Total 1 hour 30 minutes
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Make easy cinnamon rolls from scratch in under 90 minutes with my quick-rise dough baked to fluffy, gooey perfection and drizzled with delicious glaze!
I tested this recipe countless times before sharing it here, and my reader reviews speak for themselves. I've included what I think are the most essential tips for yeast dough beginners to ensure your success.
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Why you'll love instant yeast cinnamon rolls
These quick-rise homemade cinnamon rolls are a delicious twist on the classic treat. They reduce rising time and yield fluffy, delectable perfection in 90 minutes that's mostly hands-off! They can also be made vegan by swapping two simple ingredients with two other simple ingredients—and you won't believe the results!
The instant yeast method for this cinnamon roll recipe, along with the option to wow your vegan friends, makes it family-loved, holiday-friendly, and puts beginner bakers at ease on the first try.
A few facts about this cinnamon roll recipe
- Only one rise: Since you're using rapid-rise yeast, this recipe allows you to mix the dough, briefly rest it, roll it out, assemble cinnamon rolls, rise, and bake. So, you can skip the bulk fermentation!
- Always fluffy and delicious: Despite the speedy prep time and lack of first rise, these cinnamon rolls are unbelievably soft and fluffy with the classic cinnamon-sugar decadence you crave.
- Simple pantry ingredients: You'll be amazed at how eight of the simplest ingredients create an irresistible cinnamon roll. It's convenient and budget-friendly.
- Vegan-friendly: Even if you use this recipe as a vegan option, these rolls are so pillowy and perfect that no one will believe they're plant-based!
Ingredients
- Milk: Any kind of milk will add moisture and flavor to cinnamon roll dough. You can use plant-based or dairy milk for this recipe. I prefer to use almond milk because I always have it on hand.
- Flour: This recipe calls for all-purpose flour for the dough base. You can use bread flour in equal amounts, but you can expect less fluffy results.
- Sugar: This sweetens the dough and aids the yeast in fermentation (rising). I use granulated sugar to preserve the light color of the dough.
- Instant Yeast: Also called rapid-rise yeast or quick-rise yeast. This leavening agent makes this a quick and easy cinnamon roll recipe because it allows you to skip the first rise required from active dry yeast.
- Sea Salt: Enhances and balances the ingredient flavors.
- Fat (Use butter or coconut oil): Any fat will add moisture and tenderness to the dough. You'll want to soften the butter or melt the coconut oil as indicated in the recipe.
- Light Brown Sugar: This creates that familiar gooey caramel filling when combined with coconut oil and cinnamon, adding sweetness and richness to the rolls.
- Cinnamon: This provides the classic warm and spicy flavor that's characteristic of cinnamon rolls, adding depth and aroma to the filling – and to your home.
- Optional: Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the cinnamon roll dough for a more complex flavor profile.
How to make quick cinnamon rolls
Here is a summary of steps with timing so you know exactly what happens and when. The recipe card below provides detailed instructions.
- Gather and mix flour, sugar, yeast, salt, warmed milk, and butter or oil to form shaggy dough. (5 minutes)
- Knead the dough until smooth. (5 minutes)
- Cover and rest the dough. (10 minutes)
- Roll the dough into a rectangle, brush with oil or butter, and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. (5 minutes)
- Roll the dough into a log shape, trim the ends, cut the dough into 12 pieces, and arrange in a prepared baking dish. (5 minutes)
- Let the rolls rise until they double in size. (30 - 45 minutes)
- Bake the cinnamon rolls. (25 minutes)
- Cool the rolls briefly. Make the glaze, and drizzle it over the rolls. (10 minutes)
- Devour!
Cinnamon roll dough tips
- Type of yeast: The recipe instructions are specific to instant yeast. Active dry yeast can be used in equal amounts, but you'll need to first bloom the yeast in water that's heated to 110°F, and allow a first full rise after kneading.
- Liquid temperature: Warm the milk to 120-130°F using a quick-read thermometer to ensure proper yeast activation and effective rising.
- Mixing and kneading: A bowl, spoon, and your hands are all you need to mix and knead your dough. You can also use a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook on low speed.
- Proofing tip: For fluffy cinnamon rolls, ensure that the rolled, cut dough pieces double in size before baking, ideally around 80°F. You can turn your oven into a proofing box by preheating it to 200°F, turning it off, and placing the covered rolls inside for efficient rising.
- Bakeware tip: I recommend using metal or aluminum bakeware for more efficient heat distribution. When using glass bakeware, bake at 325 for 35 minutes.
Serving tips
- Glazing the rolls: To avoid melting the glaze, drizzle it over the rolls while they're warm, or even room temperature, but not hot. You can use this glaze in place of the frosting on my pumpkin bars recipe.
- Serving tip: Reheat leftover cinnamon rolls before serving, especially if using coconut oil because it solidifies at room temperature. The 30-second microwave interval is your friend.
