These small-batch cinnamon rolls for two make a rich and indulgent breakfast with outrageously amazing cream cheese frosting. Make the rolls the night before, throw them in the oven in the morning, and enjoy your breakfast in bed. No fuss, stress, or mixer needed!
Cinnamon rolls are my go-to special occasion breakfast. Christmas? Cinnamon roll breakfast. Easter? Cinnamon roll breakfast. Valentine’s day? Cinnamon roll breakfast. And it’s great.
There’s nothing like eating in your PJs and tucking into a warm, gooey cinnamon roll straight out of the oven.
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 it’s just you and your partner, a dozen is a little bit much.
This post and its photos have been updated. Don’t worry, you’re in the right place.
The Best Small-batch Cinnamon Rolls
So I present to you, my small-batch cinnamon rolls. These things are so, so, so good. They are fluffy and gooey and rich and yield just four.
And the cream cheese frosting? This is not your thin, drizzly glaze that melts daintily over your rolls. This is thick, amazing, cream cheese frosting that’s not going to play second fiddle to anything it’s slathered on.
It will knock your socks off.
Ingredient Notes
- Active dry yeast: If you don’t usually bake with yeast, you can find it in the baking aisle of your grocery store either in a glass jar or little packets. Stick with the packets since you’ll need very little for this recipe.
- Milk: I prefer to use whole milk in this recipe, but any milk will work.
- An egg yolk: Because this is a small-batch recipe, we don’t need a whole egg, just the yolk. For ideas on what to do with the leftover egg white, check out my post What to Do With Leftover Egg Whites (I recommend a quick small batch of banana muffins ).
- Cream cheese: Philadelphia cream cheese is my favorite cream cheese brand. Make sure to allow it to come to room temperature before using it in the frosting so you don’t end up with cream cheese lumps (the same goes for your butter).
How to Make Small-batch Cinnamon Rolls
Proof the yeast in warm milk: Add the yeast and a pinch of sugar to milk that’s just slightly warm. After 10 to 15 minutes, the yeast will foam slightly letting you know it’s good to go.
Make the dough: This dough comes together fast and easy. Simply mix the dough ingredients together until you get a sticky dough. Use a plastic bench scraper or rubber spatula to help turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead the dough until it becomes smooth and is no longer sticky.
First rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a towel and allow it to sit in a warm place until doubled in size, about an hour to 90 minutes.
- Shape the rolls: Roll out the dough and add butter and cinnamon sugar before tightly rolling and slicing. These can now go into the refrigerator overnight or start their second rise.
Second rise: A second rise allows the rolls to puff up before baking. Cover them and place them in a warm spot until fluffy, 45 minutes to 90 minutes.
Bake: Bake until the rolls are lightly golden. While the rolls bake, make the cream cheese frosting. Spread frosting on the warm rolls and enjoy!
Overnight Cinnamon Rolls for Two
These rolls are a fantastic make-ahead breakfast. You can make and shape them the night before and then pull them out of the refrigerator when you wake up to complete their second rise.
This second rise will usually take between 1 and 2 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen, but if you’re in a hurry, you can also put the rolls in your cold oven on the top shelf and place a baking pan on the bottom shelf. Fill the pan with boiling water and close the oven.
The heat and steam from the boiling water will help the rolls rise more quickly, and they should be ready to bake in just a little over half an hour.
Once the rolls are fluffy, remove them from the oven, preheat the oven to 375°F and bake according to the recipe instructions.
My yeast didn’t foam. What went wrong?
If it didn’t foam there are couple things it might be:
- Your milk was too hot and killed the yeast. Try again and use an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature of your milk. It should be between 105 and 115° F. If you don’t have a thermometer, feel the water, and it should feel like lukewarm bathwater. It should not be hot, and definitely not steaming!!
- If you’re sure the milk temp is good and the yeast still doesn’t foam, your yeast is no good. You’ll need to replace it before you can start again.
