Preheat your oven for a fast and family favorite recipe for Easy Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Without Yeast, which are topped with tangy cream cheese frosting.
It’s hard to beat a warm batch of homemade cinnamon rolls, all those swirls of pillowy butter-soaked carbs. Slather a tangy cream cheese frosting on top and we just won breakfast … and brunch … and snacktime, too (at least in our house).
But what do you get when you take this notoriously tricky yeasted dough, which involves hours of prepping and proofing, and strip it down to the no yeast, no stand mixer, no eggs and no proofing basics? This recipe for Easy Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Without Yeast.
How Do You Make Cinnamon Rolls Without Yeast?
I’m so glad you asked! The answer is short and sweet, just two little words: baking powder.
We’ve been on a major no-yeast baking kick around here, including my new favorite recipes for homemade bread and homemade pizza dough, neither of which requires yeast or proofing. And yet the results are still light, airy, tender doughs … with rave reviews!
By omitting the yeast, and swapping in the perfect amount of baking powder, we’re able to get homemade cinnamon rolls onto your breakfast table in under an hour. That’s less time than it takes to watch an episode of Tiger King. Win!
What’s the Texture of Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Without Yeast?
Unlike traditional cinnamon rolls, which rise, puff and then fill a baking dish as they bake, these cinnamon rolls won’t have the same amount of rise. That doesn’t mean they won’t be light and buttery!
The cinnamon rolls have a slightly denser texture and chewier bite that the classic confection. If you’ve ever made our Pizza Dough Cinnamon Rolls, consider this its DIY upgrade.
Just look at those cinnamony spirals. They’re the result of a silky-smooth dough that takes shape in 20 minutes, and that includes a 15-minute resting time.
What’s the Best Frosting for Cinnamon Rolls?
There’s really only one answer to this, in my opinion: sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting.
The key with this frosting recipe is that it’s just sweet enough to complement the rolls. The goal is to avoid a cloying sweetness, and instead, create a perfect marriage of cinnamon, butter, sugar and cream cheese.
So if you’re ready to ditch the yeast, skip the stand mixer, forget the eggs and lose the lengthy hours-long process of whipping up one of breakfast’s greatest carbs, then look no further than this recipe for Easy Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Without Yeast!
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Ingredients
For the dough:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough
- 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 Tablespoons white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing baking dish
For the filling:
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
For the frosting:
- 4 oz. cream cheese, at room temp
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temp
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
Instructions
Make the dough and filling:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon and salt.
- In a small saucepan set over low heat, combine the milk and butter. Cook just until the butter is melted. (Alternately, microwave the milk and butter together. See Kelly's Notes.)
- Add the milk mixture to the flour, and using a spatula, mix just until combined.
- Flour your work surface then turn out the dough and knead it for 1 minute until it comes together in a smooth ball. If the dough feels overly sticky, add more flour as needed, but do not over-knead the dough.
- Cover the dough loosely with a damp towel and let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8- or 9-inch baking dish with butter.
- Lightly flour your work surface then roll the dough into a 10x14-inch rectangle.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Brush the dough all over with the melted butter then sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top.
- Beginning at the long end, tightly roll the dough up into a log. Trim off the edges then slice the log into 9 rolls.
- Arrange the rolls in the greased baking dish.
- Bake the rolls for 25 to 30 minutes until they are pale golden and baked through. While the rolls are baking, make the frosting.
Make the frosting:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and butter. Using a handheld mixer, beat the ingredients until smooth then add the vanilla and beat just until combined.
- Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat just until combined.
- Remove the rolls from the oven and let them cool completely before frosting and serving.
Kelly's Notes:
- The milk and butter must be melted together. Using cold milk causes the melted better to resolidify, which leads to an uneven dough.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
The recipe was amazing sorry for the off topic comment but do you know much about sour dough and is that something you could teach me thank you aging
I’m thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the recipe, Lee! Stay tuned for sour dough as we don’t have a sour dough recipe on the site yet!
Hi there, I was just wondering if I can make this recipe with gluten free flour?
I haven’t tried it, but I know a lot of people have used a gf flour like Cup4Cup with great success!
Hi. Should I use crystal coarse or finely grounded Kosher Salt? Sorry for this seemingly insignificant question, but I am a novice when it comes to baking or cooking. Thanks.
Hi there! I’m not sure the exact brand you’re referencing, but when in doubt, do the larger size crystal (so the coarse one).
Could I make these the night before and refrigerate for the morning?
Hi Taylor! The dough will stiffen up since they aren’t proofing overnight. It’s best to do these morning of!
Just used the dough for an apple pie cinnamon roll idea I had but dough was really nice for not having yeast would definitely try again. Seriously though add finely diced spiced apples to your cinnamon roll filling changes the game.
YESSSSS! I have a recipe in my cookbook for Caramel-Apple Cinnamon Rolls. SO GOOD!
Just made it and popped it in the oven, I write this review as I wait (and yes, I know how silly that it).
I dont even have to eat them to know this recipe is great just from the consistency of the dough.
Me and my moshom (a.k.a grandpa in cree) are wildly anticipating these cinnamon buns. Fantastic for late night cravings for baked goods. This seems to be one of the best cinnamon bun without yeast recipe I’ve made yet.
So glad you enjoyed it!
apples spiced with what?
thank you!
Absolutely love love love this recipe first time making cinnamon rolls from scratch couldn’t have went better!!
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Santoya!
Really easy to make and way prefer this than waiting hours for the dough to rise! Thanks so much
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Adele!
I followed your instructions and mine came out not fluffy but came out dense. The flavor is good though.
I’m glad you enjoyed the flavor, Heather!
My husband’s favorite!