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
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
FAQ
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
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 (13g) granulated sugar plus a pinch for proofing yeast
- 2 tablespoons (28g) salted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup and 1 tablespoon (150g) all-purpose flour
Filling
- ⅓ cup (66g) packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons (28g) salted butter softened
Frosting
- 3 ounces cream cheese softened
- 3 tablespoons (42g) salted butter softened
- 1 cup (120g) 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 may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using them. There is absolutely no additional cost to you.
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.
Mary says
The rolls were superb, truly: I couldn’t believe how big they got on the second rise. I didn’t care for the icing much but that’s a personal preference. I’ve never had home made cinnamon rolls before and the difference was awesome. Pillow soft rolls that I couldn’t mess up, thank you
Tracy says
So glad you enjoyed them, Mary!! If you’re not a fan of cream cheese icing, next time you could always try a simple powdered sugar glaze. Just mix powdered sugar with milk until you get a pourable consistency, maybe add a dash of vanilla. I know a lot of people prefer that style of icing on their rolls!
Jennifer says
These rolls are perfect. I love the texture, and they were easy to make. I doubled the recipe and used half for dinner rolls. It made 6 dinner rolls. I will use this recipe for many years to come. Thank you for this!
Tracy says
Thanks for reporting back, Jennifer! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!!
veena says
Amazing recipe!! I made a few small changes, simply because i’m lazy to melt butter and separate eggs. I just threw in the entire egg and used oil instead of butter. Came out amazing and so soft! Also like another commenter, I got 8 rolls out of them. I am now trying not to eat the entire pan in one sitting 🙂 Thank you again.
Tracy says
Thanks, Veena!! So glad you enjoyed them!
Barbara says
If I need to double this recipe, would I just use a whole egg instead of 2 egg yolks? Thanks. Excited to try this recipe.
Tracy says
Either will work fine. You might need a bit more flour when kneading the dough if you use a whole egg. Hope you enjoy them!
Katie says
I used the weighted amounts and ended up with a really dry dough. The average cup of flour is 120g so the weighted amount seem to be a ways of.
Tracy says
Did you make any changes to the recipe? This dough should be on the sticky side, definitely not dry. You’re right that 140g/cup is on the high end of the average weighted measurement for flour, but this recipe was developed using grams, so that should affect volume measurements, not weighted.
Cat says
So im making this recipe for the 1st time today. I got all the way to roll the cinnamon rolls and cutting it then I realized I probably should have roll it from the short end, I roll it from the long end and cut it. I’m used to making full size. Lol, o well it was already cut so I just pick up my oddly looking rolls and put them in my baking dish for 2nd rise. I’m sure they will taste the same just look odd.
Tracy says
LOL nothing wrong extra tall rolls! 😉 Hope you enjoyed them!!
Rainey says
Made these last weekend as a trial run for making them this week for my visiting in-laws. Holy COW these things are delicious. It’s my first time ever cooking with yeast and your instructions are perfect. Thank you for this!
Tracy says
This makes me so happy to hear, Rainey!!
Suzi says
Oh my god these are awesome! I’ve never had cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting before (I’m in Australia) and had some cream cheese frosting to use up so had to make these! Also cheated a bit by popping the dough in a warm turned off oven meant it rose in half an hour then back in there to rise again. Fully made and eaten in under 2 hours! Yum yum yum!!!
Tracy says
Soooo happy to hear you enjoyed them, Suzi!!
Mary says
I made these exactly following the recipe.
Amazing!
My husband said these were the best cinnamon rolls he has ever had.
Thanks for the great recipe.
Tracy says
Yay! I’m so happy to hear it, Mary!!
RIa says
These were delicious and so easy to make.
Tracy says
So glad you enjoyed them!!
sbg says
I’ve made variations of these twice now – I don’t know how they’re for two people, as I got eight good sized rolls out of the recipe! -and they really are fast, easy and delicious. This last time I used a homemade strawberry jam for the filling and made a peanut butter cream cheese frosting. Mmm!
Linds says
That sounds like an incredible idea!
Hannah says
WOW! Just made these and they are phenomenal. I didn’t do the over night version of the recipe. I put the rolls in a cupcake tin (yielded about 7) and did a second proof for an hour and a half and absolutely delicious!!
Tracy says
So glad you enjoyed them, Hannah!!
Hiba says
Hi .. i just tried this cinnamon roll recipe of yours.. it was soo yummmy.. thank you for this small batch recipe!
Jenn says
Baking Mischief with another small batch win!
Wow soooooo good. These are totally worth it to make and wait for rises.
I didn’t have milk so I tried activating the yeast with almond milk (didn’t work??) so I just threw that out and used 110 degree water. I also had left over cream cheese frosting in the freezer that I tipped these with.
All the rest I followed exactly and they came out amazing.
I did my second rise overnight in the fridge; which ended up being about 15 hours.
Ate them for brunch. Sooooooo goooooooddd. I am in love with these.Thank you for the recipe!
Tracy says
So thrilled to hear you enjoyed them, Jenn!!!
Jessica says
Delicious and easy!
Tracy says
Thanks, Jessica!
E says
I followed the recipe to a T, and got runny cinnamon filling all over the bottom of my pan. so sad, was looking forward to cinnamon rolla for breakfast 🙁
Tracy says
So sorry to hear these didn’t work out for you! It’s not unusual for a little of the filling to run out, but that usually just makes the bottom of the rolls gooey and delicious. A couple things you can do to make sure this doesn’t happen in the future is to use a small pan so any filling that oozes out is contained, and to roll the rolls a little tighter so the filling has a harder time oozing out. Hope that helps!!