Cinnamon Roll Bites

Ingredients

• 113 g (½ cup)salted butter
• 330 g (1½ cups)light brown sugar
• 80 ml (⅓ cup)double cream (35% fat)
• 280 g (2¼ cups)plain flour, spooned into the cup and levelled
• 60 g (½ cup)cake flour, sifted (or use more plain flour)
• 1½ teaspoonsinstant or active dry yeast
• ¼ teaspoonsalt
• 2 tablespoonswhite sugar
• 240 ml (1 cup)milk, scalded and cooled to lukewarm
• 1 largeegg
• ½ teaspoonvanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• 60 ml (¼ cup)vegetable oil or rapeseed oil
• 6 tablespoonswhite granulated sugar
• 3 teaspoonsground cinnamon
• 57 g (¼ cup)salted butter, at room temperature
• 170 g (6 oz)cream cheese, at room temperature
• 113 g (½ cup)salted butter, at room temperature
• 360 g (3 cups)icing sugar
• 1 teaspoonvanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• 1–2 teaspoonslemon juice

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the sauce

   Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir to combine; bring to the boil while stirring, then take the pan off the heat and stir in the cream and salt. Transfer to a bowl, cover and leave to cool to room temperature.

2. 2

   Prepare active yeast

   If using active dry yeast, do not mix it with the flour. Once the milk has cooled to lukewarm, stir the yeast into it and leave for 5 minutes; add it to the dough when the method calls for the milk.

3. 3

   Mix and prove

   Heat the milk in a saucepan or microwave to 82°C (180°F), then set it aside until lukewarm, about 43°C (110°F). In a large bowl or a stand mixer bowl, combine both flours, instant yeast, salt and 2 tablespoons of white sugar. Add the lukewarm milk, egg, vanilla and vegetable oil, and mix. Add more flour as needed until the dough is moist and smooth. Put it in a greased bowl and leave to rise until doubled, 60–90 minutes.

4. 4

   Shape the bites

   Turn the risen dough onto a floured surface and roll it into a rectangle 38 cm (15 inches) wide by 51 cm (20 inches) long. Spread with the softened butter. Mix the cinnamon with the sugar and scatter most of it over the dough, saving about 1 tablespoon. With a short side facing you, cut the dough into three strips, each 13 cm (5 inches) wide and 51 cm (20 inches) long. Starting at the long edge of each strip, roll it up and pinch the seam closed. Set the three rolls side by side on a cutting board and cut them into 1.3 cm (½-inch) pieces using a sharp knife or bench scraper. Put the pieces in a large bowl, add the reserved cinnamon sugar and toss. Add 80 ml (⅓ cup) of the cooled brown sugar sauce and mix well.

5. 5

   Prove in ramekins

   Grease or line eight ramekins with parchment paper and arrange them on a baking tray. Divide the dough pieces among the ramekins, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise until puffy, 30–40 minutes.

6. 6

   Bake the bites

   Heat the oven to 177°C (350°F) on the regular bake setting, not fan-assisted. When the dough is ready, put the tray of ramekins in the oven and loosely cover with a large piece of foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Take the tray out, spoon the remaining brown sugar sauce evenly over the ramekins, then return them to the oven, loosely covered, for 5 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 1–2 minutes. Take the ramekins out of the oven and transfer them to a cooling rack.

7. 7

   Serve with icing

   Serve the bites with cream cheese icing, either on the side or poured over the top. To pour it, warm the icing in the microwave for 10–15 seconds.

8. 8

   Freeze for later

   Let the bites cool on a rack, then slide the ramekins into a large freezer bag and freeze. Thaw overnight at room temperature, or for 4 hours in the freezer bag, and warm individual portions in the microwave if desired. The cream cheese icing can also be frozen in a freezer bag; thaw it overnight in the fridge or for several hours at room temperature.

What are cinnamon roll bites?

Cinnamon roll bites take the familiar American-style cinnamon roll and turn it into small, shareable pieces. The dough is rolled with cinnamon sugar, cut into bites and baked in ramekins rather than shaped as one large spiral.

This version layers a buttery brown sugar sauce through the dough and over the baked bites, then serves them with cream cheese icing. Baking them in individual dishes makes them easy to portion and gives the sauce somewhere to collect.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 586 calories, 6g protein, 107g carbs, 38g fat.

