#FoodHacks: Speedy Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls

A while back I posted a recipe for Emergency Chocolate Cupcakes. This recipe can be made in a cereal bowl and yields only two cupcakes; because sometimes you really really need a chocolate cupcake; but don’t need an entire pan of them laying around. I don’t know about you but if there are 12 chocolate cupcakes at my house I will eat all 12 by the time a week has passed. Not so pretty for the waistline. A long time friend of mine ended up being a taste tester for the chocolate cupcakes recipe…

She was a big fan not only of the cupcakes but also of the only-ending-up-with-two-cupcakes-thing. At least I know I’m not the only one who needs a two person recipe. Anyhow, a while back this friend mentioned that like the cupcakes, I should come up with a recipe for two at a time cinnamon rolls. I of course thought this was a completely brilliant idea and promised to definitely do so. My husband, who’s favorite dessert on the planet is cinnamon rolls, decided this might have been the most brilliant post suggestion ever.  

Time passed. When I finally got started, I knew my recipe would need to be quick and easy; i.e. no yeasted dough. I figure if you’re going to go to the trouble of making and rising a yeasted dough; you’re not going to want only make enough for two cinnamon rolls. In fact for only two cinnamon rolls you probably aren’t going to want to make dough at all. So quick and easy dough, that still tastes amazing. What to do? 

Here’s the big secret; I decided to turn to refrigerated biscuit dough. You know, the ones that come in the pop tubes in the refrigerated section? (As an aside, it scares the bejibies out of me every time I open one of those stupid tubes. The pop always makes me jump. Not sure why, never had one blow up in my face or anything…) Believe it or not this stuff actually makes for an extremely good cinnamon roll dough, without all the complications/time commitment of making your own. Perfect #FoodHack (BTW: Be sure to look for biscuits labeled buttery/extra flakey for the best effect.) So, I had the dough figured out.

The only problem? These biscuits come in packs of 6-8… which means, if I use all the dough at one time, my recipe ends up yielding 8 cinnamon rolls rather then two. Now if you want, you can certainly use only two biscuits for your recipe and save the rest for something else. Like dinner… Or you can freeze the other four biscuits (just seal it up tight in a ziplock) and use it another time for whatever. (Of course whatever probably just = more cinnamon rolls.) Or you can just use it all and make 8 cinnamon rolls all at once. It’s up to you, and I’ll give you directions for either option in the recipe. (As you can see from the photos I mostly went for the 8 cinnamon roll plan, though I tested the batch of two as well.)

Anyhow, after all that the rest of the recipe was super simple. Butter. Cinnamon. Brown Sugar. White Sugar. More Cinnamon.

Yep. Cinnamon roll heaven. 

Speedy Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls

(Yields 8 rolls.)

• Spray oil to grease pan
• 1 tube refrigerated biscuit dough
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter softened
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar 
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 350* and use spray oil to grease a bread loaf pan. Set pan aside.

2. Open the biscuit dough. Do not separate biscuits. Use a polling pin (or large water glass) to roll the dough into a large thin rectangle. Use a knife to spread 8 tablespoons of the butter on the dough rectangle. Leave a 1/2 inch border around the rectangle uncovered. 

3. Add the white sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon to a measuring cup. Stir to combine. Use a spoon to sprinkle the mixture evenly on the dough rectangle. Roll the rectangle, starting with a long side, so that a roll forms, with the butter, sugar and cinnamon on the inside. 

4. Cut the roll into 8 even pieces and place in the loaf pan evenly spaced. The rolls will not touch, but will expand during baking.  

5. Bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes or until the tops of the rolls are golden brown. 

Speedy Cinnamon Rolls For Two

• Spray oil to grease muffin pan
• 2 refrigerated biscuits
• 2 tablespoons of butter softened 
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 350* and use spray oil to grease two slots of a jumbo muffin pan. Set pan aside.

2. Use a polling pin (or large water glass) to roll each of the two biscuits into a thin rectangle, make sure the rectangle is fairly long but not too wide. Use a knife to spread 1 tablespoon of butter on each dough rectangle. Leave a 1/8 inch border around the rectangle uncovered. 

3. Add the white sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon to a cup. Stir to combine. Use a spoon to sprinkle the mixture evenly over the two dough rectangle. Roll each rectangle, starting with a long short, so that two separate rolls are formed, with the butter, sugar and cinnamon on the inside. 

4. Place each roll in one of the pre greased slots in the muffin pan.

5. Bake at 350* for 12-15 minutes or until the tops of the rolls are golden brown. 

Tangy Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Icing

(Yields 2 rolls.)

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2-3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons vanilla or plain greek yogurt

1. In a small sauce pan over low heat melt together the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla. Stir frequently to prevent burning. When fully melted remove from heat and allow to cool but not harden.

2. In a small food processor or bowl with hand mixer, cream together butter and powdered sugar. Start with the 1/2 cup. 

3. Add the cooled but not hardened brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of greek yogurt to the butter/sugar mixture. Blend together until a frosting is formed. Add additional powdered sugar or greek yogurt until desired consistency is reached. 

4. Spread or drizzle over cinnamon rolls.