No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls

Some weekend mornings, you want a sweet treat without kneading dough or waiting hours for it to rise. Our recipe for homemade cinnamon rolls with no yeast is meant for that morning. How do you make a cinnamon roll recipe without yeast? By using another tried and true leavening agent: baking powder. The resulting cinnamon-scented rolls won’t have the same stretch as a yeasted dough, but they have a homey, biscuity texture and that wonderfully warm cinnamon swirl.

Ingredients for No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls

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• All-purpose flour: Flour is the base of these biscuit-like cinnamon rolls. You can substitute a gluten-free all-purpose flour instead.
• Sugar and Brown Sugar: A little granulated sugar sweetens the dough for the cinnamon rolls and brown sugar adds caramel and molasses notes to the filling.
• Baking powder: The key ingredient, baking powder, is the leavening agent that causes the dough to puff up in this no-yeast cinnamon roll recipe. Unlike baking soda, which needs to interact with an acid in the recipe to add fluffiness, baking powder already has an acid component, so all it needs to give this dough lift is a little moisture and the heat of the oven.
• Butter: Just like a recipe for buttermilk biscuits, cold butter worked into the dough adds richness and a pleasant crumb to the dough. Softened butter in the filling helps form the swirl and carries the flavor of the cinnamon.
• Milk: 2% milk is the primary liquid in this recipe, helping form the dough for the cinnamon rolls.
• Cinnamon: The star of the show! Use your best ground cinnamon to make the swirl in these sweet rolls.

Directions 

Step 1: Make the dough

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In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in cold butter until crumbly. Stir in the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, and toss with a fork until the mixture forms a ball. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a 7 inch square. Spread with 2 tablespoons softened butter.

Step 2: Form the swirl and bake

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Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle over butter. Roll it up jelly-roll style. Cut it into six even slices. Place them cut side up in greased muffin cups. Bake at 400°F for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Melt the remaining butter and brush over rolls. Serve warm.

Test Kitchen Tip: Cut the rolls using a sharp knife or a loop of unflavored dental floss to best preserve the swirl.

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No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls Variations

• Add orange: Orange and cinnamon are delicious together. Add grated orange zest to the cinnamon filling mixture and top the rolls with a quick orange juice and confectioners’ sugar glaze.
• Swap in chocolate: Trade the cinnamon swirl for a chocolate one by making a mixture of finely grated bittersweet or semisweet baking chocolate and adding that to the butter in place of the cinnamon in the filling.
• Add icing: While our no yeast cinnamon roll recipe doesn’t include a cream cheese frosting, you can add one as long as you’re willing to let the rolls cool off a little first!
• Add fruit: Mix in a handful of dried cranberries or raisins to the cinnamon filling mixture.

How to Store No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls

Like biscuits, no yeast cinnamon rolls are best the day that they’re made. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to seven days if you have leftovers. Reheat them in the microwave or oven.

Can you freeze no yeast cinnamon rolls?

Yes, you can freeze no yeast cinnamon rolls! Form them as instructed and place them in a freezer on an oven-safe baking dish, then tightly cover and freeze them for up to two weeks. Bake them from frozen as directed. You may need to add a few minutes to the baking time. To freeze baked rolls, bake as directed and cool. Tightly cover and freeze. Thaw them in a warm oven or air fryer on a reheat cycle.

No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls Tips

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Can you double this recipe?

Yes, you can absolutely double the quantities of the ingredients to make a dozen rolls without issue.

Is this no yeast cinnamon roll recipe good for beginner bakers?

This is an easy baking recipe to start off with because using a baking powder leavened dough takes the guesswork out. In many other cinnamon roll recipes yeasted dough must rise and once the rolls are formed they must proof again before baking. It can be difficult to judge the timing of each step when you’re new to baking and a recipe like this removes some of those variables while still representing a chance to work with dough and practice!

How do you keep cinnamon rolls soft and moist?

The key to keeping no yeast cinnamon rolls soft and moist is not to over bake them. Avoid using the convection setting when baking, as that can dry them out and only bake them until set or just golden. If your baked goods are consistently dry, check your oven temperature using an oven thermometer! Even a five or ten degree difference between what the dial says and the actual oven temperature can make a big difference in the texture of your bakes.