This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy
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
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 12×9 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
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I created a fun group on Facebook,and I would love for you to join us! It’s a place where you can share YOUR favorite recipes, ask questions, and see what’s new at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts (so that you never miss a new recipe)!
Be sure to follow me on Instagram and tag #dinnersdishes so I can see all the wonderful DINNERS, DISHES, AND DESSERTS recipes YOU make!
Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!
Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram
.
I adore homemade cinnamon rolls! I was actually thinking about making a pan for tomorrow too!
Love, love a great cinnamon roll ! How wonderful that this is such a simple recipe – pinning now! 🙂
I keep reading about yeast-free cinnamon rolls. I have to try them someday soon. They sound as good as the yeast version.
that icing looks heavenly!
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!
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.
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!
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:)
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!
I’ve never met a cinnamon roll I didn’t love! Yours look awesome!
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.
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!
Cinnamon rolls are one of my favorites! These look great!