Cinnamon Roll Pops

Nothing brings joy quite like the combination of warm cinnamon rolls and playful presentation. These Cinnamon Roll Pops transform the beloved breakfast pastry into an adorable handheld treat that’s perfect for parties, bake sales, or simply making an ordinary day feel special. What makes these pops irresistible is how they capture all the flavors you love about traditional cinnamon rolls, the sweet cinnamon-sugar filling, tender yeast dough, and creamy glaze, but in a fun, portable format that’s impossible to resist.

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Why This Recipe Works

The magic of cinnamon roll pops lies in scaling down traditional cinnamon roll techniques while maintaining all the beloved flavors. By making smaller rolls and inserting candy sticks before baking, you create individual treats that are perfectly portioned and incredibly fun to eat. The homemade yeast dough provides the perfect tender texture, while the brown sugar and cinnamon filling create those classic sweet swirls that make cinnamon rolls so addictive.

Ingredients

For the Dough:

• All-purpose flour – Provides structure and creates the tender crumb when properly kneaded
• Whole milk – Adds richness and helps create a soft, tender texture
• Butter – Contributes flavor and helps create flaky, tender layers
• Instant yeast – Creates the rise that makes rolls light and fluffy
• Granulated sugar – Feeds the yeast and adds subtle sweetness to dough
• Warm water – Activates the yeast during the proofing process
• Salt – Enhances flavors and helps control yeast activity
• Large eggs – Add richness and help bind the dough together

For the Cinnamon Filling:

• Butter – Creates a rich base for the cinnamon-sugar mixture
• Ground cinnamon – Provides the signature warm spice flavor
• Brown sugar – Adds sweetness and creates caramel-like notes when baked

For the Glaze:

• Powdered sugar – Creates a smooth, sweet glaze that hardens slightly
• Vanilla extract – Adds warm, aromatic flavor to the glaze
• Milk – Thins the glaze to a proper drizzling consistency

For Assembly:

Candy sticks or lollipop sticks – Transform rolls into fun pops

Step-by-Step Instructions

Proofing the Yeast

1. Test yeast activity. In a small bowl, combine warm water, instant yeast, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy and bubbly.
2. Check for activity. If mixture doesn’t bubble within 5 minutes, the yeast may be old and should be replaced.

Making the Dough

3. Heat milk mixture. In a small saucepan, gently heat milk and 2/3 cup butter until milk is warm (around 120°F) and butter begins to melt. Don’t let it boil.
4. Start mixing. In a mixing bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups flour with the warm milk mixture using a dough hook attachment.
5. Add yeast and eggs. Add the proofed yeast mixture, salt, and eggs, mixing until incorporated.
6. Add remaining flour. Gradually add remaining 2 cups flour until dough is firm but not sticky. Add extra flour if needed.
7. Knead thoroughly. Knead for 5 minutes by machine or 8 minutes by hand until smooth and elastic.

First Rise

8. Let dough rise. Place dough in a covered container or bowl covered with a towel. Let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until doubled in size.

Preparing the Filling

9. Make cinnamon mixture. Cream together 1/2 cup butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until smooth and spreadable.

Shaping the Rolls

10. Divide the dough. Once risen, divide the dough into two equal portions.
11. Roll out the dough. Roll each portion into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick, squaring up edges for even rolling.
12. Add filling. Spread the cinnamon mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a small border at the edges.
13. Roll tightly. Roll the dough tightly from one long side, creating a log shape.
14. Cut into pops. Cut each log into 3/4-inch thick slices using a sharp knife.

Assembly and Baking

15. Prepare for baking. Place rolls on greased cookie sheets, spacing them apart for expansion.
16. Insert sticks. Carefully insert candy sticks about halfway into each roll before baking.
17. Bake perfectly. Bake in a 350°F oven for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden. Don’t overbake as they become hard.
18. Cool immediately. Remove from pans immediately and let cool on wire racks.

