Mini cinnamon rolls are soft, pillowy bite-size cinnamon rolls baked together in a 9×13 pan and finished with cream cheese frosting. They take about 2 hours start to finish and are made with bread flour, honey, yogurt, butter, and a cinnamon sugar filling for bakery-style texture.
The dough is rolled into a large rectangle, cut into thin strips, and rolled into tiny spirals so you get dozens of mini rolls in one pan. Right before baking, pour warm cream between the rolls to create tender and gooey mini rolls that stay soft for days.
These mini rolls are perfect for holiday brunch, baby showers, Christmas morning, or feeding a crowd, because everyone can grab one or two without committing to a giant cinnamon roll.
After testing cinnamon roll dough dozens of ways over the years, this version consistently produces the softest, most pillowy rolls with visible pull-apart layers.
How to Make Mini Cinnamon Rolls
Instead of slicing one large log like traditional cinnamon rolls, this method creates 60 tiny rolls that you roll and bake together into soft pull-apart layers.
The quick overview:
- Make the enriched dough
- Let it rise until puffy
- Roll into a large rectangle
- Spread cinnamon sugar filling
- Cut into thin strips
- Roll each strip into mini spirals
- Let them rise again
- Pour warm cream between the rolls and bake
- Frost and enjoy!
The result is dozens of soft mini rolls with caramelized cinnamon layers and goeey centers.
Why These Mini Cinnamon Rolls Stay Soft for Days
The dough for these mini rolls are the exact same as the classic soft cinnamon roll. The technique is where they go from class to mini. But that dough still matters! This recipe uses 5 specific techniques that keep the rolls moist and fluffy for days instead of drying out overnight.
- Honey retains moisture: Honey is hygroscopic, meaning it attracts and holds moisture. Using honey in the dough keeps the rolls soft for 2 to 3 days longer than sugar alone.
- Yogurt creates a tender crumb: Greek yogurt slightly weakens gluten development. This makes the dough more tender and less chewy (exactly what we want).
- Bread flour gives the rolls structure: Bread flour contains more protein than all purpose flour. That extra strength helps the rolls rise tall while still staying soft.
- Butter is kneaded in after gluten develops: Adding butter during kneading coats the gluten strands and creates the delicate pull apart layers you see when tearing the rolls. This technique produces the soft, almost stringy bakery style crumb around the edges.
- Warm cream soak creates a custardy interior: Right before baking, warm heavy cream is poured between the rolls. As the rolls bake, the cream melts into the dough and creates an ultra soft interior texture.
How to Shape Mini Cinnamon Rolls
Mini cinnamon rolls are shaped by cutting the dough into thin strips and rolling each strip individually. This method produces many small rolls that bake together evenly.
Here is exactly how to do it.
- Roll the dough into a 20×18 inch rectangle.
- Spread the cinnamon sugar filling evenly across the dough.
- Cut the dough into three long strips running horizontally.
- Cut those strips into 1 inch pieces vertically.
- You should end up with about 60 small dough strips.
- Roll each strip tightly into a mini spiral and arrange them in the pan.
Do your best to keep each strip roughly 1 inch. If they’re wider or uneven, some of the cinnamon rolls will be taller than others and can affect the bake time. You can use a ruler or tape measure to score the dough so you know where to cut.
Step-by-Step Instructions: With Photos at Each Step
Step 1. Activate the yeast: Warm the milk to 110 to 113°F. Add it to a stand mixer bowl with the yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Whisk and let sit for about 5 minutes until foamy.
Step 2. Mix the wet ingredients: Add the honey, remaining sugar, yogurt, eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla. Mix briefly with the paddle attachment until combined.
Step 3. Add the dry ingredients and rest the dough: Add the bread flour and salt and mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms, about 2 minutes. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. This allows the flour to hydrate and relaxes the gluten.
Step 4. Develop the gluten: Switch to the dough hook and knead on medium speed for 5 to 6 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl.
Step 5. Add the butter: With the mixer running on low, add softened butter one tablespoon at a time. Allow each piece to fully incorporate before adding the next.
Continue kneading for 4 to 5 minutes until the dough is smooth, stretchy, and slightly tacky.
Step 6. First rise: Transfer the dough to a greased bowl and cover. Let rise in a warm place for 45 to 60 minutes until puffy.
The dough does not need to fully double in size.
Step 7. Make the cinnamon filling: Mix the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla into a smooth spreadable paste.
Step 8. Roll and fill the dough: Roll the dough into a 20×18 inch rectangle. Spread the filling evenly all the way to the edges.
Step 9. Cut and roll mini cinnamon rolls: Cut the dough into three long horizontal strips. Then cut those strips into 1 inch sections.
Roll each strip into a tight spiral and place them into a greased 9×13 baking pan.
Step 10. Second rise: Cover and let the rolls rise 15 to 30 minutes until puffy. Mini rolls should look slightly underproofed before baking because they expand quickly in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 11. Add the cream and bake: Warm the heavy cream slightly. Pour it between the rolls, not over the tops.
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until lightly golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 185 to 190°F. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Step 12. Make the frosting and serve: Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt and mix until creamy. Add cream as needed until spreadable.
Spread frosting over the warm cinnamon rolls.
The Secret to Pillowy Cinnamon Rolls
The most important technique in this recipe is developing the dough first, then kneading in the butter.
After testing this multiple ways, adding butter during kneading creates a crumb with delicate strands that pull apart in sheets around the edges.
