Good morning guys! I’m here with a pretty weekend bake for Small-Batch Maple Cinnamon Rolls that will have you coming back for more!
Today we’re using an interesting method for bread that results in a really fluffy, soft, luscious cinnamon roll. Plus it’s topped with maple frosting and it has maple running through every roll. Let’s get to it!
How to Make Small-Batch Maple Rolls
We’re starting out with something a little bit odd- I originally saw this method on a Joshua Weissman video, and thought I’d give it a try, and guys it’s so dang good. We’re starting by cooking together a little bit of the flour and milk until it becomes a very thick paste, like this:
This paste creates more gluten in the dough, and it makes for some fluffy, chewy, magic. Then, we’re mixing that into our dough. The dough will start off pretty wet and shaggy, and should look something like this:
But after kneading for a good 10 minutes in your stand mixer, it should look smooth and silky, like this:
We’re using maple syrup in the dough, and in the filling, and in the frosting too! For the filling, we’re mixing some real maple syrup with butter and spreading it all over a large rectangle of dough. Top it off with your cinnamon sugar mixture, and roll them up. This recipes makes 6 rolls:
After a quick trip to the oven, it should look something like this:
And then we’re topping it with a generous amount of maple frosting. For the maple frosting, if you want a really strong flavor, use a dash of maple extract!
Tips & Tricks for Maple Cinnamon Rolls
This recipe uses a weird method, but it’s actually super easy. You just need to be patient with your kneading! Here’s some tips and info to help you get the perfect rolls!
- This recipe makes 6 rolls but you can double it for a normal 12-roll full batch!
- Use real maple syrup not the fake stuff. I know it’s more expensive, but there are a lot of great options out there now, and the fake stuff won’t work in this recipe!
- It takes a long time to knead fully but be patient! This is a lot easier if you have a stand mixer, so I definitely recommend it for this recipe, and for all enriched doughs.
- Avoid adding more flour This dough is pretty wet, and it should still stick to the bottom of your mixer bowl as it kneads just slightly. Avoid adding too much flour- you want it to stay soft and easy to work with!
- Watch your rise time! As always, doughs rise faster in high-altitude areas, so keep an eye on the size of the dough!
- I’m at about 5,000 ft. above sea level and I find that most people within 4,000-7,000 ft do not need to make any modifications to my recipes!
Hope you guys enjoy this one! It’s such a warm cozy fall recipe!
Small-Batch Maple Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the rolls:
- 3/4 cup whole milk + 3 tbs separated
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup very soft butter
- 2 1/2- 3 cups flour plus 1/4 cup separated
- 1 tsp. Salt
For the filing:
- 1/4 cup softened butter
- 1 tbs maple syrup
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbs white sugar
- 1 tbs plus 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the frosting:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbs. sour cream
- 1 tsp. maple extract
- 1/8 tsp. salt
Instructions
For the rolls:
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In a small saucepan over low-medium heat, cook together 3 tablespoons milk with 1/4 cup of flour, whisking constantly, until a thick paste forms. Remove and cool completely.
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In a microwave safe bowl, heat together 3/4 cup whole milk with the sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until it is about 110 degrees, or warm to the touch. Stir in the yeast, and set aside until puffy and bloomed.
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In the bowl of your stand mixer, mix together the egg and softened butter, and then stir in the bloomed yeast mixture. Then add in 2 1/2 cups flour and the salt, and stir until a shaggy dough forms. Add in the cooked flour paste and begin to knead the dough.
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Knead the dough with the dough hook for about 10 minutes or until the dough is soft and smooth. It should be still a little wet, and may stick to the bottom of your bowl slightly while kneading. Avoid adding too much flour, but you can add a bit more if it's just globbing entirely on the bottom of the bowl.
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Scrape the dough into a ball, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for about 30 minutes, or until it has almost doubled in size.
For the filling:
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Stir together the softened butter and maple syrup until combined. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, and salt until combined.
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Roll out the risen dough into a large rectangle. It should be about 12-14 inches long. Spread the butter evenly over the entire dough, and sprinkle all of the sugar mixture on top. Use your rolling pin to gently press the mixture into the dough, and roll the dough into a tight log length-wise.
