Easy Cinnamon Rolls – these no yeast cinnamon rolls are fluffy, buttery, and absolutely delicious. They are ready in less than an hour with no yeast in sight!
My family loves cinnamon rolls. They are the traditional breakfast we have for almost every holiday. There is just something about an ooey gooey cinnamon roll with that delicious icing that gets all of us!
You can even turn them into pancakes with these Cinnamon Roll Pancakes. The flavor combo is just something you can’t beat.
What makes this cinnamon roll recipe so special is that it doesn’t use yeast. So you don’t have to worry about kneading the dough, letting it rise multiple times, and hoping that everything works out! It uses baking powder and baking soda to get nice and fluffy.
But don’t worry, they are still buttery, gooey, and all the things you every want from a cinnamon roll!
You can also make Cinnamon Roll Muffins that are great for every day. And if you are a chocolate fan at heart don’t miss these Nutella Cinnamon Rolls!
This is actually one of the earlier recipes I posted on the blog back in 2012, but the pictures and how the recipe was written didn’t do them justice. So it needed a little updating. Because trust me, this is one recipe you do not want to miss!
What You’ll Need
- Brown Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Butter
- All-Purpose Flour
- Granulated Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Buttermilk
- Cream Cheese
- Powdered Sugar
- Vanilla Extract
How To Make Cinnamon Rolls
These no yeast cinnamon rolls are really pretty easy to make, just a few steps involved, but they are ready in less than an hour!
- Start by making the filling. Mix together cinnamon, brown sugar, white sugar, salt, and a little melted butter until it is the texture of wet sand.
- Next you will make the dough. Start by mixing together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a liquid measuring cup whisk together melted butter and buttermilk and add to the flour mixture.
- Stir the flour mixture until it starts to come together. It will be a very rough dough. Turn onto a flour surface and knead for about 1 minute, just until it comes together and is mostly smooth. This is not a yeast dough, so the less you handle it the better.
- Lightly flour the counter and press into a rectangle about 12×9 inches.
- Brush with melted butter and sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the dough. Leave about 1/2 inch boarder around the edge to make rolling easier.
- Then start at the long edge and roll tightly into a log. Cut into 8 equal pieces.
- Arrange the 8 pieces in a 8 inch cake pan or square baking dish that is brushed with melted butter.
- Brush the last bit of melted butter over the top of the cinnamon rolls and bake. It only takes about 20 minutes for them to get golden brown and puff up.
- While they are baking you can make the icing. Just mix together butter and cream cheese until smooth. Then mix in powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until it is creamy and smooth.
- Let the rolls cool for about 5 minutes after you take them out of the oven before you spread the icing on, or it will melt and be a big mess.
Cinnamon Roll Icing
Cinnamon rolls almost always have a cream cheese based icing on them. It helps balance the sweetness of everything and just works perfectly.
- Cream Cheese
- Butter
- Powdered Sugar
- Milk
- Vanilla Extract
Make sure your cream cheese and butter is very soft so they blend together well. You can microwave them separately for about 10 seconds if necessary, but don’t actually melt them.
If you find yourself with leftover buttermilk here are a few great recipes to use it up.
- Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Southern Style Cornbread
- Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes
- Easy Biscuits
These quick and easy no yeast cinnamon rolls will quickly become a favorite in your house. They are great for a weekend breakfast, because you don’t have to spend hours dealing with the dough.
Plus there is no mixer required! Just a bowl and spatula to mix the dough. This really is an easy cinnamon roll recipes you can have on the table in just about 45 minutes!
More Delicious Breakfast Recipes
- Chocolate Waffles
- Sourdough French Toast
- Homemade Donuts
- Double Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins
- Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
- Strawberry Shortcake Pancakes
Cinnamon Rolls
Easy Cinnamon Rolls - these no yeast cinnamon rolls are fluffy, buttery, and absolutely delicious. They are ready in less than an hour with no yeast in sight!
Ingredients
Filling
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled
Dough
- 2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 oz) flour
- 2 Tbsp granulate sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 6 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled
Icing
- 2 oz cream cheese, softened
- 5 Tbsp butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp milk
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425º
- Melt 8 Tablespoons of butter (enough for each step of the cinnamon rolls) in a bowl and let it cool slightly.
- Brush 1 Tbsp of melted butter into a 9 inch cake pan or pie plate. Set aside.
Prepare The Filling
- In a bowl combine brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add 1 Tbsp of the melted butter. Using your fingers or a fork stir together until is feels like wet sand. Set aside.
Prepare The Dough
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a liquid measuring cup mix together buttermilk and 2 Tbsp of the melted butter.
- Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a spatula until everything is combined (about 30 seconds). The dough will be very rough.
- Turn onto a floured surface and kneed until just smooth (handle as little as possible for flaky rolls).
Make Cinnamon Rolls
- Lightly flour the counter, and use your hands to press the dough into a 12x9 inch rectangle.
- Brush with 2 Tbsp of the melted butter. Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough, pressing gently into the dough. Be sure to leave about 1/2 in border around the edges.
- Starting with the long side, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. Pinch to seal.
