• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
MikeBakesNYC
  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Bars
    • Breads
    • Brownies
    • Cakes
      • Bundt Cakes
      • Cheesecakes
      • Cupcakes
      • Layer Cakes
      • Sheet & Snack Cakes
    • Cinnamon Rolls
    • Cookies
    • Donuts
    • Ice Cream
    • Macarons
    • Muffins & Scones
    • Pies & Tarts
    • Savory
  • How To's & Resources
  • Cookbooks
  • Products
  • About
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Search
  • Recipe Index
  • How To's & Resources
  • Cookbooks
  • About
  • Products
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Cinnamon Rolls

    Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls

    By Mike Johnson ⁠— April 5, 2020 (Updated September 9, 2022) — 46 Comments

    4.60 from 47 votes

    This recipe for Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls makes just four cinnamon rolls— perfect for when you want them fresh & without leftovers.
    Jump to Recipe Leave a Comment

    This post may contain affiliate links. Read my Disclosure page.

    Table of contents

    • Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls
    • Ingredients Needed for Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls
    Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls - close up

    Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls

    As much as I love having dessert leftovers and making use of them, some things are just meant to be eaten fresh the day they’re made. I feel strongly about this in the case of cinnamon rolls; the only problem is that most cinnamon roll recipes make a dozen or more, which is fine if you’re feeding a whole family, but if you live alone or with a partner, it's just far too much.

    Enter, my small batch cinnamon rolls. These babies are so, so, so good. They're fluffy and gooey and rich and yield just four rolls. The only problem with this recipe? They’re so easy I can make them every day.

    Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls - one cinnamon roll on a plate

    Ingredients Needed for Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls

    These small batch cinnamon rolls don't require a ton of ingredients; here’s what you’ll need to make them:

    • Milk: I recommend 2% or whole milk, but know that non-dairy/nut milks will also work (I’ve tried it!) If you don't have any milk, you can also use 5 tablespoons of water instead.
    • Granulated sugar: This is used to help activate the yeast and sweeten the cinnamon rolls.
    • Instant dry yeast: Use quick rise or instant yeast in this recipe to help the cinnamon rolls rise faster. You can also use active dry yeast, but the cinnamon rolls will take slightly longer to rise.
    • Butter: The one and only. You’ll need it for the dough and the filling.
    • All-purpose flour: Only one cup of all-purpose flour is needed! If your dough is too sticky, you can add up to an additional tablespoon of flour, but I wouldn't recommend adding more than that otherwise you'll have dry cinnamon rolls.
    • Brown sugar: For those cinnamon swirls; you can use light or dark brown!
    • Cinnamon: YUM.
    • Cloves: DOUBLE YUM. (Also totally optional.)
    • Salt: Cinnamon rolls made without salt taste a little plain. Also, salt helps to control the yeast, so don’t skip it.

    The icing is truly unforgettable too! Just cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla bean paste. YES PLEASE.

    Wherever you are in the world, I hope you're safe and sound at home and that these small batch cinnamon rolls bring you some comfort during these uncertain coronavirus times. Let's get quarantine baking, shall we?

    Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls - cinnamon roll with bite
    Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls - one cinnamon roll on a plate
    Print Recipe
    4.60 from 47 votes

    Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls

    This recipe for Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls makes just four cinnamon rolls— perfect for when you want them fresh & without leftovers.
    Prep Time1 hour hr
    Cook Time15 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
    Course: Breakfast, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Breads & Donuts, Breakfast, Cinnamon Buns, Cinnamon Rolls
    Servings: 4 rolls
    Calories: 421kcal
    Author: Mike Johnson

    Ingredients

    For the Cinnamon Rolls:

    • 75 g milk warm (110°F)
    • 2 teaspoon instant dry yeast
    • 15 g granulated sugar
    • 125 g all-purpose flour
    • 45 g unsalted butter melted
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

    For the Filling:

    • 30 g unsalted butter melted
    • 45 g light brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves (optional)

    For the Frosting:

    • 85 g cream cheese softened
    • 40 g powdered sugar
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
    • splash of milk
    Metric - US Customary

