The Recipe Rebel / Breakfast
written by Ashley Fehr
4.81 from 78 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Servings 10 servings
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Last updated on January 26, 2024
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These Cinnamon Roll Bites are the easiest way to get that amazing cinnamon roll flavor, and they’re ready from scratch in just 40 minutes! They’re a delicious treat, perfect for a lazy morning, or a yummy pick-me-up in the afternoon!
Cinnamon, sugar, and butter just make everything better, am I right?
We love a traditional cinnamon roll, especially as the days get cooler and all you want is some fresh, hot, sugary bread straight from the oven to warm you up!
I’ve already sharedthe BEST Cinnamon Buns recipewith you, but I just love these little bites.
This is one of the easiest recipes I’ve made for cinnamon roll treats, so it’s a win-win!
This easy treat is perfect for the holidays, to have them as part of your sweet breakfast spread, or just to snack on!
These bites are very similar to what I use in myMonkey Bread recipe, except the balls are cooked in one layer and there’s no yeast required (less waiting!).
Not using yeast in this recipe means this biscuit dough comes together in 5-10 minutes max, but the flavor and texture are still amazing.
You can even make the dough balls the day before, quickly finish them up, and bake them fresh in the morning.
All of this gives you more time for sleeping and spending time with family on busy holiday mornings, with a warm, cinnamon treat for all your not-so-hard work.
That sounds like a pretty good deal to me 😉
If you love the delicious cinnamon flavors here, you’ll love myMaple Glazed Apple Crisp Cinnamon Bunsand thisHealthier Cinnamon Roll Baked Pancake with Maple Cream Cheese Syrup.
Ingredients Needed:
- Flour:all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, or a mix of both will all work well too.
- Baking Powder:a quick-rising agent that will work fast so these bites are on your plate promptly!
- Salt:to enhance the warm, sweet flavors in these sweet treats.
- Butter:unsalted butter is best in this recipe. Make sure it’s cold from the fridge before using it for the biscuits. You’ll need to melt some for the cinnamon sugar coating.
- Milk:whole milk, lower-fat milk, or even dairy-free milk is fine here to help bind the biscuit dough and the glaze.
- Sugar:use a mix of brown and granulated sugar to get a slightly caramelized flavor for the coating.
- Cinnamon:ground cinnamon is the star of the show here.
- Icing Sugar:icing sugar, or powdered sugar, is the base of the sweet glaze.
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Bites
This recipe couldn’t be easier! Full instructions are included in the recipe card below.
- Make the dough: stir together the dry ingredients, then add the butter until crumbly. Add just enough liquid so the dough comes together.
- Make cinnamon sugar:In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon.
- Coat dough balls in the melted butter, then coat them in the cinnamon sugar mixture, and place them in the pie plate.
- Bake.Bake until the biscuits are cooked and the butter/sugar mixture is bubbling in the bottom of the pan. Drizzle with glaze before serving.
Cinnamon Roll Bites FAQs
Can I make these cinnamon roll bites ahead of time?
Prep these cinnamon roll bites and keep them in the fridge or freezer, ready to be baked later on.
Fridge:Wrap the little balls of dough tightly in plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator for up to one week. Biscuit dough stores perfectly in the fridge, so this is a great recipe to prep ahead for a weekend brunch or treat.
Freeze:You can roll your biscuit balls, coat them in sugar, place them in the pan, cover them with plastic wrap and foil, and freeze them completely. Once frozen, the balls can be stored in a Ziploc bag for easier storage. Keep frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter in a single layer for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking as directed. You may need to increase the cooking time by up to 5 minutes.
How do I store cinnamon roll bites?
Keep cinnamon roll bites in an airtight container on the counter for 2 days. Store them in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Make sure they’re fully cooled to room temperature before storing them.
Can I freeze cinnamon roll bites?
Yes! Cool to room temperature and then cover with plastic wrap and foil and freeze up to 3 months.
To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake, covered, for 15 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Tips and Notes
- Aluminum Foil:If you’re using a pie plate smaller than 10″, place a piece of tin foil in the oven under the plate to catch any possible drips.
- Yield:A single batch will make around 25 bites. You can double it to make enough for a larger crowd, but make sure the dough is the right consistency before making the dough balls.
Cinnamon Roll Bites Variations
- Biscuit dough.You can use store-boughtbiscuit dough for this recipe if you prefer. It’s an even quicker, easy way to make them, you don’t need to make any changes to the recipe!
- Flour.I’ve made this recipe with 100% whole wheat flour before, and it turns out great! It’s a great way to add more fiber.
- Dairy-Free.You can easily make these Cinnamon Roll Bites dairy-free. Simply swap the butter for non-dairy margarine and the milk for almond or oat milk.
- Flavor the glaze.Add some vanilla extract, lemon juice, or orange juice to the glaze to give it more flavor.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these yummy cinnamon bites with aCold Brew Coffee or a Peppermint Mocha Recipefor a sweet breakfast or afternoon pick-me-up.
You can even have these cinnamon roll bites for a delicious dessert. Serve them warm and gooey with a scoop of ice cream. Try myButter Pecan Ice Creamor thisHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream.