More brunch recipes
- Banana Muffins
- Homemade Granola
- Orange Olive Oil Cake with Chocolate Ganache
- Cranberry Walnut Bread
- Steel Cut Oatmeal
- Banana Bread
- Crustless Quiche
📖 Recipe
Quick Cinnamon Roll Recipe
Make easy cinnamon rolls from scratch in 90 minutes with my quick-rise dough baked to fluffy gooey perfection and drizzled with delicious glaze!
Yield 12
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Video
Note about scaling
When scaling (2x or 3x), the light gray ingredient amount doesn’t scale. Please adjust those accordingly.
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 Cup Milk, any variety
- ¼ cup Butter or Coconut Oil, melted and cooled
- 3 cups All Purpose Flour (plus more for mixing), approx 400g *see footnote
- ¼ cup Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1 (.25 oz) packet Instant Yeast (aka Rapid Rise or Quick Rise), or 2 ¼ teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
Filling
- ¼ cup (softened) Butter or (melted) Coconut Oil
- ½ cup Brown Sugar, or more as desired
- 1 tablespoon Cinnamon
Glaze
- 2 cups (228 g) Powdered Sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons Milk (I use almond milk)
Instructions
- Warm the MILK to 120–130°F to activate the INSTANT YEAST. (If using ACTIVE DRY YEAST, see notes.) Coat a 13×9-inch pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- Combine the FLOUR (reserve ¼ cup for kneading), SUGAR, YEAST, SALT, MILK, and BUTTER/OIL in a bowl. Stir until a shaggy dough forms — it should look a little messy but come together easily.
- Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface or in a stand mixer on low for about 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Sprinkle in reserved FLOUR as needed to prevent sticking, but keep the dough soft, not dry.
- Cover and rest the dough for 10 minutes. This quick rest replaces the long first rise in traditional recipes.
- Roll the dough on a floured surface into an 18×12-inch rectangle.
- Brush with BUTTER or OIL, then sprinkle BROWN SUGAR and CINNAMON evenly over the surface.
- Roll the dough tightly from the long side into a log. Use dental floss (or a sharp knife) to cut into 12 rolls. If the ends are uneven, trim them off.
- Place the ROLLS cut side up in the prepared pan. Cover loosely and let rise in a warm spot for 30–45 minutes until doubled in size.
- During the rise, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Cool the ROLLS for 10 minutes on a rack.
- To make the glaze, whisk together the POWDERED SUGAR and MILK until smooth, then drizzle or spread over warm rolls. Serve and enjoy!
Did you make this? We'd love your feedback!!Please rate and review it here or below ⤵️
Recipe Notes
* If using active dry yeast: First bloom the yeast in 110°F water. After kneading, let the dough fully proof before shaping. This turns your cinnamon rolls into a traditional recipe, not a "quick rise" version.
* Measuring flour weight vs. volume: Flour weight can vary by brand. 1 cup of all-purpose flour can range from 120g to 135g. Be sure to check your flour’s weight before proceeding.
Mixing and kneading: You need only a bowl, spoon, and your hands to mix and knead your dough. You can also use a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook on low speed.
Proofing tip: For fluffy cinnamon rolls, ensure that the rolled, cut dough pieces double in size before baking, ideally around 80°F. Turn your oven into a proofing box by preheating it to 200°F, turning it off, and placing the covered rolls inside.
Bakeware tip: I recommend using metal or aluminum bakeware for more efficient heat distribution. When using glass bakeware, bake at 325 for 35 minutes.
Glazing the rolls: To avoid melting the glaze, drizzle it over the rolls while they're warm, or even room temperature, but not hot.
Equipment
- small heat-safe bowl
- stirring utensils
- rolling pin
- unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife
Nutrition
Serving: 1roll | Calories: 425kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 133mg | Potassium: 79mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition facts are estimates and may vary based on brands, ingredients, and portions.
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Pat says
No eggs???
Traci says
Correct, not in this recipe. I know it’s surprising, but you really can get fluffy results without them—my photos tell the whole story. You’re welcome to add an egg if you like, just add a little flour to balance the moisture. Let me know if you have any questions. Enjoy! 😊
Traci says
Hi Kate, I'm also an experienced baker and I wonder if we can put our heads together to figure out what went wrong for you there.
You didn't elaborate on the timing for kneading, but it typically takes around 5 minutes of kneading for gluten to develop properly with all-purpose flour.
As for the measurement, no one has ever complained about this, but I’ve added a footnote to the recipe with the weight range of flour per cup, as this can vary by brand.
From your description, it also sounds like the yeast simply didn't activate, which is commonly due to 1) expired yeast or 2) incorrect water temperature. Additionally, since you had a kneading issue, I would expect it to impact the final texture.
Let me know if you’d like to troubleshoot further—I'm here for it and want you to have the same success that countless others have had with this recipe. Respectfully, Traci xo
Chloe says
I am newer to making cinnamon rolls and have tried a few recipes and they always taste strongly of yeast. I tried this one this morning and oh my goodness so gooey and delicious! I used active dry yeast cause that’s all I had in my pantry but still turned out soo good. Will never make another cinnamon roll recipe again!
