These easy cinnamon rolls from scratch are perfect for yeast beginners because they only require 1 rise. Each cinnamon roll is extra soft with the most delicious cinnamon swirl! The rolls freeze beautifully, so this is a great make-ahead recipe, especially for planning ahead for holidays or the next time you need a special breakfast. Choose from a few easy icing flavors to top the warm & gooey rolls.
This recipe is brought to you in partnership with Red Star Yeast.
I originally published this recipe in 2013 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and a few more success tips. I also added one additional step to the recipe that yields even softer, fluffier rolls. This is reflected in the printable recipe below.
This easy cinnamon roll recipe is one of the most popular recipes on my website, for good reason.
These are classic, homestyle cinnamon rolls. It took me lots of recipe testing trial-and-error to develop quick cinnamon rolls that maintain all the flavor and texture of traditional overnight cinnamon rolls. But THIS. IS. IT. And I promise, making these easy cinnamon rolls is 100x more satisfying than that feeling you get from popping open a store-bought can of ready-to-bake rolls.
Here’s Why You’ll Love These Easy Cinnamon Rolls
- All the deliciousness of traditional homemade cinnamon rolls, but in half the time
- Soft and fluffy
- Gooey cinnamon sugar swirl
- Only 1 rise time
- Easy enough for yeast beginners
- Great make-ahead, freezer-friendly recipe—making it an excellent addition to your menu of Easter brunch recipes!
Lately, I’ve had even more success with the dough when I let the yeast dissolve in the warm milk/butter mixture, instead of whisking it into the dry ingredients. The rolls turn out even fluffier and softer, and I know you’ll appreciate that, too! The recipe below includes this small change.
Here’s what some readers are saying about this recipe:
One reader, Kristine, commented: “This recipe is perfect in every way. It is simple to execute and requires a very reasonable amount of time. … The best part for me, however, is that they tasted just like my grandmother’s cinnamon rolls. I have her recipe but it requires hours and hours and I rarely have that kind of time. Tasting these warm from the oven brought back a flood of happy memories and made me feel like I was right back in her kitchen. ★★★★★“
Another reader, Lana, says: “I admit, I was very skeptical about my cinnamon rolls rising in 90 minutes. And I was nervous about making cinnamon rolls because I didn’t think that I could make anything close to what my grandma used to make. But I’ve made other recipes from your site and have been successful so I gave it a try. Let me say, the cinnamon rolls are amazing! And easy! ★★★★★“
Just like grandma used to make! Is there a better compliment than that? I doubt it.
Yeast Beginners Rejoice: Only 1 Rise!
Do you love homemade cinnamon rolls, but are nervous to bake with yeast? You’re not alone! But if you’re curious about learning how to bake with yeast, this recipe is a perfect one to start with. No yeast cinnamon rolls are quick and tasty, but the Fluffiness Factor (I should trademark that) is simply unparalleled when it comes to yeast rolls vs. no-yeast rolls.
Unlike these homemade overnight cinnamon rolls that require hours of rise time, plus a 2nd rise after the rolls are shaped, this easy cinnamon rolls recipe requires only 1 rise, for just 60–90 minutes. And, honestly, they’re every bit as delicious. Bakery-style perfection for beginners!
Are You a Yeast Beginner?
This Baking with Yeast Guide is a wonderful starting point for yeast beginners. I answer many common yeast FAQs in easy-to-understand explanations, so you can learn about the basics before beginning.
Key Ingredients to Use for the Dough
Here’s my #1 tip: I recommend using a strong and dependable yeast. Platinum Yeast from Red Star is a premium instant yeast, which cuts down on rise time. Its careful formula contains natural dough strengtheners and makes working with yeast simple. And simple is always good, right? See recipe Note if using active dry yeast instead.
Here’s the rest of the lineup of ingredients for this rich dough:
- Flour: Flour provides the dough structure. All-purpose flour is best for these cinnamon rolls. You could also use bread flour—the rolls will be chewier.
- Sugar: You need white granulated sugar in the dough, both for flavor and to feed the yeast.
- Salt: Flavor.
