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A pan of small batch cinnamon rolls with browned butter cream cheese frosting.
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Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls

The perfect soft and chewy cinnamon rolls covered in a browned butter cream cheese frosting. Made in a small batch to serve 2-4 people.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: browned butter, Cinnamon Roll, Cinnamon Rolls, Cream cheese frosting, Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup Warm Milk
  • 1/4 tsp Sugar
  • 1 tsp Dry Active Yeast
  • 1 tbsp Sugar
  • 2 tbsp Melted Butter
  • 1 1/4 cups (150g) All Purpose Flour + more for dusting
  • 1/4 tsp Sea Salt

Filling

  • 1/3 cup Dark Brown Sugar
  • 2 tbsp Butter - Softened
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon

Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 4 oz Cream Cheese - Softened (Note 1)
  • 3 tbsp Browned Butter
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/3-1/2 cup Powdered Sugar

Instructions

  • Start by heating your milk to 110 - use a pan and a thermometer - if you don't have a thermometer heat over low heat for about 3-4 minutes until the milk is warm to the touch but not hot
  • Add the milk, 1/4 tsp of sugar, and yeast to a bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes until the yeast has frothed and bubbled
  • Add the egg yolk, butter, and sugar to the milk, yeast mixture and lightly whisk
  • Add the flour and salt and use a wooden spoon to mix all ingredients together until a thick clumpy mixture forms.
  • Using your hands, knead the dough until a smooth ball forms (about 30 seconds)
  • Grease your bowl and return the dough ball to the bowl
  • Cover with a warm damp cloth and set somewhere warm to rise for about 60-90 minutes or until the dough is about 1.5x bigger (See Note 2)
  • Meanwhile, combine 2 tbsp of softened butter, 1/3 cup of dark brown sugar, and 1 tsp of cinnamon with a spatula until a paste forms
  • Once the dough has risen turn it on to a floured surface and gently work the dough into a rectangle with your hands
  • Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a long rectangular sheet
  • Spread the butter, brown sugar mixture along the entire sheet until the whole thing is covered evenly
  • Roll the dough up and use twine, string, or a sharp knife to cut four even cinnamon rolls
  • Place the rolls in a small baking pan (see Note 3) and cover with a damp towel and set aside for another 60-90 minutes for the second rise
  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees while the rolls do their second rise (See Note 4)
  • When Cinnamon Rolls have increased in size by about 1.5x they are ready to bake. Cook for about 25-30 minutes until the tops are a deep golden brown and the sugar has caramelized - watch carefully as cook time will vary slightly
  • Let cool for about 20 minutes before frosting

Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Start by browning your butter in the same way as above.
  • In a large mixing bowl add the browned butter and softened cream cheese and beat together to incorporate
  • Add vanilla extract
  • Add powdered sugar in starting with about 1/3 cup, adding additional if you like it sweeter
  • Beat on high until the frosting is smooth
  • Spread on slightly cooled cinnamon rolls and serve immediately

Notes

Note 1 - Pull your cream cheese out about 2 hours before you want to use it to make sure it's adequately softened. 
Note 2 - To speed up the rising process you can turn your oven on for a few minutes until it's just barely warm and then turn it off and let the dough rise in there. 
Note 3 - I used a small 6 inch cake pan for this - ideally use a smaller pan so that the rolls don't spread too much when baking. If you do not have a smaller cake pan you could try a bread loaf pan and line them up in a row. 
Note 4 - You can brown your butter 30-60 minutes before because it will take time to cool after browning. I usually let it cool for about 15 minutes before using, but you can let it sit for about an hour before it will start to solidify again. 
Note 5 - Browned butter step by step instructions - Place butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until the butter has melted completely and begins to bubble. Once bubbling, stir continuously until the butter starts to froth and foam. Continue stirring until it begins turning brown and smells nutty. It is done when the butter is a golden color and the browned bits on the bottom of the pan are a dark brown (note they should not be black and it should not smell burnt! watch it very carefully to ensure that it does not burn - medium low heat can be used as well but will take a touch longer).