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Mini Cinnamon Rolls are the cutest little breakfast treat, and the best part is they start with a can of cinnamon rolls, so they come together in about 20 minutes with just 4 ingredients. I whipped these up one lazy Saturday morning when Maddie and Lizzie wanted something sweet and fun, and they had a blast rolling the tiny swirls. If you love an easy from a can hack, try our crescent roll cinnamon rolls too.
These bite sized rolls bake up golden and soft, and they are perfect for brunch, parties, or a sweet little snack any time.
Mini Cinnamon Rolls Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 15 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 25 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 30 mini rolls
- ⚡ Calories: 64kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Sweet, buttery, and full of warm cinnamon in a tiny two bite size
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our crescent roll cinnamon rolls
Quick Answer
To make Mini Cinnamon Rolls, unravel a can of refrigerated cinnamon rolls into long strips and dust them with a mix of powdered sugar and cinnamon. Roll each strip back up into a tiny spiral, pinching the tail so it stays put. Place the mini rolls on a lined baking sheet, brush with melted butter, and bake at 350 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes until golden. Drizzle with the included icing and serve.
Jump to:
- Mini Cinnamon Rolls Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Mini Cinnamon Rolls
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Mini Cinnamon Rolls FAQs
- Other Recommended Easy Breakfast Recipes
- Mini Cinnamon Rolls (with Canned Cinnamon Rolls)
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Canned dough shortcut. Starting with refrigerated cinnamon rolls means no mixing, kneading, or rising, so you get bakery cute rolls in a fraction of the time.
- Unroll and reroll. Unraveling each roll into a strip lets you make several mini swirls from one large roll, which is what makes them so tiny and adorable.
- Extra cinnamon sugar. Dusting the strips with a powdered sugar and cinnamon mix adds another layer of sweet, spiced flavor the plain can cannot match.
- A brush of butter. Brushing the tops with melted butter before baking gives them richer flavor and helps them turn beautifully golden.
- Pinch the tails. Tucking and pinching the end of each strip keeps the mini rolls from unraveling as they bake and spread.
- Space them out. Leaving room between the rolls lets them rise and spread without merging into one big sheet.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They use just 4 simple ingredients and a can of cinnamon rolls, so anyone can make them.
- The mini size is perfect for parties, brunch boards, or little hands.
- They are ready in about 25 minutes, even faster than our banana cream cheese muffins.
Key Ingredients
You only need a few simple things for these mini rolls. See the recipe card for exact amounts.
- Canned cinnamon rolls: The shortcut star. A 17.5 ounce can unravels into strips you reroll into minis, and the included icing finishes them off.
- Powdered sugar: Mixed with cinnamon for an extra dusting of sweetness, plus more for dusting the finished rolls.
- Cinnamon: Boosts that warm, cozy cinnamon flavor beyond what the can provides.
- Butter: A brush of melted butter on top helps the rolls bake up golden and rich.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Have fun making these mini rolls your own.
- Skip the included icing and drizzle with a homemade cream cheese glaze instead.
- Add a sprinkle of chopped pecans or walnuts before baking for crunch.
- Dust the warm rolls with extra powdered sugar for a snowy finish.
- Use a flavored canned dough, like orange or honey butter, for a fun twist.
- Turn them into a sweet board with our banana cupcakes and fresh fruit.
How to Make Mini Cinnamon Rolls
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet. Lightly dust your counter with powdered sugar, then unravel each canned cinnamon roll into a long strip.
- Stir together the powdered sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle the mixture evenly over all of the strips.
- Roll each strip back up into a tiny mini cinnamon roll, pinching the tail to the roll so it does not unravel while baking.
- Set each mini roll on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer, leaving space between them to spread and rise.
- Brush the tops of the rolls with the melted butter.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Cool slightly, then serve as is or with the included icing.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Dust your counter with powdered sugar. It keeps the dough from sticking without adding extra flour.
- Pinch the tails well. This keeps each mini roll tight so it does not pop open in the oven.
- Leave space on the pan. The rolls puff and spread, so give them room to bake evenly.
- Do not overbake. Pull them at golden brown so they stay soft in the middle.
- Warm the icing. A quick zap makes the included icing easy to drizzle.
- Serve warm. These mini rolls are best fresh from the oven while soft and gooey.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These Mini Cinnamon Rolls are made for sharing. Pile them on a platter for a weekend brunch or set them out at a party where little two bite treats always disappear first.
They are a natural fit on a breakfast spread. Serve them with our banana cream cheese muffins and apple banana muffins for a sweet table everyone will love.
For a bigger dessert board, add our pistachio muffins and a batch of our crescent roll cinnamon rolls so there is a little something for everyone.
Mini Cinnamon Rolls FAQs
You can, but the canned dough is what makes them so fast and easy. If you want to start from scratch, use your favorite homemade cinnamon roll dough and roll it thin before cutting into strips.
One 17.5 ounce can of cinnamon rolls makes about 30 mini rolls, since each large roll unravels and rerolls into several tiny ones.
They are best fresh and warm, but you can shape the mini rolls and refrigerate them on the pan for a few hours before baking. Add a couple of minutes to the bake time if baking them cold.
Store cooled rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 4 days. Warm them briefly before serving to bring back the soft texture.
They usually pop open when the tail is not pinched tightly to the roll. Press the end firmly into the side of each spiral before baking and they will hold their shape.
Yes. Freeze the baked, cooled rolls in a single layer, then transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw and warm before serving.
Craving more easy sweets? Try our crescent roll cinnamon rolls next.
Round out brunch with our Honey Bun Bread Pudding.
For a sweet breakfast treat, our chocolate muffins come together in about 25 minutes.
Mini Cinnamon Rolls (with Canned Cinnamon Rolls)
Ingredients
- 17.5 oz canned cinnamon rolls
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar plus more for dusting
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350° F and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- To make the cinnamon rolls, lightly sprinkle your countertop with some powdered sugar, then take your can of cinnamon rolls and unravel each roll so they are long strips. Slice each of these strips lengthwise in half. Then cut each of the long strips into roughly 6″ lengths; you should be able to get about three from each strip.17.5 oz canned cinnamon rolls
- Place the 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar in a small bowl with ¾ teaspoon of cinnamon and mix. Sprinkle this mixture over the top of all of the strips of cinnamon roll dough.3 tablespoons powdered sugar , ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- Roll each of the 6-in lengths into mini cinnamon rolls; make sure to pinch the tails of the cinnamon rolls to the roll so they do not come unraveled while baking.
- Set each mini cinnamon roll onto your prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Leave space between each as they will spread and rise while they bake.
- Brush the melted butter onto the top of the rolls, then bake in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.1 tablespoon butter
- When finished baking, remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Serve as is or with the included icing.
Notes
- You can easily double it to feed more or halve the recipe as needed.
- Tons of custom options, see my tips above on that.
- Great for a make-ahead breakfast, snack, or dessert.
- This freezes well, see my tips above on how to store.
- Use the glaze that comes with the rolls or make your own.
Nutrition
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