    Instructions

    • Make the dough: In a small cup, mix together the yeast with the milk and a pinch of granulated sugar. Let the mixture sit in a warm place until bubbly/foamy, about 10 minutes.
    • In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, remaining tablespoon of sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Stir the yeast mixture into the flour, followed by the melted butter. Stir until a dough forms and then lightly knead with your hands for about 5 minutes. If your dough is sticky, add up to one additional tablespoon of flour.
    • After lightly kneading, form the dough into a ball and transfer it back to the bowl. Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap, a paper towel, or aluminum foil and let sit in a warm place for 20-30 minutes.
    • Make the filling: While the rolls are rising, make the filling. Add the melted butter, light brown sugar, cinnamon, and cloves to a small bowl and stir until combined. Set aside.
    • Grease the bottom and sides of a rounf 6-inch baking pan or pan of an equivalent size. (Optional: sprinkle up to a tablespoon of brown sugar on the bottom of the pan for rolls with a lightly caramelized bottom.) Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, punch it down and, using a rolling pin, roll into an 8×4-inch rectangle. Make sure the dough is smooth and evenly thick.
    • Spread the cinnamon sugar filling all over the dough. Tightly roll up the dough to form an 8-inch-long log and cut into 4 even rolls. Arrange them in the prepared baking pan. Cover the pan and allow the rolls to rise for 15-20 minutes.
    • Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
    • Bake the rolls for 13-15 minutes, until the rolls are lightly golden brown on top and cooked through. Remove pan from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes as you make the frosting.
    • Make the frosting: In a small bowl, whisk the softened cream cheese until creamy. Add the remaining icing ingredients to the bowl and whisk until smooth and combined. If the icing is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar; if it's too thick, add more milk. Spread icing over warm rolls. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1roll | Calories: 421kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 228mg | Potassium: 119mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 760IU | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2mg
    Did you try this recipe?Tag @mikebakesnyc and use the hashtag #mikebakesnyc!

    MikeBakesNYC LLC owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this website unless authorization is given. If you enjoyed the recipe and would like to publish it on your site, please re-write it in your own words, and link back to my site and recipe page. Read my Disclosure page. This post may contain affiliate links.

    Filed Under

    BreadsCinnamon RollsSmall Batch BakingCinnamon
    « 6-Inch Vanilla Cake
    Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting »

    Share this recipe

    1126 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      4.60 from 47 votes (35 ratings without comment)

      Rate this Recipe + Leave a Review Cancel reply

      If you made this recipe, I'd love for you to leave a rating + review below to let me know how you liked it! If you have any questions, please feel free to leave those below too!

      Thanks,
      Mike

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Monica

      November 14, 2021 at 12:42 pm

      I measured the ingredients with a scale and used instant yeast. Even checked milk temperature and the dough for one was WAY TO GREASY. Had to add more flour than 1 tablespoon! Also they did not rise. Yes my yeast was NOT expired. This recipe is a flop!

      Reply
      • Michael Johnson

        November 14, 2021 at 12:53 pm

        If you truly followed the recipe using metric measurements, then you should have run into no issues! I can assure you (based on many recipe tests, as well as comments from others who have made this recipe) that the ingredient amounts are accurate. There will be a recipe video added to this post in the near future so people who may run into issues can follow along and troubleshoot. Sorry to hear they didn't turn out for you!

        Reply
      • Cathy

        January 11, 2024 at 11:02 pm

        I beg to differ. I just made these and they were SO good! Plus, the minimum amount of work required makes these a winner.

        Reply
    2. Leslie B.

      March 12, 2021 at 4:37 pm

      I’m new to your site and I’d like to make your small batch cinnamon rolls and add finely chopped pecans to the filling, as well as adding some halved pecans to the syrupy goo in the bottom of the 6” pan. I’d set the pan on a quarter sheet tray to avoid burning if you agree it’s a good idea.
      Do you see any drawbacks to trying that? Are there other modifications You would recommend? Thanks.

      Reply
      • Michael Johnson

        March 13, 2021 at 11:21 am

        Adding chopped pecans to the filling would likely work fine, as long as you don't add too much to where the second rise is inhibited. As far as adding pecans to the bottom of the pan, I can't advise whether or not it would work as I've never tried it myself!

        Reply
        • Lea Rabkin

          August 02, 2023 at 4:27 pm

          5 stars
          Put the nuts on the bottom when you shape the rolls. I have made Mike's pizza recipe (sorry Mike) had to put this in there several times...so easy and tasty.
          He has a thin crust pizza Meat Eaters...I haven't made these cinnamon rolls yet, but will because of the attention to detail in all his recipes. I can only image how many times Mike has made these recipes and regret that I could not be in the kitchen to taste test them all but I am working on baking through his entire recipe section. Great work and a lot of goodies here. Keep going Mike you are totally awesome!

          Reply
    3. JN

      February 24, 2021 at 5:10 pm

      5 stars
      Both my sister and I made these and they are "the bomb"! She said that they are best cinnamon buns she has ever made! And we are veteran bakers! I thought they were awesome also and have been sharing the link with all the socially distancing couples I know. Thanks for your work on this and for sharing the recipe!

