Easy no-rise soft, buttery quick cinnamon rolls made in UNDER ONE HOUR! Yes, you read that. No overnight rise! Made in a 9x13 pan and yielding 12 cinnamon rolls, these make for the perfect weekend treat, special birthday mornings, or neighbor thank you gifts!

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Iโve been on a mission to develop the perfect EASY & QUICK cinnamon roll recipe that didnโt require overnight rising (in fact, basically no rising at all) and after 8 batches & 2 weeks of me swimming in recipe development, I have finally concocted the perfect, easy and quick cinnamon rolls. If you ever wanted to know how to make yeast cinnamon rolls from scratch, Iโve got the full, step-by-step tutorial here for you below! I mean, just look at that texture and tell me you don't want to devour the entire pan right this second...
What makes these 1 hour cinnamon rolls so perfect?
- You can make these quick cinnamon rolls in under an hour, start to finish. Yes thatโs right; wake up at 9am and be devouring warm cinnamon rolls by 10am! No need to prep ahead of time or make the night before!
- They have a super soft, buttery, yet perfectly-stretchy bread texture that rivals the bakery or cinnabon. The texture (aside from flavor of course!) was my top priority and these are spot on, if I say so myself.
- Although this recipe does require active dry yeast, all the rest of the ingredients are likely ones you have on hand! (Trust me, youโll start keeping yeast on hand after this!)
What You Need to Make One Hour Quick Cinnamon Rolls:
This is just an overview, click here to jump down to full recipe card for the recipe amounts and condensed, printable recipe instructions.
- Unsalted butter
- Milk (1%, 2%, Whole)
- 2 ยผ teaspoons active dry yeast *(0.25oz packet, see photo below)
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar
- Egg
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Vanilla Extract
- All-Purpose Flour
- + Cream Cheese Frosting: Cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt
How to Make One Hour Quick Cinnamon Rolls:
This is just an overview, click here to jump down to full recipe card for the recipe amounts and condensed printable recipe instructions.
Step 1: Start Dough Mixture & Let Sit for 10 Minutes
In a small microwave safe bowl, melt ยผ cup unsalted butter for 45 seconds. Pour into a larger, medium-sized bowl. Using that same bowl you just microwaved the butter in, pour in 1 cup milk and microwave that for 45 seconds. Once done, pour that in with the melted butter. Add in 2 ยผ teaspoons dry active yeast and ยผ cup granulated sugar and stir with a whisk until combined. Cover with a clean dish towel or plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes, or until foamy.
Tip: If your yeast mixture doesn't foam after about 20 minutes, your yeast was likely dead and you need to restart with fresh yeast.
Step 2: Add Flour Mixture
Once your dough starter has been sitting for 10 minutes and has a layer of foam on top (see image 1) remove cover and mix in 1 egg, ยฝ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Once combined, start adding in 3 ยฝ cups all-purpose flour, one cup at a time. You should be able to mix this with a spatula until you get to the end of adding the flour. At that point, you will need to use your hands. Keeping the dough in the bowl, gently form it into a ball. If dough is sticky, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of flour to the outside. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes.
Step 3: Mix Cinnamon Roll Filling
While the dough is proofing for 10 minutes, go ahead and mix up the cinnamon filling so it's ready! To do so, mix together ยฝ cup softened butter (if straight from fridge, microwave for 30 seconds), ยฝ cup light brown sugar, ยฝ cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. As long as your butter is soft enough, this can easily be mixed by hand with a spatula. If your butter isnโt mixing well, you can use a mixer to whip it all together. Set aside.
Tip: You don't want your butter to be super melted (just a little is okay!) or the filling will be more likely to seep through the bottom of the pan and crystallize.
Step 4: Roll Out Dough
After 10 minutes, remove cover and place dough on a flour-covered surface (about ยฝ - 1 tablespoon flour). I prefer taping down a piece of parchment to my counter, but you can also roll directly on a clean countertop. Sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough and on the rolling pin, then roll the dough until it is approximately a 14x18โ rectangle that is ยผโ thick.
Step 5: Spread on Filling
Once rolled, spread on cinnamon sugar mixture making sure to spread to the outside edges.
Tip: I like using a mixture of both white & brown sugar as I feel it has the best flavor and doesnโt get too sticky. I tested this with only brown sugar and felt it was too gritty & sticky, while the all-white sugar was too sweet and didnโt have the depth of flavor that brown sugar provides. So I use both!