Traci says
Yay!! I’m thrilled you found my recipe and are becoming an experienced cinnamon roll baker! They can be tricky, so it’s amazing to hear this recipe is helping you conquer the process. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your kind words—it truly means so much! xoxo
Leah Merrell says
Would I prep these as the steps call for & just cover tightly & store in the fridge until morning?
Traci says
Sorry I missed your comment. Can you please elaborate on what point in the process you're referring to and I'll be happy to answer your question. Thanks!
Angela says
First, 1/2 cup brown sugar was not nearly enough to coat my dough. I easily used a whole cup. also, dough didn’t rise well, despite temping my milk to activate the yeast and putting the rolls first near my fireplace and then in the oven as mentioned above 🙁
Traci says
Oh, bummer! Failure to rise is usually due to expired yeast or too hot or too cold liquid when activating. As for the brown sugar, no one has mentioned this before, but the recipe now notes you can add as much as you like. You can also check my step-by-step photos to see the coverage 1/2 cup provides—it’s possible your dough was rolled larger than indicated? Let me know if you’d like help troubleshooting—I’d love for you to have success with this recipe! xoxo
Sally Tieso says
I'd give this 6 stars if I could! I used my big mixer and doubled the recipe. Very easy and pretty much fool proof! I didn't roll them up I used my pizza cutter and rolled them up individually. I've been wanting to try this and and it made it so easy. This will be my go to from now on, Thanks for sharing:)
Traci says
Yayy!! I love knowing your approach. I too have been playing with the pizza cutter method and LOVE it! I need to add some photos of that process to the blogpost soon. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to leave this feedback. Much appreciated! xoxo
Olivia says
These were delicious and soooo soft! The texture was perfect. To proof, I turned my toaster oven on 275 degrees and sat the pan of rolls on top for warmth. They doubled in size in about 30 minutes. It was my first time making cinnamon rolls and I will definitely use this recipe again.
Traci says
I’m so glad you loved the cinnamon rolls! Your proofing method sounds clever. I’m thrilled this was a success for your first try—enjoy making them again! Thank you for this feedback! xoxo
Jennifer Einhorn says
These came out so good! My family loved them. I’ll be making more tomorrow and more for the weekend when company arrives! Thank you!
Traci says
Yay! I'm so glad your family enjoyed! I'm making some tomorrow too. Can't wait! Hope you enjoy the holiday week and thanks for making my recipe part of your special occasion 🙂 xoxo
Paula Cox says
Can I make this 2 nights before?
Traci says
If you want to prep in advance, you can make and shape the rolls the a day or two before, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight. Let them come to room temperature and finish rising before baking the next day.
Allison Nadeau says
Can these be made the night before?
Traci says
Yes! Once you get them cut and placed in the baking pan, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, rest them at room temperature until they have doubled in size, then proceed with baking instructions. Let me know if you have any more questions. Thanks and enjoy! xoxo
Bonnie says
I just extended the dough proof time by 20 minutes. It worked well as I didn't have quick acting yeast.
Traci says
Perfect! Yes, extra time is all it takes to work with active dry yeast. Glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for sharing your experience 🙂
Emma says
This recipe is lovely. It is super easy to make and tastes amazing! Fluffy dough and the right amount of sweetness.
Traci says
Yay!! I’m thrilled that you love these cinnamon rolls as much as we do and glad you found it easy and perfectly sweet. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know—it means a lot! xoxo
Traci says
Ahh yes, a crumbly texture usually means there was too much flour or not enough liquid, which can also affect the yeast. This recipe has been thoroughly tested and consistently yields soft, fluffy rolls for many readers, so I’d love to help troubleshoot what went wrong for you there if you're up for it!
Deana says
Instead of rolling out cinnamon rolls, I cut into squares and then layer them vertically in my bread pan…so, so, good!!!
Traci says
Oh I love that method! Thanks for sharing. Enjoy!
Zoey says
These really hit the spot! I can’t wait to make these again! 🙂
Traci says
Yay!! Aren't they so fun?! Thank you for trying my recipe and for taking the time to leave this feedback. Enjoy! xoxo
Beth says
I made these cinnamon rolls today and they are so easy and delicious! I wouldn't use any other recipe again. These yummy rolls will be a repeat in my kitchen! The way you have the ingredients and steps laid out made it even better. Bravo!
Traci says
Yayyy! Day made for both of us! This is currently my favorite cinnamon roll recipe and I make it often! Thank you for bringing my recipe into your kitchen and for taking the time to leave feedback. Enjoy!
JB says
You aren't kidding when you say these are fluffy and decadent! Wow just wow! And truly so easy. There's no reason to be intimidated, especially the way you lay out the steps. Thank you KG!
Mc says
Very easy came together quick made the night before put unbaked in refrig overnight let sit out and warm up for about 15-20 min baked up perfectly
Traci says
Perfect! So glad you gave it a go and enjoyed. Thanks so much for the feedback!