More Easy Dessert or Sweet Breakfast Recipes to Try
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Baked Lemon Blueberry Donuts
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Lemon Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake Recipe
Breakfast
Cinnamon Roll Bites
Breads
Cream Cheese-Filled Blueberry Lemon Bread + RECIPE VIDEO
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Pin this recipe to your favorite boardCinnamon Roll Bites
written by Ashley Fehr
4.81 from 78 votes
These Cinnamon Roll Bites are the easiest way to get that amazing cinnamon roll flavor, and they're ready from scratch in just 40 minutes! They're a delicious treat, perfect for an indulgent breakfast on Christmas morning, or a yummy pick-me up in the afternoon!
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ReviewPrep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Cuisine American
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Servings 10 servings
Calories 302cal
Ingredients
Biscuit Dough
- 2 cups flour (whole wheat, all purpose, or a mix)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup cold butter
- ¾-1 cup cold milk
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup butter, melted
Glaze
- ⅓ cup icing sugar
- 1-2 tbsp milk just enough to bring the glaze together
US Customary – Metric
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
Cut the butter into cubes and add them to the bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or fork until butter is in pea-sized pieces.
Stir in the milk gradually, adding just enough so that the dough comes together. Bring the dough together in a ball with your hands (if you accidentally add too much milk and it becomes sticky, just add a little more flour).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 10-inch pie plate or baking dish, or line it with a piece of parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon. Roll the dough into 1″ balls. Dip the balls in the remaining melted butter, coat them in the cinnamon sugar mixture, and place them in the pie plate.
Drizzle the melted butter over the dough balls in the pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the biscuits are cooked and the butter/sugar mixture is bubbling in the bottom of the pan.
Make the glaze by combining the icing sugar and milk in a small mixing bowl.
Remove the balls from the oven and allow them to cool slightly before drizzling the glaze over the balls. Serve hot or cold.
Notes
*Note that you will likely have some excess cinnamon sugar, but I’d rather have a little too much than too little. Therefore, the nutrition information will be reduced slightly per portion in reality.
Storage & Make Ahead
Make Ahead: Wrap the little balls of unbaked dough tightly in plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator for up to one week. You can also freeze the dough balls in the pan. Once frozen, they can be stored in a Ziploc bag for easier storage. Keep frozen for up to 3 months, then let thaw on the counter in a single layer for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking as directed. You may need to increase the cooking time by up to 5 minutes.
Store: Keep cinnamon roll bites in an airtight container on the counter for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Make sure they’re fully cooled to room temperature before storing them.
Freeze: Put cooled cinnamon roll biscuit bites on a tray and flash-freeze them. Then put the bites into a Ziploc bag or freezer-safe container and freeze them for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 302cal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 214mg | Potassium: 190mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 605IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 1mg
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Meet Ashley
My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Celeste says
so I tried the dough but it just tasted like salt or butter could I add like granulated sugar.
Reply
Ruby says
Yum!! Made these for the first time in a whim this morning and they were easy, quick, and delish!
I skipped the glaze because I thought they were sweet enough on their own and added a bit of vanilla to the milk before adding it in.
Reply
Jordiee says
Best cinnamon roll recipe I’ve tried! I made a double batch, I did have to add quite a bit more flour and bake for a twice as long, but that’s not uncommon for the altitude in NM.
instead if following the glaze recipe, I made my own:4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 TBSP butter, softened
1 CUP powdered sugar
2 TBSP french vanilla creamerI whipped the cream cheese & butter together till smooth, added the creamer, then slowly added the powdered sugar, 1/4 cup at a time.
This amount was PERFECT for a double batch!
p.s. the blue carton of Great value french vanilla creamer is the BEST secret ingredient!!
Reply
Kirsty says
Worked first time, just the perfect afternoon treat I needed
Reply
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Kirsty! So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for this kind review!
Reply
Pat says
Hi Ashley, these cinnamon balls
sound nice and easy to make. I do a lot of baking but never baked
bread or buns. My favorite baked goodies are cinnamon rolls. I am going to try your recipe on the first day it rains here. If I wreck them it would be ok. Thank you for sharing your receipes. These look deliciousPat
Reply
The Recipe Rebel says
Enjoy Pat!
Reply
matilda says
can I use yeast instead of baking powder?
Reply
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Matilda! I haven’t tested this out using yeast but I am not sure how it would work due to you won’t be activating it any way. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!
Reply
Sherry says
I doubled the recipe, followed the directions for baking the following day. I don’t know why but the bites just crumbled, not biscuit like at all. They could have been sweeter, too.
Reply
The Recipe Rebel says
I’m sorry to hear you had trouble with the recipe, Sherry. It’s hard for me to say for sure what went wrong without being in the kitchen with you but typically biscuit dough will be crumbly after baking due to the butter not getting incorporated into the flour correctly or overworking it. Those are two common reasons. For us the cinnamon sugar mix worked perfectly for making them sweet but you can definitely adjust according to your taste.
Reply
gigi says
are they supposed to be a cakey texture and also how long do they have to cool?!?!
Reply
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi! The texture will be dough like, biscuit like, or bread like. You’ll cool them for a few minutes. Enjoy!
Reply
gigi says
Heyy Ash! How many bites would it make if i doubled the recipe? PLEEEEEASE let me know as soon as possible!!!!!
Reply
The Recipe Rebel says
It’s going to be roughly 50 bites.
Reply
gigi says
please answer as soon as possible, THANKS!
Reply
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