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Quick 1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls

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Last Updated:February 17, 2023Published:April 13, 2019
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Easy no-rise soft, buttery quick cinnamon rolls made in UNDER ONE HOUR! Yes, you read that. No overnight rise! Made in a 9×13 pan and yielding 12 cinnamon rolls, these make for the perfect weekend treat, special birthday mornings, or neighbor thank you gifts! 

easy 1 hour cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting

I’ve been on a mission to develop the perfect EASY & QUICK cinnamon roll recipe that didn’t 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, I’ve 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…

inside texture of moist and soft easy one hour cinnamon rolls,
Click Here to Pin this Recipe for Later!

What makes these 1 hour cinnamon rolls so perfect?

  1. You can make these quick cinnamon rolls in under an hour, start to finish. Yes that’s 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!
  2. 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.
  3. Although this recipe does require active dry yeast, all the rest of the ingredients are likely ones you have on hand! (Trust me, you’ll start keeping yeast on hand after this!)
9x13 metal pan of unbaked cinnamon roll dough

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 1/4 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
Packet of Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast

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 1/4 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 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast and 1/4 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, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Once combined, start adding in 3 1/2 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 by step collage of how to make cinnamon roll dough

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 1/2 cup softened butter (if straight from fridge, microwave for 30 seconds), 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1/2 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 isn’t 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.

Mixing cinnamon roll filling in bowl. Brown sugar, white sugar, butter, and cinnamon.

Step 4: Roll Out Dough

After 10 minutes, remove cover and place dough on a flour-covered surface (about 1/2 – 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 14×18” rectangle that is 1/4” thick.

How to roll cinnamon roll dough into 14x18 rectangle sheet with rolling pin

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 doesn’t 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 didn’t have the depth of flavor that brown sugar provides. So I use both!

Spreading cinnamon roll filling on sheet of dough

Step 6: Roll Dough into Log

Now it’s time to roll! It’s 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, they’ll be smaller and a bit dinky. You want to roll relatively tight, but not too tight.

Rolling cinnamon rolls starting from short side

Step 7: Cut Dough into 12 Rolls

Once rolled, use a serrated edge knife to slightly “score” 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.

Diagram for cutting cinnamon roll dough into 12 even pieces with serrated edge knife
Cut cinnamon roll swirl

Step 8: Bake

Place cut cinnamon rolls in a greased 9×13 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 9×13 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!

Pan of baked golden 1 hour cinnamon rolls

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!

Bowl of cream cheese frosting

For birthday cinnamon rolls or any celebratory event, add on a few sprinkles because WHY NOT?!

Cinnamon roll with rainbow sprinkles and yay treat toppers
Click Here to Pin this Recipe for Later!

Frequently Asked Questions:

What if I don’t 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 wasn’t great. So I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re OK with the texture being more dense, less “bread-like” and a little gummier. But if it was me, I’d just wait to make these until you pick up a packet of yeast – it’s 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).

Texture of cinnamon roll

Can I freeze cinnamon rolls?

Yes! These freeze beautifully. You can freeze them either of these methods:

  1. 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.
  2. 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 don’t 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.

Click Here to Pin this Recipe for Later!

Quick 1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls

Easy no-rise soft, buttery quick cinnamon rolls made in UNDER ONE HOUR! Made in a 9×13 pan and yielding 12 cinnamon rolls, these make for the perfect weekend treat, special birthday mornings, or neighbor thank you gifts! 

Author: Melissa Rose
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Course: Bread
Category: Breads
Keyword: quick cinnamon rolls, 1 hour cinnamon rolls
Servings: 12
Print this Recipe
4.92 from 118 votes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave us a review

Ingredients

Dough

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter (½ stick)
  • 1 cup milk 1%, 2%, Whole
  • 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast 0.25 ounce packet
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

Filling

  • ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick) slightly softened
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting (see notes below for non-cream cheese option)

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter (½ stick) softened
  • 4 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
US Customary – Metric

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

  1. Be sure to view images in post above for visuals for each step!

  2. Preheat oven to 350°F.

  3. In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt butter for 45 seconds. Pour into a larger, medium-sized bowl. Using that same small bowl you just microwaved the butter in, pour in milk and microwave for 45 seconds. Once done, pour milk in with the butter. Add in yeast and 1/4 cup granulated sugar and stir with a whisk until dissolved. Cover with a clean dish towel or plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes.

  4. Once your dough starter has been sitting for 10 minutes, remove cover and mix in egg, salt, and vanilla. Once combined, start adding in flour, 1 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).

