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.
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:
Reader Kristine says: “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. ★★★★★“
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)
- 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 up to 2 days 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.
- Freezing Instructions: Baked rolls can be frozen up to 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm up before enjoying. You can also freeze the unbaked rolls and here’s how: bake the rolls in step 6 for only about 10 minutes at 375°F (190°C). Cool completely, then cover tightly and freeze. To serve, take the pan of rolls out of the freezer and put into the refrigerator a few hours before serving. Then, finish baking them for the remaining 15–18 minutes.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Stand Mixer or Glass Mixing Bowl with Rubber 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.
I loved this recipe it was soo easy to follow! I was wanting to bake another batch of cinnamon buns to use up the leftover frosting I had, how long does the icing last in the fridge?
Hi Olivia! Cream cheese icing will stay fresh in the fridge for a few days.
I’m going to cooking this today. Looking forward to it.
Just a tip I’ve learned from making scrolls before. I don’t cut them. I use dental floss. I slide the floss under the long roll. Then cross the strings over and pull to cut. It gives me the best cut ever without squishing my roll.
WOW. My husband and I have been searching for the perfect cinnamon roll and THIS IS IT! It’s light and fluffy and the best one I’ve ever had. We added finely chopped pecans to the middle and top and used a regular icing recipe instead of the cream cheese one but thank you so much for this recipe!!!!
I just made these and they turned out pretty hard. I followed the recipe exactly (save for replacing half of the flour with whole wheat) and let it rise for about 80 minutes. They’re delicious otherwise, and my family is not picky, but what are some possible reasons for this? Thanks. Love this recipe!
Hi CJC! Adding whole wheat flour will change the texture of these cinnamon rolls. They will be more dense and dry. Also be careful not to over-bake the rolls.
Question I just started the rising process and I need to leave for church in an hour. Can I let them rise 2.5 hrs or will they be ruined?
Hi Jenn! They may be fine, a cooler spot for rising will be helpful. If the dough rises too long, the rolls can collapse when baked.
I love this recipe is there any way you could make the same recipe but just to make 1 cinnamon roll with?
Hi Kenzie, here’s our recipe for one giant cinnamon roll, using this dough.
Love this recipe however I checked them after 19 mins and they were so hard and burnt lesson learnt, will check them a lot earlier next time – under the burn they were super fluffy and I will repeat the recipe tomorrow ❤️
Lorna I’ve had the same problem I’m the past so I covered with foil for 20 minutes then uncovered for the last 7 minutes ( my oven needs full cooking time on most recipes) and they were perfect. Hopecthis helps
I repeated the recipe the next day and they were perfect with the foil tent on!! Absolutely stunning ❤️
First time making cinnamon rolls and fell in love with this recipe! I topped them with caramel sauce because why not 😉
Award winning! I only baked them for 20’ as they reached the desired temperature but wow I’m blown away, the texture, the chewiness, ugh! So ridiculously delicious. I did make my own icing, just mixed the powdered sugar with some coconut yogurt and vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.
This recipe is amazing! I doubled the cinnamon filling, and it turned out great!
Wish it had been a little clearer in the “filling ingredients” part. I mixed the 3T of butter with the cinnamon and sugar. Now I’ve got to try and spread this over the dough. Suggestion? “3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter, extra softened. Set aside for later.”
I did the same thing but I was using softened margarine and it spread quite well. Maybe soften the butter a bit more?
This Easy Cinnamon roll recipe made the softest most delightful dough! I have the best baking experiences with Sally’s baking recipes~ Mahalo
My first time making these delicious rolls! Easy- love your NOTES! You are my Go To when looking for a recipe!
This recipe is excellent as written. I’m usually only cooking for two and I frequently half recipes once I’ve made them in full at least once. This cuts in half beautifully if you use a food scale to ensure accuracy. I used a full egg in the halved version without any issues. Investing in a food scale and thermometer are well worth the stellar results.
Absolutely LOVE this recipe. I make the dough & icing night before! For the filling I recommend doubling sugar & cinnamon measurements if you have a sweet tooth. I’d also recommend doing about 6 rolls for the jumbo Panera Bread Co. aesthetic but to each his own. Lastly a couple slivers or butter and some half and half in the pan before baking and you’ll never want pre-packaged cinnamon rolls again. Thanks again so much for the recipe!!!
Can you give more detail on how to add half and half and butter? Just place the butter throughout and pour half and half over? How much of each?
i read somewhere that you can add one tablespoon of h/h for each cinnamon roll as for the butter im not sure.
It is unclear to me what you mean about the butter and half and half. Do you put that in the bottom of the pan and the buns on top of that? Or do you put it on top of the buns. Please help with that idea as it sounds great but uncertain how you suggest to do. tHANK YOU
Made these today. I just started baking with yeast about 6 months ago. I started with bread, because I could no longer justify purchasing packaged loaves (with all of the additives & preservatives); The bread baking was a success, so I gave cinnamon rolls a try – these are so easy and a good starter recipe for those afraid of ‘yeast’. I always mix my flours up (I usually mix all purpose and a bit of whole wheat — to justify the health benefits (LOL); Everything else was the same… and I might have committed a sin – but I made a double batch and I achieved great success. There is absolutely nothing better than homemade baked goods — you know exactly what you are feeding your family. Yes, I know sugar isn’t always good for us – but I say everything in moderation. Thank you, Sally, for bringing the best recipes to all of us.
