Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls

Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls are made by hand and do not need a mixer. This small batch brioche recipe is easy and versatile. These no mixer cinnamon rolls are finished off with a cream cheese cinnamon roll frosting.

Small Batch Cinnamon Roll Recipe

Hi hi! Just popping in to FINALLY share the recipe for these small batch cinnamon rolls, that don't need a mixer! I worked on this recipe all the way back in April / May, and have finally gotten around to popping it on my website.

I have wanted to make a smaller batch of cinnamon rolls for a while now, and also wanted a dough that does not use a mixer, as I know not everyone has access to one. This recipe can easily be made with a mixer too, but I like having a dough up my sleeve that I can make if I have limited equipment, and this is the one. I've used it for rhubarb buns, these cinnamon bun twists, and doughnuts, and it works amazingly for all of them. It's super simple to make, and incredibly versatile.

These small batch cinnamon rolls are soft and squishy, and filled with a brown sugar cinnamon filling (all good, standard cinnamon roll things). This recipe makes 9 smaller cinnamon rolls, which to me, is the perfect amount. (if you want more, this recipe is great for that!)

How to make Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls

These are super easy to make, and the dough can either be done the night before or earlier in the day.

• Make the cinnamon roll dough. You can do this either by hand or with a mixer, and this step can be done the night before if you need. Leave to rise in the fridge for a few hours, or overnight.
• Roll out the dough. The dough is rolled out into a square, then spread with the brown sugar cinnamon roll filling.
• Assemble the cinnamon rolls. Roll your dough up into a log, then cut up into rolls and arrange in your pan.
• Second rise. Leave the rolls to proof for a second time, and preheat the oven.
• Bake. Bake the rolls until they are golden brown, then leave to hang out for a little bit while you prepare the frosting.
• Finish with Frosting. I used a standard cream cheese frosting here as it is my favourite, but you can really go for whatever you like here icing wise.

How to make Brioche without a mixer

The base of these cinnamon rolls is a small batch, no mixer brioche. It is super easy to make. I have a whole bunch of recipes coming up using it which I am so excited to share!

• Combine dry ingredients - This brioche is pretty standard when it comes to ingredients. All-purpose flour, instant yeast, sugar, salt.
• Add wet ingredients - One egg, lightly beaten, and some milk goes in. The butter is incorporated later.
• Bring together - You want to develop some strength in the dough here. This kneading process will take about 8-10 minutes. Bring the dough together in your bowl then transfer to a work surface and work the dough until it is soft and smooth, and when you press lightly with your finger, the indentation springs back.
• Add the butter - The butter is added to the dough. This step will get super sloppy. Don't worry though. It will come together. Keep kneading and mixing until it comes together. Then give a few more minutes of mixing just to ensure it is mixed in. You want it to pass the window pane test, or to bounce back nicely when you press with a finger.
• Leave to rise - This dough for this purpose works best with a cold rise. I give it some time on the counter first to kick start the rise and then pop it into the fridge.

A plastic or metal bench scraper will be super helpful when you are incorporating the butter in. Just keep scraping up the excess butter and squishing it onto the dough. It will come together.

How to substitute active dry yeast for Instant yeast

This recipe uses instant yeast, which means that there is no need to activate it and it can be added to the brioche dough along with the rest of the dry ingredients. If you only have access to active dry yeast, that is fine, and you can sub them 1:1, except you will need to activate the yeast first. This is easy to do, you just have to change the method slightly.

To do this, just combine the lukewarm milk, active dry yeast, and the sugar from the recipe in your mixing bowl. Leave it to sit until foamy (about 10 minutes), then proceed with the rest of the recipe. If you want to read more about yeast, this article is great! I really like this brand of instant yeast as it is specially formulated to cope with enriched dough, but any instant or active dry yeast will do the trick.

The best way to cut cinnamon rolls

There are a bunch of different ways to cut cinnamon rolls. Some people swear by dental floss, which gives you clean lines but won't work if you have anything extra in your rolls like nuts etc. Cutting with dental floss does work great for a super soft dough, and I use that technique in my cheese bun recipe.

Others use a sharp chef's knife. I prefer to work with chilled dough and just use a sharp bread knife to cut the rolls. Make sure you're doing as few 'saws' as possible, but I find with a chef's knife you're more likely to squish the roll of dough.

Remember that it also doesn't really matter. When the dough rises it often sorts itself out shape wise, and if your rolls are a little wonky they are still going to taste great.

I do prefer to cut the dough into sections first and then divide each section up, as I find that this is the best way to get even heights on your rolls. You could also cut one the right size then use that as a template for cutting. You do you here.

The Benefit of using chilled dough in cinnamon rolls

I prefer a cold fridge rise when I am making anything shaped using brioche (buns, twists, babka etc). There are a few reasons for this:

• Cold dough is easier to roll out. Often with recipes such as these small batch cinnamon rolls, you need to roll the dough relatively thin. It is much easier to do this neatly if your dough is cold to start with. You end up with cleaner edges and more evenly rolled dough.
• Doing the first rise in the fridge allows you to be flexible. Yeast doesn't wait for anyone when it is rising, which means you can be tied to the schedule of the dough. However there is a way around this - by using the fridge for your first rise. This allows you to be totally flexible with your timing, and also allows you to make the dough ahead of time.
• Clean cuts on your cinnamon rolls. Often in a recipe if you are using room temperature dough I will get you to chill the log of dough before cutting. This helps firm up the dough and the filling a little, allowing for cleaner cuts. Starting with chilled dough eliminates this step.

FAQ for Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls

• What tools and equipment do you use?
  You can see a full list of all the tools I use here
• Which pan did you use?
  I used an 8" pan which I lined with parchment paper. You can use whatever sized pan you would like here, but I found they snuggled together well in the 8" pan.
• Can I use my mixer to make this recipe?
  Yes! The process is exactly the same as my regular brioche recipe
• Help - my dough didn't rise!
  Because of the smaller quantity of dough, it can be hard to tell if the dough has risen. I like to take a photo of it before I start rising it just to compare as it sometimes doesn't look like it has risen loads.
• Can I do the second rise overnight?
  I get asked this often, and have tried it myself, and honestly, I don't rate it. I find that the filling often leaks out overnight, then you have to wait for the rolls to finish rising before you bake them. In my opinion you are better to have the dough and filling ready to go and then just allow an extra 15 minutes to assemble the rolls the morning that you want to bake them.
• Can these be frozen?
  If you want to freeze these small batch cinnamon rolls your best bet is to slightly under bake them, then freeze them before you frost them. Then you can defrost and refresh in the oven.
• How can these be made on the same day?
  Making these on the same day works just fine - you just have to make sure that you allow enough time for the dough to rise in the fridge. It needs 2 ½ - 3 hours.
• Help - my dough is super sloppy?!
  It takes a bit for the butter to incorporate. Someone once described this recipe as 'a wild ride on the bench'. It will get there I promise - just keep working it. The butter will incorporate.
  

For more Small Batch Recipes, Check Out:

• Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Mini Funfetti Cake
• Squiggle Slice

Recipe For Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls

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