I don’t have a 6-inch baking dish. What can I use instead?
You want to use a small baking dish for these rolls because being packed together helps them stay moist while baking and prevents the filling from running out and burning. Don’t try to bake them on a baking sheet or large baking dish.
A square or circular 6-inch cake pan is perfect for these, but if you don’t own either of those, you can use a 7×5-inch rectangular baking dish or any oven-safe dish that is between about 28 and 40 square inches.
Can I double this recipe?
Yes! This recipe doubles with no preparation changes needed. You can bake the doubled recipe in a 9-inch round cake pan. Just extend the baking time slightly.
Why is this called a recipe for two when there are four cinnamon rolls!!??
(I actually get this question a lot.) When I call this a recipe for two, I don’t mean sit down and eat two cinnamon rolls each for breakfast (you probably shouldn’t—they’re really rich).
I mean this is the perfect number of cinnamon rolls for two people to enjoy over a day or two. Maybe you have one for breakfast and split one for dessert. Maybe you have cinnamon rolls for breakfast two days in a row. And if four is really too many for you, freeze half of them. They freeze really, really well.
How to Freeze Cinnamon Rolls
I prefer to freeze the cinnamon rolls un-frosted, so if you plan on freezing some of the rolls, don’t frost the entire batch right out of the oven.
- Wrap each roll in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag.
- Spread single servings of cream cheese frosting on parchment paper and freeze until solid, before wrapping and placing them in the bag with the rolls.
- When you are ready to eat, heat frozen rolls in the microwave for 30 seconds. Put a dollop of frozen frosting on the top. Microwave for additional 30 seconds. (The frosting might still be a little cold, but spread it over the top of the hot cinnamon roll and it will heat up quickly.)
More Small-batch Breakfast Ideas
- Buttermilk Pancakes for Two
- Crispy Waffles
- Pancakes for One
- Small-batch Cream Scones
- Banana Pancakes
More Small-batch Favorites
- Small-batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Easy Kettle Corn
- Small Carrot Cake
- Small-batch Brownies
Ingredients
Special Equipment
- ▢ 6 to 7-inch baking dish
Dough
- ▢ ⅓ cup milk any percentage
- ▢ 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- ▢ 1 tablespoon ( 13 g) granulated sugar plus a pinch for proofing yeast
- ▢ 2 tablespoons ( 28 g) salted butter melted and slightly cooled
- ▢ 1 large egg yolk
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
- ▢ 1 cup and 1 tablespoon ( 150 g) all-purpose flour
Filling
- ▢ ⅓ cup ( 66 g) packed brown sugar
- ▢ 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ▢ 2 tablespoons ( 28 g) salted butter softened
Frosting
- ▢ 3 ounces cream cheese softened
- ▢ 3 tablespoons ( 42 g) salted butter softened
- ▢ 1 cup ( 120 g) powdered sugar
- ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ▢ Pinch of salt
Instructions
Make Dough
- Pour your milk into a mug and microwave it for about 20 seconds until it is lukewarm, NOT HOT (about 105-115 degrees F). Stir in yeast and a pinch of sugar and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes until the top of the mixture looks foamy.*
- In a medium bowl, whisk together milk and yeast mixture with melted butter, sugar, egg yolk, and salt.
- Add the flour and use a spoon to mix well, until a thick, sticky dough forms and all the flour is incorporated. Drop the mixture onto a well-floured work surface and knead until the dough is no longer sticky and forms a ball (about 10 to 15 folds).
First Rise
- Place dough into a greased bowl, cover with a towel, and allow to rise in a warm place for an hour to 90 minutes, until doubled in size.
Shape Rolls
- Stir together brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Once your dough has risen, turn it out on a lightly floured surface and squish and stretch it GENTLY (we don’t want to rip it) into an oblong shape and then use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to about 5 by 15 inches. Gently manipulate the corners and sides so you have a nice rectangle.
