No Yeast Required Cinnamon Rolls are pillowy, sweet, and require no yeast to make them! Easy, tender, and so satisfying.

no yeast cinnamon roll on a plate

Today I spent a grey and drizzly afternoon whipping up a recipe from In Jennie’s Kitchen that’s been burning a hole in my back pocket for a few weeks now — dense, gooey, mouthwatering no yeast required cinnamon rolls!

pan of no yeast cinnamon rolls

I am obsessed over this recipe! I’ve baked with yeast several times in the past year, and the recipes have turned out well, more or less, but sometimes I just don’t have the time or patience to deal with it, ya’ know?

Homemade cinnamon rolls without the hassle of making sure the milk’s the right temperature? The yeast is activating? The dough has doubled in size?

cinnamon roll on a plte

They exists, my friends, and here’s how you make them:

Start by combining the cinnamon roll filling ingredients in a medium-size mixing bowl: brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt & butter.

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Mix it up with s whisk until combined.

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In a larger bowl, combine flour, more sugar, and salt, plus the leavening agents that let us ditch that pesky yeast.

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Baking powder and baking soda.

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Whisk together more butter with buttermilk, then pour the mixture into the dry ingredients.

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Stir with a stiff spoon or spatula just until the dough comes together. If you over-mix, you will have hard cinnamon rolls, and we can’t have that.

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Gently knead the dough into a ball, then divide into two halves.

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Turn each half onto a flat, floured surface, then press on half the filling mixture.

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Roll the dough up like a log, then pinch the top seam shut. This is the part where I noticed the biggest difference between a yeast-required vs. non-yeast-required cinnamon roll dough. This dough is MUCH easier to handle. Not as sticky, and more firm.

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Slice, slice, baby!

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Oh yeah!

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The recipe says to place the cinnamon rolls into a greased 11×8″ pan. I seemed to have misplaced mine sometime in the last month, so I spit the rolls between 8×8″ and 6×4″ non stick sprayed pans. Now pop those puppies in a piping hot oven.

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In the quick 15 minutes they take to bake, whip up some cream cheese icing.

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Mash together powdered sugar and cream cheese with a fork, then drizzle in buttermilk and whisk until smooth.

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Next take those GORGEOUS, bubbly, golden-brown rolls out of the oven, (ahhh!)

no yeast cinnamon rolls

and pretend you live in a world where Grandmas still place hot pies on their windowsills to cool. Place yours on a wooden stool in front of the open back-porch door instead…

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Then breeeeeathe in the Heavenly, sweet aroma that’s swirling around your kitchen.

baked cinnamon rolls

Now spread the cream cheese icing over the top and spread into an even layer.

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I can’t remember the last time I was this excited about a recipe! I just can’t get over how much easier these were than cinnamon rolls made with yeast-required dough. So rich and scrumptious too!

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Here are the differences between yeast-required & no yeast-required cinnamon rolls, in my experience/opinion:

  • No yeast dough is much more firm and cooperative than sticky, yeast-required dough – which makes it much easier to handle, roll out and cut.
  • The texture of a baked no yeast roll is more dense than a yeast-required roll. Not better or worse, just different. Allllmost like a heavy pancake?!
  • I saved HOURS in the kitchen by ditching the yeast!

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Now YES, there is definitely something to be said about baking with yeast. It’s very rewarding, and I’m not giving it up for good.

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BUT, if you get a craving for warm, fresh cinnamon rolls that needs to be squashed NOW, then you need to make these!

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No Yeast Required Cinnamon Rolls

4.9 from 14 votes

by Kristin Porter

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Servings: 16 rolls
No Yeast Required Cinnamon Rolls are pillowy, sweet, and require no yeast to make them! Easy, tender, and so satisfying.

