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Cinnamon Roll Bites

written by Ashley Fehr

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4.73 from 11 votes
Prep Time 15 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Servings 10 servings

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These Cinnamon Roll Bites are the easiest way to cinnamon roll flavor! Uses homemade or store bought biscuit dough, a great make ahead breakfast or dessert!

cinnamon roll bites in pan being drizzled with glaze

Cinnamon, sugar and butter just make everything better, am I right?

I love these little bites, especially as the days get cooler and all you want is some fresh, hot, sugary bread straight from the oven.

I also love that they’re so easy, you can make them ahead and quickly finish up and bake them in the morning. That way, you can even bring them still warm and gooey to your colleagues at work.

If you’re willing to share, that is.

I love a good monkey bread made with yeast dough — who doesn’t? But there are days (okay, most of them) that yeast dough can take a little too much time and effort.

This biscuit dough comes together in 5-10 minutes max, and you can easily make the dough ahead, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the next morning or whenever you want to bake these bites.

I’ve included more tips for prepping ahead and baking later down below if you’re interested!

They really are so simple that you have no excuse to make them! 

cinnamon roll bites with glaze in glass pie pan

No excuse not to have warm, sugary, buttery bites of fresh bread coming out of your oven in about 35 minutes. That sounds like a pretty good deal to me 😉

Tips for making these Cinnamon Roll Bites even easier:

Feel free to substitute store bought biscuit dough for this homemade dough for the homemade stuff — it will make things even easier and you don’t need to make any changes to the recipe!*

How to prep these Cinnamon Roll Bites ahead:

Make ahead and refrigerate:

You can prep these Cinnamon Roll Bites up to the point of baking, and then wrap tightly and store in the refrigerator 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.

overhead image of cinnamon roll bites in pan on white background

Make ahead and freeze:

You can roll your biscuit balls, coat in sugar and place in the pan and then cover with plastic wrap and foil and freeze completely.

Keep frozen for up to 3 months, then let thaw on the counter at least 30 minutes-1 hour before baking as directed.

You may need to increase baking time up to 5 minutes.

close up image of two cinnamon roll bites missing from pan

*Post and photos updated from September 17, 2014

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Cinnamon Roll Bites

written by Ashley Fehr

4.73 from 11 votes
Treat yourself to these buttery, cinnamon and brown sugar coated bites right out of the oven — they come together in no time!
cinnamon roll bites with glaze in glass pie pan
Review
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Cuisine American
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Servings 10 servings
Calories 321cal

Ingredients

Biscuit dough

  • 2 cups flour (whole wheat, all purpose, or a mix)
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup cold butter
  • 3/4-1 cup cold milk

Cinnamon Sugar Coating

  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup butter, melted

Glaze:

  • 1/3 cup icing sugar
  • 1-2 tbsp milk just enough to bring the glaze together

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt (I mix with my pastry cutter).
  • Cut the butter into cubes and add to the bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or fork until butter is in pea-sized pieces.
  • Stir in milk gradually, adding just enough so that the dough comes together. Bring together in a ball with your hands (if you accidentally add too much milk and it becomes sticky, just add a little more flour).
  • *See post above for make ahead directions.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 10" pie plate or baking dish.
  • In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, granulated sugar and cinnamon. Roll dough into 1" balls. Dip balls in remaining melted butter and then coat in cinnamon sugar mixture and place in the pie plate.
  • Drizzle remaining butter over the dough balls in the pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes until biscuits are cooked and butter/sugar mixture is bubbling in the bottom of the pan.
  • *If you’re using a pie plate smaller than 10″, it’s a good idea to place a piece of tin foil in the oven under the plate to catch any possible drips.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 321cal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 290mg | Potassium: 181mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 600IU | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 1.4mg

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Published on September 23, 2020 / Last updated on September 23, 2020

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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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Comments

  1. Shelby says

    I was craving something cinnamon-y and WOW these hit the spot!! They remind me of the “monkey bread” my mom used to make for me growing up. Thanks for the awesome recipe!

    Reply

  3. Amy C says

    I used frozen sweet dough and it was perfect. I also added some cream cheese to the icing but that is just a personal preference. Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply

  6. April says

    Made these delicious little bites and they were a hit with the kids ! Super fast and easy when you want something warm and cinnamony from the oven to enjoy with your coffee or for an after school treat. The recipe is going in the keeper book! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  7. Jazz Owen says

    I LOVE this recipe! Delicious and easy, turned out perfect. Always a sucker for cinnamon! Thanks so much!

