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These Greek yogurt cinnamon roll bites are soft, cinnamon-sugar coated bites made with an easy and quick no-yeast Greek yogurt dough and finished with cream cheese frosting. They take just 40 minutes to make from start to finish, so there’s no waiting around for the dough to rise. These simple dough is made with just five ingredients, including Greek yogurt and honey, that bring extra moisture, then rolled into bite-sized balls and coated in a buttery cinnamon sugar mixture before baking. Top them with cream cheese frosting while they’re still warm. It’s like eating a tray full of only the core a warm cinnamon roll.
These Greek yogurt cinnamon rolls bites give you all the warm cinnamon sugar flavor of a classic cinnamon rolls without yeast, or a long rising time. The five-ingredient dough is made with Greek yogurt and comes together in minutes. Instead of rolling and slicing traditional cinnamon rolls, the dough is shaped into small balls, that’s coated in a buttery cinnamon sugar, and baked until soft and golden. Finished with cream cheese frosting while still warm, they’re an easy and delicious cinnamon roll alternative that’s ready in just 40 minutes from start till finish.
For more cinnamon roll recipes, try Brioche Cinnamon Rolls, Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls and Giant Cinnamon Rolls.
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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Easy to make: The recipe is ready in just 40 minutes from start to finish.
- No rising time: This dough is made with Greek yogurt, so there is no yeast in this dough, so there is need for any rising time.
- Warm cinnamon sugar coating: The dough ball are covered a delicious cinnamon sugar coating.
INGREDIENT NOTES
These are some of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- All-purpose flour: I use all-purpose flour for the dough.
- Baking powder: Baking powder is used in the dough to help it rise in the oven.
- Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt is used in the dough. You can also replace it with Skyr.
- Honey: Honey is added to the dough to add extra moister. I recommend using a fluid honey like acacia honey.
- Butter: Take it out of the fridge 30-60 minutes before making the frosting.
- Brown sugar: Brown sugar gives lot's off caramel flavor notes.
- Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon is a key part of cinnamon rolls. It is mixed together with the brown sugar and butter for a delicious filling.
- Cream cheese: The cream cheese is used for cream cheese frosting.
- Powdered sugar: The powdered sugar helps sweeten the cream cheese frosting.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Here is how to make and bake these Greek Yogurt Cinnamon Rolls Bites. This recipe doesn't need an electric mixer. Just two large bowls, a small saucepan and a spatula.
The full recipe is down below in the recipe card.
Before starting preheat the oven to 180ºC/ 355ºF conventional oven.
STEP 1: Start by adding the all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl and stir it together. Then add the Greek yogurt and honey. Start by mixing the dough together with a spatula until the dough starts to form.
STEP 2: Tip the dough out onto the kitchen counter and give a short kneading until there is no more dry flour and you’ve formed a ball.
STEP 3: Cut the dough into four strips and roll each strip out into a log. Cut the log into small pieces, so you end up with dough balls that's about 2,5x2,5 cm (1x1 inch). Add all of the dough balls to a clean bowl and set them aside while making the cinnamon sugar.
STEP 4: In a small sauce pan, add the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Heat and stir the mixture until it’s all melted. Pour the mixture over the dough balls and using your fingers, gently coat the dough ball in the cinnamon sugar.
STEP 5: Pour the cinnamon roll bites into a small baking tray that is roughly 20x16 cm (8x6 inches) or similar. Bake the cinnamon roll bites for 25-30 minutes.
STEP 6: While it bakes, prepare the frosting. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese together with a hand mixer. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Mix it together until smooth and combined. Once the cinnamon roll bites come out of the oven, spread the frosting over the cinnamon rolls.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Use a kitchen scale: My default setting for my recipes is grams. It is the most precise way of measuring out your ingredients, I therefore highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Don't over mix your batter: I always use a spatula after everything has mixed together, to give it one final gentle fold together. This makes sure everything in the bottom of the mixing bowl has been mixed into the batter.
- Light vs. dark baking pans: For the best result, use an aluminum baking pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper in the bottom. Aluminum pans are light in color and therefore attract less heat. That means it bakes more gently which results in a softer cake. If you use a black baking pan it'll attract a lot more heat. That will then give a darker crust, which can result in a dryer cake.
FAQ
Greek yogurt dough doesn't need yeast because baking powder provides the leavening, allowing the dough to rise as it bakes without any proofing time. This makes it a much quicker alternative to traditional yeast-based cinnamon roll dough.
The Greek yogurt adds moisture and richness, helping create a soft, tender texture, while the honey provides additional moisture and a touch of sweetness.
You can replace it with 1:1 with Skyr.
Yes. Greek yogurt cinnamon roll bites are best served fresh and warm, but you can make them a day ahead if needed. Once completely cooled, store them covered in the refrigerator and gently reheat before serving. For the freshest texture, you can also prepare the cream cheese frosting ahead of time and add it after reheating the bites.
Yes. These cinnamon roll bites are delicious reheated. Microwave an individual portion for about 10–20 seconds, just until soft and warm. Avoid overheating them, as this can make the dough tough and cause the cream cheese frosting to become too runny. If you're planning to reheat a larger batch, it's best to store the frosting separately and add it after warming.
HOW TO STORE
Because these cinnamon roll bites are topped with cream cheese frosting, store them in covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Keeping them well covered prevents the bites from drying out. For the softest texture and best flavor, warm them slightly before serving.
Other Bread Recipes To Try
Make sure leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats. To get more ideas by following me on Pinterest.
Greek Yogurt Cinnamon Roll Bites
Equipment
- small baking tray 20x16 cm (8x6 inches)
Ingredients
GREEK YOGURT DOUGH
- 240 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon + ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 240 g Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon honey I recommend a fluid honey e.g. acacia honey
CINNAMON SUGAR
- 50 g butter room temperature
- 70 g brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 35 g butter room temperature
- 70 g cream cheese
- 70 g powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Instructions
GREEK YOGURT DOUGH
- Start by adding the all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl and stir it together. Then add the Greek yogurt and honey.240 g all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp + ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ½ tsp salt, 240 g Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp honey
- Start by mixing the dough together with a spatula until the dough starts to form. Then start collecting the dough into a bowl until most of the flour has absorbed and mixed with the Greek yogurt.
- Tip the dough out onto the kitchen counter and give a short kneading until there is no more dry flour and you’ve formed a ball. Note: The surface of the dough won’t look smooth at this point.
- Cut the dough into four strips and roll each strip out into a log. Cut the log into small pieces, so you end up with dough balls that's about 2,5x2,5 cm (1x1 inch).
- Add all of the dough balls to a clean bowl and set them aside while making the cinnamon sugar.
CINNAMON SUGAR
- In a small sauce pan, add the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Heat and stir the mixture until it’s all melted.50 g butter, 70 g brown sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon
- Pour the mixture over the dough ball and using your fingers, gently coat the dough ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Pour the cinnamon roll bites into a small baking tray that is roughly 20x16 cm (8x6 inches) or similar.
- Bake the cinnamon roll bites for 25-30 minutes.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- While the cinnamon roll bites bakes, prepare the frosting. In a mixing bowl, start by creaming the butter and cream cheese together for 1 minute with a hand mixer. Add the powdered sugar to the bowl, together with the vanilla extract. Mix it together with the butter and cream cheese until smooth and combined.35 g butter , 70 g cream cheese, 70 g powdered sugar, ½ tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- Once the cinnamon roll bites come out of the oven, spread the frosting over the cinnamon rolls. They are ready to be enjoyed.
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