Mini pecan cinnamon rolls made with frozen bread dough are a delicious treat for any occasion. These mini sticky buns are quick and simple to make, with just a few ingredients and hardly any prep time. They're perfect for serving up on holidays and special occasions.
Once they come out of the oven, the scent of cinnamon and sugary sweetness fills the air. Serve up these little mini cinnamon rolls warm from the oven.
You can customize them with different nuts or flavors to make something truly unique, that is sure to satisfy every craving!
Check out my list of other best cinnamon rolls that also use Pillsbury refrigerator rolls as well!
I'm sure by now you've noticed that I post a lot of cinnamon roll recipes here on the site. And that's for a very good reason...my family loves them!
And the good news is, there are quite a few easy to make cinnamon roll recipes that can help you enjoy the taste of homemade rolls without working with yeast.
The pecan topping for these sticky buns is very similar to the pecan praline topping I use for my Homemade Fluffy Waffles.
Make sure you check out my Homemade Cinnamon Rolls using Biscuits. This recipe uses canned refrigerator biscuits as the dough base for cinnamon rolls.
Table of Contents
💭Rhodes Cinnamon Rolls
These mini pecan cinnamon rolls are another recipe that start out using Rhodes frozen bread dough. The very first recipe posted here using Rhodes Frozen Bread Dough were the Frozen Bread Dough Cinnamon Rolls.
💭Rhodes Frozen Bread Dough Near Me
You should be able to find Rhodes frozen bread dough in the freezer section of your local grocery store. My local Walmart sells it also. However, if you're having problems finding it, check out the store locator on the Rhodes website.
🛒Helpful Kitchen Tools
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Main Ingredients Needed
This is an overview of the ingredients and instructions. Be sure to see the recipe card below for exact quantities, detailed instructions and special notes.
Dough and Filling:
- Rhodes Frozen Bread Dough - you can find this in the freezer section of your grocery store.
- Butter - softened
- Light Brown Sugar - you could use dark if that's all you have on hand.
- Ground Cinnamon
Pecan Topping Ingredients:
- Pecans - you want them to be chopped, so use a nut chopper.
- Butter
- Light Brown Sugar
- Milk
- Pure Maple Syrup
- Salt - just a little to bring out the flavor!
Step-by-Step Directions
Step 1: How to Defrost Frozen Bread Dough
- The night before, remove the 2 loaves of bread from the freezer and place in a covered plastic container that has a little flour sprinkled on the bottom. We don’t want the dough to stick while it’s defrosting.
- Place the container in the refrigerator overnight so it defrosts completely.
Step 2: Roll out the Frozen Bread Dough
- Turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll into a rectangle about 24 inches long.
- Spread the softened butter on top of the dough. Combine the brown sugar and ground cinnamon together. Then sprinkle it on top of the dough.
Step 3: Tightly Roll Up Dough
- Starting at one end begin rolling the dough up tightly. Making sure you tuck the ends under and pinch close.
Baking Tip: I find that using an electric knife helps to slice the dough easily. A serrated knife works too!
Step 4: Slice Cinnamon Rolls
- Since we're making mini pecan cinnamon rolls, I sliced the roll into ½ to one inch slices. I was able to get 24 cinnamon rolls.
- Let the dough rest on a piece of parchment paper while you prepare the pecan topping.
Step 5: Make the Pecan Topping
- Combine the butter, brown sugar, milk, syrup and salt into a small saucepan over medium heat. Allow the mixture to simmer for a minute while stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat and stir in the chopped pecans. Now put about a tablespoon of the mixture into each of the wells of the mini muffin pan that's been sprayed with non-stick baking spray.
- You will have some of this mixture left over, don't worry! It tastes great warmed up on top of pancakes of waffles.
Step 6: Baking Instructions
- Place the tray of mini cinnamon rolls in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Step 7: Remove from Muffin Pan
- Honest review? They don't look pretty, right? But just wait until you get them out of the muffin pan...don't forget to turn them upside down!
Step 8: Serve and Enjoy!
- Carefully remove the mini pecan cinnamon rolls from the muffin pan and place them on a serving tray inverted.
- You want the pecan topping to be on the top.
💡Recipe FAQs
Cinnamon rolls are not as dense as a sticky bun. They also have a cream cheese frosting while sticky buns have a lot of nuts.
Place the frozen dough on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. But first you should spray the plate and the plastic wrap with non-stick baking spray so the dough doesn’t stick as it defrosts. Microwave the dough on high for 25 seconds. Remove the dough, flip and return to the microwave for another 25 seconds. You can also use the defrost setting for 3 to 5 minutes.
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🌟Try these recipes next...
- Bread Machine Overnight Cinnamon Rolls – easy recipe with dough that starts off in the bread machine! Don’t let your fear of baking with yeast keep you from enjoying homemade cinnamon rolls.
- Homemade Cinnamon Rolls using Biscuits – that’s right biscuits. Two cans of refrigerator biscuits turned into cinnamon rolls. Delicious!
- Crescent Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls – flaky refrigerator cinnamon rolls stuffed with a cream cheese cinnamon filling then topped with a sugary glaze.
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Mini Pecan Cinnamon Rolls
Mini Pecan Cinnamon Rolls – sticky sweet buns made from Rhodes frozen bread dough instead of a yeast dough.
Ingredients
For the Cinnamon Rolls:
- 1 loaf Rhodes Frozen Bread Dough; defrosted
- ½ cup brown sugar; light or dark
- ¼ softened butter
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For the Pecan Topping:
- 2 cups chopped pecans
- ½ cup butter
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll into a rectangle about 24 inches long.
- Spread the softened butter on top of the dough.
- Combine the brown sugar and ground cinnamon together. Then sprinkle it on top of the dough.
- Starting at one end begin rolling the dough up tightly. Making sure you tuck the ends under and pinch close.
- Slice the roll into ½ to one inch slices. You should be able to get 24 mini rolls. Place the rolls on a sheet of parchment paper to rest while you prepare the pecan topping.
- Combine the butter, brown sugar, milk, syrup and salt into a small saucepan over medium heat. Allow the mixture to simmer for a minute while stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat and stir in the chopped pecans.
- Now put about a tablespoon of the mixture into each of the wells of the mini muffin pan that’s been sprayed with non-stick baking spray.
- Place a mini roll into each muffin pan well on top of the pecan filling.
- Place the tray of mini cinnamon rolls in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.
- Carefully remove the mini pecan cinnamon rolls from the muffin pan and place them on a serving tray inverted. You want the pecan topping to be on the top.
Notes
How to Defrost Rhodes Frozen Bread Dough:
- The night before, remove the 2 loaves of bread from the freezer and place in a covered plastic container that has a little flour sprinkled on the bottom. We don’t want the dough to stick while it’s defrosting.
- Place the container in the refrigerator overnight so it defrosts completely.
Note:
- You most likely will have some of this mixture left over, don’t worry! It tastes great warmed up on top of pancakes of waffles.
- I used a small teaspoon to help remove the rolls from the muffin pan.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 145Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 58mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 1gSugar: 12gProtein: 1g
The nutrition information is calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you, please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator.
JoAnn R Peterson says
How do I adapt this recipe to only make 12 regular size rolls, not mini?
Lois says
Simply slice the "log" into 12 even slices instead of the 24 as shown in the photo. Enjoy!
Lisa F says
I wonder if these could be frozen for a few weeks after being made ?
Lois says
Yes! I have freezing tips for cinnamon rolls in this post here: https://walkingonsunshinerecipes.com/freezer-friendly-cinnamon-rolls/