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Slice the ends of the log off, and then slice the log into six even rolls. Place into a lightly greased pan, and cover with plastic wrap to let them rise for about 20 minutes, or until puffed.
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Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Bake the risen rolls for about 20-25 minutes, or until they are golden brown on top.
For the frosting
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Beat together the sour cream, powdered sugar, maple extract, and salt until a thick, smooth frosting is formed. Spread generously on top of the rolls once they have cooled for about 10 minutes. Enjoy!
Hello and welcome! My name is Nicole, and Dough-eyed is a food blog for people who want to bake for their family and friends in high-altitude areas. Think of me as a friendly voice there with you in the kitchen, here to give you confidence when you’re baking, and to help you with the struggles of baking at high-altitude. Come back every week for new recipes, tips, and advice on high-altitude baking!
I made these today at 6800 ft and they turned out fantastic! I did decide to reduce the yeast by a half tsp and they required a bit more rising time (which may or may not have been due to this alteration). Next time I'll add the full amount of yeast. They needed 30-35mins at 350 to reach internal temp. I have a tendency to under-bake cinnamon rolls so now I make sure they're 190-200 in the dough before taking out. Thanks for the great recipe!
So glad to hear you liked them!! It's such a great fall recipe! And those are great tips, thank you!!
Step one is not very clear, I tried it a couple times and the flour turned hard as rock whisking together 3 tbsp of milk and a quarter cup of flour?
Hi there- I'm sorry this wasn't clear! I updated it to add in the heat your stove should be at as I think that might be the issue here. You want it to be fairly low heat, and it shouldn't take long at all for the mixture to become a paste. I do use this method really often, and the measurements are correct, however you can increase the milk by 1 tbs without affecting the end result of the recipe!
Once again a wonderful recipe. The dough comes out soft and ethereal. Yummy!!
Nicole- what is your recommendation on doing these ahead of time to bring to a breakfast get-together without having to get up super early? Preparing rolls except for baking and putting in the refrigerator and baking at destnation?
Hi there! I would recommend that you actually bake the rolls until they are about five minutes away from finished, and then finish cooking them and frosting the next day! This dough rises very quickly, so it likely can't be stopped quickly enough from chilling it. I hope that helps!!
So happy to hear you loved this recipe!!
Hey there! Great recipe! I just wanted to point out that when to incorporate step 1 is missing in the recipe itself. I had to come back to read the post to figure out when to add it to the dough. Thanks for all the yummy ideas!
Thank you! It should be updated now! And I'm glad you liked the recipe!
Yum! Yum! Yum! As usual, these turned out great. I am so happy to have someone to bake "along" with at altitude here in Denver. Nicole, you are a blessing to me. I loved these and really appreciate the small batch series. With only two of us at home, it's so helpful to have recipes that "fit" us! Keep up the good work. PS – I wish I could post a picture here so that everyone could see them! I'm so proud! I did post on my FB and tag you!
Thank you so much for all the kind words Michele! I'm so happy you're enjoying the recipes, and I'm hoping to keep incorporating small-batch recipes since they are so handy!! I'm not seeing the pics on FB, but I'd love to see them!
We made these exactly the way the recipe and instructions read. They were outstanding! Added my touch of chopped walnuts, butter and brown sugar on bottom of round pan. Outstanding. I would like you to check, item 1. It’s says 3 tablespoons of milk and 1/4 cup of flour.
My King Arthur recipe says 3 tablespoons of flour and 1/2 cup milk.
(Make more rolls) We were able to mix the two ingredients together but it was not cooked. Even with glob, the rolls were fantastic. This was our first attempt with a yeast product and won’t be our last thanks to your recipe. Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks
Hi there! Glad to hear you liked them! I've seen a lot of different ratios for the flour paste in this method, and I've always preferred the thicker, higher flour paste. It comes together quickly- you can even make the paste in the microwave I recently found out! So, the King Arthur option is great as well, just another slightly different ratio for the flour paste method!
Ive made some other stuff of yours and loved it. I however felt parts of this recipe not clear. What is blooming yeast? And how much flour is too much to add? My dough didnt roll out well and i had to trash it. Probably could have added more. Frustrating as I was excited to try these.