- Spread butter over the entire thing and top with the brown sugar mixture. Roll into a tight log from the short side. Use a serrated knife or dental floss to cut the roll into quarters.
Same-day Rolls
- Place the rolls in a 6 to 7-inch greased baking dish. Cover with a towel, place them in a warm spot, and allow to rise for 45 minutes to an hour, until puffed up and fluffy.
- Preheat oven to 375° F. Bake cinnamon rolls for 15-22 minutes, until the tops are golden and centers cooked through. Allow rolls to cool for 5 minutes before frosting.
Overnight Rolls
- After shaping the rolls, transfer them to a greased baking dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator overnight, up to 24 hours.
- In the morning, take rolls out of the fridge and set them in a warm spot (leave plastic wrap on). Allow them to rise for 1 to 2 hours, until puffed up and fluffy.
- Preheat oven to 375° F. Remove plastic wrap and bake cinnamon rolls for 15-22 minutes, until the tops are golden and centers cooked through.
Frosting
- While your rolls are baking, in a medium bowl, whisk together softened cream cheese, butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt, until well combined.
- Spread frosting over rolls, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
This post was originally published on 2/12/16. It was updated on 10/26/20 with new photos and additional information and tips. The recipe was also modified in the following ways:
- Cut the yeast. For a recipe this size, it did not need as much as it was using.
- Added a pinch of sugar to the milk when proofing the yeast. This is not actually necessary but makes the yeast foam more dramatically so it’s easier to tell that it’s alive.
- Added time for a second rise. Originally these rolls went straight from the fridge into a cold oven and did a sort of abbreviated second rise as the oven preheated. This always worked for me, but it didn’t work well with all ovens.
- Decreased the baking temperature.
If you loved the original recipe, you can still find it here .
This quick and easy Fettuccine Alfredo for one can be made in less than twenty minutes and makes a fabulously cheesy lunch or dinner.
Hey, you know what’s great? Fettuccine Alfredo.
You know what’s not great? Fettuccine Alfredo leftovers. Don’t get me wrong. I’ll eat them (oh I’ll eat them), but the sauce always gets a little funny looking on day two, and the noodles end up too hot or too cold or too soft after microwaving.
So given the choice, I’d rather not make more than can be eaten immediately.
That’s where today’s recipe, Fettuccine Alfredo for one comes in handy.
This post and its photos have been updated. Don’t worry, you’re in the right place.
When I feel like making pasta for just myself, this is my go-to cheesy pasta recipe (well, this and my Mac and Cheese for One ). It makes just one 2-ounce serving of pasta (yay portion control!)
AND takes only as long to make as it takes to bring some water to boil and cook some fettuccine noodles.
The sauce is a classic Alfredo sauce, which means no roux. It’s just butter, some cream or milk, a little parmesan, and a sprinkling of spices, so it comes together quick.
You heat everything together for just a couple of minutes while your pasta cooks and in 11-13 minutes (or whatever cooking time your pasta package says) you have a bowl of creamy, cheesy pasta perfection.
Ingredient Notes
- Milk, half and half or heavy cream: The Alfredo sauce can be made with whatever dairy you have on hand. Half and half is my preferred choice here. Cream will give you the richest, thickest sauce, and milk will make a thin (but still delicious sauce). To make a rough half and half substitute , combine approximately 2 parts milk to one part cream (it doesn’t have to be exact). If you have leftovers of either, check out my posts on what to do with leftover heavy cream or leftover half and half .
- Parmesan: Go with freshly grated parmesan if you can. It melts more smoothly than the pre-shredded, bagged stuff. But if bagged is all you have, you can use it, your sauce might just be a little lumpy. This recipe calls for 1/2 ounce of cheese, which will be between 2 tablespoons and 1/4 cup of parmesan depending on how you grate it (2 tablespoons for a box grater/pre-shredded cheese, 1/4 cup using a microplane). Don’t worry too much about getting the exact right amount of cheese. A little extra parm never hurt anyone.