- Whole milk: Whole milk is ideal for the richest-tasting cinnamon rolls. Buttermilk works just as well without any changes to the recipe. Many readers have successfully substituted nondairy milks. In a pinch, you can use low-fat milk, but avoid using nonfat milk.
- Butter: This is a rich dough, meaning it has fat to help guarantee softness.
- Egg: Like butter, egg promises a softer, richer dough.
These Step-by-Step Photos Will Help
The first step is to mix your dry ingredients together in a big bowl and this includes the flour, sugar, and salt. After that, warm the milk and butter together, and then whisk in the yeast until it has dissolved. Then you know it can start working its magic in your dough!
Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients, add the egg and then mix everything together. You do not need a stand mixer for this recipe, though you could certainly use one if desired.
Transfer dough to your work surface (below, left), and then knead by hand for 3 minutes until a soft dough forms (below, right). If you’re new to yeasted doughs, my how to knead dough post and video can help with this step.
Let the dough rest for 10 minutes as you prepare the filling—this gives the dough’s gluten a chance to settle and relax, which will make rolling out much easier.
3 Ingredient Filling
- Butter: Use super-soft butter for the filling—not too hard, not too melty. If the butter is too hard, it won’t be easy to spread it evenly over the soft dough. If it’s too melty, it will seep into the dough, and we don’t want that either. Butter that’s had time to soften to room temperature should be just right. If you forgot to get it out of the fridge earlier, here’s my trick for how to soften butter quickly.
- Brown Sugar: Using brown sugar in the filling gives these cinnamon rolls an extra-delicious depth of flavor.
- Cinnamon: You can’t have cinnamon rolls without it!
Roll out the dough and then top with softened butter and the brown sugar & cinnamon mixture.
Many readers have asked about using different fillings. Try using this raspberry cake filling instead—it’s delicious! Or if you love lemons, these lemon sweet rolls use this same dough.
Roll up the dough and then use your sharpest knife to cut into 10-12 rolls.
Why Are My Cinnamon Rolls Not Fluffy?
There are a lot of variables that go into the consistency of dough, even down to the weather and humidity. But the most common reason cinnamon rolls don’t turn out fluffy is because the dough didn’t have enough time to rise. In this particular recipe, with only 1 rise, it’s imperative the shaped rolls double in size in step 5 below. See the next photo? You want a pan of puffy-looking rolls even before baking.
Additionally, be sure to add only as much flour as you need to make a workable dough. This is a soft and tacky dough and it’s not supposed to be tough and hard. Too much flour will give you stiff, dense, dry cinnamon rolls.
Arrange your rolls in a lightly greased 9-inch or 10-inch pan. I appreciate that this recipe makes a slightly smaller batch than most other cinnamon roll recipes.
Here are the rolls before and after rising. This is the only rise! They’re ready to bake after they have nearly doubled in size.
Why Do My Cinnamon Rolls Rise Unevenly When Baking?
Sometimes the centers of the cinnamon rolls can pop up whack-a-mole-style while baking. This is caused by either rolling them too tight, or if the pan is too small/crowded. It’s happened to me many times before. But this is really easy to fix! Pull the pan out of the oven and use the back of a spoon to gently press the overly risen parts back down.
You Have Options for the Icing
I use the same luscious cream cheese icing here that I use for raspberry sweet rolls. It takes just a couple quick minutes to make, and you only need cream cheese, a little butter, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract. For something even easier, try a vanilla (or even coffee) icing like we use on coffee cake. Simply whisk confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and a little milk or strong coffee together until smooth. The video tutorial in the recipe below shows both icing options.
Spread or drizzle your icing on the warm rolls before serving—both icings seep right into every gooey swirl! The finished rolls pictured above have cream cheese icing, and here is the vanilla icing batch:
These easy cinnamon rolls from scratch are completely irresistible and they take half the time. If you’re looking for that perfect cinnamon roll recipe that doesn’t require 4+ hours, this is the winner.
Success Tips for Making the Best Cinnamon Rolls
- Don’t add more flour than you need. You can add a little more flour to bring the dough into a knead-able consistency, but adding too much will give you dense, dry rolls.
- Don’t kill the yeast. If your butter/milk mixture is too hot, it will kill the yeast and you won’t really notice until you’re far into the recipe… when the rolls won’t rise! Keep the temperature warm to the touch, around 100–110°F (38–43°C). An instant read thermometer is a handy tool for this baking recipe and many others.
