Homemade Cinna Minis

It may be odd that some of my most vivid, and favorite, memories of childhood involve skipping school. And Burger King.

It wasn’t that I didn’t like it; I did. I loved school. But I loved being home more. Or, I loved that skipping school and “feeling sick” often fell on days that Mom was home. She worked days, she worked nights, she worked weekends, and over time, and then over-over time… And then maybe she picked up a part-time shift at the Gap to buy my brother and I clothes.

So, on the rare occasion that she’d be home during a weekday, I wanted to, I need to…too. Mom’s still in her slippers and nightgown? I’ll wear my flannel onesie all day. Mom’s got a doctor’s appointment? Hey! I’ve got no plans! Mom could use a few more hours of shut-eye? Good Lord, I’m tired.

I wanted to be next to her, to smell the Clinique Happy infused in her clothing, to hear her talk about pillow shams and duvets and curtain swags and things I had absolutely no interest in whatsoever. She was precious. Our time was precious.

It was no coincidence, then, that I was sick exactly six times per semester, the maximum number of days allotted to each student before failing. I suppose, looking back, that I viewed them as personal days. Like accrued time off that would be wasted if I didn’t take advantage. And I was never one to let a good thing slip by. Not when Sally Jessy Raphael was on, then Phil Donahue, and there was fast food breakfast to be had.

Our favorite spot was Burger King. Or maybe it was just mine and she appeased me. We’d order French toast sticks and individual Tropicana orange juice cartons with those pesky un-poke-able straws, or sausage, egg, and cheese Croissan’Wiches and Crispy Crowns. But whatever drive through delicacy we chose, we always got Cinna Minis too.

It was bliss. Just thinking about it now evokes a nostalgic happiness that I can’t quite put into words.

I realize that it may seem a bit sad to proclaim such affection for a meal displayed on golden letter boards with a drive up window, as though I’m prizing airplane food above the meals I’ve eaten in restaurants with fine china, three separate forks, and a few Michelin stars, but believe me when I say that those morning meals were some of the best breakfasts of my life. Because on six special days per semester, we were together.

To this day, when I look at the clock before 10am, which is everyday (we hope), I think for at least two seconds about the fact that McDonald’s and Burger King are still serving breakfast.  I feel a sudden urge to get in the car and plug “Calorie Bomb Chain” into the GPS. I salivate.

You can imagine the way my heart palpitated, then, when I saw Alice Medrich’s recipe for “Sticky Pecan Bites” with a variation for mini cinnamon buns. Homemade Cinna Minis? I said a serenity prayer.

These bitty buns are almost unbearably delicious. They’re reminiscent of my favorite BK boxed breakfast item, but a world better. The cream biscuit dough is flaky, oh-so-tender, and buttered. The inner swirl is warmly spiced with cinnamon and gooey with caramelized brown sugar. I couldn’t help but stir together a glaze to drizzle across their golden brown coils. Frosting makes life more manageable for me.

I love that they’re tiny, or, roughly the size of a Pog for those of us who’d like to admit how cool we were in 1996. Their smallness allows you to exert a shred of portion control, to share them, to hoard them, and/or to stare at them lovingly, as I do with all cutesy things. They’re currently giving babies and puppies some stiff competition.

Here’s how you can make your own:

In a medium bowl, stir together brown sugar and cinnamon. Set that aside. Preheat the oven to 400° F.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.

Stir in the cream and mix until just combined. The dough will be soft and moist.

On a lightly floured counter top, roll out the dough using a rolling pin dusted with flour as best you can until you have a rectangle that’s roughly 12″x7″.

Smear softened butter all over the surface of the dough.

Sprinkle the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture evenly over the butter. Starting at one end (one of the 7″ sides), roll the dough up into a tight spiral.

Now use a sharp knife to cut the roll into 24 small spirals.

Place the cinnamon buns cut side up into an 8″ or 9″ greased baking pan or place one cinnamon bun into each of the cups of a greased mini muffin tin. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until the buns turn a faint golden.

Turn the cinnamon buns out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

While the buns are cooling, make the glaze by mixing powdered sugar and a splash of milk and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth.

Drizzle the glaze over the cinnamon buns and serve immediately.

Homemade Cinna-Minis

(recipe adapted from “Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunch Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cookies” by Alice Medrich)

Makes 24

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

¾ cup heavy cream

2/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1 ¼ tsp. cinnamon

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon milk

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 400° F. In a medium bowl, stir together brown sugar and cinnamon. Set that aside.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in the cream and mix until just combined. The dough will be soft and moist.

On a lightly floured counter top, roll out the dough using a rolling pin dusted with flour as best you can until you have a rectangle that’s roughly 12″x7″. Smear softened butter all over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture evenly over the butter. Starting at one end (one of the 7″ sides), roll the dough up into a tight spiral.

Now use a sharp knife to cut the roll into 24 small spirals. Place the cinnamon buns cut side up into an 8″ or 9″ greased baking pan or place one cinnamon bun into each of the cups of a greased mini muffin tin. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until the buns turn a faint golden. Turn the cinnamon buns out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

While the buns are cooling, make the glaze by mixing powdered sugar with milk and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cinnamon buns and serve immediately.

These are best when eaten the day they are baked.

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50 thoughts on “Homemade Cinna Minis

  1. managermamma

    The most beautiful cinnamon rolls I’ve ever seen! Gorgeous step-by-step pictures! Here in Italy they are not known so when I make them my friends love them. I’ll try your recipe, it looks easier than mine. Bravissima!

    Reply
  2. Tracey @ I'm Not Superhuman

    I love how teensy they were. I didn’t realize it until you showed one in a cupcake tin, but they’re adorable. And that was a great story. I love how you weave your personal stories into this. (Oh, and my husband totally agrees fast food breakfasts are the best, though he prefers McDonald’s.)

