Easy Cinnamon Rolls (no yeast required!)
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These no yeast cinnamon rolls are the easiest homemade cinnamon rolls you’ll ever make. With no dough-punching & no waiting for the dough to rise, the hardest thing about these cinnamon rolls is waiting for them to come out of the oven!
This is one of my older recipes on the blog (originally published April, 2015), and also one of my favorites. My old pictures didn’t do justice to these amazing easy cinnamon rolls, so I’m updating the pictures and re-publishing today. Originally I was going to re-write the whole post, but instead I’m leaving about 90% of the original writing, because it just didn’t feel right to change it. I left the old photos at the very bottom of the post, too, in case you wanted to have a laugh.
I present to you: The lazy girl’s cinnamon roll recipe.
No yeast. No dough-punching. No two-hour rise time followed by another hour of rise time.
Nothing but cinnamon-y, gooey, need-a-fork-to-eat-it goodness <3.
I (obviously) enjoy baking, and considering that you’re reading this I assume you don’t hate spending time doing it either. I’ve even previously posted a recipe for orange sweet rolls that require all of those heinous, time-consuming things mentioned above, taking over 3 hours from start to finish.
However… if you want cinnamon rolls for breakfast on a Saturday morning, you shouldn’t have to get up at the crack of dawn just to have them ready before it’s actually lunch time. These cinnamon rolls can be ready in less than one hour (probably faster if you spend more time actually baking and less time sampling the cinnamon filling… or is that just me…).
Since these rolls don’t use yeast they have a softer, flakier texture to them, which is perfect for those of us who love melt-in-your-mouth cinnamon rolls that require a fork to enjoy.
And wait! We haven’t even discussed the frosting yet!
That lovely, crowning cream cheese-based, sticky frosting that any cinnamon roll would just be sad and naked without. Pour this cream cheese frosting on heavy over these cinnamon rolls while they’re still warm, and enjoy!
If you try these out, I’d love to know how you like them! Please leave a comment or tag #sugarspunrun on Instagram!
Easy Cinnamon Rolls (no yeast required!)
Ingredients
Rolls
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 Tablespoons (38 g) sugar
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter, + additional 2 Tbsp butter for baking
- ¾ cup (178 ml) milk
Filling
- ⅔ cup (133 g) brown sugar
- 3 Tablespoons (38 g) white sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Icing
- 1 oz (28 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 Tablespoon salted butter, softened
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup (63 g) powdered sugar
- ½ Tablespoon (7 ml) milk
Instructions
Rolls
- Preheat oven to 375F (190F).
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour, 3 Tablespoons (38 g) sugar, 1 Tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt
- Use a box grater to grate 5 Tablespoons of butter into the dry ingredients (alternatively use a pastry cutter to cut in the butter).5 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter, + additional 2 Tbsp butter for baking
- Add milk and stir until all ingredients are just combined.¾ cup (178 ml) milk
- Transfer dough onto a very well floured surface and use your hands to work the dough together until it forms a cohesive ball. Continue to flour the surface you are working with as needed.
- Generously sprinkle flour on the top of the ball of dough and use a rolling pin to roll dough out to roughly a 10x12" rectangle. Set aside and prepare your filling.
Filling
- Prepare your filling by combining brown sugar, sugar, and cinnamon and then stirring in butter and vanilla. This mixture will be very much like a paste.⅔ cup (133 g) brown sugar, 3 Tablespoons (38 g) white sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 4 Tablespoons salted butter, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Spread the filling over the rectangle of dough, leaving about ¼" of space as a perimeter around the filling.
- Carefully roll dough starting with one of the 12" ends and rolling tightly. Press the edge of the roll into the dough so that it sticks.
- Cut into 10 slices. If the log is not holding its shape well, transfer it to your freezer for about 10 minutes and then try to cut again (it should hold it's shape this way so you will have mostly round cinnamon rolls)
- Place the reserved 2 Tbsp of butter into a 9" pie pan and set it in your preheating oven for a few minutes until the butter has melted. Remove from oven.
- Place your cinnamon rolls in baking dish, they do not need to be touching, they will spread to fill their surrounding area.
- Bake on 375F for 28-30 minutes (beginning to lightly brown around edges). Prepare your icing while the rolls are baking.
Icing
- Use an electric mixer to cream together softened cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract.1 oz (28 g) cream cheese, 1 Tablespoon salted butter, ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- Gradually add sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.½ cup (63 g) powdered sugar
- Add milk, stirring until combined.½ Tablespoon (7 ml) milk
- When cinnamon rolls are finished, remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before spreading icing over rolls.
- These cinnamon rolls are nice and soft. Keep in mind that the warmer they are, the harder it will be to separate one from the other. But if you go in for one cinnamon roll and end up with one and a half, it's really not the worst thing that could happen, right?