- Use your sharpest knife to cut the rolls, so they don’t squish down.
- Use the correct size pan. This recipe makes 10–12 rolls, which fit in a 9- or 10-inch pan. If the pan is too small, they’ll be overcrowded. You can use a 9- or 10-inch pie dish, round cake pan, or square baking pan. If you want larger rolls, check out this recipe for jumbo cinnamon rolls!
- Let the rolls rise in a warm, draft-free environment. Here’s my favorite trick: Preheat your oven to 150°F (66°C), then turn it off. Cover the shaped rolls with aluminum foil and place the pan inside the warm oven. Leave the oven door cracked open for about 30 minutes, then close it and let them finish rising (another 30–60 minutes) in the oven with the door closed. Just don’t forget to take them out of the oven before you preheat it to bake them!
Easy Cinnamon Rolls (from scratch)
- Prep Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours, 5 minutes
- Yield: 10-12 rolls
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These easy cinnamon rolls are perfect for yeast beginners because they only require 1 rise. You have a few options for toppings. The recipe below includes a simple cream cheese icing, but we also love these with the coffee icing or vanilla icing that’s included in the recipe Notes below.
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 and 3/4 cups (344g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
- 3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter
- 2 and 1/4 teaspoons Platinum Yeast from Red Star or any instant yeast (1 standard packet)
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
Filling
- 3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter, extra softened
- 1/3 cup (67g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
Cream Cheese Icing
- 4 ounces (113g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2/3 cup (80g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the dough: Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Combine the milk and butter together in a heatproof bowl. Microwave or use the stove and heat until the butter has melted and the mixture is warm to the touch (about 110°F/43°C, no higher). Whisk in the yeast until it has dissolved. Pour mixture into the dry ingredients, add the egg, and stir with a sturdy rubber spatula or wooden spoon OR use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on medium speed. Mix until a soft dough forms.
- Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Using floured hands, knead the dough for 3-5 minutes. You should have a smooth ball of dough. If the dough is super soft or sticky, you can add a little more flour. Place in a lightly greased bowl (I use non-stick spray), cover loosely, and let the dough rest for about 10 minutes as you get the filling ingredients ready.
- Fill the rolls: After 10 minutes, roll the dough out in a 14×8-inch (36×20-cm) rectangle. Spread the softened butter on top. Mix together the cinnamon and brown sugar. Sprinkle it all over the dough. Roll up the dough to make a 14-inch log. Cut into 10–12 even rolls and arrange in a lightly greased 9- or 10-inch round cake pan, pie dish, or square baking pan.
- Rise: Cover the pan with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the rolls to rise in a relatively warm environment for 60–90 minutes or until double in size. (For a tiny reduction in rise time, see my answer to Where Should Dough Rise? in my Baking with Yeast Guide.)
- Bake the rolls: After the rolls have doubled in size, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake for 24–27 minutes, or until lightly browned. If you notice the tops are getting too brown too quickly, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil and continue baking. If you want to be precise about their doneness, their internal temperature taken with an instant read thermometer should be around 195–200°F (91–93°C) when done. Remove pan from the oven and place pan on a wire rack as you make the icing. (You can also make the icing as the rolls bake.)
- Make the icing: In a medium bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add the butter and beat until smooth and combined, then beat in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until combined. Using a knife or icing spatula, spread the icing over the warm rolls and serve immediately.
- Cover leftover frosted or unfrosted rolls tightly and store at room temperature for a day or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: This dough can be made the night before through step 4. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning, remove from the refrigerator and allow to rise in a warm environment, about 1 hour. Continue with step 6.