      Reply
    4. Susanne Baker

      February 15, 2021 at 3:05 pm

      3 stars
      I followed this recipe exactly.... they came out underdone and dry. The rolls did not rise whatsoever after cutting them and leaving them in the pan for the prescribed amount of time. All ingredients were fresh... any ideas? They didn’t look anything like the pic... they were pasty and dense, not soft and chewy. ☹️

      Reply
      • Michael Johnson

        February 18, 2021 at 3:07 pm

        Underdone would suggest they weren't baked long enough (remember every oven is different!), however, the dryness would suggest too much flour used in the dough. I'd recommend weighing the ingredients out if you weren't already! Issues with rising are usually tied to the yeast. Add some of your yeast to a bowl of warm- basically body temp- water and a little sugar & stir; if it doesn't foam up and smell yeasty in a couple of minutes, it's dead and you'll want to get a new package of yeast. Yeast development can also be retarded by too much heat so if the milk was added at too high a temp, that could impact the rise. You might also have rolled them too tight, giving them less room to expand. And one other thing you might consider is that the best way to get a nice “rise” out of your final cinnamon rolls is to place them relatively close together in their final baking pan. That way they nestle against each other and push up and out. If you’re placing them more than an inch or so apart, they may spread out quite a bit – which is still a “rise”, just not upward – and that can be visually misleading.

        Reply
    5. Cathy

      February 07, 2021 at 5:57 pm

      Just want to double check...2 tsp of yeast seems a lot for 1 cup of flour and 4 rolls when compared to 2 1/4 tsp and 4 cups of flour in your Cardamon cinnamon rolls. Is this amount correct or is there typo?

      Reply
      • Michael Johnson

        February 12, 2021 at 12:23 pm

        2 tsp is the correct amount 🙂

        Reply
    6. Cathy

      February 07, 2021 at 4:04 pm

      5 stars
      I so miss baking but with only two of us I cannot make most of the recipes I have, these were perfect. It is a snowy, cold day and filling the house with the smell of these rolls baking was perfect!! The best part is they taste even better than they small.

      Reply
    7. Mina

      February 07, 2021 at 7:49 am

      So excited to try this recipe! I went to the store and got all the ingredients (couldn’t find vanilla bean paste so am hoping extract will work). But here’s my newbie yeast user question: is it okay to have the second rise go longer than 15-20 minutes? Wondering whether I can let them sit out or if I should put them in the fridge...
      Thanks in advance for any advice

      Reply
      • Michael Johnson

        February 12, 2021 at 12:22 pm

        I wouldn't let the second rise go any longer than 30min.

        Reply
    8. Kathy T

      February 06, 2021 at 11:33 am

      In what type of pan did you cook the small batch Cinnamon Rolls? thx
      This is perfect to bake for my 97 year old dad!

      Reply
      • Michael Johnson

        February 12, 2021 at 12:22 pm

        I used a 6-inch round cake pan.

        Reply
    9. Dawn

      December 25, 2020 at 8:44 pm

      5 stars
      Loved these rolls! I really wanted to make cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning but, since it is just me and my husband this year, I hunted for a small batch recipe. These are perfection! So pillowy and just the right amount of icing. This recipe is a keeper! Will definitely make these again... though they are dangerously easy to make so I'll have to limit myself to how often! BTW... I'm having a lot of fun working my way through your new cookbook. Love that too!!

      Reply
    10. Laura

      December 19, 2020 at 1:08 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is perfection! Gonna have to try your other cinnamon roll recipes simply because I want more than four - they are that good!

      Reply
    11. Sam

      November 08, 2020 at 9:05 am

      I wish the measurements were in 'cups' too 🙁

      Reply
      • Michael Johnson

        November 09, 2020 at 10:38 am

        The cup measurements are actually listed as well. You have to click "US Customary" within the recipe card at the bottom of the ingredients list. Baking with metric measurements is far more accurate though 🙂

        Reply
    12. Radia

      November 02, 2020 at 8:30 am

      5 stars
      So damn fluffy and extremely delicious! 10/10 would make this again.

      Reply
    13. Mitali

      November 01, 2020 at 5:45 am

      5 stars
      I’ve used this recipe multiple times and it hits the spot everytime! I use my air fryer at 160 degree Celsius to instead of an oven and this might just be the best thing to come out of there!

      Reply
    14. Lauren

      October 23, 2020 at 1:56 pm

      5 stars
      I know this defeats the purpose of "small batch", but do you have any idea if this recipe would world fine to scale up? I know some recipes don't work as well to double or triple!

      Reply
      • Michael Johnson

        October 25, 2020 at 5:57 pm

        It would work fine, generally speaking! My brioche recipe for cinnamon rolls is pretty much always the same, so you could just follow the dough recipe as written in my chai spiced cinnamon rolls for 6 rolls or my cardamom cinnamon rolls for 12 rolls!