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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My son requested cinnamon rolls over a week ago but I have not been able to find yeast in our area. I stumbled on your recipe this morning and it did not disappoint. Great texture, taste and easy to make. I loved not having to wait for the dough to rise. Thanks and all the best.
I am so glad that you enjoyed them, Rachel! Thanks for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
I was pleasantly surprised how well these turned out as a first timer making cinnamon rolls. My fam enjoyed these. I did lower the heat a little as I had a nonstick round pan. Only thing was I would reduce the sugar for the filling next time but I just don’t like super sweet things normally is why. So good I’m debating making more next week..but I need to pace myself! This recipe is a keeper.
I am so glad that you enjoyed them, Kim! Thank you for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Just made these this morning!!! Amazing! The dough was perfect! Had no trouble handling it. Used condensed milk and made a different frosting with powdered sugar. Also added cinnamon to the butter in the bottom of the pan. This is my new recipe! So easy!
I am so glad that you enjoyed them, Christy! I am sorry that the dough was hard to handle but happy they turned out well. Thanks for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Looks like she said the dough was easy to handle 😊
Can you make this these the night before? My kids wake up staving and I would love to just be able to pull them out of the frig and pop them in the oven. Thanks!
Hi, Sarah! Yes, that will be fine. You just want to make sure that they are well wrapped when stored in the fridge. I hope that your family enjoys them! 🙂
Could these be made the night before, kept in the fridge, and then baked in the morning?
Hi, Kelley! Yes, that will be fine. Please be sure to wrap them well. Enjoy! 🙂
Hello! Would cake/pastry flour work instead of all purpose?
Hi, Myda! Yes, that will be fine. 🙂
Have you tried making it with almond flour? I plan on making these for breakfast tomorrow and I’m going to try it. I’ve had good results when swapping almond flour with all-purpose flour in my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, so I thought I would give it a try. Just curious.
Hi, Becky! I have not tried substituting using almond flour with this recipe. I would be afraid that the rolls would be too dry and that it would alter the taste/texture. If you try it, I’d love to know how they turn out. 🙂
Could you use self raising flour?
I don’t recommend it. You would have to make adjustments to the baking powder and salt, because those are already in self rising flour and you don’t want to have too much.
Thank you for this recipe! It’s impossible to find yeast nowadays. I used oat milk instead of regular milk. Mine turned out more like biscuits and some unraveled in the oven but I feel that was definitely my error! The frosting is AMAZING!
Thanks for trying my recipe, Lucy! I am sorry that they unraveled in the oven. You will just need to roll the dough tighter next time. As for them being more biscuits like in texture, that could be a result of the oat milk. Regardless, I hope that they tasted delicious. 🙂
Would this recipe work with oil instead of butter?
Hi, Heather! I don’t recommend it. 🙁
Could you do the first part in a food processor? I find my fingers are too hot when rubbing butter in the flour 😅
Hi, Rachel! Yes, you can make the dough in the food processor. 🙂
I made these with my 2 yr old son and it was quick and easy enough to do with him. For the frosting, I made half as the recipe suggested, and half per your orange sweet buns recipe and my fam loved it. I love your blog and recipes!
I hope that you and your son had fun making this recipe together, Marge! I am so glad that your family enjoyed it as well. Thank you for commenting and for being a fan of my blog, I appreciate it! 🙂
Just made these today! They were PERFECT!! I have never made cinnamon rolls, and i fail at baking often! BUT these were fantastic. Definitely will be making these again 🙂
I am so glad that you enjoyed them, Crystal! Thank you for trying my recipe! I am glad they turned out perfectly! 🙂
Hi. This is my first time making these cinnamon rolls and I have a question .
Can I use coconut milk ?
Hi, Hannah! I have attempted this recipe with coconut milk as a substitute so I am not sure how it will do. I usually don’t recommend coconut milk or almond milk as it will alter the taste and texture. 🙂
Great recipe! i made them and the family loved them. I would use less baking powder as i could taste it when eating. Easy recipe to follow and great outcome. ThankS!
Thank you so much for trying my recipe and for your feedback, Georgia! I am glad that you enjoyed it! 🙂
Hi. This is my first time making homemade cinnamon rolls. This recipe was easy to follow and put together. However I am having problems getting the dough to brown up and cook. I’ve already had them in longer than the instructions say by 10 mins. I don’t want them to burn. 🙁 Any tips? Thanks!!
Thank you for trying my recipe, Sarah! I am sorry that you are having trouble getting them to brown on top. You may need to adjust the placement of them in the oven. I typically place mine in the center rack of the oven. This way they bake evenly and achieve a light golden brown. I hope that they turn out well and taste delicious. 🙂