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.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
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Original photos:
Very quick, my grandson wanted cinnamon rolls and I didn’t have time for my original. Will use this again. yum
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them, Susan! 🙂
It was hard and that was kind of sad 😞 but next time I think I can do it better and I’m probably gonna be doing it soon and I’m gonna put it in a smaller pan and put the cinnamon rolls closer together and see how that works
I’m so sorry to hear that. 🙁 Hopefully it goes better next time.
They tasted great, exactly like store bought cinnamon buns. Mine turned out really hard though I’m not sure why and I set a timer for 28 mins. I think next time I will cook on a lower heat setting and for less time maybe 24 minutes
Hi Sally! Your oven may be running a little hotter than mine does and they may just have needed a minute or 2 less in the oven. 🙂
Just made these, and they turned out great! I accidentally rolled the wrong way… so I didn’t get as much of a spiral but overall that didn’t matter other than appearance. Definitely recommend this recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Jessica! 🙂
I’m sorry but it wasn’t good I almost threw up 😞
What happened? I’d be happy to help troubleshoot.
Really?
they are good cinnamon rolls although how to I get the filling to not be liquidy and to be more like a paste and how to get them to be soft instead of crunchy
Hi Sarah! The filling shouldn’t be liquidy. I’m not sure what happened there. If they are crunchy, they may have been over-baked. They should be a nice soft cinnamon roll. 🙂
I am about to make these for the third time in a week. They are SO good. I realize this is a bit overkill but I make extra filling and extra frosting, and also pour a little filling in the bottom of the pan before putting the rolls in. I don’t even want to bother with any other recipe, these are incredible. Love them, thank you.
I’m so glad you enjoy them so much, Maria! There’s no such thing as too much filling or frosting if you ask me. 🙂
These sound amazing ! About to try them… Are the calories including the frosting ?
Yes it does. 🙂
Made these on the weekend. The dough was great and it was east to cut, unfortunately while baking they spread out and became crunchy…nothing like a cinnamon roll with yeast. 🙁
I’m so sorry to hear this Jenna! Did you put them close together when you baked them? They should only have a little bit of room to spread in the pie plate.
I tried to make these again yesterday…this time I didn’t bake it in a tray but in a casserole dish…MUCH MUCH better! I also added an egg to this recipe as the dough seemed too stiff without one. Turned out great this time around!
I’m glad they turned out. 🙂
Could this be baked in a bundt pan or spaced to avoid the crowding and sticking to each other?
They can be spaced but keeping them close to each other/crowding helps keep them soft and fluffy 🙂
Can you use bread flour?
Hi Ariana! I haven’t tried it myself, but I think that should work fine. 🙂
Would they come out just as good if I made them the night before and pulled them out of the fridge in the morning to bake?
Hi Cheryl! That will work just fine. 🙂
Thanks!
…forgot to give you we deserved 5 stars
Darlene
Hello Sam,
Made your cinnamon buns last week and doubled the recipe. They didn’t last but a few days. My hubby is asking for them again. Excellent recipe. Thanks kindly for sharing.
Have a wonderful week Sam.
Darlene
Nova Scotia
I am so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Darlene! 🙂
Great recipe! Easy to follow, make, & eat!
– Non-baking kitchen novice.
Love these. Made them this morning. I did not have any trouble with the filling falling out. I did put 1/2 vanilla and 1/2 orange extract in the frosting. Really good. Thank you for the great recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Linda! 🙂