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!
Servings: 12
Calories: 425kcal
Equipment
- small heat-safe bowl
- stirring utensils
- rolling pin
- unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife
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!
Video
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.
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