    Reply

  12. Julia says

    These cinnamon rolls bites are exactly the type of a treat I’d like to make for my kids now that they are home for the summer. Easy and scrumptious. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  13. Leah says

    I watched the video after I had already put the balls in the oven and I’m wondering about the part when you rolled them in the butter before rolling in the sugar mixture but that isn’t in the recipe. My dish turned out really bitter, do you think that could have been the problem? Thanks!

    Reply

  14. Lindsay says

    Hey! I just made this and the dough is like really bitter. Would it help to put sugar in the dough? Or make the balls smaller? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      Hi Lindsay! That’s honestly something I’ve never heard before. The dough is regular, plain biscuit dough, so it won’t be sweet but it’s definitely not bitter. The amount of sugar the dough is coated in should definitely give you a sweet result!

      Reply

      • Leah says

        I also had them turn out bitter…like there was too much baking powder and salt, or baking soda. I followed your recipe exactly, but didn’t get the results I was expecting.

        Reply

      • Kathy says

        It’s possible that they weren’t using aluminum free baking powder.

        I’m very sensitive to the taste, and always make certain to use aluminum FREE baking powder.

        It really helps with the flavor.

        Good luck!

        Reply

  16. Lucy says

    You’re right, Ashley! Cinnamon, sugar and butter make everything perfect. We’re in rainy season now. These cinamon rolls and a cup of hot tea are perfect in a rainy day.
    Thanks for sharing this recipe!

    Reply

  19. Sarah says

    I noticed that your recipe says to put the 3-4 tbsp of butter in the pie plate, then dip the biscuits in the cinnamon/sugar; your video shows you dipping the biscuits into the butter and then rolling them in the cinnamon/sugar without putting the 3-4 tbsp of butter in the pie plate. Which way do you typically make them? Maybe this discrepancy is accounting for those who say there is too much butter? (Mine are in the fridge waiting to be baked in the morning, so we will see how they turn out–they look delicious!)

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      I didn’t show the adding of the butter in the pie plate in the video but I did do it. The video is just to be used as a guide, the recipe is always the way I make them. I hope you enjoy them!

      Reply

  20. Dorothy Walker says

    These are very easy to make but I found there is way too much butter. The bottom was literally soaked in butter. I definitely will make them again but I will use less butter.

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      Hi Dorothy! That’s too bad! I have never found there to be any extra butter in the pan actually — they always are slightly crispy around the edges because of the sugar. Feel free to change it up as you see fit!

      Reply

  21. Trinity says

    I love this recipe! But is it possible that for the glaze, that you would be able to replace the powdered sugar with something else? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Brynn bass says

      I use powder sugar and milk and just keep adding them together until it is a thin consistency and it tastes wonderful!!

      Reply

  22. Neeli says

    Hi Ashley, I wanted to stop by and let you know that I tried your recipe for cinnamon roll bites a while back and they were delicious. My daughter and I made them for breakfast and we had a great time. One question, though, can I cut down the butter to about 1/2 a cup without compromising the taste and texture? These were tasty, but 1 cup of butter for me was a bit too rich and I would love to make them again. Thanks for the great recipe.

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      Hi Neeli! I’m glad to hear that! You would really need to substitute the butter with something. I’ve used margarine before. The butter in the biscuits would be difficult to replace, unless you found a completely different biscuit recipe that uses something other than butter (though I’m not sure what, because that’s what makes a biscuit a biscuit!). The butter that you melt to dip the balls in could likely be replaced with another oil or margarine, but you need something to get the sugar to stick and to crisp them up. I hope that helps!

      Reply

      • Neeli says

        Thanks for responding so quickly to my question. I will make this recipe again by cutting down on the melted butter and see how that works. I don’t want to replace the butter with another fat, although I love my lard biscuits, too. Either way, this recipe is still delicious and something that I look forward to making again.

        Reply

  23. Anne Marie says

    I found this recipe on your site the other day and I have literally made them everyday. My children love them and eat them for breakfast as well as snack, my husband loves them with a coffee and I’ll pop one in my mouth when ever I get a chance. I have even sent them into my kids teachers as a little treat and have heard nothing but praise for how delicious they are! I did add a little sugar and about a teaspoon of cinnamon to the flour mix just to give it another little pop but these are the most delicious and easy treat ever!!!

    Reply

  24. Alison says

    OMG! I just made these (not for the first time). I didn’t have any biscuits but I had a tube of cinnamon rolls so I used them. Wow! So good! I mixed the icing that comes with them In with what I make and it turned out so yummy!

