Pillowy Soft Mini Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
This Mini Cinnamon Rolls Recipe will help you make 28 pillowy soft, mini cinnamon rolls in less than 2 hours!
Ingredients
For the Bread Dough
- 390 g All-purpose or bread flour 3 cups
- 180 ml Warm milk ¾ cup (you can use water instead if preferred)
- 57 g Softened unsalted butter ¼ cup
- 1 Egg (room temperature)
- 32 g Sugar 2½ tablespoons
- 6 g Salt 1 tsp
- 3 g instant or active dry yeast 1 tsp
For the Filling
- 90 g Soft brown sugar 1/2 cup
- 57 g Softened unsalted butter ¼ cup
- 5 g Cinnamon powder 2 tsp
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 80 g Cream cheese 3 ounces (softened)
- 43 g Unsalted butter 3 tbsp (softened)
- 125 g Powdered sugar 1 cup
- 5 ml Vanilla extract 1 tsp
- 1/8 tsp Salt A pinch (Optional)
- 15 ml Milk (Optional)add little by little (to thin the frosting if you like the frosting lighter)
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Bread Dough
- Start by adding warm milk, sugar, salt, yeast, and egg into a mixing bowl. Give it all a good stir to combine.
- Then add in the softened butter.Next, add your flour and mix until the dough comes together into a shaggy, slightly sticky mass.
- Knead the dough for 4-5 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.Once smooth, shape it into a ball, flatten it slightly, and cover it with a kitchen towel or an inverted bowl. Let it rest for 5 minutes.This short rest isn’t for proofing. It just lets the gluten relax, which makes rolling the dough easier later.
Step 2: Divide and Shape the Mini Cinnamon Rolls
- Roll the rested dough into a thin rectangular sheet, roughly 20×14 inches in size.
- Spread a thin, even layer of softened butter all over the surface. Then mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, and sprinkle that mixture evenly over the buttered dough.
- Cut the rectangle in half lengthwise . Roll each rectangle up tightly from the 14 inch side to form two logs.Now, mark each log into 14 equal portions.
- To slice them cleanly without squishing, use a piece of dental floss or thread—slide it under the log, cross the ends over the top, and pull. This gives perfect little rolls without flattening the swirls.
- Place the rolls cut side up in a parchment lined baking pan (about 15×10 inches). Slight variation in size of baking tray is okay.
Step 3: Proof the Mini Cinnamon Rolls
- Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, and let the rolls rise in a warm spot for about 60 minutes.
Step 4: Bake the Cinnamon Rolls
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).Bake the rolls for around 20 minutes or until they turn golden brown on top and the edges look slightly caramelized.
- Once baked, let them cool for 2–3 minutes—just enough so they’re warm but not piping hot. Then, spread that dreamy cream cheese frosting right over the top so it melts into the rolls slightly.
How to make Cream Cheese Frosting For Mini Cinnamon Rolls
- In a medium bowl, combine softened butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and a pinch of salt.Beat the mixture with a hand mixer until smooth, pale, and fluffy.Gradually add powdered sugar while beating continuously until you get a silky, spreadable frosting.If you prefer a thinner frosting that drips slightly into the rolls, add 1–2 tablespoons of milk and mix until smooth.
- Spread the frosting generously over your warm cinnamon rolls and watch it melt into every swirl.
Video
Notes
- Don’t add too much flour: Sticky dough equals soft rolls. Adding too much flour will make them dense.
- Frost while warm: The frosting slightly melts and seeps into the crevices—pure perfection!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!