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
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
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Original photos:
Maureen
Wow! So easy & delicious.
Sam
Thank you so much, Maureen. I am glad you enjoyed it! ☺️
Sandee
I so a agree. The ingerendants are found in pantry daily. I added nuts to mine but this recipe goes to top of my list for cinnamon rolls
Andrea
This was soooo easy and just out of this world delicious! I made the dough so quickly in the food processor. The filling was perfection. And I didn’t have enough powdered sugar, so I subbed 1/2 cup powder sugar and 1/4 c maple syrup (I used less milk, but I liked the gooey glaze it made). I hate making yeasty treats, and I love creating from ordinary pantry staples. Wonderful.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them, Andrea! ☺️
Aimee
Hi, Sam!
I ABSOLUTELY love this recipe – it’s heaven in a bowl! First time, I made it as is – perfect. Second time (tonight), I was feeling a little fiesty and turned them into cinnamon roll apple pie cups!
Rolled out each roll (12) and lined a greased muffin tin.
Filled those with prep’d apples (I had a can of fried cinnamon apples that I diced up).
Put them in a 350F oven for about 18-20 minutes.
Let them cool, and I drizzled them with icing from your apple turnover recipe!
Soooo yummy!
Sam
You have me drooling over here, Aimee! They sound fantastic, I am glad you enjoyed them. ☺️
Maureen
This looks like a really easy recipe. I have 2 questions: 1-are these baked in a pie pan or an oblong pan? I see pictures of both and think the oblong would bake them “prettier”. and 2-have you ever substituted buttermilk for regular milk in the recipe?
Sam
They are pictured in a 9 inch pie pan. You can make it in an oblong pan if you so choose. I have not tried the buttermilk substitute, but I think it will work.
Lisa
Can I make these the day or night before & keep them in the refrigerator & then bake them in the morning? Would I do everything the same way, just maybe bake a little bit longer?
Sam
Yes you can make them the day ahead of time. Make the dough, roll them out, slice them up. Stick them in your pan and cover them. Refrigerate overnight, and they may require an extra minute or two of baking. ☺️ Hope that helps!
Eli
Something must be wrong. Following the recipe I should be done making the dough but it’s still just a powdery mixture, was the 3/4 cup milk supposed to be 3 to 4 cups?
Sam
Hmm, no it’s just 3/4 cup. Did you cut in the butter thoroughly?
Roxy Phan
I have a question…..once the rolls are complete what would you set an approximate expiration date to?
Sam
They are best enjoyed fresh, but I wouldn’t keep them longer than 3 days after baking. ☺️
Jean
If i want to freeze them, should I assemble them in the dish frozen? Do i need to defrost over night? What are instructions for cooking from frozen?
Sam
I think it will be fine to freeze them before baking. They would need to bake a little longer from frozen and take care not to put a glass dish straight from the freezer into the oven.
Barbara Daddario
These are life changing! Best cinnamon rolls ever (and I’ve made a ton of different recipes.) Very stoked to have them ready to go in the oven in under 30 minutes. ☺️
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them, Barbara! 🙂
Tina
My 1st time ever making cinnamon rolls. These are so easy to put together and deeliiciious!! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I wonder if you would have a recipe of rum cake in the making. Our family loves the one from the Caribbean, Tortuga Rum Cake, but I haven’t found a recipe for this yet.
Sam
So glad to hear you enjoyed them! And hmm I don’t currently have a recipe for rum cake but I will add it to my list and see what I can come up with (fair warning it might take a while, my list is already pretty long!)! Thank you for the suggestion, Tina!
Petite Pavlova
These were surprisingly good! We had no yeast so this was a perfect alternative, plus it was super quick to make . 10/10 would recommend.
Sam
So glad to hear you enjoyed them! Thanks for commenting to let me know how they turned out for you! 🙂
Maureen
Delicious! Satisfied the Sweet Tooth I had this morning! I would quarter the frosting recipe because it made a ton!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them, Maureen! ☺️
Salem
Mine turned out great. I subbed 1/3 of the milk for cinnamon applesauce in the dough and sprinkled crushed walnuts over the filling before rolling. Delicious!
Sam
The walnuts on top sound like an excellent addition! I am so glad you enjoyed them!
Kristin
I have been tasked with making LOTS of these for a wedding weekend. The only way I can do this would be if they could be frozen. At what stage would I freeze them and then how would I cook/reheat them?
Sam
Hi Kristin! You should make the dough slice it and then put it in an air tight container and then freeze them. 😃
Pat White
Always find this no yeast recipe a success memorized by now. Thanks for sharing it family always loves them. Always do half the icing.
Sam
They never last long in my house!