- Using a sharp knife, cut into 8 equal pieces. Place 1 roll in the center of the prepared pan, and arrange the other 7 around it.
- Brush with the last 2 Tbsp of butter.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until the edges are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow the rolls to rest for 5 minutes before frosting.
Make the Icing
- In a small bowl mix cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy.
- Add in powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla and mix until smooth and fluffy. Adjust milk if necessary to get the icing a spreadable consistency.
- Spread onto rolls and serve.
Notes
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 364Total Fat 20gSaturated Fat 13gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 55mgSodium 573mgCarbohydrates 46gFiber 0gSugar 45gProtein 2g
Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on dinnersdishesanddesserts.com should only be used as a general guideline.
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Jessica | Portuguese Girl Cooks says
Cinnamon buns are one of my absolute favourite indulgences, and I love this quicker version! They look fantastic!
The Café Sucré Farine says
Yum, yum, yum! These sound incredible, you can never go wrong with Cook’s Illustrated!
claire @ the realistic nutritionist says
They are always such a pain to make but the end result is SO WORTH IT.
Kim Bee says
I’m freaking fasting right now and probably should not have stopped by. You should hear my belly right now. I swear it’s screaming “cinnamon rolls, cinnamon rolls”. These look to die for. I’m sure I’ll dream about them tonight.
RavieNomNoms says
These look very tasty, my family has a tradition of having cinnamon rolls the morning of Thanksgiving. These remind me of that!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
Cinnamon rolls are the best, these look incredible!
Jennifer @ Peanut Butter and Peppers says
Your cinnamon rolls look amazing! I remember as a kid, my grandmother making cinnamon rolls and she used dental floss to cut the rolls. Oh how I miss grandma!!
Ramona says
Sign me up for two of these. 🙂 We love cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning. 🙂
Emily @ Life on Food says
Cinnamon rolls are my true weakness. If they are fresh and I am smell them; I cannot resist. Definitely a special occasion treat!
Kimby says
Erin, I’m so glad you mentioned using up excess buttermilk — our local grocery store doesn’t stock anything less than 1/2 gallons and I only needed a cup — these sound wonderful! (Bookmarked…) Blessings to you and your family this Thanksgiving!
Cassie | Bake Your Day says
I adore homemade cinnamon rolls! I was actually thinking about making a pan for tomorrow too!
Lisa {AuthenticSuburbanGourmet} says
Love, love a great cinnamon roll ! How wonderful that this is such a simple recipe – pinning now! 🙂
Roxana | Roxana's Home Baking says
I keep reading about yeast-free cinnamon rolls. I have to try them someday soon. They sound as good as the yeast version.
alex says
that icing looks heavenly!
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
They look and sound so good and I’ve seen the Cooks Illustrated recipes and never usually keep buttermilk on hand – I know you can make a makeshift version with vinegar but have always wondered if these would work with just half and half? Regardless they look amazing! and yeast-free and fast!
Erin says
I have never been a fan of the make your own buttermilk; but maybe that is because I only ever use skim milk, and buttermilk is definitely thicker.
Tracey says
Oh man I made these a few months ago and did some serious damage on the batch before anyone else even had a chance. There’s not much that’s better than a warm, gooey cinnamon roll!
Ambar says
I have no idea why i’m so scared to try making cinnamon rolls from scratch but i have to face my fear and make it happen! I just dont want it to come out bad. I will follow your instructions and see how it comes out:)
Erin says
These are really easy, I hope you try them! Mixing and working with them as little as possible after you add the buttermilk will give you the fluffiest dough. Let me know how it works for you!
Jessica | Portuguese Girl Cooks says
I’ve never met a cinnamon roll I didn’t love! Yours look awesome!
Ruby says
We make an old family recipe for doughnuts every Christmas morning, but was wanting to do cinnamon rolls this year. I think this recipe will be the one we make this year. The cream cheese frosting would be better suited for our taste, though. Better get to Cook’s Illustrated to find it. Or, do you happen to have the original recipe you could send to me? Shopping today for ingredients.
Erin says
The original icing recipe was 2 Tbls cream cheese, softened 2 Tbls buttermilk 1 cup powdered sugar – just mix it all together and you are done. Hope you enjoy!
Melissa says
Cinnamon rolls are one of my favorites! These look great!
Marsha says
These will definitely be breakfast in the morning. Thank you!
Kerena says
Looks delicious and I’d love to make it. Is there a printable version that’s not 10 pages and doesn’t include photos? Your printable version contains photos that take up a full sheet of paper.
Erin S says
Kerena, I disabled pictures on the printable version of the recipe card, so now it is just 2 pages. Unfortunately that disables all pictures, even the little thumbnail to show you what the recipe is. I wish that was a better option, but at this time that is the best I can do. Hope that helps. Thanks!
Kerena says
Thank you! If I need to see pics, I’ll head back to the blog. I’m looking forward to making this.
Allyson Zea says
I love making these on the weekend! So tasty and easy!
Jacque Hastert says
I am making these on Saturday and I can’t wait. I love how simple you have made these and I bet they will taste like a million bucks.
Beth says
My daughter is going to love this recipe! Can’t wait to make this for breakfast! Looks so yummy and delicious!