    Reply
  3. RhodeyGirl

    Do you have any left? Will you take a pic of one in your hand (even a cell phone pic)?? I can’t imagine a cinna mini the size of a POG!!! that is so teeny tiny I LOVE it~!!! from these photos you can’t tell how cute and tiny they are! They look really tasty.

    I love mini anything. why is that?!

    Reply
  4. Amy @ Second City Randomness

    I specifically remember a time where I faked sick for 2 days in a row. On sick days, my grandma watched me. It was my fun time with just me and her. Granted, she lived next door, but it was time I didn’t have to share her with my brother. :)

    Reply
  5. spabettie

    these look gorgeously delicious… and I *LOVE* reading the story… very nostalgic… in high school I was on ski team, and we’d stop at McDonalds for breakfast… I would get hash browns and ketchup packets… fun food memories! :D

    Reply
  6. Fervent Foodie

    This reminds me so much of my mom and I when I was younger. We considered ourselves French-Fry-Connoisseurs. We’d go to the McDonald’s drive through and grab a supersize to share, then to Wendys for a biggie, then to the BK Lounge for a king size… all which were conveniently located in the same quarter mile stretch. And we’d contrast and compare the pros and cons of each chain’s fry recipe.

    Those were the days….. :)

    Reply
  7. M.J. Jacobsen

    We have cinnamon rolls every year for Christmas breakfast…….these will be easy and fun to make! I’ll just have to make a lot to satisfy my 6’7 son!!! Great recipe!

    Reply
  8. Megan (Braise The Roof)

    Playing hooky really was the best feeling. Funny how things like going through the drive through are such fond memories now- for me, too! My favorite BK breakfast offering were there mini hashbrowns- can you recreate those for me, too? ;)

    Reply
  9. Pingback: Christmas Recipes to drool over « The Veritas Blog

  10. Lu

    I know what I’m making for Christmas morning now. Yum. I’ll even take pictures this time. I love the anecdote about sharing the time with your mom. Now, as an adult, I love to stay home with my mom and just hang out. By the way, that glaze? Can I just get an IV drip for the hubby?

    Reply
  11. Decor Girl

    I am just getting ready to make a family cinnamon roll recipe… You’ve inspired me to make a cute mini version. The old fashioned ones are huge and who needs to eat like that any more? I know, it’s a holiday, “need” has nothing to do with it.

    Thank you.

    Reply
  12. Online Sunshine

    I have to admit, this was the first recipe of yours I’ve tried that didn’t turn out well. I’m sure it was some mistake on my end because they weren’t as small as a pog, wouldn’t fit in my mini muffin pan, and were just too sweet for us to eat.
    So, I will just lick the screen and think about how good yours are.

    Reply
  13. Reema

    Hi, what can I use instead of the heavy cream? Its not always available here in the middle east. Can I use whipping cream or just milk? Thanx!

    Reply
  14. Hannah

    I just made these, and I can only describe them as a cinnamon roll sugar cookie. They have the consistency of a soft sugar cookie, but the taste of a cinnamon roll. There’s also a little crunch with the baked butter and brown sugar. They are quite sweet, next time I would use a little less glaze. These would be a perfect dessert after a breakfast for dinner meal. After I made them I had many instant yummmmms from my family. These are a cute little treat and I will definitely make it in the future.

    Reply
  15. Susan

    Sorry to burst everyone’s bubble but these came out terrible! Though I’m not a professional, I’m a good baker and most everything I try comes out quite good – these didn’t. I used a 9X9 pan and fit only 20 into the pan. They did not cook in the stated time – kept them in for longer and still seemed underdone even though the filing was gooey & starting to burn. I think the dough is simply too wet with not enough leavener. If you want to try this recipe, I suggest definitely using a cupcake tin.

    Reply
  16. Cathy

    Thanks so much for the great story, yummy recipe, and the walk down memory lane! My sisters and I used to walk pretty far in the freezing cold to and from school. On those especially cold days, my mom would have cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate waiting for us. The three of us would sit next to each other and put our toes under the radiator and Mom would put her legs across all of ours to warm them up! I will definitely give this delicious recipe a try. Thanks again! :-D

    Reply
  17. Pattimontreal

    Just discovered your site recently – seeing the cinnamon minis now I must comment. Andie, almost every day I walk past one of the most exclusive bakeries in Montreal, wholesale, and sometimes they have leftovers at very reasonable rates. It is a challenge to look the other way especially as my son (my roommate, the sweet tooth) does not like them so I would be forced to eat it myself. Imagine my delight to discover that in Belize, where I am escaping to, also loves cinnamon rolls.
    These lovelies of yours look scrumptious (a 50s word??)
    I have not had time to go through your entire site-do you do the photography yourself? I am IMPRESSED. You go girl!

    Reply
  18. litegal1

    Just pulled mine out of oven and popped a few in my mouth. They look absolutely adorable, but the taste is more along the lines of a sweet biscuit. Not bad – just not that lovely cinnamony bun feel to them. I did scale cream back to 2/3 cup and rolled from the 12″ side, not the 7. A snap to whip up – from prep to popping time, we’re looking at maybe 20 minutes…

    Reply
  19. Carrie

    Not only do these cinna-minis look super delicious, your narrative is so touching. I really enjoyed reading it…the recipe & pix were just a bonus.

    Reply
  20. Becca

    Andie, I’m new to your blog! (Lovin’ it btw) I was just curious what the calories were and serving size? I may have looked over it. Thank you! And thank you for the recipes, inspiration, knowledge and motivation.

    Reply

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