No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls
developed & tested by:
These frosted small batch soft & gooey cinnamon rolls are ready in just one hour with no yeast, no kneading, & no waiting for dough to rise.
Equipment
Ingredients
DOUGH
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt (use table salt or fine sea salt)
- ⅔ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
FILLING
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ¼ cup heavy cream
CREAM CHEESE ICING
- ¼ cup cream cheese (2 ounces), softened to room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the Filling: In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease or line an 8-inch by 8-inch (20cm by 20cm) baking dish.
- In a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Warm the milk in the microwave for about 60 seconds, until it's between 105°F and 115°F (40°C to 46°C). Add the warm milk, vanilla extract, and egg to the dry ingredients and mix with a large spoon until it’s well combined.
- Cut the softened butter into cubes & mix that into the dough. After about a minute, it should form a soft, tacky dough. Shape the dough into a ball.
- On a generously floured surface, roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a 1cm-thick rectangle 14in x 8in (35.5cm x 20cm).
- Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough. Then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar filling evenly on top, and gently press it down into the dough with your hands.
- From a short edge, cut the dough into four 2-inch (5cm) long strips. (I find a pizza cutter is easier than a knife for this.)
- Roll each strip of dough in a spiral. Pinch the edges to prevent them from unraveling.
- Arrange the rolls evenly spread out in your prepared baking dish. Pour the heavy cream over each roll, about one tablespoon for each one.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, until they're really puffed up and golden. A wooden skewer inserted into the bread part of the rolls should come out clean. Let the rolls cool for at least 15 minutes before adding the icing.
- While the rolls cool, beat the softened cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer until it’s light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and mix again until it’s all combined. Dollop and spread onto the cinnamon rolls & serve.
If your dough feels too warm & sticky to handle (mine sometimes does that if I’m baking in the heat of summer) stick the whole mixing bowl in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
Aim for rolling it pretty tight so it doesn’t have any gaps, but not so tight that the center pops up when it expands & bakes. And to get the rolls all the same size, I use a ruler to measure 2-inch intervals.
Notes
- Store cooled rolls at room temperature in an airtight container for a couple days, or in the fridge for a few more days. I like to re-warm them in the microwave for about 15 seconds.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 roll (of 4)Calories: 920kcalCarbohydrates: 129gProtein: 14gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 24gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 874mgPotassium: 241mgFiber: 3gSugar: 56gVitamin A: 1326IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 239mgIron: 5mg
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