        Reply
    15. Coco

      August 17, 2020 at 7:31 pm

      I only have 3/4c of all purpose flour and 1/4c of cake flour left in my pantry. Would it be alright for me to use these? It's out of flour where I live! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Michael Johnson

        August 18, 2020 at 9:48 am

        I'm not sure, to be honest! Small batch recipes are a bit more finicky than regular batches, and because cake flour has less protein content, I'm not sure if the gluten would form correctly which would affect the rises and final product! Bread flour, if you have it or can find it, would be a better option!

        Reply
    16. Madhu Anvekar

      July 27, 2020 at 6:16 am

      Hi , love to try out this recipe , can I add ( 1 ) egg to the recipe ?

      Reply
      • Michael Johnson

        July 28, 2020 at 8:24 am

        No, I wouldn't add an egg to this recipe. I have other cinnamon roll recipes you can check out though!

        Reply
    17. Janan

      July 24, 2020 at 2:29 pm

      5 stars
      Tasted great was very easy to make!

      Reply
    18. Katie

      July 14, 2020 at 9:18 am

      5 stars
      Probably the BEST cinnamon rolls I have ever made. I have tried a lot of recipes and this one is perfection. So easy and the perfect amount.

      Reply
    19. Julia

      July 11, 2020 at 11:02 am

      These were SO SO good. A small batch was not enough for me, I may double it next time!! Cloves added a nice complexity, too. Thanks for the easy recipe!

      Reply
    20. Sam

      June 04, 2020 at 5:34 pm

      5 stars
      These were awesome! I loved that they were so easy to make and that they make the perfect amount for 2 people. TOTALLY MAKE THESE!!!

      Reply
      • Michael Johnson

        June 04, 2020 at 6:08 pm

        Ahhh! Glad you enjoyed, Sam!! ❤

        Reply
    21. Kasey

      May 13, 2020 at 6:27 pm

      Hi could you make these ahead of time and keep in the fridge before baking?

      Reply
      • Michael Johnson

        May 15, 2020 at 11:58 am

        Yup! Tightly wrap the assembled (but not risen) cinnamon rolls with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, remove the assembled rolls from the refrigerator. Loosen the plastic wrap and let the cinnamon rolls come to room temperature and complete their second rise; then you can bake according to the recipe! 🙂

        Reply
        • Margo

          February 09, 2021 at 4:19 pm

          I’m afraid to try this recipe since I live at altitude of 7800 ft and think the rolls won’t rise. What adjustments would you recommend? Thank you.

          Reply
          • Michael Johnson

            February 12, 2021 at 12:24 pm

            Unfortunately, it's impossible for me to test my recipes at a high altitude, so I'm afraid I can't give any insights into how the recipe would turn out or any adjustments that need to be made!

            Reply
    22. Amy N Hurley

      May 10, 2020 at 8:12 am

      Don't you want to roll it from the short edge, ending up with a 4 inch long roll and cutting 4 rolls that are 1 inch tall?

      Reply
      • Michael Johnson

        May 10, 2020 at 10:57 am

        If that’s how you’d like to do it, go ahead! During testing, I preferred the final look of the rolls that were cut from the 8-inch log so I wrote the recipe that way to prevent the “my rolls didn’t look as tall as yours” comments 🙂

        Reply
    23. Daggermouth Goodegga

      April 17, 2020 at 3:56 pm

      No EGGGS????

      Reply
      • Michael Johnson

        April 17, 2020 at 4:37 pm

        No eggs! Don’t need them 🙂

        Reply
        • Valerie

          July 05, 2020 at 12:28 pm

          Hi. For 6 inch round pan, how do I reduce the ingredients in the recipe ?

          Reply
          • Michael Johnson

            July 05, 2020 at 12:38 pm

            This recipe fits in a 6-inch pan as written. No need to reduce!

            Reply
        • Jabeen

          July 24, 2020 at 5:52 pm

          I ran out of eggs, this is great!!!

          Reply
    24. Leonie

      April 05, 2020 at 1:20 pm

      This looks amazing! Perfect for living alone and not being able to share with friends and family.
      I do have a question to the metric measurements: I usually say 1 cup of flour is 128 grams. The recipe says 85 grams. Which is correct?
      Thank you.

      Reply
      • Michael Johnson

        April 05, 2020 at 1:28 pm

        Whoops! The metric measurements were pulled from my Cardamom Cinnamon Rolls recipe instead so it was displaying everything incorrectly. You'll want to use 125 grams of flour; it should be fixed now!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Mike!

    I’m the recipe developer, food photographer, and 3x cookbook author behind Mike Bakes NYC. More about me!

    Footer

    Privacy Policy | Editorial Policy

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Copyright © 2025

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.