- Fettuccine: Fettuccine noodles are obviously classic here, but use whatever pasta you want.
How to Make Fettuccine Alfredo
- Start by boiling your pasta in salted water.
- While your pasta cooks, melt butter and add milk/half and half/cream and the spices to the pot. Cook until it begins to steam and then stir in the cheese.
- Add more salt and pepper to taste. Drain the pasta and toss the pasta with the sauce. Top with more parmesan and enjoy!
Fettuccine Alfredo for One Variations
- Garlic Alfredo – Before adding the cream, add 1/2 teaspoon of minced or crushed garlic to the melted butter and cook until browned, about 30 seconds. Omit the garlic powder.
- Broccoli Alfredo – In the last 3-4 minutes of cooking time, toss a handful of broccoli florets in with the boiling fettuccine noodles and cook until tender.
- Chicken Alfredo – Add 3 ounces/ 3/4 cup of chopped warm cooked chicken (I like to use the method from my post How to Cook Chicken Breasts for Salads and Sandwiches ) to the sauce just before pouring over the pasta.
What to serve with Fettuccine Alfredo?
Serve your pasta with a side of garlic bread and a simple veggie side like roasted or steamed broccoli or roasted zucchini .
More Quick Pasta Dishes
- Buttered Noodles for One
- Short Rib Mac & Cheese
- Chicken in White Wine Butter Sauce
- Quick Creamy Sausage Pasta
- Quick Basil Chicken Pasta for Two
A Note on Serving Size
This makes one 2-ounce serving (the recommended serving size) of pasta. If you want a big restaurant-sized portion or are feeding a big eater, double the recipe. To change the recipe yield, hover over the number of servings in the recipe card below (or click if you are on mobile) and slide the slider.
Ingredients
- ▢ 2 ounces fettuccine noodles
- ▢ 1 tablespoon ( 14g ) butter
- ▢ ⅓ cup half and half, milk, or heavy cream *
- ▢ ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ▢ Pinch of dried parsley (optional)
- ▢ Pinch of salt
- ▢ Pinch of pepper
- ▢ Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
- ▢ ½ ounce ( 2 Tbs to 1/4 cup )* shredded parmesan cheese for the smoothest sauce, use freshly grated parmesan
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and cook fettuccine according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- When your pasta is nearly finished cooking, in a small pot, melt butter. Stir in half and half/milk/cream, garlic powder, optional dried parsley, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Heat until steaming, just before it’s ready to simmer. Turn heat to low and stir in parmesan.
- Continue to stir over low heat until parmesan is completely melted into the sauce. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Pour sauce over drained fettuccine noodles and toss. Allow the pasta to sit for 5 minutes to cool and sauce to thicken slightly.
- Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and enjoy!
Notes
This post was originally published on 4/24/17. It was updated on 10/26/20 with new photos and additional information and tips.
Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate is easy to make at home and so, so good.
I have a ton of hot chocolate recipes on the site, Classic Hot Chocolate , Rich and Thick Hot Chocolate , White Hot Chocolate , Pink Hot Chocolate , Baileys Hot Chocolate , so I thought I had pretty much all my hot chocolate bases covered.
But last year someone left me a comment blew my mind. They told me that they had taken my classic hot chocolate and made it into peanut butter hot chocolate.
As a lover of all things peanut butter, obviously I had to give this a try, and friends, I’m so glad I did, because it’s real good.
Adding peanut butter to hot chocolate not only makes your hot chocolate a peanut buttery delight, it also gives it a rich and creamy texture, so it feels 10xs more decadent.
Ingredients
- Sugar, cocoa powder, and water: Instead of using a store-bought chocolate sauce, we’ll use these three ingredients to make a quick chocolate syrup to flavor the hot chocolate base.
