Easy Cinnamon Rolls (in 1 Hour!)

by Sabrina Snyder

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5 from 5 votes
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Easy Cinnamon Rolls in just one hour your whole family will love with all the buttery soft dough, classic cinnamon sugar flavors and cream cheese frosting.

We love Cinnamon Roll flavors on the site including our crazy popular Easy Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake which is what you should be making for brunch every time you have guests over and our Ultimate Glazed Cinnamon Roll Pound Cake (this is a showstopper!).

Cinnamon Rolls in pan

EASY CINNAMON ROLLS

Making a holiday breakfast for a crowd is a breeze with these Easy Cinnamon Rolls. This recipe is easy enough to make for a small family brunch or for a Christmas morning breakfast for your entire extended family and you can still enjoy the morning opening gifts and relaxing on the couch while the whole house smells amazing.

When making these cinnamon rolls icing is a huge part of the serving process. When I am baking them to serve immediately I wait just five minutes then ice them so that the icing only partially melts onto the cinnamon rolls. If you are going to keep these cinnamon rolls for eating over a few days I would wait for them to cool completely before icing.

MORE BRUNCH RECIPES FOR A CROWD:

For more easy, holiday dishes to feed a crowd, check out our Breakfast Recipes.

These are a made from scratch cinnamon roll recipe, with all the flavor of a warm, gooeyness you love, without all the work. Impress your family with these tasty, easy cinnamon rolls.

When to ice your Cinnamon Rolls:

Warm Glaze: When you add a warm icing or a room temperature icing to warm cinnamon rolls you’ll end up with a melted, glossy icing on top of the rolls. This also means it will be a thinner layer. Only glaze while warm if you have a baking dish that can contain what melts from the rolls.

Room Temperature Glaze: For gift giving we prefer a room temperature glaze. This allows the gift recipient to warm the rolls and have enough icing that when it melts they’ll still have a bountiful amount of glaze.

Cinnamon Roll on plate

FAQS for the perfect EASY cinnamon rolls:

  • Why do my Cinnamon Rolls fall after baking? Over kneading is the main cause of Cinnamon Rolls falling after baking. Use a stand mixer to do all the work and prevent over kneading.
  • How do you know when Cinnamon Rolls are done? Cinnamon Rolls are done when the center roll is fully baked. Test with a knife and if the dough is sticky and raw looking, continue cooking for 5-10 minutes.
  • How long can you keep Cinnamon Roll dough in the fridge? You can make Easy Cinnamon Roll dough ahead of time and keep in the fridge for 24 hours.
  • Why didn’t my Cinnamon Rolls rise? They may not have had enough time to rise. These rolls are done in just about an hour, but if you have time, let them rise longer.

How to gift Cinnamon Rolls:

Yes, this is a question I was emailed a lot about this recipe. If you are gifting this recipe, here are some tips:

  • Bake your rolls in the gifting pan (disposable aluminum or a nice baking dish <— this could be part of your gift) is a great option).
  • Make sure you wait for the rolls to cool completely before icing.
  • Make sure to give the rolls to the recipient when they will be within 2 hours of refrigerating.
  • If you want this to be shelf stable make a non-cream cheese icing for the rolls.
  • Include a note to your recipient with a link to the recipe so they can recreate the gift.

OTHER DELICIOUS BREAKFAST OPTIONS:

What is your favorite part of the cinnamon rolls? Ours is the outside layer while others love the delicious center bite!

HOW TO STORE EASY CINNAMON ROLLS

  • Serve: Serve these rolls warm out of the oven or at room temperature. To re-warm them gently place them in a microwave on 50% power for 30-40 seconds.
  • Store: Once you’ve let the rolls cool down, you can store at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. Cover the baking dish tightly, or put it in another airtight container.
  • Freeze: To freeze, move the rolls to an airtight container. It will keep well for up to 3 months.

Center of Cinnamon Roll

Tools used in these Easy Cinnamon Rolls:
Saucepan: Easy for sauces, cleans well and inexpensive. I’ve used this pan for clients for years, and use this one for home (gotta love wedding gifts!).
Stand Mixer: Let your stand mixer do all the work, the dough and the icing are done in this.
Sheet Pan: I use two of these pans and do 9 rolls to a pan.

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cinnamon rolls in pan
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Easy Cinnamon Rolls

Easy Cinnamon Rolls in just 1 hour that your family will love.

Course Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine American
Keyword 1 hour cinnamon rolls, Cinnamon Rolls, Easy Cinnamon Rolls
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 18 Servings
Calories 574 kcal
Author Sabrina Snyder

Ingredients

CINNAMON ROLLS:

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup butter , room temperature
  • 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour , divided
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 packets instant , rapid rise yeast
  • 2 large eggs

FOR THE FILLING:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter , room temperature

CREAM CHEESE ICING

  • 12 ounces cream cheese , (1 1/2 packages) softened
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter , room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons whole milk
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

CINNAMON ROLLS:

  1. In a

    small saucepan

    heat the milk and butter to 110 degrees (warm to touch).

