cinnamon roll bites featured image
Cinnamon Roll Bites are a quick and easy way to bake a batch of bite-sized cinnamon sugar coated biscuits. Serve them as a snack, a delicious dessert, or an indulgent breakfast.
Jump to Recipe

This Cinnamon Roll Bites recipe is a quick and easy way to turn a tube of store-bought buttermilk biscuits into a batch of bite-sized cinnamon rolls. Using a pre-packaged dough plus 6 kitchen staple ingredients, it takes 10 minutes to prep these bites before baking and serving for breakfast or dessert.

cinnamon roll bites hero image


Mini Cinnamon Roll Bites

Cinnamon Roll Bites are a quick and easy way to make gooey bite-size pieces of perfection because this shortcut recipe calls for a can of refrigerated biscuit dough. Each piece is coated in a cinnamon-sugar combination, baked until golden, and covered with creamy cream cheese frosting.

Less messy than monkey bread and frosted like Cinnabon’s BonBites, these minis taste like the best bite of a sweet cinnamon sugar donut that’s simply been baked and not fried.

Soft on the inside, buttery crisp on the edges, these Cinnamon Roll Bites are the perfect make-ahead breakfast, shareable snack, or delicious dessert.

For more cinnamon roll recipes, try my Cinnamon Roll Bundt Cake, Cinnamon Roll Cookies, and Cinnamon Roll Pancakes.

Why We Love This Cinnamon Roll Bites Recipe

  • Quick and easy shortcut recipe.
  • Only uses 7 simple ingredients.
  • Best way to bake up a batch of warm, tender cinnamon roll bites.
  • Taste like the famous sweet rolled-up doughy strip but made without the work.
  • Delicious make-ahead breakfast, snack, or dessert.
bitten cinnamon roll bites

Ingredients

  • Refrigerated flaky jumbo buttermilk biscuits
  • Light brown sugar: You can substitute dark brown sugar if you prefer.
  • Granulated white sugar: You can swap this out for additional brown sugar if you prefer. 
  • Cinnamon
  • Salted butter: You can use unsalted butter but I recommend that you add some salt to the sugar mixture to help balance out the flavors.
  • Cream cheese frosting: You will need about ½ of a 16-ounce tub of cream cheese frosting for this recipe. You can replace it with white frosting if you prefer. You can also use homemade cream cheese frosting or white frosting if you have a recipe that you really like. 
  • Whole milk: You can also use 2% milk.

SEE FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD BELOW

Substitutions and Additions

  • Add Raisins To Your Roll: If love raisins in your cinnamon rolls, you must bake them into your batch! Sprinkle about ¼ cup of raisins over the biscuits after you have placed them in the pan but before they go in the oven. Sandwiched between the frosting and the biscuits they will be the perfect addition!
  • Omit or Double The Frosting: Feel free to alter the amount or type of frosting you use. These cinnamon roll bites are delicious on their own, even without frosting and will provide a slightly less sweet dessert. But, if you find that the frosting is your favorite part, you can add even more! If you’d rather have a drizzle than a thick glaze, simply heat the frosting for a few seconds in the microwave to thin it out and then drizzle it on the bites. You can even use the frosting as a dip.
  • Fruit Flavor: If you like orange or lemon cinnamon rolls, try adding a bit of orange or lemon zest to the sugar mixture that coats the biscuits. I recommend about 1 teaspoon of zest to start. You can also mix in a few tablespoons of juice to the frosting to give extra fruit flavor to the dessert. 
  • Pizza cutter or kitchen scissors
  • 9×9 inch baking pan
  • Cooking spray
  • Medium mixing bowl
hand holding cinnamon roll bites

How to Make Cinnamon Roll Bites

Cinnamon Roll Bites are a quick and easy way to transform a can of biscuits into the best sweet treats! Buttery cinnamon sugar-coated bites are perfect to serve for breakfast and brunch or share with friends at potlucks and picnics.

  1. Make The Coating Mixture: Whisk together the brown sugar, white sugar, and cinnamon.
  2. Prepare Biscuit Pieces: Cut the biscuits into 6ths and coat the pieces in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
    Pro-Tip: I like to shake them up in a zip lock bag – they get perfectly coated.
  3. Pour Into The Pan: Spread the coated biscuits into a single layer in the baking dish and cover with melted butter. 
    Pro Tip: The extra sugar mixture will fall onto the bottom of the pan and form a nice, crispy bottom.
  4. Bake: Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 16-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Cool for 10-15 minutes before frosting.
    Pro Tip: It may be hard to see how browned the biscuits are because of the coating. They are finished baking when they are firm to the touch when tapped. 
  5. Frost: Stir together the cream cheese frosting and milk and pour over the biscuits.
    Pro Tip: The frosting should have a creamy, pourable consistency. Add more milk as needed.
  6. Serve: Allow the frosting to set for 2-3 minutes and serve warm or wait until they have completely cooled. Enjoy!
collage Cinnamon Roll Bites process

Tips

  • You can assemble the bites the night before. Just be sure to wrap them well with plastic wrap so they don’t dry out. Refrigerate them overnight.
  • You can use homemade or store-bought biscuit dough in this recipe.