Step 6: Roll Dough into Log
Now itโs time to roll! Itโs important to roll vertically (i.e. start rolling at a SHORT side) so that your cinnamon rolls are nice & thick and so you can yield 12. If you roll it the other way, theyโll be smaller and a bit dinky. You want to roll relatively tight, but not too tight.
Step 7: Cut Dough into 12 Rolls
Once rolled, use a serrated edge knife to slightly โscoreโ the tops so you know where to cut. Start in the center, then add slits in the center of those and then divide each of those sections into two parts. I know that sounds confusing, so just look at the picture below!
Tip: Using a serrated edge knife and cutting slowly in a sawing motion is important, as a normal knife will likely squish the dough.
Step 8: Bake
Place cut cinnamon rolls in a greased 9x13 baking pan and bake for 24-26 minutes until the tops are slightly golden brown. Allow to cool for a bit (10-15 minutes) before adding frosting to prevent the frosting from totally melting. If you plan to eat them later, wait to frost until they're cooled for a prettier frosting presentation.
Tip: You can technically split this into two 9-inch round pans, but I prefer 9x13 because you'll get more soft rolls (as the round pan exposes more edges and the edges will be a little harder). I don't know about you, but the center rolls are the best ones!
Step 9: Top with Cream Cheese Frosting
To make cinnamon roll icing: add softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt to a medium-sized bowl and use a hand or stand mixer to mix until combined and smooth (about 30-60 seconds). Slather on warm cinnamon rolls and enjoy!
For birthday cinnamon rolls or any celebratory event, add on a few sprinkles because WHY NOT?!
Scavenger Hunt Answer
We're hosting a scavenger hunt on Instagram to celebrate the launch of my cookbook!
Answer: (must type this phrase into the box!): "NOOVERNIGHTRISE"
Frequently Asked Questions:
What if I donโt have yeast? Can I substitute something else? Is there a way to make these "no yeast cinnamon rolls'?
I tested these with 1 tablespoon of baking powder instead of the yeast and while they did puff up a bit, the texture wasnโt great. So I wouldnโt recommend it unless youโre OK with the texture being more dense, less โbread-likeโ and a little gummier. But if it was me, Iโd just wait to make these until you pick up a packet of yeast - itโs worth it! (If you do add this, skip the first 10 minute proof and add baking powder at the same time as the flour.)
Can I use water instead of milk?
The milk definitely gives the rolls a more moist, stretchy, and perfect bread texture. Water will work, the texture will just be a little different. So I definitely recommend using milk when you can! Using 1%, 2% or whole milk is best (or even buttermilk!), as we want a little fat in there that skim milk doesn't offer.
Can I make these the night before?
You can, although they will end up being much puffier than what these photos show (which can sometimes mean they bake faster & are more airy & therefore crunchy). To make the night before: prep the recipe up until baking, cover the pan with a clean cloth or plastic wrap, and let sit out overnight until ready to bake (no refrigeration needed).
Can I freeze cinnamon rolls?
Yes! These freeze beautifully. You can freeze them using any of these methods:
- Freeze Unfrosted, Baked Cinnamon Rolls: Bake, allow to completely cool, thoroughly wrap with plastic wrap, then freeze the entire pan (unfrosted). When ready to serve, allow to thaw to room temperature then place pan in oven (covered with foil) at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes to warm up. Allow to slightly cool before adding frosting.
- Freeze Frosted, Baked Cinnamon Rolls: You can also freeze after frosting, just be aware that the frosting is going to melt down when you warm them back up. Not a bad thing if you donโt care about presentation! * If using this method, I recommend removing the rolls from the pan and using the defrost function on your microwave. Defrost in 30 second increments until thawed, then switch to the normal microwave mode to heat for 20-30 seconds until warm.
- Freeze Cinnamon Rolls Before Baking: After slicing dough and placing in pan, wrap the entire pan thoroughly in plastic wrap. When ready to bake, thaw completely to room temperature (1-2 hours), then bake. Since the rolls will likely raise a bit when thawing, you will likely need to cut baking time down to about 18-22 minutes. If you don't want to freeze them in the pan, you can just freeze the rolls in the pan for 2-3 hours until they're frozen & hard then transfer the frozen rolls in a freezer ziploc bag.
- Freeze Baked Individual Cinnamon Rolls: After baking, cooling and frosting, wrap each cinnamon roll individually (in plastic wrap or a freezer ziplock bag). When ready to eat, reheat cinnamon rolls in microwave for 20-30 seconds until warm. Again, frosting is going to get messy here but this is a great thing to send back with college kids for a quick treat!
