Easy No-Yeast Cinnamon Rolls Recipe (2024)

Ratings

4

out of 5

3,710

user ratings

Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.

Cooking Notes

Rachel

Since these didn’t require a rise, I decided to try making a gluten free version using cup-for-cup gf flour. The dough was (as expected) a bit more crumbly than regular dough but with a little care still rolled out, and up, pretty well. They turned out great!Thanks NYT…my celiac husband hasn’t had cinnamon buns in a looooong time. I used Bobs Red Mill 1to1 baking flour—my go-to brand for a while now.

J Titus

Good recipe. Next time, I’d leave out the pecans and add them in later by sprinkling them on the rolled out dough after spreading the cinnamon and butter mixture. Having the pecans in beforehand made it harder to spread.

Nick

Instead of a serrated knife I use a medium length piece of dental floss or sewing thread to slice the rolled up dough.

T. Hunt

Stop what you are doing and MAKE THIS. They are outstanding! Followed recipe exactly. Only thing, I used a cast iron skillet and I rubbed softened butter in the pan instead of oil. The crunch from the butter and the cinnamon that oozes out of the bottom was insanely good. Definitely use butter instead of oil. We ate them all within the hour. So good.

Emily

This looks good but I think the suggestion to refrigerate the dough for baking later is bad advice. This dough rises from a combination of acid in the buttermilk and baking powder. That means it needs to go in the oven as quickly as possible after mixing, while the chemical reaction is still happening. Just a tip I learned from vegan baking.

Jessica Zeldner

Kwibbles- you can make buttermilk from any non-dairy milk, just add one tablespoon of white vinegar to one cup of whatever milk you have and give it a good whisk. Good luck! :)

Caitlin

This turned out better than what I thought it was going to taste like. I did cut down sugar in the filling and added more spices. I also recommend adding 1-2 tsp vanilla to the dough so when you bite into it it doesn’t scream “there’s a hecking lot of baking powder in here.” Found that to make the dough a little less abrasive.

sf

Made this for the first time, my first ever cinnamon rolls, this morning. Substituted yogurt/milk mixture for buttermilk. Came out great. Cut the glaze recipe in half, and still didn't need it all--the filling is already plenty sweet and flavorful, and a little gooey glaze goes a long way. Tried orange zest in half the glaze, might try lemon next time.

Anne

Substituted yogart for buttermilk and added i cup raisins and ground clove and nutmeg (1/2 tsp each) to the dough rather than pecans to the filling - all worked well. Also sliced into 12 pieces and baked individually in greased muffin tin - which added nice crispy outsides.

Sarah

Made these this morning when my yeasted rolls didn’t rise - saved the day! The texture is a little more like cinnamon rolls from a can than ones with yeast but with a much more delicious from-scratch taste. I added about a Tbs of maple syrup to the icing and it was fab.

Mickey

Christmas Day, 2021. I doubled the recipe and made it in a 10 inch cake pan. Didn’t have buttermilk so used sour cream instead. Cut into 12 rolls. Made while waiting for the family to wake up and open presents. Came out lovely. They are very biscuit like and if you don’t want to use the frosting, suggest adding a tablespoon or two of sugar to the dough. Will definitely make again, very easy.

Francesca

These were a very present help when we realized at the last minute that we wouldn’t be able to maintain (for various reasons) our annual tradition of yeast cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning. As advertised, they take less than an hour to make, though I had to bake them for ten more minutes than called for. I thought they were remarkably good for a quick version of cinnamon rolls, like plush, cinnamon-y buttermilk biscuits, with a soft interior and slightly crunchy exterior.

Marta

I'm not sure I'm reading this correctly. Once you roll and cut the dough do you end up with 8 buns each 1" high (8" log divided into 8 pieces) or almost 2" high (15" log cut into 8 pieces)? I would think they should be 1" high but that's not what the recipe says (to me, anyway).

Chris

Step 4 says that you start with one of the long sides. You should end up with a roll the length of the long side or 15 inches.