The flour and sugars provide most of the carbohydrates, while butter, cream and oil contribute much of the fat. The egg and cream cheese add some protein, though the recipe is mainly a sweet, flour-based bake. Pair a bite with fruit and yoghurt for a more balanced plate.

The dough and yeast

Flour blend: Plain flour provides the main structure, while cake flour makes up part of the mixture for a softer result. Spoon and level the flour rather than packing it into the measuring cup.

Yeast choice: Instant yeast goes directly into the dry ingredients. Active dry yeast needs to be stirred into lukewarm milk and left for 5 minutes first, as the method describes.

Milk temperature: Scald the milk to 82°C, then let it cool to about 43°C before adding it to the dough. Milk that is still too hot can interfere with the yeast, so check it before mixing.

Rolling and cutting evenly

Even rectangle: Roll the dough to about 38 by 51 cm so the three strips are similar in size. This helps the rolls and their cut pieces bake at a similar rate.

Tight rolls: Roll each strip from its long edge and pinch the seam closed. A sharp knife or bench scraper makes cleaner cuts through the soft dough.

Keep the sauce where it belongs

Cooled sauce: Let the brown sugar sauce cool to room temperature before tossing some of it with the dough pieces. Warm sauce can make the dough greasy and harder to handle.

Lined ramekins: Grease the ramekins or line them with parchment, as suggested in the method. The lining helps contain the sauce and icing during baking and serving.

Proving and baking cues

First rise: Let the dough rise until doubled, which takes 60–90 minutes according to the recipe. The time can vary, so look for the change in size rather than relying on the clock alone.

Second rise: After dividing the pieces among the ramekins, cover and leave them for 30–40 minutes, until puffy. The foil cover during baking helps protect the tops while the bites cook through; remove it for the final 1–2 minutes.

Serving and timing

Icing: Serve the bites with cream cheese icing as they are, or warm the icing for 10–15 seconds and pour it over the tops. Let the ramekins cool on a rack before serving.

Make-ahead plan: The bites and icing can both be frozen. Allow time for the bites to cool before freezing and thaw them in advance, so serving does not depend on a last-minute thaw.

What to serve alongside

A fresh contrast: Serve the bites with berries or sliced fruit to offset their rich, sweet flavour. Coffee or tea also makes a straightforward pairing.

For a fuller breakfast: Add yoghurt and fruit alongside a bite rather than serving more sweet pastries. This keeps the cinnamon rolls as the centrepiece while giving the plate some variety.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use a kitchen thermometer to bring the scalded milk back to about 43°C before adding it to the dough.
• Keep a little flour aside and add it only as needed to make the dough moist and smooth.
• Save about 1 tablespoon of cinnamon sugar before tossing the dough pieces.
• Line the ramekins with parchment if you want to make it easier to keep the sauce inside.
• Let the bites cool on a rack before putting the ramekins into a freezer bag.
• Warm the cream cheese icing for 10–15 seconds if you want to pour it over the bites.

Variations

• Use plain flour: Replace the cake flour with more plain flour, as the ingredient list suggests.
• Choose active dry yeast: Stir it into lukewarm milk and leave it for 5 minutes before adding it to the dough.
• Add more lemon: Use the full 2 teaspoons of lemon juice in the icing for a brighter edge.
• Serve separately: Put the cream cheese icing in a bowl so everyone can add their own.
• Use muffin liners: Large tulip-shaped muffin liners can stand in for the ramekins, as noted in the method.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Hot milk: Adding it before it cools can interfere with the yeast; wait until it is about 43°C.
• Packed flour: Scooping flour firmly into a cup can add too much; spoon it in and level it.
• Unsealed rolls: Open seams can unravel as you cut them; pinch each seam closed before slicing.
• Warm brown sugar sauce: Tossing the dough pieces with hot sauce can make them difficult to handle; cool it first.
• Skipping the foil: Baking uncovered for the full time can over-brown the tops; cover loosely as directed, then uncover for the final 1–2 minutes.
• Freezing while warm: Warm ramekins can create condensation in the bag; cool the bites on a rack first.

How to store

Once cool, place the ramekins in a large freezer bag and freeze; the recipe does not specify a storage duration. Thaw overnight at room temperature or for 4 hours in the freezer bag, then warm individual bites in the microwave if desired. Freeze the icing separately in a freezer bag and thaw it overnight in the fridge or for several hours at room temperature.

Frequently asked questions