- Milk: Any percentage milk will work for hot chocolate. The higher fat the milk, the richer and creamier your hot chocolate will be.
- Peanut butter: I recommend using a processed creamy peanut butter like this so you get the smoothest hot chocolate possible.
Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate Variations
- Vegan: Replace the dairy milk with your favorite plant-based milk and you have instant vegan peanut butter hot chocolate.
- Extra chocolatey: Add 2 tablespoons of good-quality chocolate chips or chopped chocolate to the chocolate syrup and stir until melted before adding the milk. The extra boost of real chocolate flavor is so good.
- Extra creamy: Replace 2 tablespoons of the milk with heavy cream (or 1/4 cup with half and half ) for an incredibly rich and creamy peanut butter and chocolate experience.
How to Make Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate
- Stir together sugar, cocoa powder, and water over medium heat until smooth.
- Add milk and peanut butter and heat, stirring occasionally until milk is steaming hot and peanut butter is completely mixed in. Do not allow the milk to come to a boil as it can scald.
- Pour into a mug (if you are feeling a little extra, you can add whipped cream and peanut butter sauce like I did, but that’s totally optional) and enjoy!
Can I double this recipe?
Yes, you can scale up the recipe with no preparation changes needed. To change the yield, in the recipe card below, hover over the serving size or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider.
Can I use natural peanut butter?
I haven’t tested this hot chocolate with natural peanut butter, but I wouldn’t recommend it. I have a feeling even smooth natural peanut butter will have too much texture to stir into a drink unless you use a blender to mix it.
Can I make this in the microwave?
Yes! To make peanut butter hot chocolate in the microwave, combine cocoa powder, sugar, and water in a mug. Stir until well-mixed and microwave for 15 seconds. Add peanut butter and stir until smooth before adding the milk. Microwave 1 to 1 ½ minutes, until steaming. Stir once more, and enjoy!
More Cold-weather Drink Recipes
- Snickerdoodle Hot Chocolate
- Homemade Mocha
- White Chocolate Mocha
- Chai Tea Latte
- The BEST Crockpot Hot Chocolate
More Peanut Butter Recipes
- Buckeye Brownie Cookies
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Small-batch Peanut Butter Cookies
- Small-batch Monster Cookie Bars
- Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies
- Easy Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
Recipe Notes
This recipe makes 1 cup of hot chocolate, enough to fill an 8-ounce mug. If you’d like to fill an oversized mug, 1 1/2 or double the recipe.
Ingredients
- ▢ 2 tablespoons ( 25g ) granulated sugar
- ▢ 1 tablespoon ( 7g ) cocoa powder
- ▢ 1 tablespoon water
- ▢ 1 cup milk any percentage
- ▢ 1 heaping tablespoon creamy peanut butter not natural peanut butter
Optional Toppings
- ▢ Whipped cream
- ▢ Peanut butter sauce
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa powder, and water. Heat over medium heat and stir until sugar and cocoa powder dissolve.
- Add milk and peanut butter and stir. Heat, stirring occasionally, until milk begins to steam and peanut butter is completely dissolved.
- Pour into an 8-ounce mug, top with optional whipped cream and peanut butter sauce if desired and enjoy.
Notes
This post was originally published on 11/30/18. It was updated on 11/1/20 with new photos and additional information and tips.
These small-batch cinnamon rolls for two make a rich and indulgent breakfast with outrageously amazing cream cheese frosting. Make the rolls the night before, throw them in the oven in the morning, and enjoy your breakfast in bed. No fuss, stress, or mixer needed!
Cinnamon rolls are my go-to special occasion breakfast. Christmas? Cinnamon roll breakfast. Easter? Cinnamon roll breakfast. Valentine’s day? Cinnamon roll breakfast. And it’s great.
There’s nothing like eating in your PJs and tucking into a warm, gooey cinnamon roll straight out of the oven.