Kyra

Liz— that is a great idea to bake in a cast iron oven. I looked up c.roll recipes baked in them and they all turn out great …. They said oven temp 350, bake 20-25 mins. Trying this out this week and will report after I make these .

Sophia Lyons

I used Bob's 1:1 gluten-free and honestly thought it was pretty bad. 4/10 at most. It's too crumbly -- you can't add the extra hydration that 1:1 needs because then it becomes a batter. Then it's terribly mealy when it cools. I'm sure these are tasty with real flour but I'll find a recipe intended to be GF. Won't make them again.

Kelly L

Nah, it’s worth it to make the yeast version and put your patience to the test. I had high hopes for these, but they just weren’t worth the effort, even though they were easier.

Ariel

Loved this recipe, tasted delicious. Made one upgrade; brushed the hot rolls with melted marmalade, then applied the icing. It sealed in the moisture, and the rolls weren’t dry the next day.

Comaboy K

More of a cinnamon biscuit than a cinnamon roll. They are ok.

witloof

I was served one of these at a friend's home and it was wonderful.

Jeanie

As someone who really struggles to be successful with yeasted dough...these are a game changer!!I couldn't be happier or more proud of how perfect they turned out. I did not use pecans, and I did not put vanilla in the icing- I opted for lemon zest, and it was delightful!!Suffice it to say, everyone was pleased and I'll happily make them again! Thank you for such a wonderfully easy and delicious recipe!

Kristen

So easy and delicious! I cooked it in a well buttered 10-inch cast-iron frying pan, so the presentation was great and the sides were super crispy.

emma

Because of what I had on hand, used avocado oil in the dough and salted butter in the filling. Because I’ve been to Magnolia Bakery, halved the sugar in the icing. Rolls were a hit, with a lovely texture. And YES— pecans on after spreading next time!

jj

In mammoth. 1.5 teaspoons baking powder. Milk instead of buttermilk. 415 oven for about 20m. Next time put some salt in filling.

BarbaraP

Rich! Make half the frosting. Doug is surprisingly tender

Lynne

Per the note from Emily a year ago, refrigerating these rolls overnight was a mistake! They were basically rocks.

Emily E.

Perfection! Without yeast, the final product is a bit biscuit-like. It is SO good!!! Easy cinnamon rolls with plenty of frosting.

Caitlin

For those who want to make the dough less biscuity/harsh tasting (as some have said here):Skip the salt (there’s enough in baking soda, baking powder, and buttermilk anyway).Reduce the buttermilk to 1/2 cup.Add 1/4 cup yogurt. No one has guessed that there’s no yeast when I make these rolls. And I just had 8 different people ask me for the recipe.

Heather Jackson

The pecans in the middle are what really makes these worth eating. The cream cheese frosting is another bonus, but it didn't stop the rolls from being on the dry side. Might be because I used regular milk and vinegar instead of buttermilk.

Ashley

Made as directed, turned out great! A perfect option for a holiday morning - make in advance and throw in the oven while unwrapping gifts or getting other breakfast items ready. Loved the icing, as the tanginess of the cream cheese cut the sweetness.

Private notes are only visible to you.

Easy No-Yeast Cinnamon Rolls Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why put milk on cinnamon rolls before baking? ›

Julie Clark, the blogger behind the website, notes that after years of research, she discovered that the key to getting perfectly gooey rolls is to “pour heavy cream over the cinnamon buns before baking. THIS is the secret ingredient and what makes the rolls rich and gooey.”

Why are my cinnamon rolls not light and fluffy? ›

There are a lot of variables that go into the consistency of dough, even down to the weather and humidity. But the most common reason cinnamon rolls don't turn out fluffy is because the dough didn't have enough time to rise.

What is a substitute for baking powder in cinnamon rolls? ›

To replace 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of baking powder, use 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 grams) lemon juice. Summary: Replace 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of baking powder with 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 grams) lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) baking soda.