- Make Ahead Instructions – Freezing: You can freeze the rolls for up to 3 months, and I recommend a few different methods. The first method is to freeze them after shaping, before they rise (before step 5). Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then let rise for 1.5–2 hours at room temperature before baking. The second method is to par-bake the risen rolls for 10 minutes, let cool completely, then cover and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. Finish baking at 375°F (190°C) for around 15 minutes. You can also freeze fully baked rolls. See How to Freeze Cinnamon Rolls for more details about all of these methods.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Stand Mixer or Glass Mixing Bowl with Silicone Spatula/Wooden Spoon | Rolling Pin | 9- inch Round Cake Pan, 9-inch Pie Dish, or 9-inch Square Baking Pan | Instant Read Thermometer | Cooling Rack | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) for icing | Icing Spatula
- Yeast: I highly recommend instant yeast. If you only have active dry yeast, you can use that instead. Active dry and instant yeast can be used interchangeably in recipes (1:1). Active dry yeast has a moderate rate of rising and instant dry yeast has a faster rate of rising; active dry yeast will take longer to raise the dough.
- Milk: This recipe used to call for 1/2 cup (120ml) milk and 1/4 cup (60ml) water. The rolls taste much richer using all milk, and that is what I recommend. Whole milk or even buttermilk are ideal for this dough. If needed, you can substitute 3/4 cup (180ml) lower-fat or nondairy milk.
- Coffee Icing (or Vanilla Icing): Whisk 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and 2–3 Tablespoons (30–45ml) strong brewed coffee together until smooth. Or swap milk for coffee for regular vanilla icing. Drizzle over warm rolls.
- Reference my Baking with Yeast Guide for answers to common yeast FAQs.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Recipe turned out great can’t wait try them thank you
For the make ahead process. Do I make the rolls up with the cinnamon / butter filling and cut and then put in fridge overnight or do I put the dough ball in fridge until morning and then roll our after 1 hour at room temp. If I complete no 4 the buns are already made before I put in fridge. Hope to hear soon
Hi Eileen, yes, you make the rolls completely (shaped and in baking pan) and then place in the refrigerator overnight. Follow rise times for the following morning. Enjoy!
I really must say you really made my day so far they turned out beautifully and are in my oven right now cooking l will let you no when they are done
I’m interested in using your strawberry filling in these (instead of the cinnamon). How would that affect the end product? In particular, will it make the finished product too wet? Thanks again.
Hi Kate, for best results, we’d recommend using the strawberry filling from these strawberry rolls instead. Enjoy!
Hi I can not seem to find the yeast recommended above, does fast dried action yeast or Alison easy bake yeast sachet work ?
thank you
Hi Lauren, any brand of instant yeast or active dry yeast will work. See recipe notes for more details.
I made it and it turned out absolutely amazing! Saving the recipe to use over and over. Thank you so much!
My kids loved them thank you! Any idea how many calories for one?
Hi Lyn, we’re so glad they were a hit! We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
I swapped a few things in the dough to suit my needs and ingredients at hand (can you believe I forgot that I didn’t have any eggs? Thankfully, I was able to whip up an emergency chia egg!). I also used a different filling, since I really wanted to use cocoa powder. But with that in mind, the rolls turned out amazing!
They were soft, fluffy, and I loved how they turned out with bread flour. If I want to make fluffy rolls again I’ll definitely come to this site. I’m excited to munch on one tomorrow with my coffee in the morning!
Easy to follow and great flavor. The only reason I am at 4 and not 5 is because I tried the overnight proof. I made this recipe once before, as written, and everything turned out beautifully. I tried again, this time with an overnight proof in the fridge, followed by an hour out of the fridge in a warm place, and they are not rising much. I think it takes more than an hour, so I am l currently leaving them out longer to see if they rise more.
Outstanding recipe! Light, fluffy, easy.
For a special touch I added a pinch of cardamom to the filling.
Thank you for including metric measurements!
I doubled the recipe and they were perfect. Thank you so much!
Is there any recipe I can use for the frosting topping on these rolls, I rather have something sweet and not cream cheese?
Hi Veronica, the cream cheese icing is rich and sweet! But if you’d prefer an icing without the cream cheese, see the recipe notes for alternative icing options. Hope you enjoy them if you give them a try!
Hey just wanted to add here, I did not make the frosting in the recipe. I had a half can of left over store frosting and just melted it in the microwave for about 15 seconds and poured it on top and it was perfect. =)
So glad I saw this… it made me remember the can of cream cheese frosting in the freezer! I need to frost since they got way too dark at the min time. I will microwave it up and thin it down and drizzle over! YAY!
