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.

Table of contents
- Small Batch Cinnamon Roll Recipe
- How to make Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls
- How to make Brioche without a mixer
- How to substitute active dry yeast for Instant yeast
- The best way to cut cinnamon rolls
- The Benefit of using chilled dough in cinnamon rolls
- FAQ for Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls
- For more Small Batch Recipes, Check Out:
- Recipe For Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls
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:
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Answers to your baking questions
Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:
- baking in grams
- adjusting oven temperatures
- what kind of salt to use
- and many more!
I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!
Recipe For Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls
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Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: 9 Rolls 1x
- Category: Cinnamon rolls
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
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.
Ingredients
Brioche Dough
- 290g all-purpose flour
- 30g granulated sugar
- 1 tsp (3.1g) instant yeast
- ½ tsp (2g) salt
- 120g whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 large egg (60g), lightly whisked
- 60g unsalted butter, at room temperature
Cinnamon Roll Filling
- 95g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 140g light or dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp cardamom (or you can use 1 tsp more cinnamon)
- Pinch of salt
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 60g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 110g cream cheese, at room temperature
- 125g powdered sugar
- ¼ tsp vanilla (optional)
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
BRIOCHE DOUGH
- Place all ingredients except for the butter into a medium bowl. Bring together into a rough dough, then turn out onto a work surface (do not add more flour).
- Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes. It will start off as very rough, then will come together and become smooth and elastic, and when pressed lightly with a finger, the dough should spring back slightly.
- Flatten the dough out into a rough rectangle and add the butter to the surface of the dough. This part will get sloppy, so make sure that you have a bench scraper nearby. Incorporate the butter into the dough by squeezing it and kneading it in. Keep scraping any excess butter back onto the dough and kneading it in. Don’t freak out. It will all work together.
- Once the butter has incorporated into the dough, knead for a further 2-3 minutes.
- Shape the dough into a ball and then transfer to a lightly buttered bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Leave to sit on the counter for about 20 minutes to kick start the rising process, then transfer to the fridge to rise for at least two hours, and up to overnight.
ASSEMBLY
- Grease and line an 8” (20cm) square or 9” (23cm) round baking pan with parchment paper. Combine the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon cardamom and salt in a bowl until it forms a paste.
- Remove the dough from the fridge. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface, squaring off the edges often as you go. Roll it into a 14” x 14” (35cm) square. Spread evenly with the filling.
- Roll up the dough into a tight sausage. Trim the ends if you like, then using a sharp knife, cut the log of dough into 9 even buns - to do this I like to cut it into thirds then cut each section into three.
- Lightly cover the pan with plastic wrap, and leave to rise in a warm spot for 45 minutes to an hour, or until puffy, and a small indentation is left when poked gently with your finger.
- While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 350°f / 180°c.
- Bake the rolls for 25 to 30 minutes, or until deeply golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 15 minutes or so before icing with the cream cheese frosting.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- Cream together the butter and cream cheese in a bowl with an electric hand mixer until creamy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and salt, and mix to combine. Spread over the warm cinnamon rolls.
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature. Refresh briefly before eating leftovers if desired.
Keywords: Cinnamon Rolls, Small Batch, Cinnamon Buns, Cream Cheese Frosting, Brioche
Comments
I loved these! My sister came to town to visit and requested cinnamon rolls. There was only a small group of us so this recipe was perfect. The dough is soft and pillowy. The filling didn’t ooze out like it has on me using other recipes. The only thing I changed was I used brown butter in the cream cheese frosting.
★★★★★
Made these for a friends birthday and they were a 10/10! So delicious and I love that it was a small batch, just the perfect amount. Super easy and satisfying recipe to make, and Uber delicious. Thanks Erin!
Absolutely my favorite recipe for our family on Sunday mornings! We prep it the night before and bake them in the morning. Every single time they are amazing!
★★★★★
These were amazing! It was my first time making bread, so I was very nervous but they turned out great! The instructions were very easy to follow. I used active yeast and let rise overnight. I must admit, I did freak out when adding the butter to the dough, but it does come together after a while.
I did find the filling melted and fell to the bottom of the pan, but was still delicious. Next time may try adding a bit of flour, or flipping the pan upside down after cooked.
These were delicious, so soft on the inside! Not overly sweet too! Although some may find the icing too sweet. I used more cream cheese and less butter.
