This Single Serving Cinnamon Roll is soft, chewy, and loaded with sweetness. Topped with a decadent cream cheese frosting it makes for a great breakfast, snack, or anytime treat.
With just a few basic pantry staples you can get these cinnamon rolls for one in the oven in minutes. I’ve used your usual cinnamon roll suspects but instead of yeast I’ve added baking soda so there’s no need to wait for the dough to rise. Just spread out the dough, top it with a combination of cinnamon, sugar, and vegan butter, roll it up, and bake. Once it cools down you can slather on some decadent cream cheese icing and dig in.
If you’ve ever thought it was a bit of a chore to make cinnamon rolls, this recipe will show you it’s super simple. You can also go ahead and customize the rolls if you want to add raisins, chocolate chips, or nuts.
If you’re a fan of cinnamon rolls, you will love these Vegan Donut Holes, Cinnamon Roll Pancakes, and these Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Rolls.
Why You’ll Love This Single Cinnamon Roll Recipe
- No waste: Small-batch cinnamon rolls mean you don’t have to worry that a large portion will go to waste.
- Easy: In just a few simple steps you can get your cinnamon roll into the oven.
- Fast: No yeast cinnamon rolls means there’s no proofing time required so you can get them in the oven quickly. They also bake in less than 15 minutes!
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: I made this cinnamon roll with all-purpose flour but if you want a gluten-free cinnamon roll use a 1-1 gluten-free flour.
- Baking powder: This cinnamon roll recipe uses baking powder to rise instead of the yeast.
- Sugar: Use white granulated sugar to sweeten up the dough or use coconut sugar. Note coconut sugar may make the dough a little darker.
- Dairy-free milk: Use your favorite, unsweetened dairy-free milk.
- Coconut oil: You’ll need to melt the coconut oil. Place it in a glass measuring cup and microwave for a few seconds. If you’d prefer not to have a mild coconut flavor look for unflavored coconut oil.
- Vanilla: A hint of vanilla adds more natural sweetness to the dough.
- Filling: The filling is a combination of brown or coconut sugar, cinnamon, and vegan butter.
- Frosting: For the frosting, I used vegan cream cheese, powdered sugar, and a dash of vanilla & salt. If you're not sure what vegan cream cheese brand to buy, I like Kite Hill, Nature's Fynd, and Daiya.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Toppings: Decorate the cinnamon rolls with your favorite cake toppings whether it be coconut flakes or colored sprinkles.
- Chocolate chips: Sprinkle some chocolate chips over the cinnamon sugar mixture. Any type of chocolate will work.
- Raisins: Raisins will add a natural sweetness to the rolls.
- Nuts: Chopped pecans or walnuts will add some crunch to the cinnamon roll.
- Make chocolate-cinnamon rolls: Substitute a portion of the cinnamon with cocoa or just use cocoa powder and sugar as the filling.
How to Make a Single Serving Cinnamon Roll
Preheat the oven, prepare your ramekin, and follow these steps to make one cinnamon roll.
Step 1: Combine the ingredients. Add flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, milk, oil, and vanilla to a bowl and mix well.
Step 2: Roll the dough. Flour a cutting board and use a rolling pin to roll out the dough in a long rectangular shape.
Step 3: Coat the dough. Spread a thin layer of vegan butter on top of the dough.
Step 4: Add the filling. Sprinkle on the sugar and cinnamon.
Step 5: Cut dough in half. Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut the rectangle of dough in half.
Step 6: Roll it up. Begin to roll one of the strips of dough. Make sure not to roll it too tightly.
Step 7: Pinch together. Once the first strip is rolled pinch the edges together and roll up the second strip of dough to make a single cinnamon roll.
Step 8: Bake the cinnamon roll: Place the roll in an oven-safe dish.
Step 9: Bake. Bake until the edges are golden. While the cinnamon roll is baking, combine the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt to make the frosting and mix well.
Step 10: Cool the roll and frost. Once the single cinnamon roll is done baking and has cooled off, top it with the frosting and dig in!
Serving Suggestions
This cinnamon roll for one goes well with loads of my recipes. Here are some great examples:
- Pair this decadent cinnamon roll with this mango blueberry smoothie or this mango protein smoothie for a sweet breakfast.
- Bake for a midday snack with this whipped coffee or this creamy lemonade.
- Make and serve with this green smoothie bowl or this pina colada smoothie for a weekend brunch.
- Drizzle with some caramel dip for a super extraordinary cinnamon roll!
Expert Tips
- Grease your baking dish: Lightly coat your baking dish or ramekin so the cinnamon roll comes out easily.
- Don’t add too much filling: As tempting as it may be to squish in as much cinnamon and sugar as you can, just add enough to cover an even layer of the dough.
- Store for up to 3 days: Cover your baking dish or ramekin with plastic wrap and store the leftovers on the kitchen counter. You can also transfer the uneaten portion to an airtight container.
- Make more! This recipe makes a single cinnamon roll. If you want to make a larger batch you can double or triple the recipe by clicking the "x2" or "x3" buttons in the recipe card. You can make each roll in a separate bowl, or combine all the rolls in one larger bowl.
Recipe Video
Recipe FAQs
No, this single cinnamon roll recipe hasn’t been adapted for the microwave. Please use a regular oven to bake this cinnamon roll.
If you want to make 2 individual cinnamon rolls you can double the recipe and bake in 2 separate baking dishes.
More Delicious Dessert Recipes
Single Serving Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- oven safe dish
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- ¼ cup flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 dash salt
- 1 ½ tablespoon dairy free milk
- 2 teaspoons melted coconut oil
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
Filling Ingredients
- brown sugar or coconut sugar
- cinnamon
- melted coconut oil
Frosting Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegan cream cheese
- ½ tablespoon powdered sugar I used powdered
- 1 dash vanilla
- 1 dash salt
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, milk, oil, and vanilla. Mix them well.
- Place a small amount of flour on a large cutting board and spread the flour around. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough in a long rectangular shape.
- Coat the rolled-out dough with a thin layer of vegan butter, then sprinkle on the sugar and cinnamon.
- Roll up the dough into the shape of your cinnamon roll. Don't roll it too tightly.
- Place the roll in an oven-safe dish. I baked mine in a small ramekin.
- Bake the roll for about 15-17 minutes at 350*F/ 175*C, until the edges are slightly golden.
- While the cinnamon roll is baking, create the frosting. In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt and mix them well.
- Once the roll is done baking and has cooled off, top it with the frosting and dig in!
Video
Notes
- Grease your baking dish: Lightly coat your baking dish or ramekin so the cinnamon roll comes out easily.
- Don’t add too much filling: As tempting as it may be to squish in as much cinnamon and sugar as you can, just add enough to cover an even layer of the dough.
- Store for up to 3 days: Cover your baking dish or ramekin with plastic wrap and store the leftovers on the kitchen counter. You can also transfer the uneaten portion to an airtight container.
- Make more! This recipe makes a single cinnamon roll. If you want to make a larger batch you can double or triple the recipe by clicking the "x2" or "x3" buttons in the recipe card. You can make each roll in a separate bowl] or combine all the rolls in one larger bowl.
Sophie
Hi! What are the amount of oil in the filling?
Gaby Dimova
I actually didn't measure, I just added enough to cover the inside of the roll but I would say probably 1/2 to 1 tbsp!
Aoife
I dont have any sugar in at the moment, is there any substitute I could use instead?
Madeline
Hey just wanted to let you know there’s no oven temp listed!
Gaby Dimova
oh my gosh im so sorry you were totally right! the last two sentences of the recipe card had gotten cut off. but they are up now 🙂