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!
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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.
every time I make these the dough ends up being super super sticky and basically un kneadable is their a reason for this?? I love the recipe and they tasted great just a hassle when it comes to the kneading step??
Hi Sophie! If it’s particularly humid where you live, you may need to adjust the recipe by adding more flour prior to rolling.
Unable to have milk. Can you use oat milk and get the same results?
That should work, Pat! You may need to adjust the flour but just do it based on how the dough feels when you’re kneading it and add more if it gets too sticky. :)
they tasted amazing and looked delicious, and the smell made the whole house hungry right from the start you could smell the sweet cinnamon smell all throughout the house. it was my first time eating and making cinnamon scrolls but i certainly dont regret it.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Amazing! turned out better than I expected seeing as it doesn’t have yeast.
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Jamie!
Legit the best cinnamon rolls I have ever made, and I am an avid baker!! I cannot believe how light and fluffy they are without there being any yeast. This is seriously a GENIUS recipe! Followed it exactly and my rolls were perfectly baked right at 28 minutes. Would not change a thing! THANK YOU!
Hi! I love this recipe! For a pretty long time now, I’ve been looking for a delicious cinnamon roll recipe. I’ve tried a few in the past, and they never worked out. This recipe is not just simple, but very yummy! I made it with my best friend, and we enjoyed them very much!
Quick question though, how long can these rolls last in the fridge?
Thank you, and I love your recipes!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Marisa! The cinnamon rolls will last up to five days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Ok, thank you so much!
You’re welcome!
AMAZING
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Alyvia!
It’s funny when Kelly just post/show high rated comments. I did try the recipe and followed instructions carefully, 20-30mins baking time almost burnt my cinnamon rolls.
Hi Kari – I don’t only post/show high rated comments. My team and I moderate all comments and only approve those that don’t include profanity or threats. Sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe.
Tried and taste good. Cravings somehow satisfied, But your baking time advise 20-30mins??? Didn’t work. made some of it almost toasted,glad I took it out of the oven before it all burnt!
Hi Kari – Feel free to adjust the baking time as needed.
everyone loved the rich cinnamon taste of these buns
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
It’s easy and yummy I have a question though can you freeze this too.? Thank you
Hi Ruby – I’ve never tried freezing these cinnamon rolls so I’m not certain how the texture/taste would be once thawed. Let me know if you give it a shot!
Made these a year ago and am coming back cause my brother and I missed them
Yay! I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Graycie!
Ok I will try it without the convection however, the problem was the rolls would not brown. Has anyone else tried these with a gluten free flour? Should I add more baking powder?
Thank you
Hi Christina! If you want them more golden brown, you can brush them with melted butter prior to baking.
I made these but used King Arthur Gluten free flour. I added walnuts and raisins to the filling. It was taking long to brown, the dough looked raw after 30 mins. Convection oven at 350f. I kept adding minutes and the outer part was like a rock. I did devour the inner layer of two. Delicious. Help! I would love to try again but need to use gluten free. Thank you
Christina
Hi there! I wouldn’t recommend using the “convection” setting, as the rolls will brown long before they bake inside.
Best cinnamon bun recipe I’ve ever tried!! Made a batch last week and they didn’t last 2 days in my house…. I’m busy making my 2nd batch now
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled to read this, Emelia!
This was my first time making cinnamon rolls and I used your recipe because I didn’t have any yeast, it was so easy to follow and the result was DELICIOUS! Thank you, I will definitely use this again!
You are so welcome, Jenna! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!