Quick & easy small batch cinnamon rolls. This cinnamon roll recipe is filled with sweet & juicy summer cherries and the lemon cream cheese icing is the ultimate complement to these gooey delicious cinnamon rolls. It’s the perfect portion for two to four people.
This recipe is eggless & uses a quick rise instant yeast which doesn’t require proofing. No waiting overnight for cinnamon rolls ever again. Nothing tastes or smells better than warm cinnamon rolls hot & fresh from the oven. These summer cherry cinnamon rolls will blow your flip flops off!
Summer is whizzing by and I’m literally the unhappiest I’ve been in years. I feel so trapped at home.
I’m trying to make the best of all the pandemic quarantine restrictions and getting out as much as humanly (and legally) possible. (Who ever thought this would be a thing!?)
We did manage to fly back to Ohio for my nephew’s wedding a couple weeks ago.
Planes looked pretty packed to me! Everyone back home at the wedding was hesitant to give us hugs cuz ya know…we’re Floridians!
We’re getting out for fresh air and exercise walks. Terry and I walk about an hour daily. It keeps us sane. He has been working from home since March.
I quit my job as a Legal Nurse Consultant at the law firm I worked for during the last 12 years, back in November.
I quit because I needed a change and I wanted to focus on my blog and try something on my own. I’ve managed to monetize my blog and started a small Etsy business as well. Maybe I’ll post a bit more in depth about it soon.
Little did I know this whole pandemic thing would explode into the absolute mess it did. And I’m trying to make the best of it. So now we’re both home.
We’re basically together 24/7. It’s a good thing we get along well. Although I’ve caught myself giving him some serious side eye when he crunches on peanuts while he’s working.
I’m sure I have a thousand habits that he gives me side eye for too! Like spending waaaay too much time obsessing over the news and Twitter.
Since we’re home so much, it only makes sense that we’re cooking AND eating more often. We sure do love our sweets and desserts too!
Small batch baking seems to be my new thing. It also keeps me busy and occupied and away from the news which is so fear mongering.
Baking small batch recipes, especially desserts, ensures I won’t become a glutinous… something something (fill in your own words.)
This was the second time I made this recipe this summer. I posted a YouTube  instructional recipe video in June which you can find below.
I made them again this past Sunday to photograph properly for the blog recipe. It’s entirely too hard to photograph and film video simultaneously. Like, who’s gonna complain I made them twice now?
I snagged this recipe and made some minor adjustments from Dough-eyed Blog. She uses a no yeast recipe & replaces the yeast with baking powder & baking soda.
I also prefer a lemon cream cheese icing on cinnamon rolls.
How to Make Quick Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls Recipe:
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Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls: Cherry Filled
Ingredients
- Recipe: Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls
- FOR THE DOUGH:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon rapid rise instant yeast
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons melted salted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup warm milk
- FOR THE CINNAMON SUGAR FILLING:
- 3 Tablespoons brown sugar (light or dark)
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 1 Tablespoon soft salted butter (for spreading on dough before cinnamon sugar goes on.)
- FOR THE ICING:
- 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1 Tablespoon soft cream cheese
- 1 Tablespoon soft salted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (*Optional but elevates the recipe.)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon heavy whipping cream or milk
Instructions
- For the dough:
- In a medium bowl mix together the flour, sugar, instant yeast, & salt.
- Warm the milk and add the melted butter and vanilla bean paste. Mix well and pour over dry ingredients. Mix until well incorporated & hydrated. Bring together in a ball then knead the dough for 5 minutes. Cover & let rest and rise for 20 minutes.
- For the Cinnamon Sugar Filling:
- Mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon & salt in a small bowl. Set aside for now.
- For the Icing:
- Mix together all the ingredients in a medium bowl and use a hand mixer until smooth & creamy. Set aside.
- When the dough has rested and risen, flour a surface and roll the dough out into approximately a 11 x 7 inch rectangle. Spread a tablespoon of soft salted butter evenly and add your cinnamon mixture. Press the cinnamon firmly onto the dough making sure it's evenly distributed. Add your cherries.
- Roll tightly lengthwise and slice into about 8 pieces.
- Place cinnamon rolls into a buttered small ceramic baking dish or cupcake tin.
- Cover and let rise for another 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. ( I made a mistake in the instructional video posting 450°.)
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cool for 10 minutes then frost and enjoy.
- Garnish with whole cherries.
Instructional Small Batch Cinnamon Recipe Photos:
When the dough has rested and risen, flour a surface and roll the dough out into approximately a 11 x 7 inch rectangle. Spread a tablespoon of soft salted butter evenly over the dough.
Add your cinnamon mixture. Press the cinnamon firmly onto the dough making sure it’s evenly distributed leaving a small border on all sides. This just ensures the sugar won’t spill out while rolling it. Add your cherries.
Roll tightly lengthwise and slice into about 8 pieces. See instructional video above.
Slice the roll in half at the middle. Slice the two ends in half, then slice the 4 pieces in half again.
Place cinnamon rolls into a buttered small baking dish or cupcake tin. Cover and let rise for another 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool for 10 minutes then frost and enjoy. Garnish with whole cherries.
Slice and enjoy!
I hope you try and enjoy this recipe. If you have any comments or questions please leave them below. I always do my best to answer them.
You may also enjoy this cinnamon vanilla english muffin recipe.
Thanks for reading and see you soon. Stay healthy and well.
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How many cherries are you using 1 cup 1/2 cup. It is not in the ingredients. Please let me know. Would love to try this recipe. Plus I think it will be good with peaches, apples, blueberries, and raspberries.
I probably used about a quarter cup of cherries once they were pitted and sliced into quarters. I wouldn’t overload with with cherries because the cinnamon filling will start to macerate the cherries and may create a lot of juice on the bottom for the second rise before baking. If you follow the video you can see the approximate amount I used. I hope that helps you.