Though I don’t make them often, cinnamon rolls are a favourite in my household and a hit in my social circle. The only drawback is that few of us want to eat a whole one after dinner. I mean, maybe we do, but we know we don’t need it. So, instead of making 24 big ones, I started cutting them in half to feed everyone and avoid needing to seek a buddy to split one.

But then you miss out on the cinnamon swirl and the fun of unrolling the dough as you eat.

So, I started making two-bite cinnamon rolls instead.

Here’s the recipe with an optional buttercream frosting!

Two-Bite Cinnamon Buns Recipe

cinnamon rolls fresh in panPrep time: 20 minutes | Rise time: 90 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes

Total time: approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes

Servings: 24

Dough ingredients

  • 2 1/4 teaspoons of instant yeast
  • 1 cup milk, lukewarm*
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour

Filling ingredients

  • 1 cup of brown sugar packed
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons of cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg (optional)
  • 1/3 cup butter, softened

Optional buttercream frosting ingredients

  • 3 cups of powdered sugar
  • 1/3 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk*

Cinnamon roll directions

  1. In a medium-sized measuring cup or bowl, add the yeast and a teaspoon of sugar to the lukewarm milk and let it dissolve for five minutes.
  2. Combine the rest of the dough ingredients in a separate, large bowl or one that works with your stand mixer. 
  3. Pour the yeast mixture on top and mix until the ingredients form a dough that comes clean off the sides of the bowl.
  4. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and put it in a warm place to rise for an hour.
  5. Once an hour is up, grease a 9 x 13 baking dish with butter, margarine, or cooking spray and combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg for the filling in a small bowl.
  6. On a floured surface, roll the dough into an 18 x 12-inch rectangle and cut the 12-inch length in two so you have two 18 x 6 rectangles.
  7. With both rectangles, spread the 1/3 of softened butter from edge to edge, leaving a half inch along one of the long sides. Sprinkle the filling mixture overtop.
  8. Roll the long edge to make a log, then cut it into 1 1/2-inch rolls. You can use unflavoured floss to pinch it into pieces rather than a knife to keep the shape.
  9. Lay the rolls in the greased pan, and cover them with a clean kitchen towel. Let them rise for an additional 30 minutes.
  10. Close to the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 350°F.
  11. Bake the rolls for 20 minutes until golden. Cook time can vary depending on your oven so you may need an extra minute or five.

Icing directions

  1. In a medium bowl, cream the sugar and butter together.
  2. Add the vanilla and milk.
  3. Keep mixing until it’s smooth and spreadable. It might seem like it’s not, but give it time. If it’s truly stubborn after a few minutes, pour in an additional tablespoon of milk and keep stirring. If you overdo the milk, add a bit of extra sugar.
  4. Spread the icing over the buns once they’ve cooled.

*Note: for the milk, I use oat, which works out fine.

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Here’s a link to the Cinnabons Cinnamon Roll Recipe I adapted this one from.

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Love cinnamon? You might also like this simple apple cake recipe here on Somewhat Minimalist.