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 it’s just you and your partner, a dozen is a little bit much.
This post and its photos have been updated. Don’t worry, you’re in the right place.
The Best Small-batch Cinnamon Rolls
So I present to you, my small-batch cinnamon rolls. These things are so, so, so good. They are fluffy and gooey and rich and yield just four.
And the cream cheese frosting? This is not your thin, drizzly glaze that melts daintily over your rolls. This is thick, amazing, cream cheese frosting that’s not going to play second fiddle to anything it’s slathered on.
It will knock your socks off.
Ingredient Notes
- Active dry yeast: If you don’t usually bake with yeast, you can find it in the baking aisle of your grocery store either in a glass jar or little packets. Stick with the packets since you’ll need very little for this recipe.
- Milk: I prefer to use whole milk in this recipe, but any milk will work.
- An egg yolk: Because this is a small-batch recipe, we don’t need a whole egg, just the yolk. For ideas on what to do with the leftover egg white, check out my post What to Do With Leftover Egg Whites (I recommend a quick small batch of banana muffins ).
- Cream cheese: Philadelphia cream cheese is my favorite cream cheese brand. Make sure to allow it to come to room temperature before using it in the frosting so you don’t end up with cream cheese lumps (the same goes for your butter).
How to Make Small-batch Cinnamon Rolls
Proof the yeast in warm milk: Add the yeast and a pinch of sugar to milk that’s just slightly warm. After 10 to 15 minutes, the yeast will foam slightly letting you know it’s good to go.
Make the dough: This dough comes together fast and easy. Simply mix the dough ingredients together until you get a sticky dough. Use a plastic bench scraper or rubber spatula to help turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead the dough until it becomes smooth and is no longer sticky.
First rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a towel and allow it to sit in a warm place until doubled in size, about an hour to 90 minutes.
- Shape the rolls: Roll out the dough and add butter and cinnamon sugar before tightly rolling and slicing. These can now go into the refrigerator overnight or start their second rise.
Second rise: A second rise allows the rolls to puff up before baking. Cover them and place them in a warm spot until fluffy, 45 minutes to 90 minutes.
Bake: Bake until the rolls are lightly golden. While the rolls bake, make the cream cheese frosting. Spread frosting on the warm rolls and enjoy!
Overnight Cinnamon Rolls for Two
These rolls are a fantastic make-ahead breakfast. You can make and shape them the night before and then pull them out of the refrigerator when you wake up to complete their second rise.
This second rise will usually take between 1 and 2 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen, but if you’re in a hurry, you can also put the rolls in your cold oven on the top shelf and place a baking pan on the bottom shelf. Fill the pan with boiling water and close the oven.
The heat and steam from the boiling water will help the rolls rise more quickly, and they should be ready to bake in just a little over half an hour.
Once the rolls are fluffy, remove them from the oven, preheat the oven to 375°F and bake according to the recipe instructions.
My yeast didn’t foam. What went wrong?
If it didn’t foam there are couple things it might be:
- Your milk was too hot and killed the yeast. Try again and use an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature of your milk. It should be between 105 and 115° F. If you don’t have a thermometer, feel the water, and it should feel like lukewarm bathwater. It should not be hot, and definitely not steaming!!
- If you’re sure the milk temp is good and the yeast still doesn’t foam, your yeast is no good. You’ll need to replace it before you can start again.
I don’t have a 6-inch baking dish. What can I use instead?
You want to use a small baking dish for these rolls because being packed together helps them stay moist while baking and prevents the filling from running out and burning. Don’t try to bake them on a baking sheet or large baking dish.
A square or circular 6-inch cake pan is perfect for these, but if you don’t own either of those, you can use a 7×5-inch rectangular baking dish or any oven-safe dish that is between about 28 and 40 square inches.
Can I double this recipe?
Yes! This recipe doubles with no preparation changes needed. You can bake the doubled recipe in a 9-inch round cake pan. Just extend the baking time slightly.