Making the Glaze

19. Combine glaze ingredients. Mix powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth. Add more milk if too thick.
20. Drizzle glaze. Using a spoon, drizzle the glaze over the cooled cinnamon roll pops in a decorative pattern.

Chef’s Notes

The key to perfect cinnamon roll pops is not overbaking them. They should be lightly golden but still soft when removed from the oven. The residual heat will finish cooking them while keeping them tender. Also, insert the sticks before baking to ensure they’re securely embedded.

Storage & Reheating Instructions

• Refrigerator Storage: Store glazed pops in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Store unglazed pops separately from glaze components.
• Reheating Method: Warm gently in 300°F oven for 5-7 minutes or microwave for 15-20 seconds. Add fresh glaze after reheating if desired.
• Freezing: Freeze unglazed pops for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and add fresh glaze before serving.

Homemade Cinnamon Roll Pops

Bite-sized cinnamon rolls on sticks with sweet frosting drizzle. Perfect for parties, kids' treats, and fun presentations!

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cinnamon Rolls

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours

Total Time: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 24

Calories: 246kcal

Author: Stephanie Manley

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 cups flour divided use
• 1 cup warmed milk
• 2/3 cup butter
• 1 1/8 teaspoons instant yeast or 1 package of instant yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons warm water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup butter for filling
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

• Proof your yeast by placing the yeast into two tablespoons of warm water and then add 1 tablespoon of sugar, and package in instant yeast. By proofing your yeast you can make sure it is active, if it fails to bubble within the first five minutes or so, it may be old. If the yeast is old, don’t use it, your bread will not rise. In a small saucepan heat together milk and 2/3 cup of butter. Heat it until the milk is warm, and the butter begins to melt. Do not let this boil, you just want to get the temperature up to around 120 degrees anymore, and it isn’t usable it will kill the yeast. Add warmed milk mixture to the flour in the mixing bowl and begin to mix with the dough hook attachment. The yeast should be bubbling now, add the yeast, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add two eggs, and when they have incorporated, add an addition 2 cups of flour, if the dough is firm, and not sticky, you can simply let the mixer do the kneading, if the dough is sticky you may need to add an addition 1/3 to 1/2 cup of flour. After about five minutes of kneading, this can be done by hand on a floured surface, or by the mixer place the dough into a covered container or a bowl with a towel on it, and allow it to rise. It will take 1 to 1 1/2 hours for the dough to double in size. Prepare the filling of the cinnamon rolls by mixing together the 1/2 cup of butter, the brown sugar, and 1 to 2 tablespoons of cinnamon. I like more cinnamon so I am heavy handed in my cinnamon, I’ll add about 2 tablespoons. Cream together this mixture, have it ready to prepare your cinnamon rolls. Once the dough has risen divide dough into two balls, and then roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use a knife to square up the dough so you can roll out nice even cinnamon rolls. Spread filling onto the rolls, you don’t need a lot, too much and the filling will melt out of the cinnamon rolls. Cut the dough in half again, you only need to make a couple of turns of the dough for the cinnamon rolls. Be sure to roll the cinnamon rolls tightly so they don’t spread out too much. Make three quarter inch cuts in your cinnamon rolls and place them on a greased cookie sheet. Place a candy stick into each one of them about midway up before baking. Bake for approximately 12 – 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven. It is better to err on the side of underdone, because if these cook too long, they become very hard. Remove from pan immediately and allow to cool. Make the frosting by adding the powdered sugar, vanilla, and a couple of tablespoons of milk in a bowl. This icing will be hard to stir, and you must mix these together for several minutes. If the frosting is too thick, add a teaspoon or two of milk until it is thinned so you can drizzle the frosting over the cinnamon rolls. Finish by drizzling frosting over the cinnamon rolls by loading a spoon full of the frosting and waving it very quickly above the cinnamon roll pops. Whew 😉 These are very easy to make, and if you have never tried making a cinnamon roll from scratch, you should give it a try. Kids love these, as well as folks in the office. It is really hard to refuse a small nibble of most anything.

Nutrition

Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 140mg | Potassium: 61mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 310IU | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1.2mg