★★★★★
Hi Erin
This recipe is such a stunner! I loved making it and more especially devouring it! All the rations were perfect and I trusted the process when adding the butter to the dough. I need to practice my dough a bit more (it did give me a workout) as it was quite dry that day in my kitchen. I also love that I can make the brioche dough a day ahead. A recipe I will be returning to time and time again.
I made these this morning.. well I made the dough last night.. Yes the dough was messy as advertised… but damn did they turn out great.. Only have eaten one myself and will give the rest away.. otherwise I will be the size of a house!!
Just have to keep repeating.. will power .. will power!! 🤣🤣
★★★★★
Thank you for this amazing recipe!!!! Everyone loves these.
★★★★★
Hi Erin,
I would like to try this recipe, but I have a quick question, if I want to do it with a stand mixer, does the procedure changes in any way? Or should I follow the same steps?
Thank you!!
Hi! No the process is the same 🙂
Hey Erin
How many days would these last with the cream cheese frosting and would they need to be refrigerated after a certain amount of time?
Also I live in the UK where we have plain flour not all purpose & ive never known if there's a difference between the two, can I just use plain in this recipe?
Thanks so much
Vic
Hi! I haven't tested the full length of storage time sorry. AP flour and plain are the same thing - just different names!
I'm planning on trying out this recipe, but I live in Malawi and don't have access to all-purpose flour. Do you have any recommendations for how to adjust the recipe using bread or cake flour (or a combination of the two)?
Hi! Hmmm it should work ok with bread flour but I haven't tested it sorry!
Made these for the fifth or sixth time for brekkie this morning. I even enlisted my husband to help but didn’t tell him about the whole “adding butter to the dough and it totally works out thing”. It was great. He thought he ruined it but then, as promised, it all came together. These cinnamon rolls are by far the best recipe out there which is saying a lot for someone who hasn’t found a match for those giant mall rolls before these.
Make them the night before and plan to get up about two hours before wanting to eat (or get up and roll them and then leave them to rise while you go back to bed).
★★★★★
This is now my go-to cinnamon roll recipe and I will never bother with any other recipe. I used the stand mixer and it was so easy but I love that you’ve written a recipe that can be followed when you might not have one available.
Also thank you so much for making the ingredients in grams! 🤗 I’m a cooking teacher and it is the only way I teach my students to measure when baking! I wish more people would realise it’s so easy to do!
★★★★★
Hi! I just tried this recipe and it was so soft and buttery!😍 (unfortunately, I was not able to use a kitchen scale as it is rare to get one in Fiji 😔 but nonetheless I compromised with the cups and with some luck it turned out so so good ). This is definitely a new favorite in the house 🩷😍 THANK YOU 🫶🏽
★★★★★
So good! I opted to use a mixer since I just got one, and the dough came together beautifully. Small batch made the perfect amount.
★★★★★
These are N O T Orange rolls. It is not the only site that says ORANGE ROLLS BY A BAKER that are in fact cinnamon rolls!!!
THEY ARE NOT ORANGE ROLLS.
Lollll back again I see. Surely you've got more interesting things to do with your life. Good on you for choosing another post to target though! Mixing it up is fun 🙂
Another fantastic recipe - thank you, Erin! These were a dream to make. As long as you allow yourself enough time, it’s really foolproof. So delicious!
★★★★★
Made these with matcha cream cheese.... oh...ma...goodness! my filling oozed out a bit.... probably because I made 4 rolls instead of 9. Adding this to my favorites. Thanks!! I love your small batch recipes.
★★★★★
Love this recipe! Super soft and fluffy rolls! Love that it’s in grams, my weighing scale for my coffee beans comes in handy 😉
★★★★★
Hi hi!!! 😀
Was craving cinnamon rolls and been missing baking (life hectic these days LOL) anyways, been scrolling through your posts and your cinnamon rolls looked so delicious and very easy to follow 🙂
Super quick dough to make and great to set aside to rest while taking care of things. After baking, dough was a lovely color and smelled sooooo good! I ate 2 right away and my dad ate one (even though he's not a sweet tooth hehe)
Totally making this again! 🙂 Thank you so much Erin!!!
P.S. - Totally on team scale XD will bring accurate results everytime 🙂
★★★★★