Homemade Cinnamon Rolls (No Yeast)

You don’t have to choose between popping open a can or spending half your day tending to dough. Packed with gooey filling, smothered in rich glaze, and made without yeast, Homemade Cinnamon Rolls can be ready to enjoy in under an hour.

I recently heard the period of April and May described as the Christmas season’s slightly less hyper sister. It’s true, y’all. Even without the insane busyness of wrapping up the time-consuming project for the capstone class of my Masters degree, we’ve still got T-ball games, science fairs, awards days, state tests, and more. I don’t mind being busy, but I don’t like when that busyness keeps me from doing something I love — baking.

I realized last Sunday morning that I hadn’t made a new recipe in quite some time. My kitchen is my happy place, so of course that realization got me thinking about what I could whip up to share with my Sunday school classmates at church. These Homemade Cinnamon Rolls were the clear winner. Because they lack yeast and don’t require rising time, they’re super easy to make in just a couple hours.

I used my beloved KitchenAid stand mixer to stir and knead the dough, but it can be done by hand, too. With a straightforward filling and a two-ingredient glaze, this recipe is easier to make than you probably thought Homemade Cinnamon Rolls could be. They’re perfect for lazy Saturday mornings or special occasion brunches.

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

For the Dough

• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk (see notes below)
• 5 – 5 1/2 cups flour, plus 1/3 cup more for dusting

For the Filling

• 4 tsp butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbs cinnamon

For the Glaze

• 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine brown sugar, baking soda, salt, vanilla extract, and eggs. Mix until ingredients are well combined.
2. Add the buttermilk and mix well, and then add five cups of flour. Add additional half cup of flour if dough is still wet and doesn’t form a ball.
3. Once dough forms a ball, remove the paddle attachment and use the dough hook to knead the dough for three minutes.
4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a rectangle that is roughly 18 x 24 inches. Use a spatula or your fingers to spread the softened butter over the dough, and then sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon on top. Lightly pat the sugar and cinnamon to press it into the butter.
5. Roll the dough tightly, beginning with the long end. Use a sharp serrated knife to slice the roll into about 16-18 equal-size pieces.
6. Place 12 rolls in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish and place the remaining rolls in a greased 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 square baking dish (see notes below).
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until dough is no longer shiny or soft, but has not yet begun to turn brown.
8. While the homemade cinnamon rolls are baking, use a fork to whisk together the powdered sugar and heavy cream for the glaze. Use more or less cream depending on the consistency you desire. Spread or pour glaze over hot cinnamon rolls and enjoy them warm.

Notes

• This recipe makes approximately 18 cinnamon rolls, but it’s easily reduced by half.
• I rarely keep buttermilk around. Instead, for this recipe, I add 1 1/2 tablespoons of vinegar to a 2-cup measuring cup and then fill to the 1 1/2 cups line with milk. If you do this before you begin mixing the other ingredients together, it will be ready to use by the time it’s called for in the recipe.
• It’s okay to place your cinnamon rolls pretty close together in the baking dish. I leave space some between mine so the glaze drips down the sides, but that’s just my preference.

Other Decadent “Breakfast” Recipes You’ll Love

Glaze Strawberry Lime Scones

Maple-Frosted Baked Donuts

Cinnamon Roll Bars

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