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, mouth-watering no yeast required cinnamon rolls!
I am dying over this recipe! See, 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?
They exists, my friends. They exist! And here’s how you make ’em: Start by combining the cinnamon roll filling ingredients: brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt & butter.
Mix it up.
In a separate, larger bowl, combine flour, more sugar & salt, plus the leavening agents that let us ditch that pesky yeast.
Baking powder and baking soda. Booyah.
Whisk together more butter with buttermilk, then pour the mixture into the dry ingredients.
Stir with a stiff spoon or spatula juuuuuust until the dough comes together. If you over-mix, you will have hard cinnamon rolls. Then, to quote Dave & Sarah, everyone will laugh at you. And we can’t have that.
Gently kneed the dough into a ball, then divide into two halves.
Turn each half onto a flat, floured surface, then press on half the filling mixture.
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.
Slice, slice, baby!
Oh yeah!
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″ pans. MAKE SURE YOU GREASE THEM FIRST! If you don’t, you’ll be sorry! Now pop those puppies in a piping hot oven.
In the quick 15 minutes they take to bake, whip up some cream cheese icing.
Mash together powdered sugar and cream cheese with a fork, then drizzle in buttermilk and whisk until smooth.
Next take those GORGEOUS, bubbly, golden-brown rolls out of the oven, (ahhh!)
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…
Then breeeeeathe in the Heavenly, sweet aroma that’s swirling around your kitchen.
Now ice, ice,
BABY!
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No Yeast Required Cinnamon Rolls
Description
No Yeast Required Cinnamon Rolls are pillowy and sweet, and require no yeast to make them!Â
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:
- 3oz 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
From In Jennie's Kitchen
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
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!
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!
Ok, ok – bakers – please don’t get angry with me. There is definitely something to be said about baking with yeast. It’s very rewarding, and I’m not giving it up for good (I still need to try and make homemade bread!) it’s just that – if you don’t have a machine or anything, it takes time.
So if you get a craving for warm, fresh cinnamon rolls that needs to be squashed NOW, then you need to make these!
~~~~~
Do you prefer to cook or bake (or just eat!)?
I think I get more tickled about baking – as in seeing something look one way when it goes into the oven and seeing it transformed into something completely different when it comes out – but I love the fun of being able to throw this, that and the other into a pan without having to measure, and calling it dinner!
Nancy Nordick 02.16.2020
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?
Angela 12.22.2019
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!
Kristin 01.05.2020
Ohhh, so good to know!! I’m going to try it – thanks Angela!!
Jennie 12.21.2019
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
Rebeca 03.12.2019
Baking powder has aluminum, not good for you
Nikki 02.04.2022
Aluminum-free baking powder is available in most grocery stores.
celi 03.12.2019
I accidentally doubled the baking soda, AND i wayy overmixed it – and these still came out PERFECT! Better than cinnabon! Thank you so much ♥ the family showered me with compliments!
Kristin 03.12.2019
YAY! That is great to hear, Celi! So glad they worked out for you! :)
G.A. Vaughn 03.07.2019
I’ve made this recipe several times now and not only are the directions easy to follow, the rolls are delicious. This recipe is a keeper!
Kellie 01.13.2019
I was in the mood to bake some cinnamon rolls and realized I was out of yeast :/ but looked on pintrest for yeast free rolls and your recipe came up, and I decided to try it and they are absolutely delicious!
G.A. Vaughn 01.10.2019
This is a wonderful recipe! I made 4 batches of these for Christmas gifts, & received rave reviews from each recipient! Delicious, quick, & easy recipe to follow.
audrey 12.22.2018
can you make these with wheat flour?
Sheila 10.12.2018
Had just barely enough of ingredients to half the recipe. Haven’t tasted yet (still warm), but pretty easy to make.
Becky 09.29.2018
Hello….these buns look yummy…would they be OK if they were made the night before so they are ready to bake the following morning?
Kristi Tripp 08.18.2018
I made these for my kids this morning and they absolutely loved them. Thank you for the recipe.
Gdhdndnx 06.29.2018
Amazing!!!!!! I gust added a cup more flower and the dough was awesome. I did not make glaze but it was still amazing!
Carrie 04.01.2018
These are AMAZING! Made them as our Easter breakfast and we will definitely have them sooner than the next holiday! Simple, quick yet oh sooooo yummy!
Teresa Hutcheson 01.09.2018
Delicious! I made these for the kids. Followed the recipe as is only I didn’t have buttermilk but I didn’t let that stop me. I substituted with 1 C. Milk heated in microwave for 30 seconds and then added 1 T. Of lemon juice and allowed it to sit 5 minutes before whisking and adding to the recipe. Thank you for this amazing recipe.
Kristin 01.09.2018
Yeah!! So excited it worked for you Teresa! I’ve always wanted to try that buttermilk swap, so glad to hear it works in this recipe. Thanks for your feedback!
Susie Bohne 12.30.2017
No time to research comments for answer to my question: Can these be refrigerated 24 hours in the pan before baking? Thanks!
Bethany Peake 11.19.2017
Gonna make this today a trick ive done in the past is use floss to make ninja precision cuts w/o messing up the dough and filling. All you do is slide it under log, criss cross the floss and pull. Cant wait to eat these babies!
Thanksgiving Recipes: Carbs, Carbs, and More Carbs 11.07.2017
[…] with something to eat that’s warm, gooey, and dripping with sugar. I usually make these no-yeast cinnamon rolls because they come together really quickly and they taste darn good. Although I think I’m […]
Michelle 10.01.2017
I used your dough recipe to make fig prosciutto rolls for a party and it was wonderful! The dough rose beautifully in the oven and was sturdy enough to handle savory filling. Thanks!
Kristin 10.02.2017
Yum, that sounds *awesome*!! Thanks so much for leaving your feedback!
Desire 07.28.2017
Cinnamon roll receipe