Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread Muffins are a fun, bite-sized, easy-to-make version of a classic cinnamon roll! They are made with soft and fluffy cinnamon roll dough coated in brown sugar and butter, then baked in a muffin tin until caramelized. They are as cute as they are delicious! If you love the ease of these muffins, or should I say rolls or monkey bread, you will also enjoy my 5-Ingredient Monkey Bread!

Close up of Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread Muffin.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Cinnamon Roll Dough: Look for 2 cans of cinnamon roll dough (I used Grands™ refrigerated rolls). Any large cinnamon roll dough will work but adjust the baking time accordingly.
Caramelized Glaze: The brown sugar and melted butter mixture creates a sweet, gooey glaze that turns golden and caramelized as it bakes. It gives the muffins a yummy, sugary crunch.
Cream Cheese Icing: The icing on the rolls, muffins, or monkey bread (call it whatever you like!) is made with cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar, and whole milk. Add as much milk as needed to reach a pourable consistency.

Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread Muffins on a wooden table from overhead.

Can You Make Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread Muffins Without A Muffin Tin?

Yes! You can make these without a muffin tin by using a different pan. You could use a 9×9-inch square pan, a round cake pan, or a bundt pan. If using a different pan, the dough pieces will bake together more like traditional monkey bread (like my orange monkey bread or banana monkey bread), creating a pull-apart style instead of individual muffins. (I won’t be complaining about that!) Just be sure to adjust the baking time slightly, and you’ll still get a gooey, caramelized treat!

Stacked Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread Muffins on a wooden table with vanilla glaze dripping down muffins.

How To Make Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread Muffins Ahead Of Time

You can assemble the muffins ahead of time! Prepare everything up to the point of baking—cutting the dough into pieces, adding the brown sugar and butter mixture, and placing the dough in the muffin tin. Then, cover the muffin tin tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight. When you’re ready to bake, just take the muffins straight from the refrigerator and pop them into the oven! While the muffins are baking, prepare the glaze.

Can You Add Nuts Or Toppings To Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread Muffins?

Yes, you can definitely add nuts or other fun toppings to your cinnamon roll monkey bread muffins! I think chopped pecans, walnuts, or sliced almonds would be a great way to add crunch and flavor. You can mix them into the dough pieces before baking or sprinkle them on top for some extra texture. If you are feeling a little adventurous, try adding chocolate chips or raisins. Just remember, if you add chocolate chips, they might melt and create a gooey, delicious surprise!

How To Store Monkey Bread Muffins

To store cinnamon roll monkey bread muffins, first let them cool completely. Then, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate the muffins for up to 5 days. I like to pop one in the microwave to warm it up!

Hand holding a torn apart Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread Muffin.

Can You Freeze Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread Muffins?

Yes, you can freeze cinnamon roll monkey bread muffins, but I recommend freezing them without the glaze. Instead, freeze the baked and cooled muffins as-is, then drizzle the glaze on top after reheating. This will keep the glaze fresh and prevent it from losing its smooth, creamy texture!

Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread Muffins

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 12

Total Time 27

Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread Muffins are a fun, bite-sized version of a classic cinnamon roll! They are made with soft and fluffy refrigerated cinnamon roll dough coated in brown sugar and butter, then baked in a muffin tin until caramelized. They are as cute as they are delicious, and so easy to make!

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Ingredients

Muffins

▢ 2 cans (17.5 ounces each) Grands™ refrigerated cinnamon rolls
▢ ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
▢ ¼ cup (½ stick / 57 g) unsalted butter, melted

Icing

▢ 4 ounces (½ package) cream cheese, softened
▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
▢ ⅔ cup (83 g) confectioners' sugar
▢ 2-3 tablespoons whole milk, or more as needed for desired consistency

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
Remove cinnamon rolls from the cans and separate the dough. Using a sharp knife, cut each roll into 8 pieces (wedges) for a total of 80 pieces. Divide the pieces evenly between the prepared muffin cups (6-7 per cup), pressing them slightly into place.
In a small bowl combine brown sugar and melted butter, stirring constantly until smooth. Drizzle the butter mixture evenly over each muffin cup.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until muffins are puffed and golden brown. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan slightly while you prepare the glaze.

Glaze

In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
Stir in the confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons of whole milk, adding more milk as needed to achieve a smooth, pourable glaze.
Drizzle the glaze over the warm muffins.

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