Recipe ReDux Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes

Are cupcakes still an “in” dessert? Each month, I link up with other registered dietitians in the Recipe ReDux group and the theme this month? Cupcakes. Can they ever go out of style? I don’t think so. Those bite-size treats are perfect celebration foods.
April is a special month in our house with two out of the four of us having birthdays which can mean a lot of cupcakes. Especially chocolate ones. But I needed some new inspiration. Something else that comes in a cupcake wrapper that is just as sweet. Put that together with my first taste of a Cinnabon cinnamon roll a month ago at a Taste of Home Cooking Show, where I couldn’t get that sweet, buttery flavor out of my mouth. I embarked on a cinnamon roll adventure and I can’t say my family has complained.

Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes

Enter sweet Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes.

Cinnamon Roll Cupcake

I am always in awe of recipes for cinnamon rolls that look so good in the photo, but take so much more time than what I have. Not that it wouldn’t be worth it, but I needed a quicker way (and a little healthier one!) These little bites are so easy to make, you will have them made and out of the oven in less than 20 minutes!

(Be careful with the frosting, it’s bowl-licking good.)

Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes
Makes 32.

Dough:
4-1/2 cups Heart Smart Bisquick mix
1-1/3 cups fat-free milk

Filling:
2 tablespoons all-purpose vegetable oil-based margarine, melted (such as I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter All Purpose Sticks)
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose vegetable oil-based margarine, melted (such as I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter All Purpose Sticks)
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a bowl, stir together Bisquick and fat-free milk. Turn onto a floured surface and knead 8 to 10 times. Roll into a 12-inch x 10-inch rectangle.

2. Stir together margarine, sugar and cinnamon and spread over surface. Cut the dough in half, lengthwise.

2. Roll up each piece of dough starting on the longer side. Cut each log of dough into 16 pieces, for a total of 32.

4. Place in cupcake liners in muffin tin, cut side down. Bake at 450 degrees for 8-9 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, mix together frosting ingredients. Spread over warm cupcakes as soon as they come out of the oven. Serve warm.

Inspired by a recipe from many years ago from the magazine, Quick Cooking.

Dough

Roll out the dough into a 12-inch x 10-inch rectangle on a floured surface.

Filling

Spread the filling over the dough.

Spread filling over dough

Cut the dough in half lengthwise and roll up each individual piece starting with the long end.

Cinnamon Rolls

Cut each log of dough into 16 pieces with a sharp knife.

Cinnamon Roll Cupcake Pieces

Place the dough into cupcake lines in a muffin tin. Bake at 450 degrees for 8-9 minutes. Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes In Pan

Cinnamon Swirl Cupcake

While baking, stir together frosting ingredients.

Cinnamon Roll Frosting

Frost those little cupcakes as soon as they come out of the oven. Best eaten warm.

Smart? In so many ways, yes. Heart-smart, time-smart and for sure, busy-family smart. A new morning tradition for birthday season.

Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes
Heart Healthy Bisquick

Compare the nutrition facts:
Each cinnamon roll cupcake contains 108 calories, 2.5 grams fat, 0.5 grams saturated fat, 153 mg sodium, 20 grams carbohydrate and 2 grams protein.

A classic Cinnabon cinnamon roll contains 880 calories, 36 grams fat, 17 grams saturated fat, 830 grams sodium, 127 grams carbohydrate, 13 grams protein.

To put that all in perspective, a heart healthy diet aims for less than 65 grams total fat, less than 20 grams saturated fat and less than 2300 mg sodium PER DAY.  Add to that an average of 1400-1600 calories per day for women, 1800-2000 calories per day for men.  Let’s just say, I won’t be waiting another 35 years to enjoy another Cinnamon Roll Cupcake.  Cupcakes will remain “in” at our house!

Check out the other recipes in the Recipe ReDux blog link up below!

7 Comments

  1. foodfromthegarden on April 21, 2013 at 8:43 pm

    Sounds yummy. Can’t wait to try.

    • Jen Haugen on April 21, 2013 at 8:44 pm

      Thank you! They were so fun to make too.

  2. Katie on April 22, 2013 at 5:22 am

    I would have never thought to use biscuit dough as the base for a quick cinnamon roll! I’m definately going to give it a try

  3. Ann Dunaway Teh (@anndunawayteh) on April 22, 2013 at 8:33 am

    I also have a love for cinnamon rolls! This would be a perfect treat at our house.

  4. Betsy on April 22, 2013 at 9:50 am

    Pretty smart using Bisquick. Would have never thought of that. My kids would love this!

  5. Deanna Segrave-Daly (@tspbasil) on April 23, 2013 at 12:46 pm

    Genius – this may even replace chocolate cupcakes as the new kid favorite!

  6. coastalmom on May 5, 2013 at 8:34 pm

    I love it! Now that I am on a new lifestyle commitment once again… I guess I am going to have to retire this one>>>
    http://dianereedwiter.wordpress.com/2012/07/22/pink-mixer/

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