Gooey Cinnamon Roll Bites (Small-Batch Monkey Bread Style)
Craving cinnamon rolls but don’t want to spend all day proofing, rolling, and cutting? These gooey cinnamon roll bites are the shortcut you’ll fall in love with. They’re soft, fluffy, coated in cinnamon sugar, and drenched in buttery syrup — basically monkey bread’s little cousin. And the best part? This recipe is scaled for 8 servings, so you get all the cozy indulgence without drowning in leftovers.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Small batch friendly — perfect for family dessert or brunch with friends.
Pull-apart fun — no knives, no plates, just gooey cinnamon-sugar bliss.
Faster than cinnamon rolls — no complicated rolling or cutting.
Customizable — glaze them, cream them, or eat them plain and warm.
Ingredients
For the Dough
⅓ cup warm milk (~115°F)
1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
⅔ of a large egg (beat one egg, measure about 2 Tbsp)
2 Tbsp salted butter, melted (not too hot)
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
⅓ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, divided
To Coat the Dough Balls
2 Tbsp melted salted butter
⅓ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
For the Syrup
⅓ cup salted butter, melted
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 ⅓ teaspoons cinnamon
To Pour Over the Top
⅓ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Activate the yeast: Stir warm milk and yeast in a bowl. Let sit ~5 minutes until foamy.
Mix the dough: Add beaten egg, melted butter, and sugar. Stir in salt and most of the flour. Let rest 5 minutes.
Knead: Work in the rest of the flour until the dough is smooth and elastic.
First rise: Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise at room temp until nearly doubled (about 1–1.5 hours).
Shape: Punch down, divide into ~32 pieces, and roll into small balls.
Coat: Dip each ball in melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon-sugar mix. Place into a greased 8–9” baking pan.
Add syrup: Mix syrup ingredients and pour over the coated dough balls. Let rise again ~20 minutes until puffy.
Bake: Pour heavy cream evenly over the top. Bake at 350°F for 25–28 minutes until golden brown.
Enjoy: Serve warm straight from the pan, or drizzle with glaze if you want extra sweetness.
Tips & Variations
Old yeast trick: If your yeast isn’t super fresh, let the dough rise a little longer — patience pays off.
Extra gooey: Pour the heavy cream halfway through baking instead of before — it’ll soak right into the cracks.
Glaze option: Mix ½ cup powdered sugar, 2 Tbsp cream, and a splash of vanilla for a quick drizzle.
Final Bite
These cinnamon roll bites are proof that comfort food doesn’t have to be complicated. One pan, a handful of ingredients, and you’ve got a dessert that feels straight out of a bakery. Serve them for brunch, holiday mornings, or just a rainy day pick-me-up.
