients. Dip the top of each cinnamon roll into the glaze and set on a serving platter.
Notes
Nutrition
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