Why is this called a recipe for two when there are four cinnamon rolls!!??
(I actually get this question a lot.) When I call this a recipe for two, I don’t mean sit down and eat two cinnamon rolls each for breakfast (you probably shouldn’t—they’re really rich).
I mean this is the perfect number of cinnamon rolls for two people to enjoy over a day or two. Maybe you have one for breakfast and split one for dessert. Maybe you have cinnamon rolls for breakfast two days in a row. And if four is really too many for you, freeze half of them. They freeze really, really well.
How to Freeze Cinnamon Rolls
I prefer to freeze the cinnamon rolls un-frosted, so if you plan on freezing some of the rolls, don’t frost the entire batch right out of the oven.
- Wrap each roll in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag.
- Spread single servings of cream cheese frosting on parchment paper and freeze until solid, before wrapping and placing them in the bag with the rolls.
- When you are ready to eat, heat frozen rolls in the microwave for 30 seconds. Put a dollop of frozen frosting on the top. Microwave for additional 30 seconds. (The frosting might still be a little cold, but spread it over the top of the hot cinnamon roll and it will heat up quickly.)
More Small-batch Breakfast Ideas
- Buttermilk Pancakes for Two
- Crispy Waffles
- Pancakes for One
- Small-batch Cream Scones
- Banana Pancakes
More Small-batch Favorites
- Small-batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Easy Kettle Corn
- Small Carrot Cake
- Small-batch Brownies
Ingredients
Special Equipment
- ▢ 6 to 7-inch baking dish
Dough
- ▢ ⅓ cup milk any percentage
- ▢ 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- ▢ 1 tablespoon ( 13 g) granulated sugar plus a pinch for proofing yeast
- ▢ 2 tablespoons ( 28 g) salted butter melted and slightly cooled
- ▢ 1 large egg yolk
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
- ▢ 1 cup and 1 tablespoon ( 150 g) all-purpose flour
Filling
- ▢ ⅓ cup ( 66 g) packed brown sugar
- ▢ 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ▢ 2 tablespoons ( 28 g) salted butter softened
Frosting
- ▢ 3 ounces cream cheese softened
- ▢ 3 tablespoons ( 42 g) salted butter softened
- ▢ 1 cup ( 120 g) powdered sugar
- ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ▢ Pinch of salt
Instructions
Make Dough
- Pour your milk into a mug and microwave it for about 20 seconds until it is lukewarm, NOT HOT (about 105-115 degrees F). Stir in yeast and a pinch of sugar and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes until the top of the mixture looks foamy.*
- In a medium bowl, whisk together milk and yeast mixture with melted butter, sugar, egg yolk, and salt.
- Add the flour and use a spoon to mix well, until a thick, sticky dough forms and all the flour is incorporated. Drop the mixture onto a well-floured work surface and knead until the dough is no longer sticky and forms a ball (about 10 to 15 folds).
First Rise
- Place dough into a greased bowl, cover with a towel, and allow to rise in a warm place for an hour to 90 minutes, until doubled in size.
Shape Rolls
- Stir together brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Once your dough has risen, turn it out on a lightly floured surface and squish and stretch it GENTLY (we don’t want to rip it) into an oblong shape and then use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to about 5 by 15 inches. Gently manipulate the corners and sides so you have a nice rectangle.
- Spread butter over the entire thing and top with the brown sugar mixture. Roll into a tight log from the short side. Use a serrated knife or dental floss to cut the roll into quarters.
Same-day Rolls
- Place the rolls in a 6 to 7-inch greased baking dish. Cover with a towel, place them in a warm spot, and allow to rise for 45 minutes to an hour, until puffed up and fluffy.
- Preheat oven to 375° F. Bake cinnamon rolls for 15-22 minutes, until the tops are golden and centers cooked through. Allow rolls to cool for 5 minutes before frosting.