  5. While the dough is proofing, go ahead and mix up the cinnamon filling so it’s ready! To do so, mix together softened butter (if straight from fridge, microwave for 20-30 seconds to soften), brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. 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 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.

  6. After 10 minutes, remove cover and place dough on a flour-covered surface (about 1/2 – 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 14×18” rectangle that is 1/4” thick.

  7. Once rolled, spread on cinnamon sugar mixture, making sure to spread to the outside edges.

  8. Now it’s time to roll! It’s 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, they’ll be smaller and a bit dinky. You want to roll relatively tight, but not too tight. (See images in post above)

  9. Once rolled, use a serrated edge knife to slightly “score” 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.

  10. Place cut cinnamon rolls in a greased 9×13 baking pan and bake at 350°F 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.

To Make Cream Cheese Frosting:

  1. Add butter, 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! (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.

Recipe Notes

Pan Size: You can technically split this into two 9-inch round pans, but I prefer 9×13 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!

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).

Freezer Instructions: See post above for 4 methods for freezing.

Storage: 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?

Cinnamon Roll Icing Without Cream Cheese

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (1/2 stick)
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.

Recipe Video

Nutrition

Nutrition facts per serving (1Roll)
Calories: 473kcal
Fat: 20g
Saturated fat: 12g
Cholesterol: 67mg
Sodium: 248mg
Potassium: 123mg
Carbohydrates: 68g
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 38g
Protein: 7g
Vitamin A: 652%
Calcium: 65%
Iron: 2%

Gift This!

Gift to helpful neighbors by baking in disposable tin & top with a “thank you” gift tag!

Did you make this?
Tag me on Instagram @designeatrepeat or leave a comment below to let me know how it turned out! I love seeing what you’ve made.
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Reader Interactions

142 Comments

  1. Andrea Earle says

    12/31/2021 at 2:17 pm

    5 stars
    Probably the BEST cinnamon roll recipe I’ve ever used. This one is fool proof and so so quick to whip up. The best part…everyone loves them!!! This should be your only cinnamon roll recipe!

    Reply
  2. Jen Camp says

    11/07/2021 at 10:19 am

    5 stars
    I was skeptical….bready, soft cinnamon rolls in one hour? No way….I’ve been making cinnamon rolls thar take hours with double proofing, how could you do this in one hour? But to my surprise they rose nicely in the oven and were soft and fluffy. They were not overly sweet, just right. The dough was easy to work with. I will be keeping this recipe. Perfect to make and serve in the morning.

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      11/07/2021 at 7:00 pm

      Right?! They sound too good to be true, haha! So glad you loved them!

      Reply
  3. Michelle says

    04/25/2021 at 9:20 am

    I love these! I have made them three times and they always turn out perfectly! Delicious, simple, and super quick!! Thanks a million!

    Reply
  4. Ariadna says

    02/01/2021 at 9:50 am

    5 stars
    Best best recipe ever!! They come our soft and tasty! I have made this recipe (even with gluten free flour!) a zillion times and it’s always a non-fail

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      02/01/2021 at 2:23 pm

      Ahhh I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you so much for your feedback & letting me know that GF works, too! I’ve been wanting to test that!

      Reply
  5. Simmons says

    12/26/2020 at 10:08 am

    5 stars
    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! Don’t 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!

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      12/26/2020 at 1:48 pm

      So glad you loved them! The texture is what puts them over the edge for me, too!

      Reply
  6. Bonnie K says

    11/29/2020 at 12:49 pm

    5 stars
    When my 5-year old grandson says ‘they’re TOO good’, I know I’ve found a keeper recipe. They’re delicious and putzy enough to feel homemade. Thank you for doing the heavy lifting and gifting us a cinnamon roll recipe that doesn’t take hours to make but taste like it does. Kudos!

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      11/29/2020 at 8:16 pm

      So glad you all loved them! Your comment and grandson’s review made my day!

      Reply
  7. Jen Dorland says

    08/23/2020 at 3:12 pm

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      08/24/2020 at 11:09 am

      So glad you loved them!

      Reply
  8. Ariadna says

    07/24/2020 at 11:42 am

    5 stars
    Easy, fast, and I even made it with gluten free flour!!!

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      07/26/2020 at 8:34 pm

      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!

      Reply
  9. Tammy says

    05/16/2020 at 1:27 pm

    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

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      05/17/2020 at 11:10 pm

      What were they like? I can help you diagnose the issue if you give me a little insight as to what they looked like.

      Reply
  10. Lauren Haslett says

    04/30/2020 at 3:12 pm

    Do you know if you can use almond milk instead of regular milk for the dough?

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      04/30/2020 at 8:01 pm

      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!

      Reply
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