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Soft and Gooey Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls (Makes Exactly 6 Rolls)

Close-up of six freshly baked small batch cinnamon rolls covered in thick white icing in a white baking dish.
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Make six perfectly soft and gooey cinnamon rolls without making a huge batch. This straightforward recipe delivers homemade quality that tastes better than store-bought.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup warm milk (about 105-115°F)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • For the Filling:
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • For the Icing:
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, yeast, and salt.
  2. In a separate small bowl, mix the warm milk, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and the egg.
  3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix by hand until a shaggy dough forms.
  4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 5 to 7 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
  5. Lightly grease a clean bowl with butter. Place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
  6. While the dough rises, prepare the filling. In a small bowl, mix the softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until combined into a paste.
  7. Gently punch down the risen dough. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 8×10 inches.
  8. Spread the cinnamon-sugar filling evenly over the dough, leaving a small border on one long edge.
  9. Starting from the long edge opposite the border, roll the dough tightly into a log. Pinch the seam closed.
  10. Use a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss to cut the log into 6 equal rolls.
  11. Grease a small 8×8 inch baking pan. Place the 6 rolls cut-side up in the prepared pan, leaving a small space between them.
  12. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and let the rolls rest for 30 minutes in a warm spot. They should look puffy.
  13. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
  14. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
  15. While the rolls bake, prepare the icing. Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add a few more drops of milk if the icing is too thick.
  16. Remove the rolls from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Drizzle the vanilla icing over the warm rolls before serving.

Notes

  • For overnight cinnamon rolls, place the shaped rolls in the greased pan, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 12 hours before baking. Add 5-10 minutes to the bake time if baking directly from the refrigerator.
  • If you do not have instant yeast, use active dry yeast and proof it first in the warm milk with a pinch of sugar for 5 minutes before adding it to the dry ingredients.
  • To get soft rolls, avoid over-baking. Check them at 15 minutes.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingzenith.com/small-batch-cinnamon-rolls/