    Reply

  25. Laura Hess says

    If I use canned biscuit dough, how many biscuits would I need for this recipe and how many cinnamon bites would I get out of each biscuit? Cut them in fourths? It’s hard to tell from the picture just how big each “bite” is….
    The recipe sounds delicious!

    Reply

    • Ashley says

      I usually roll them into about 1″ balls. Probably 4-5 out of one biscuit would be good! My biscuit recipe usually makes about 10 biscuits — I’m not sure how many biscuits come out of one package? There is plenty of sugar mix though if you have extra biscuits — you could definitely do another pan!

      Reply

    • Ashley says

      You could do that! I don’t think it could be a bad thing. I would just make sure there isn’t too much sitting around the balls because I think it would get quite sticky in the oven if you don’t also add more butter. Or you could also add more butter! Lol

      Reply

  27. Joelle says

    Hi! So i tried this recipe out and I formed the dough into a ball but once they were baked they flattened out. Do you know where I could have gone wrong? Thanks so much!!

    Reply

    • Ashley says

      Do you mean you formed the dough into multiple balls? I would guess that you could maybe use a smaller pan and they would bake up more instead of spreading out. I would also make sure your dough is the right consistency and not too soft. Hope that helps!

      Reply

  28. Gemma says

    Hello! I love the idea but need to make them soon! Could I Make the mix and put it in the fridge for 30 mins to a hour? Please awnser 😀

    Reply

  29. Christine says

    Made this with my daughter for Christmas Morning. We prepared everything on Christmas Eve and refrigerated overnight. On Christmas morning I realized that we forgot to use the brown sugar and that my husband bought baking soda instead of powdered sugar (don’t ask). I went ahead and sprinkled the brown sugar on top of the balls and popped them into the oven. Without powdered sugar, we omitted the glaze. The house smelled amazing as our girls opened their gifts. We enjoyed these very much and my girls want them again for New Years day. They were much better than I was expecting. Rather than tasting like a biscuit with cinnamon and sugar, it tasted like a really delicious coffee cake. We did not miss the glaze at all. Highly recommend!

    Reply

    • Ashley says

      Thanks Christine! My husband often comes home with unexpected things when I send him shopping! Glad you enjoyed them 🙂

      Reply

  30. Carole says

    Made these for the breakfast club at school, only difference is we added raisins and the kids just love them! Huge Hit!!! Thank you for the awesome recipe.

    Reply

  31. PJ says

    I was wondering what to make for sunday brunch tomorrow and the link for these popped up on my FB feed, so cinnamon bites it is 🙂 was thinking Id really spruce it up by adding bacon – either baking it with the rolls or sprinkling on top after they have cooked. Either way I’m drooling thinking about these morsels of cinnamon luciousness!

    Reply

  32. Theresa says

    I was wondering if you think I could replace the butter with coconut oil? Or may half butter and half coconut oil. What do you think?

    Reply

    • Ashley says

      Do you mean to substitute the butter in the biscuits or melted on top? Or both? To be honest, I’ve never baked with coconut oil. I’m not sure how flaky the biscuits would be if you used coconut oil in the biscuit dough, it might work! As for the top, I’m not totally sure how it would work, but I don’t think it would change things too much. Sorry I can’t help you more!

      Reply

    • Ashley says

      That sound be fine! I’d just make sure you cover them well and leave off the melted butter til you want to bake.

      Reply

  35. Dana says

    I love cinnamon buns too and these look so cute!!! and much easier for small snacks, or if you’re having people over.I often bake GF now so I will try this with my gluten-free flour mix. I love that these are quick and easy too!
    Thanks for sharing, I’m sooo looking forward to giving these a try!

    Reply

  36. Paula says

    This looks wonderful and I want to try this ~ it’s definitely something my family would like. Melanie, can you tell me what the icing sugar that the glaze calls for? Thanks!

    Reply

  40. Faith says

    Can you use canned biscuit dough and say pinch off and roll into small balls ? What time and temperature alterations would be needed ?

    Reply

      • Kim S says

        I just made this using the large buttermilk dinner rolls in a can. I cut them in half, then cut the halves into 3 equal triangles. Followed the rest of the recipe, but used heavy cream (because I had some to use up) and a splash of vanilla with the powdered sugar for the glaze. Came out perfect and delish!! Quick and easy peasy! Now..to not eat half the dish myself 😉

        Reply

    • Ashley says

      Ashley, I can’t believe you’re not a fan of cinnamon rolls! I can’t say the same, but these are definitely up there 🙂

      Reply

    • Ashley says

      Thanks so much Melanie! They are super simple — I love anything warm and cinnamony that I can make ahead and bake in the morning!

      Reply

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