Quick Cinnamon Rolls

An easy cinnamon roll recipe made from scratch with no yeast, proofing, or kneading necessary! Just the thing for a quick breakfast treat. They’re best enjoyed the day that they’re made.

Satisfy your sweet tooth first thing in the morning with these shortcut cinnamon rolls. There’s no yeast required, so it’s perfect for beginner bakers or anyone who is short on time (or patience).

This recipe for from-scratch cinnamon rolls is easy to make with ingredients you probably already have on hand.

What Sets These Cinnamon Rolls Apart?

Unlike most traditional cinnamon roll recipes, these rolls are made without yeast — that means there’s no need for proofing or kneading. The best part? They come together quickly and easily in just a little over a half an hour.

These homemade cinnamon rolls feature an optional 5-ingredient cream cheese icing, but you can leave them plain or top them with the store-bought stuff to make this recipe even simpler.

How to Store Cinnamon Rolls

Store these cinnamon rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. If you want to keep them longer than that, consider freezing them. To freeze baked cinnamon rolls for up to three months, you’ll want to double wrap them for complete protection: Wrap each cinnamon roll in one layer of storage wrap followed by one layer of aluminum foil. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave or oven.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

“I have made this recipe twice and received raves for it each time,” according to SueB. “It is very easy to make and was well received.”

“They were better than I expected,” says Jeana. “Yeast and I do not get along very well, so I had pretty much given up making good cinnamon rolls. But these were gorgeous and tasted wonderful. I didn’t have cream cheese so I just drizzled them with basic milk-confectioner’s glaze then added pecans.”

“These are truly amazing cinnamon rolls,” raves CuriousCat. “They taste like the store-bought cinnamon rolls in a tube. I added the butter that you’re supposed to brush on the dough into the cinnamon mixture, and they were much softer. The dough was also rather sticky, but an extra 1/2 cup of flour can fix that.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter, melted, divided

Dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, softened
¾ cup milk
1 egg

Filling:

½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 cup confectioners’ sugar
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
¼ cup butter, softened
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Brush a 9-inch square baking dish with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter.

Step 2

To make the dough: Whisk flour, 2 tablespoons white sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Work 3 tablespoons softened butter into flour mixture using your hands.

Step 3

Beat milk and egg together in another bowl; pour into flour-butter mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until a soft dough forms.

Step 4

To make the filling: Whisk 1/2 cup white sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Sprinkle 1/2 of the cinnamon sugar mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cinnamon sugar over butter-brushed dough.

Step 5

Step 6

Roll dough around filling to form a log; cut log into 18 rolls and place rolls in the prepared baking dish.

Step 7

Bake in the preheated oven until rolls are set, 20 to 25 minutes.

Step 8

To make the frosting: Beat confectioners’ sugar, cream cheese, 1/4 cup softened butter, and vanilla extract together in a bowl until frosting is smooth.

Step 9

Top hot cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting.

Cook’s Note:

I often cut this recipe in half for just my boyfriend and I (and a few leftover rolls) and it works very well! Bake for 15 minutes instead of 20.