How to keep homemade cinnamon rolls fresh?
For the freshest rolls, cover pan with plastic wrap or place in plastic bag for 1-2 days. If the rolls are frosted and you don't enjoy them immediately (like within 2-3 hours), cover and place in fridge. But really, do cinnamon rolls ever last that long?
Do you have a cinnamon roll frosting without cream cheese?
Yes! See the notes section below for an alternative cinnamon roll icing without cream cheese. I personally prefer the cream cheese one, but this one is good if you like a sweeter, sugary icing.
Quick 1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Dough
- ยผ cup unsalted butter (ยฝ stick)
- 1 cup milk 1%, 2%, Whole
- 2 ยผ tsp active dry yeast (1)0.25 ounce packet
- ยผ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ยฝ cups all-purpose flour
Filling
- ยฝ cup unsalted butter (1 stick) slightly softened
- ยฝ cup light brown sugar
- ยฝ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting (see notes below for non-cream cheese option)
- ยผ cup unsalted butter (ยฝ stick) softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 ยฝ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Before you begin! If you make this, will you do me a huge favor and leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe? This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Instructions
- Be sure to view images in post above for visuals for each step!
- Preheat oven to 350ยฐF.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt unsalted butter (ยผ cup, i.e. ยฝ stick) for 45 seconds. Pour into a larger, medium-sized bowl. Using that same small bowl you just microwaved the butter in, pour in milk (1 cup) and microwave for 45 seconds. Once done, pour milk in with the butter. Add in active dry yeast (2ยผ teaspoons, i.e. 1 packet) and granulated sugar (ยผ cup); stir with a whisk until dissolved. Cover with a clean dish towel or plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Once your dough starter has been sitting for 10 minutes, remove cover and mix in egg (1 large), salt (ยฝ teaspoon), and vanilla extract (1 teaspoon).ย Once combined, start adding in all-purpose flour (3ยฝ cups total), one cup at a time. You should be able to mix this with a spatula until you get to the end of adding the flour. At that point, you will need to use your hands. Keeping the dough in the bowl, gently form it into a ball. If dough is sticky, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of flour to the outside. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes (while waiting, proceed to next step to make filling).
- While the dough is proofing, go ahead and mix up the cinnamon filling so itโs ready! To do so, mix together softened unsalted butter* (ยฝ cup, i.e. 1 stick), light brown sugar (ยฝ cup), granulated sugar (ยฝ cup), cinnamon (2 tablespoons), and vanilla extract (1 teaspoon). As long as your butter is soft enough, this can easily be mixed by hand with a spatula. If your butter is too cold and isn't mixing well, you can use a mixer to whip it all together. Set aside.Tip: You donโt want your butter to be super melted (just a little is okay!) or the filling will be more likely to seep through the bottom of the pan and crystallize.*If your butter is straight from fridge, microwave for 20-30 seconds to soften.
- After 10 minutes, remove cover and place dough on a flour-covered surface (about ยฝ โ 1 tablespoon flour). I prefer taping down a piece of parchment to my counter, but you can also roll directly on a clean countertop. Sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough and on the rolling pin, then roll the dough until it is approximately a 14ร18โ rectangle that is ยผโ thick.
- Once rolled, spread on cinnamon sugar mixture, making sure to spread to the outside edges.
- Now itโs time to roll! Itโs important to roll vertically (i.e. start rolling at a SHORT side) so that your cinnamon rolls are nice & thick and so you can yield 12. If you roll it the other way, theyโll be smaller and a bit dinky. You want to roll relatively tight, but not too tight. (See images in post above)
- Once rolled, use a serrated edge knife to slightly โscoreโ the tops so you know where to cut. Start in the center, then add slits in the center of those and then divide each of those sections into two parts. (See images in post above for a visual.)Tip: Using a serrated edge knife and cutting slowly in a sawing motion is important, as a normal knife will likely squish the dough.
- Place cut cinnamon rolls in a greased 9ร13 baking pan and bake at 350ยฐF for 24-26 minutes until the tops are slightly golden brown. Allow to cool for a bit (10-15 minutes) before adding frosting to prevent the frosting from totally melting. If you plan to eat them later, wait to frost until theyโre cooled for a prettier frosting presentation.