Overnight Rolls
- After shaping the rolls, transfer them to a greased baking dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator overnight, up to 24 hours.
- In the morning, take rolls out of the fridge and set them in a warm spot (leave plastic wrap on). Allow them to rise for 1 to 2 hours, until puffed up and fluffy.
- Preheat oven to 375° F. Remove plastic wrap and bake cinnamon rolls for 15-22 minutes, until the tops are golden and centers cooked through.
Frosting
- While your rolls are baking, in a medium bowl, whisk together softened cream cheese, butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt, until well combined.
- Spread frosting over rolls, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
This post was originally published on 2/12/16. It was updated on 10/26/20 with new photos and additional information and tips. The recipe was also modified in the following ways:
- Cut the yeast. For a recipe this size, it did not need as much as it was using.
- Added a pinch of sugar to the milk when proofing the yeast. This is not actually necessary but makes the yeast foam more dramatically so it’s easier to tell that it’s alive.
- Added time for a second rise. Originally these rolls went straight from the fridge into a cold oven and did a sort of abbreviated second rise as the oven preheated. This always worked for me, but it didn’t work well with all ovens.
- Decreased the baking temperature.
If you loved the original recipe, you can still find it here .
Easy Small-batch Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Special Equipment
- 6 to 7-inch baking dish
Dough
- ⅓ cup milk any percentage
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon ( 13 g) granulated sugar plus a pinch for proofing yeast
- 2 tablespoons ( 28 g) salted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup and 1 tablespoon ( 150 g) all-purpose flour
Filling
- ⅓ cup ( 66 g) packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons ( 28 g) salted butter softened
Frosting
- 3 ounces cream cheese softened
- 3 tablespoons ( 42 g) salted butter softened
- 1 cup ( 120 g) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Make Dough
- Pour your milk into a mug and microwave it for about 20 seconds until it is lukewarm, NOT HOT (about 105-115 degrees F). Stir in yeast and a pinch of sugar and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes until the top of the mixture looks foamy.*
- In a medium bowl, whisk together milk and yeast mixture with melted butter, sugar, egg yolk, and salt.
- Add the flour and use a spoon to mix well, until a thick, sticky dough forms and all the flour is incorporated. Drop the mixture onto a well-floured work surface and knead until the dough is no longer sticky and forms a ball (about 10 to 15 folds).
First Rise
- Place dough into a greased bowl, cover with a towel, and allow to rise in a warm place for an hour to 90 minutes, until doubled in size.
Shape Rolls
- Stir together brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Once your dough has risen, turn it out on a lightly floured surface and squish and stretch it GENTLY (we don’t want to rip it) into an oblong shape and then use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to about 5 by 15 inches. Gently manipulate the corners and sides so you have a nice rectangle.
- Spread butter over the entire thing and top with the brown sugar mixture. Roll into a tight log from the short side. Use a serrated knife or dental floss to cut the roll into quarters.
Same-day Rolls
- Place the rolls in a 6 to 7-inch greased baking dish. Cover with a towel, place them in a warm spot, and allow to rise for 45 minutes to an hour, until puffed up and fluffy.
- Preheat oven to 375° F. Bake cinnamon rolls for 15-22 minutes, until the tops are golden and centers cooked through. Allow rolls to cool for 5 minutes before frosting.
Overnight Rolls
- After shaping the rolls, transfer them to a greased baking dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator overnight, up to 24 hours.
- In the morning, take rolls out of the fridge and set them in a warm spot (leave plastic wrap on). Allow them to rise for 1 to 2 hours, until puffed up and fluffy.
- Preheat oven to 375° F. Remove plastic wrap and bake cinnamon rolls for 15-22 minutes, until the tops are golden and centers cooked through.
Frosting
- While your rolls are baking, in a medium bowl, whisk together softened cream cheese, butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt, until well combined.
- Spread frosting over rolls, serve, and enjoy!