What is a substitute for heavy cream in cinnamon rolls? ›

For 1 cup heavy cream, use 3/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup melted butter, or thicken 1 cup milk with 1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch or flour. (Whisk milk into cornstarch or flour little by little.) Coconut milk, coconut cream (beware of increased sweetness), or cream cheese whisked with a little water also work.

Is heavy cream the same as heavy whipping cream? ›

Yes, heavy cream and heavy whipping cream are the exact same thing. The confusion lies in the fact that they're sold by different brands under two different names. According to the US Food and Drug Administration's labelling standards, heavy cream must contain at least 36 percent milk fat.

Can I use evaporated milk instead of heavy cream? ›

Evaporated milk can be used as a substitute in recipes in which heavy cream is used as a liquid ingredient, such as in baked goods, but it doesn't whip well. Substitute the heavy cream in your recipes with an equal amount of evaporated milk.

Why are my homemade cinnamon rolls dense? ›

Your cinnamon roll dough should be tacky to the touch, but not too sticky so that it's messy. If you add too little flour, the dough will be gluey and eventually result in dense rolls. If you add too much flour, the dough will be tough, resulting in dry rolls.

Should cinnamon rolls be touching when baking? ›

Place the cinnamon rolls into your prepared pan, with little room between each roll and ½ inch from the edge of the pan. Lightly press down on each roll so that the edges of each roll barely touch each other, and improve their round form if needed.

What is the secret ingredient in Cinnabon? ›

Cinnabon's Secret Ingredient

This special Indonesian cinnamon, called Makara, is trademarked by Cinnabon. And because of that trademark, you won't find this product in your local grocery store spice aisle.

What happens if you let cinnamon rolls rise too long? ›

Can cinnamon rolls rise for too long? Yes definitely! If you let your cinnamon rolls rise for too long you can over-proof them. This can lead to dense rolls or rolls that collapse after baking.

Why did my homemade cinnamon rolls come out hard? ›

Don't Overbake Cinnamon Rolls

Overbaked cinnamon rolls are tough and chewy instead of light and pillowy. Since it can be a bit tricky to know when rolls are fully baked, use a digital thermometer. Bake cinnamon rolls until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches between 190°and 200°F.

Can I use aluminum foil instead of parchment paper for cinnamon rolls? ›

Lining baking sheets and pans

Are you baking cheesy or sticky foods like macaroni and cheese or cinnamon rolls? We recommend using Reynolds Wrap® Non-Stick Foil made with a food-safe non-stick coating to prevent your food from sticking, so you can enjoy every bite.

Can I use baking powder instead of yeast? ›

In baked goods, you can replace yeast with an equal amount of baking powder. Just keep in mind that the leavening effects of baking powder will not be as distinct as those of yeast. Baking powder causes baked goods to rise rapidly, but not to the same extent as yeast.

What does heavy cream do in baking? ›

According to our very own “Prince of Pastry” Chef Eddy Van Damme, heavy cream has 36 to 40 percent milk fat and will whip up firmer with stiff peaks that hold their shape longer than whipping cream peaks do. Heavy cream is a good choice when decorating pies or cakes, or for thickening sauces and ganache.

How do you moisten cinnamon rolls? ›

How do you make cinnamon rolls soft again? Make cinnamon rolls soft again by adding a little bit of moisture back into them while reheating. You can do this by adding a pat of butter to the top of each roll and covering them with a damp paper towel while reheating in the microwave for about 20 seconds.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Greg O'Connell

Last Updated:

Views: 6199

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (62 voted)

Reviews: 85% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Greg O'Connell

Birthday: 1992-01-10

Address: Suite 517 2436 Jefferey Pass, Shanitaside, UT 27519

Phone: +2614651609714

Job: Education Developer

Hobby: Cooking, Gambling, Pottery, Shooting, Baseball, Singing, Snowboarding

Introduction: My name is Greg O'Connell, I am a delightful, colorful, talented, kind, lively, modern, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.