Ingredients

For the Cinnamon Filling:

  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tablespoons butter, melted

For the Cinnamon Roll Dough:

  • 2-1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 5 Tablespoons butter, melted and divided

For the Icing:

  • 3 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 4 Tablespoons buttermilk
  • 1 cup powdered sugar

Directions 

  • Preheat oven to 425. Combine filling ingredients in a small bowl, then mix with a fork until well blended.
  • In a another, larger bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together buttermilk and 4 Tablespoons melted butter in a separate bowl, then pour into the middle of the dry ingredients. Stir together until dough just comes together (do not overmix.) Kneed slightly with your hands until the dough forms into a ball, then slice it in half.
  • On a lightly floured surface, roll each half into a 12x8" rectangle (think slightly longer than a sheet of paper.) Press half the filling mixture into the center, leaving 1/4" of the dough clear on all 4 sides, then roll like a sausage. Pinch together seam, trim ends and cut into 8 slices. Repeat with the other dough half, then place rolls in a non-stick sprayed 11x8" pan, or an 8x8 and 6x4" pan. Brush cinnamon rolls with remaining Tablespoon of melted butter and bake for 15 minutes, or until tops are golden brown.
  • Meanwhile, to make the icing, mash together softened cream cheese and powdered sugar with a fork until smooth. Whisk in buttermilk, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until creamy. Drizzle onto hot cinnamon rolls and spread evenly.

Notes

Nutrition

Calories: 251kcal, Carbohydrates: 44g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 21mg, Sodium: 299mg, Potassium: 71mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 28g, Vitamin A: 257IU, Vitamin C: 0.02mg, Calcium: 67mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.

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196 Comments

  1. Jaime says:

    Can I make these with gluten free flour?

  2. Amanda Lessard says:

    This recipe was awful. The dough was sticky and stayed sticky. I followed the directions as you wrote them. They didnt rize they just flopped in the oven and turned into mush. Very disappointing.

  3. Bryan says:

    5 stars
    These were AMAZING! Best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever eaten, actually.

  4. lori barnes says:

    Have you made homemade chocolate chip cookies in your air fryer? I have a power XL 1700

  5. Rebecca says:

    My sister and I are seasoned bakers and we tried this recipe. Worst recipe. Ever. The dough was too dry and there was nothing fluffy, gooey or moist or anything good about them. Horrible recipe.

    1. Kristin says:

      I haven’t received similar feedback once in the past ten years. I’d check your measurements. Hope that helps!

    2. Bryan says:

      I just made these last week and they were phenomenal. Seriously. Maybe it was user error?

  6. nailah says:

    5 stars
    i made these today at 9 30 am and it only took me an hour to do these , while I was on a zoom call for school !! thanks so much

  7. Patricia Holden says:

    Can you use regular milk in this recipe? Thank you.

  8. Shelly Marie Coito says:

    Have you ever tried the no yeast cinnamon roll recipe with the 1 to 1 flour?

  9. Carrie says:

    So glad you have this recipe! I was going to make my normal GF recipe for Easter (it’s similar to your yeast Cinnamon Roll recipe) , but I don’t keep yeast in hand because I don’t use it often. Went to the store today and they’re out! I’m a HS librarian and one of my students was stocking the shelves. He told me EVERYONE has decided they want to make homemade bread while they’re home during the pandemic. I just need ONE packet!!! Anyway, I’m sure these are tasty (although probably not as good as my normal ones that RISE), because you always deliver great recipes. Happy Easter!!

  10. Nancy Nordick says:

    Our church serves rolls and coffee and it’s my turn again. I want to try your recipe………after 18 years of failing at yeast rolls, I need to be a success…. AND after 18 years of failure, I found out I am not the only one.
    I need to take two 13×9 pans, what would you recommend as far as pan sizes? (I have a 13 x9 and two 8.8 pans).
    Also we have early MASS (8am) – means I need to make these on Saturday. Will they stay fresh if I make them Saturday afternoon?

  11. Angela says:

    5 stars
    I made these using gluten-free flour, and they were REMARKABLE! My son has never had cinnamon rolls before, and he said, “Mom, these taste like Christmas!” Thank you for sharing this!

    1. Kristin says:

      Ohhh, so good to know!! I’m going to try it – thanks Angela!!

  12. Jennie says:

    Have you tried using Bobs red mill 1 for 1 gluten free flour With this? I’m tempted to try it. Since yeast and I never quite seem to work out lol

  13. Rebeca says:

    Baking powder has aluminum, not good for you

    1. Nikki says:

      Aluminum-free baking powder is available in most grocery stores.