Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls

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Last Updated on September 27, 2025 by Toya

For the days when you want fresh, warm cinnamon rolls but don’t want the commitment of a large batch, this recipe is perfect! My easy small batch cinnamon rolls recipe makes only 6 fluffy rolls which means it’s perfect for you if you’re a smaller household, a couple, or you just don’t want any leftovers.

And, even though the’re small batch, these cinnamon rolls are soft, gooey, with a made from-scratch dough and so good, you’ll wish you tried them way sooner!

Ingredients

For Yeast Starter

• ¼ Cup warm water (100–110°F)
• 1 Teasponn active dry yeast
• ½ Teaspoon granulated sugar

For Dough

• 1 Cup + 6 Tablespoons all purpose flour
• 3 Tablespoon milk (room temprature)
• 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• ½ Teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons + 2 Teaspoons melted butter

For Filling

• ¼ Cup brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)
• 1 ½ Teaspoon cinnamon powder

For Glaze

• ½ Cup powdered sugar
• ¼ Teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ Tablespoons milk

Tools You’ll Need

You only need some basic tools to make these cinnamon rolls. I used these:

Small Baking Dish – I used a 6.1″ x 8.7″ ceramic baking dish, which fits 6 rolls perfectly. You can also use a 7″ round cake pan or an 8″ square pan — just make sure the rolls have a little space to expand as they rise and bake.

Rolling Pin – Essential for rolling the dough into an even rectangle. If you don’t have one, a clean glass bottle or drinking glass works as a quick substitute.

Mixing Bowls – I used about 6 bowls for this recipe: one for the yeast starter, one for mixing the dough, one for the filling, one for the glaze, and a couple extra for prepping and holding ingredients. You may not need that many, but having extras ready makes cleanup easier.

Whisk – Handy for mixing the yeast starter, whisking the glaze, and combining dry ingredients. A fork can work in a pinch, but a whisk gives smoother results.

Measuring Cups & Spoons – Accuracy matters for baking, especially with yeast doughs. Level off your flour for consistent results.

Food Scale (Optional but Recommended) – If you have a kitchen scale, use it! Measuring flour and sugar by weight ensures accuracy and keeps the dough from turning out too dry or too sticky.

How to Make Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls

First grab a small bowl and mix the warm water, yeast and sugar together. Then let this sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

Important Note: If the yeast is alive and active, it will become foamy and bubbly on the surface, almost like a light froth. That’s your sign the starter is good to use. If nothing happens and the mixture looks flat, the yeast is no longer active and you’ll need to start over with fresh yeast.

While the yeast starter is doing its thing, measure out all of your other ingredients and gather everything in one place for easy access.

When the 10 minutes are up, grab a medium sized mixing bowl and mix the yeast starter, melted butter, milk, sugar and salt together.

Add the flour gradually and mix until a dough comes together. At this point, check if you dough is to your liking. If your dough is sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until it is workable. Then knead for 5–7 minutes on a lightly floured surface.

Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise until doubled in size (about 1 hour) in a warm spot in your kitchen. If you check your dough and think it needs more time to rise, you can give it an extra 30 minutes to rise.

A few minutes before you’re ready to roll out the dough, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon powder together in a small bowl. I like to mix in my butter too.

Roll the dough into a rectangular shape about 8 x 12 inches.

Then spread the cinamon, sugar and butter mixture onto the dough evenly.

Start rolling from the short side and roll the dough up snugly but not too tightly into a log. As you roll, gently stretch the unrolled dough out to the sides so it lines up more evenly with the rolled portion. This helps the cinnamon rolls stay uniform in size.

Once done, cut into 6 equal pieces and place in a small, greased baking dish. Cover, and let the rise for a second time for 45 minutes.

Note, the exact time depends more on your kitchen temperatur. In a warm kitchen, it might be 45 minutes; in a cooler one, it’ll be closer to 75–90 minutes.

Pro Tip: The Heavy Cream Hack for Gooier Rolls

If you want your cinnamon rolls to turn out extra soft and gooey, try this simple trick: pour a splash of heavy cream over the rolls just before baking. About ¼ cup will do for this recipe.

The cream seeps into the dough as it bakes, making the centers pillowy-soft, rich, and melt in your-mouth delicious.

It’s a viral hack that not many home bakers know about, but once you try it, you’ll never skip it again.

Next bake the rolls in a preheated oven at 175°C or 350°F for 20 – 22 minutes. Pull them out of the oven and let them cool for a few minutes.

Finally, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract and drizzle over your cinnamon rolls!

Tips & Tricks

• If your yeast didn’t foam up — If your yeast mixture doesn’t look bubbly after 5–10 minutes, the water may have been too hot (and that killed the yeast) or too cold (and that didn’t activate it). You should discard this and start over with fresh yeast and water at about 110°F (warm but not hot to the touch). Also, check that your yeast isn’t unusable.
• If your dough isn’t rising — Make sure that your kitchen isn’t too cold and if it is, move the covered bowl somewhere warmer (like inside the oven with just the light on, or near a sunny window). It can take longer in cooler rooms, so be a little patient.
• If your dough is too sticky — You’ll need to add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time during kneading until it’s soft but not clinging to your fingers. Be careful not to add too much, or the rolls will come out dense.
• If your dough is too dry or tough — If it feels stiff and cracks when you knead, it likely needs more liquid. Add 1 teaspoon of milk or water at a time until it smooths out.
• If you don’t want your cinnamon filling leaking out — Be careful not to roll up the log to tightly. You need to roll the dough snugly, but not too tight, and leave a small border without filling at the edge so it seals better. You can also lightly brush the edge with some water to help it stick.
• If you don’t want uneven rolls — Stretch the unrolled edge of the dough gently as you roll so it lines up evenly. Use a sharp serrated knife or some dental floss to cut clean slices without any squishing.
• If you don’t want burnt edges or dry rolls — If your cinnamon rolls brown too quickly, you can tent loosely with foil during baking. Overbaking makes them dry, so pull them out as soon as the tops are golden and the center feels set.

Serving Suggestions

• Cinnamon rolls taste their softest and gooeyest fresh out of the oven. So, drizzle the glaze on them while they’re still warm so it melts slightly into the swirls and then enjoy!
• These also pair well with some scrambled eggs and fresh fruit.
• You can also serve these with hot coffee, spiced chai, or hot chocolate if you’re feeling cozy.
• You can swap the simple glaze for a rich cream cheese frosting if you want bakery style rolls.
• You can serve these homemase cinnamon rolls for special occasions like birthdays, cozy weekends, Christmas morning, or Valentine’s day breakfast in bed!

Storing Leftovers

Since this a small batch recipe you may now have any leftovers, but if you do, or you doubled the recipe as some people do, then here’s how to keep them fresh:

• In The Refrigerator: Store the rolls in a airtight container fro up to 1 week. Reheat in the microwave for 20-25 seconds or cover with some foil and warm in a 300°F for 10 minutes.
• In The Freezer: Freeze baked rolls (well-wrapped) for up to 2 months; thaw overnight and reheat before serving. Or freeze shaped, unbaked rolls before the second rise. For this, you will need to thaw the rolls overnight, then let them rise until they’re puffy, and then bake as usual.