Instead of dense bread texture, the rolls develop soft layered gluten strands coated with butter, which produces that bakery style softness.
How to Tell When Mini Cinnamon Rolls Are Ready to Bake
Mini cinnamon rolls should look puffy but slightly underproofed before baking.
If they fully double before baking, they can collapse or become dense.
Because mini rolls are small, they finish rising quickly once they hit the oven.
Common Mistakes When Making Mini Cinnamon Rolls
- Adding too much flour: Too much flour creates dense rolls. The dough should feel slightly tacky but smooth.
- Overproofing the rolls: If the rolls rise too long before baking, they may collapse or lose their structure.
- Skipping the cream soak: The warm cream creates the soft custardy texture between rolls. Skipping it will make the rolls drier.
- Baking too hot
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
- Make ahead overnight: Assemble the rolls and cover the pan tightly. Refrigerate overnight. Let them sit at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes before baking.
- Storing leftovers: Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for 4 to 5 days.
- Reheating: Warm individual rolls in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds.
- Freezing: Freeze baked unfrosted rolls for up to 2 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dense cinnamon rolls usually happen when too much flour is added or the dough was not kneaded long enough to develop gluten.
Yes. Make the dough, rise, then assemble the rolls. Arrange them in the pan and cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. Let them sit at room temperature for 45 minutes before baking.
The warm cream melts into the dough during baking and creates a soft, almost custard like texture between the rolls.
Yes. Freeze baked unfrosted cinnamon rolls for up to 2 months and thaw before reheating.
Mini Cinnamon Rolls
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Ingredients
Dough
- ¾ cup whole milk warmed to 110-113°F
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast 1 standard packet
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¼ cup granulated sugar divided
- ½ cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, room temperature
- 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 4 ¼ cups bread flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter very soft but not melted
- ½ cup heavy cream warmed slightly
Cinnamon Filling
- ½ cup unsalted butter very soft
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 oz full-fat block cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 1 Tablespoon heavy cream or milk as needed
Instructions
- Activate the yeast (5 min): Warm the milk in the microwave for 30-40 seconds, until it’s 110-113°F. Add it to the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl) with the yeast and 1 tablespoon (12g) sugar. Whisk it together and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.¾ cup whole milk, 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast, ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Mix the wet ingredients (2 min): Add the honey, remaining sugar (38g), Greek yogurt, eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla. Mix briefly with the paddle attachment to combine.⅓ cup honey, ½ cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt, 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- Add the dry ingredients and rest the dough (12 min): Add the bread flour and salt. Using the paddle attachment, mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms, about 2 minutes. Let the dough rest uncovered for 10 minutes to relax the gluten and allow the flour to absorb some of the moisture.4 ¼ cups bread flour, 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- Knead to develop the gluten (6 min): After resting 10 minutes, switch to the dough hook and knead on medium speed for 5–6 minutes, until smooth and elastic. It should pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Add the butter and knead again(6 min): With the mixer running on low, add the softened butter 1 tablespoon at a time, allowing each piece to fully incorporate before adding the next. Continue kneading 4-5 minutes until the dough is smooth, stretchy, slightly tacky, and sticks somewhat to the bottom of the bowl.6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- First rise (45 min): Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes, until puffy, but not fully doubled in size. I like to turn on my oven to the lowest temperature (about 200°F) then turn off the heat and place the dough inside with the door cracked to let it rise.
- Make the filling (5 min): While the dough rises, mix the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla into a spreadable paste in a medium bowl.½ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup light brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- Roll the dough and spread the filling (8 min): Grease a 9×13-inch light metal baking pan. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 20×18-inch rectangle with the long edge facing you. Dollop the filling evenly on the rolled out dough and use the back of a spoon or offset spatula to spread it in an even layer over the dough, all the way to every edge.
- Cut and roll the cinnamon rolls (15 min): Starting on the short (18-inch) edge, use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into 3 even 6-inch strips (you should be cutting parallel to your counter). Next, cut the long edge into 1-inch strips all the way up through each of the 3 sections. You should ned up with 60 small strips (20 in each section). Tightly roll the strips into mini cinnamon rolls then arrange them in the prepared baking pan. I do 10 rolls down and 6 across.
- Second rise (30 min): Cover the cinnamon rolls tightly and rise again for 15-30 minutes, until noticeably puffy and almost doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Add the cream and bake (25 minutes): Warm the heavy cream slightly (about 15 seconds in the microwave). Slowly pour around and between the rolls, not directly over the tops. Bake for 22-25 minutes, until lightly golden brown on top. The internal temperature should be about 185–190°F. Let them cool for 10 minutes.½ cup heavy cream
- Make the frosting (5 min): beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt and mix until creamy. Add 1–2 tablespoons cream or milk to reach a soft, spreadable consistency. Spread frosting over the warm cinnamon rolls.4 oz full-fat block cream cheese, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, pinch salt, 1 Tablespoon heavy cream or milk
Notes
Pour the cream around and between the rolls, not directly on top. The cream melts into the dough while baking and creates an ultra-soft interior texture. Bake until the centers reach 185–190°F: The rolls should be lightly golden on top and fully cooked in the center. An instant-read thermometer helps prevent underbaking. For overnight cinnamon rolls: Assemble the rolls, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight (instead of the second rise). Let them sit at room temperature for 45–60 minutes before baking. Storage: Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Warm individual rolls in the microwave for 15–20 seconds before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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