This recipe is easy to make and gives you the best cinnamon roll
Super Easy and fast. I noticed some people had issues with rising. In FL I make sure the temp in the house is at least 70F. If it is too humid I warm my oven to the baking temp and let the buns rise on the top. I don’t know rules for higher elevations. Like commented already it is best to make sure your liquid is not too hot or cold. Using a mixer for the kneading is a plus. Keeping your yeast in an airtight container in the fridge helps. We buy in bulk since i make all of our breads. Thank you for sharing your recipe. Will be making it again! ❤️
I keep my containers of yeast in the freezer for up to two years.
Did this today!! Was amaaaaaazing!!!
I was waiting for a snowy day in PA to make your cinnamon rolls and this is it. They turned out great!!! My husband said they were worth getting out of bed for. I’m pretty sure the young man that plows the driveway and shovels the walks will like then too. 😉 Wish I could attach a picture, they are beautiful!!! Thanks ever so much for your recipe Sally, you make me look good. LOL.
These came out quite perfect! I will be making them again 🙂
Help! I’ve never used yeast before, I did it wrong. My rolls never rose after the long wait. They looked the same! I tried to bake them anyway but they were super heavy and doughy. What temp should they be in to rise properly? I used instant!
Hi Rae, I’m happy to help troubleshoot. When you mixed in the yeast in step 2, how warm was the liquid? It should be about 100-110°F. I always use an instant-read thermometer to be sure it’s no higher than that, otherwise it can kill the yeast. Too cool and it won’t activate. I highly recommend getting an instant-read thermometer to take the guesswork out of working with yeast, and it also helps to know when the cinnamon rolls are baked through, as well. And always make sure to check the expiration date on your packet of yeast. See this post on Baking with Yeast to find more tips on working with yeast, and some info on the best place for your dough to rise. I hope your next batch of cinnamon rolls turns out perfectly!
Has anyone made these rolls using King Arthur’s Gluten Free Flour? If so, any comments?
First time trying to make homemade cinnamon rolls and I must say this recipe was easy to follow. They turned out delicious! My picky 3 year old LOVES them. Thank you!
The first time I made these, they were phenomenal. My kids loved them! The second time I make them, I changed the filling from brown sugar and cinnamon to hot chocolate mix and they didn’t rise at all in the pan. I had them covered with a kitchen towel in my oven with the lights on, just like last time. I changed nothing else except the filling. I don’t understand what went wrong!
Won’t make again. Very dense and you can taste the flour.
The first time I made these I think I was 22 or 23. They were easy enough for me and came out great. I am now 33, I haven’t made them in 10 years, and it’s safe to say I’ve gotten better at baking and this recipe is timeless!
Three things I changed which I think made this recipe even better:
1. I added more filling. I made about double.
2. I poured 1 cup of heavy cream over the rolls right before they went into the oven
3. I cut 9 rolls and used a square pan. I think that was a good size roll for the bake time.
The heavy cream thing I saw on social media and somehow had it on hand so I gave it a shot. I would totally recommend it, it keeps these soft and fluffy like the kind you get at Cinnabon.
Other than that everything else was followed, I truly believe this recipe is awesome!
When you say you doubled the filling do you mean the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, all of the 3 ingredients? Thank you for a reply.
I used this recipe to make the cutest and yummiest mini cinnamon rolls for a baby shower! I followed the recipe exactly, but when getting ready to shape the rolls, I divided the dough ball in half and multiplied the filling by 1 1/2 (4 1/2 T butter, 1/2 c. brown sugar, 1 1/2 T cinnamon). I rolled half of the dough into a 14″ x 6-7″ rectangle, spread half the filling ingredients, rolled it up, and cut into 12 rolls, then repeated with the other half of the dough and filling. I placed all 24 mini rolls into a 9×13 pan and baked as directed in the original recipe! So cute and delicious!!
I have made cinnamon rolls in the past and was easily successful. I love so many of your baking recipes because they always come out beyond amazing so I decided to try this one. Unfortunately I tried and repeated this recipe two times measuring everything by grams so it’s exact and my dough will not puff up. I am using active dry yeast and activating it so I know it’s not that. Any idea what could cause the lack of rise/puff? Everyone else seems to be having success so I’m sure it’s not the recipe just something I’m missing or doing wrong. Thanks!
Hi Sammi! Perhaps your dough just needs longer to rise or a warmer spot to rise? If the yeast is activated, it should rise eventually!
I also used Active Dry Yeast (Red Star) and the first rest I let rest for about 20 mins while I made the filling. I could tell the dough had become pillowy.
The second rise I realized it was probably not warm enough in my kitchen about 30 mins in – so I turned my oven on just till I could feel warmth inside and shut it back off. Put them in the oven, door closed, powered off, and it took 1.5 hours to double. (She uses instant yeast)
I’ve tried the traditional double proofed rolls and these and I gotta say – these were not as good. They were kinda gummy and tasted like flour and I think I will stick to old traditions from now on instead of trying to take short cuts lol thanks tho