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
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. Add the buttermilk and mix well, and then add five cups of flour. Add additional half cup of flour is dough is still wet and doesn’t form a ball. Once dough forms a ball, remove the paddle attachment and use the dough hook to knead the dough for three minutes.
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. 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. 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). Bake for 15-20 minutes, until dough is no longer shiny or soft, but has not yet begun to turn brown.
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
- Strawberry Balsamic Baked Donuts with Balsamic Glaze
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Oh my goodness, I’ve been on the hunt for a gooey cinnamon roll recipe. I love that there is no yeast, as this tends to be complicated for me… I can’t get it to rise! I’m sharing this with my sister because she’ll love it too!
I love that these delicious cinnamon rolls don’t have yeast! They look so light, fluffy and delicious!! Hubby is going to be so happy because I’m going to make these this weekend!
OH love the sound of these because they have no yeast. We are huge on cinnamon rolls but I have not made these is a long time. Looking at this makes me wanna bake some.
These cinnamon rolls sound great for a quick dessert! They look delicious.
These are going to be fun. I like making something like this in the morning so my family can wake up to the smell of cinnamon rolls. What a great recipe, thanks!
You just made my day! My daughter is allergic to yeast so it’s hard to find her baked goods that she can eat! These look so amazing and I know when I show her this recipe, she will be so happy!
Totally going to make these! They look SO delicious. And I’ve been craving cinnamon rolls, so this is perfect!
I have been craving cinnamon rolls lately but refuse to buy them at the store because homemade is just so much better. Love that these have no yeast because sometimes it can be fussy. Pinning for later, yum!
I can only imagine what my house would smell like after baking a batch of these tasty looking cinnamon buns. Can’t wait to try this recipe!
You’re killing me! This is so perfect for a Sunday morning! Guess I’ll have to wait until next week to make these. Love the no yeast thing because it can make or break a recipe!