No-Yeast Cinnamon Roll Recipe
These quick and easy cinnamon rolls are made with baking powder instead of yeast so the dough can go straight from the mixing bowl to the oven. They're easy to make and perfect for beginners!
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour spooned & leveled (250 grams)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (25 grams)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup cold unsalted butter cubed into smaller pieces (57 grams; ½ stick) plus 1 tablespoon for the pan and top of the rolls (13 grams)
- ¾ cup cold whole milk
Filling
- ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar (135 grams)
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled (43 grams)
Vanilla Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar (120 grams)
- 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons whole milk
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- To make the dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the ¼ cup of cold cubed butter and use a pastry cutter to cut it into the dry ingredients until you have small pea-sized pieces of butter. If you don’t have a pastry cutter, you can also use a cheese grater to grate the butter into the dry ingredients. Add the milk and stir just until the dough starts to come together.2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ cup cold unsalted butter, ¾ cup cold whole milk
- Scoop the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and work it together into a ball. Flatten the dough into a rectangle, then use a rolling pin to roll it into a 10x15-inch rectangle.
- To make the filling: In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon.⅔ cup packed light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- Spread the melted butter evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top, leaving a small border uncovered along one of the 15-inch sides. Starting from the opposite 15-inch side, carefully roll the dough into a 15-inch log and pinch the seam to seal. Using a serrated knife (or unwaxed unflavored dental floss), cut the dough into 10 equal-sized pieces. You can also use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into 10 even strips, then roll up each strip of dough into a cinnamon roll.3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter. Use half of the melted butter to grease a 9-inch pie plate or cake pan (I prefer to use a pastry brush for this step).
- Place each cinnamon roll into the pie plate (or cake pan), making sure to leave some room between each one (they will spread while baking!). Brush the remaining half tablespoon of melted butter on top of the cinnamon rolls.
- Bake for 18 to 23 minutes or until the cinnamon rolls are fully baked through and start to lightly brown on the edges. I prefer mine to be a little gooier, so I usually bake them for 20 to 21 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly while you prepare the icing.
- To make the vanilla icing: Add the powdered sugar, 1 ½ tablespoons of milk, and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl and whisk until well combined and no lumps remain. If the icing is too thick, add ½ teaspoon of milk at a time until it’s reached your desired consistency. If the icing is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar to thicken it.1 cup powdered sugar, 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons whole milk, ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pour the icing all over the top of the warm cinnamon rolls and spread it around. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Storage Instructions: These cinnamon rolls are best eaten the same day they're made, but you can cover them tightly and store them at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. I recommend reheating them for 15 to 20 seconds in the microwave before serving.