Perfect! I added more flour because it was too sticky. I made them smaller because I don’t want to eat the whole thing. If you’re new to baking with yeast this is the perfect recipe to start with! Thanks again for another great recipe!
So excited because this is my first successful attempt at making cinnamon rolls! I can’t wait to experiment with different ingredients for the filling. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Sally!
My cinnamon rolls were perfect! Maybe you just did something wrong.
The buns are yummy but was thinking of using currents in with the cinnamon or other dried fruit. Would it work?
Hi Diana, Sure! We’d add them to the filling before rolling it up. Try anywhere from 1/2 cup to a cup, to your preference.
At 375 the outsides were burned after only 21 minutes. Too late for the tent trick. Glad I didn’t leave them in for the full 27 mins. How about less temp and more time?
Hi Wayne, all ovens are different and most aren’t calibrated correctly. We always recommend using an in-oven thermometer to be sure your oven is baking at the correct temperature – see #1 on this list.
I do not like this recipe. Sally usually has good ones but this one was a flop. My cinnamon rolls look nothing like the picture and they didn’t puff up at all. I had both rising times, even longer than she said to do but they never worked. Save your time and do overnight cinnamon rolls
My cinnamon rolls were perfect! Maybe you just did something wrong.
Mine didn’t rise, but I know my milk was to hot!! I should have checked and been more careful! So those who say there’s didn’t rise, chances are the same problem!! Don’t let the milk get to hot!!!!
I’ve made these several time and they always turn out great! I do recommend doubling the butter/brown sugar/cinnamon mixture but other than that I followed it completely and they never fail me!
Can you bake this recipe in a round stoneware dish?
Hi Tina, a stoneware dish should work fine, but the baking time may different slightly so keep a close eye on the rolls. Enjoy!
I’m unsure what I did wrong but the outside of them were burnt within 18 mins ;-; tasted good still tho!!
I am excited to try this for the first time. If I make them the night before should I cook them through or just for 10 minutes as you mentioned in another comment and then finish them in the morning? If so, would I then just cook them for another 10-15 minutes in the morning and then proceed to ice them?
Hi Christine, You can make these the night before through step 4. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning, remove from the refrigerator and allow to rise in a warm environment, about 1 hour. Continue with step 6. Hope you love them!
I never rate recipes but I had to come give this one a 5 star review, they were so easy and turned out perfectly. Easy to double the recipe too!
We’re so glad you loved these, Amy!
I’ve tried this recipe twice but for some reason it doesnt rise. Not sure what Im doing wrong
Hi Anna, we’re happy to help troubleshoot. If your dough isn’t rising, it sounds like it may be an issue with your yeast. Is your yeast fresh? Is your mixture of warm butter and milk a bit too hot? If it’s too hot, it can kill the yeast and prevent it from rising. You’ll want the mixture to be warm to the touch (about 110°F/43°C, no higher). Our Baking with Yeast Guide may also be helpful to review. We hope this helps!
Are you in a high altitude state? I’m in Colorado, and mine rise only slightly after 90min rest in a warm place. They don’t actually double in size, but once I cooked them, they rose beautifully!
Same! I’m not sure why
Same, I feel like she should have been clearer on not killing the yeast
the best cinnamon rolls I ever made however you may want to double this recipe if you want more than 5-6 rolls
Hi! Is it possible to double this recipe? I wish there was a way to search previous comments to see if you’ve already answered this question! So sorry if you have!
Hi Alex, we recommend using our overnight cinnamon rolls recipe instead, which has a larger yield. Enjoy!
I’ve made these so much I could probably do it blindfolded! Now that it’s just me and my husband though I’m wondering if this recipe called be halved? And turn out just fine? I’d love to make it just to have 5 or 6 instead of the whole thing. Have you tried this before??
Hi Jessica, while you can certainly try halving this recipe, results can become different when halving yeast recipes. For best results, we recommend making a full batch and then freezing any leftovers. So glad this is a favorite for you!
What is the preferred way to reheat any leftover refrigerated rolls?
Oven? Microwave? Instapot?
Hi Mike, It really depends on your oven, but we’d reheat at 375 degrees for a few minutes until warmed to your liking.
Tried to make these with gluten free flour. Ended up with rocks.