Storage Tips

  • To Store: Store these Cinnamon Roll Bites covered and at room temperature for up to 3 days. To store them longer, keep them covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
  • To Freeze: Freeze them for 1-2 months and thaw them overnight in the refrigerator but they may become soggy. They can be eaten cold or warmed in the microwave or oven.
cinnamon roll bites in baking pan

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make these Cinnamon Roll Bites ahead of time?

This is a great make-ahead recipe for times that want to serve something sweet but don’t time to make it when you want it.
You can make these bites up to 24 hours ahead of time and store it, covered in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake it.
You can also bake them ahead of time and serve cooled at any time. It tastes great at room temperature and is a perfectly portioned snack to enjoy throughout the day. If you prefer them warm but need to bake them ahead of time, simply reheat them for a few minutes in the microwave or oven and then frost. 

Can I make homemade icing without cream cheese?

If you have a favorite icing recipe, you can absolutely drizzle it on top of your cinnamon roll bites. Or if you prefer white frosting, you can easily use it as a substitute for the cream cheese frosting.

What if I cannot find jumbo buttermilk biscuits?

You can substitute regular-sized, refrigerated buttermilk biscuits if you cannot find jumbo buttermilk biscuits, but you may need 1 ½-2 cans to fill your pan. Or you can use a smaller pan and just use 1 can. 

cinnamon roll bites with frosting

Other Easy Bite-Sized Recipes

5 from 17 votes
cinnamon roll bites featured image

Cinnamon Roll Bites

Serves — 9
Cinnamon Roll Bites are a quick and easy way to bake a batch of bite-sized cinnamon sugar coated biscuits. Serve them as a snack, a delicious dessert, or an indulgent breakfast.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Total Time 24 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 16-ounce can refrigerated flaky jumbo buttermilk biscuits
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
  • 2 Tablespoons granulated white sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
  • 3 Tablespoons salted butter melted
  • ½ cup cream cheese frosting
  • 1-2 Tablespoons whole milk

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9×9 inch pan with cooking spray.
  • Open the can of biscuits and cut them into 6ths with a pizza cutter or scissors.
  • In a medium sized bowl whisk together the brown sugar, granulated white sugar and cinnamon until combined.
  • Place the biscuit pieces in the bowl or a gallon sized ziploc bag and toss or stir gently to coat all pieces evenly.
  • Dump the biscuits and sugar mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread them out into a single layer. The extra sugar mixture will fall onto the bottom of the pan and form a nice, crispy bottom.
  • Pour the melted butter evenly all over the biscuits.
  • Bake for 16-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. It may be hard to see how browned the biscuits are because of the sugar coating so you can tap them gently and see if they are firm to the touch to confirm that they are finished baking.
  • Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes. It should still be slightly warm to the touch.
  • To make the frosting, stir together the cream cheese frosting and 1-2 Tablespoons milk to make a creamy, pourable frosting. Add more milk as needed to achieve your preferred consistency.
  • Pour the frosting onto the biscuits in several places and allow it to set for 2-3 minutes.
  • Serve warm or wait until they have completely cooled and serve.

Jenn’s Notes

Storage:
  • To Store: You can store these Cinnamon Roll Bites covered and at room temperature for up to 3 days. To store them longer, you can keep them covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
  • To Freeze: You can also freeze them for 1-2 months and thaw them overnight in the refrigerator but they may become soggy. They can be eaten cold or warmed in the microwave or oven.
Tips:
  • This is a great recipe for those times that you know you will want something sweet but may not have time to make it when you want it. You can make this up to 24 hours ahead of time and store it, covered, in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake it. You can also bake this ahead of time and serve it cooled at any time. I found that I really liked it just at room temperature and would snack on it throughout the day! If you really want it warm but need to bake it ahead of time, you can reheat it for just a few minutes in the microwave or oven and then frost it.
  • You can assemble the bites the night before. Just be sure to wrap them well with plastic wrap so they don’t dry out. Refrigerate them overnight.
  • You can use homemade or store-bought biscuit dough in this recipe.

Nutrition Info

Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 70mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 122IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg

Related Recipes

Secrets to Quick & Easy Desserts
FREE EMAIL BONUS
How to make delicious desserts in no time at all!

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

How many stars would you give this recipe?




Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Made this recipe this morning. Love it. This is definitely a keeper. Thank you for such an easy and delicious recipe.

  2. 5 stars
    I would give them a five for sure.
    thank you for all the work you do baking and cooking, I love most everything you put out for us to tried and do ourselves.
    Thank you again, Happy Febury i spell horrible ha ha type bad too ..

  3. 5 stars
    I did try this (microwaving a container of cream cheese frosting instead of thinning with milk) and it worked great! No need for milk or another bowl to mix the two.

      1. I did try this (microwaving a container of cream cheese frosting instead of thinning with milk) and it worked great! No need for milk or another bowl to mix the two.