Muffin Pan Cinnamon Rolls

Three baked cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting on white round plate with fork.

Buttery cinnamon sugar on the inside, crispy on the outside, with the perfect cream cheese frosting. These rolls are rich, decadent, and everything you love about cinnamon rolls.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 15

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 561kcal

Author Anne Clark | My Kitchen Serenity

Equipment

mixing bowls
Measuring cups and spoons
whisk
Rolling Pin
serrated knife (cuts dough better than a smooth edge knife)

Ingredients

CINNAMON ROLLS

1-½ cups all-purpose flour (plus additional flour for rolling out the dough)
¼ cup granulated sugar, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, divided
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon milk of choice
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
⅓ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

FROSTING

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
¼ cup milk of choice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F. Spray 6 cups in a muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a separate small bowl, add 4 tablespoons of melted butter, milk, and apple cider vinegar. Stir with a spoon to combine. Note - This mixture will be lumpy and that's OK!
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and mix well until a consistent dough forms. Use your hands to shape the dough into a ball. If the dough seems too dry and is falling apart, add another tablespoon of milk.
Lay a piece of parchment paper on a flat surface and sprinkle it with flour. Place the dough on top and sprinkle additional flour on top of the dough. Add another piece of parchment paper on top of the floured dough and roll it into an approximately 8-inch by 14-inch rectangle. Tip - Don't be shy with with flour! If any part of the dough is sticky, sprinkle a little flour on it. You don't want the dough to stick to the parchment paper.
Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and evenly spread onto the dough (a pastry brush works well for this step).
In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar with the brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly on top of the buttered dough.
Starting with one of the short ends of the dough, use the bottom piece of parchment paper to help you roll the dough into a tight log. Pinch the ends shut and use a knife to slice the dough into 6 even pieces.
Place the rolls into the prepared muffin pan and bake for 13-15 minutes. Note - as the cinnamon rolls bake, they will completely fill the muffin cups.
While cinnamon rolls are baking, prepare the frosting as follows: Add room temperature cream cheese and butter to a bowl. With an electric mixer, blend on medium speed until creamy. Add vanilla, salt, and powdered sugar, and blend again until combined. Add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until desired frosting consistency is reached.
Remove the cinnamon rolls from the muffin pan and spread the icing evenly on top of warm cinnamon rolls. Yum!

Notes

Make sure to spray the muffin pan cups with non-stick spray before filling them.
When measuring dry ingredients, slightly overfill the measuring cup (or measuring spoon) then use the back of a butter knife to level it off.
Don't leave out the apple cider vinegar! It actually adds a nice flavor and helps fluff up the cinnamon rolls.
The cream cheese needs to be room temperature to ensure a creamy texture for the frosting. Allow 1 hour for it to sit on the countertop to become softened. Alternatively, you can unwrap it, place it on a plate, and microwave it in 5-second increments until soft. Just make sure not to melt it!
If you have leftover cinnamon rolls (that's a big IF), store them in an airtight container. They'll keep for a couple of days.
How to freeze baked cinnamon rolls: After they have completely cooled, wrap individually in plastic wrap, then place them into a larger airtight container. Write the date on there so you'll remember when you put them in the freezer. They'll stay fresh for up 3 months. Thaw and reheat in the microwave in short increments.

Nutrition