To Make Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Add softened unsalted butter (ยผ cup, i.e. ยฝ stick), softened cream cheese (4-ounces), powdered sugar (1 ยฝ cups), vanilla extract (1 teaspoon), and a pinch of salt to a medium-sized bowl and use a hand or stand mixer to mix until combined and smooth (about 30-60 seconds). Slather on warm cinnamon rolls and enjoy! (See notes below for a cinnamon roll frosting recipe without cream cheese.)
Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe! This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Video
Notes
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-4 T. milk (add 1 tablespoon at a time until it's the consistency you want)
Pinch of salt Add butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt to a medium-sized bowl and use a hand or stand mixer to mix until combined and smooth (about 30-60 seconds). Add milk, one tablespoon at a time, until it's the consistency you desire.
Simmons says
These are heavenly! I made these Christmas Day and everyone loved them! The texture and flavor rivals any Cinnabon or bakery! MAKE THESE!!! Trust me! They will be your new favorite. Super easy! Donโt settle for the canned ones that taste like a sweet biscuit. Thank you for this quick and super yummy recipe! I will be making another pan of them today!
Melissa says
So glad you loved them! The texture is what puts them over the edge for me, too!
Bonnie K says
When my 5-year old grandson says โtheyโre TOO goodโ, I know Iโve found a keeper recipe. Theyโre delicious and putzy enough to feel homemade. Thank you for doing the heavy lifting and gifting us a cinnamon roll recipe that doesnโt take hours to make but taste like it does. Kudos!
Melissa says
So glad you all loved them! Your comment and grandson's review made my day!
Jen Dorland says
Thank you for this amazing recipe! Yummy!! Took me a little over an hour but so easy and my family devoured them. I will be making these again!
Melissa says
So glad you loved them!
Ariadna says
Easy, fast, and I even made it with gluten free flour!!!
Melissa says
Ohh I'm so glad you made them with GF and they turned out! What brand did you use and was it the kind with xantham gum? I'd love to know what worked for you!
Tammy says
I tried to make the cinnamon rolls this morning but for some reason they didn't come out right. I'm not sure what I did wrong
Melissa says
What were they like? I can help you diagnose the issue if you give me a little insight as to what they looked like.
Lauren Haslett says
Do you know if you can use almond milk instead of regular milk for the dough?
Melissa says
I can't say for sure but I think it would work OK. The texture might just be a little different. When I was creating this recipe I had tested with water instead of milk and it "worked" but didn't have as great of a texture.
If you try it, be sure to report back!
Heather says
Delicious!
Katelyn says
So delicious! Can't believe they take so little time!
Laura says
So yummy!!!
Brittany says
How would I substitute and use instant yeast, if possible? I've made these with active yeast and they were delicious! Now all I have left is instant yeast and I'm afraid they wont turn out!
Melissa says
Hey! Iโve had a few people say they used instant and it worked fine, so you should be good! I think the texture will just be a tiny bit more bready but shouldnโt affect it much!
Laura says
I made these today and they were amazing! Iโm not a baker at all, but your instructions were so easy to follow and they turned out so good!
Also I only had half a cup of milk, so I used a quarter cup of half and half and a quarter cup of almond milk and it worked great :) just FYI to anyone else trying to improvise!
Melissa says
I'm so glad you love them! They are quite dangerous once you realize how quick they can be whipped up ;)
Thanks for leaving that substitution tip for others!
Amy says
Yummy and very doable recipe! I've always been a little afraid of making cinnamon rolls and have made them from other recipes in the past and they've flopped, but these turned out great! Also if you happen to proof your dough for longer than 10 minutes....like over an hour...they will still turn out! I left on a grocery store run that got a little long and forgot about my dough! ha ha
Beth says
Let me start off by saying Iโm not really a fan of breakfast foods or sweets in general. I never have been. But these cinnamon rolls might have proved me wrong! The texture and taste were both so so good! Definitely will make again!
Ceymone says
im not usually a huge cinnamon roll fan, but these are amazing. The texture and flavour is incredible. Theyโre so easy to make.
Alissa says
FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING I HAVE BEEN DYING FOR THIS RECIPE! True story, two years ago I decided to make cinnamon rolls for all 20 people in our family. I didn't realize there was a DOUBLE rise so I literally worked on those things till 3 am and I was SO done!
The Adored Life
Lisa P says
This is such a great recipe! I was getting everything out when I discovered I only had buttermilk - but it worked and these were so good! I think it may have slowed my yeast a little, but a couple extra minutes to bloom was all it took. Tender and sweet and so fast!
Thanks for the (almost) instant gratification!