  2. Into your stand mixer add the yeast and milk and whisk and let sit for one minute.
  3. Add 6 cups of the flour, sugar, salt and eggs to the stand mixer.

  4. PRO TIP: COVER YOUR MIXER WITH A CLEAN DISH TOWEL.

  5. Attach the dough hook and turn the mixer on speed 3-4 (low to medium).

  6. Let it go for 5-7 minutes, you want the dough to become a ball that doesn’t stick to the walls of the bowl.

  7. If you find sticking add flour 1/4 cup at a time until it pulls away (no more than another cup)
  8. Take the dough out, grease the stand mixer bowl and put it back in.
  9. Cover the dough with your dish towel you used to keep the flour in the stand mixer.

  10. Let sit for 10 minutes while you set the oven to preheat to 350 degrees and you make the filling.

  11. In a medium sized bowl mix the sugar and cinnamon.
  12. Using a large even surface, add 1/2 cup of flour and roll it out onto the surface to coat the rolling pin and the surface.
  13. Roll out the dough into a large rectangle about a 1/2 inch thick (if your space is limited do this in two halves).
  14. Spread the butter over the dough (I use my hands) and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the butter.

  15. Roll the dough tightly to form a long log and using a piece of thread slice off pieces. The dough will make 18 large cinnamon rolls.

  16. Place the rolls into buttered baking pans or jelly rolls.

  17. Place the rolls into a warm place for 20 minutes (I have a second oven, so I heat it to warm when I start the recipe, then turn it off and open the door for a couple of seconds then close the door. The residual warmth is perfect for these rolls).

CREAM CHEESE ICING:

  1. In your stand mixer whisk all the ingredients together.

TO FINISH THE CINNAMON ROLLS:

  1. Bake the rolls for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.

  2. Spread the cream cheese frosting over the rolls and serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition Facts
Easy Cinnamon Rolls
Amount Per Serving (1 roll)
Calories 574 Calories from Fat 198
% Daily Value*
Fat 22g34%
Saturated Fat 13g81%
Cholesterol 78mg26%
Sodium 331mg14%
Potassium 125mg4%
Carbohydrates 87g29%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 51g57%
Protein 7g14%
Vitamin A 750IU15%
Vitamin C 0.1mg0%
Calcium 79mg8%
Iron 2.4mg13%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Easy Cinnamon Rolls in just 1 hour that your family will love. Cut down on all the time and effort but keep all the amazing cinnamon sugar flavors!
 

About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

See more posts by Sabrina

Dinner, then Dessert, Inc. owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this site unless authorization is given. If you enjoyed the recipe and would like to publish it on your own site, please re-write it in your own words, and link back to my site and recipe page. Read my disclosure and copyright policy. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Comments

  8. If it wasn’t for your recipe I would not have tried. It was clear and easy to follow

    Let me tell you my tale, I started out wanting Cinnamon Rolls in a bad way…Searched for recipes on Pinterest your picture looked so light and fluffy. Just what I wanted. Not being good at yeast dough, read recipe thru and decided I Can do this!

    It was snowing today with at least a foot of snow on the ground all ready . I am in a wheel chair with no way to get to the store. Got my bowl out set up my mixer, started gathering ingredients. NO..no only have regular yeast, used same amount as instant and proofed it using 1/2 cup warm water and only 1 1/2 cups milk, now for the butter didn’t have enough butter so used 2Tblsp butter and 2Tblsp solid coconut oil and added 1 tsp vanilla (alright it was imitation) pretty much followed instructions as written for the dough from there on.

    Now for the filling, geeeze no sugar but have brown sugar…brown sugar it is and I did have enough butter for the filling. Finished the recipe, in the oven. Ready to take out… ohhh the aroma is heavenly if they taste as good as they smell. Ate one when they cooled down enough to handle no icing. ‘ O ‘ mmmmmmy, must have another… no no they’re for company and need to be frosted. Put them away out of sight. Frosted. Company calls, not going to make it, will try tomorrow. 2nd one gone… well had to see if they were as good, frosted… ya know for company’s sake…

    My thought, a good recipe should be adaptable and still come out good. Your recipe proved this and more

    I promise I will make this again using ingredients called for, but I all ready know they’re gonna be scrumptious
    Thank You for Sharing LDJ

    Reply

    2. Loved your story Linda, so o made them with brown sugar for the filling too! Yummmmyyy!?

      Thanks Sabrina for stepping up my cooking and baking game!

      Reply

  9. Do you have to use a stand mixer for this recipe to work ? I just found this recipe and would love to try but I don’t have a stand mixer. Thanks!

    Reply

    1. It would be a lot more work so it might take the “easy” part out of the title, lol! Also, you’d have to knead the dough by hand. If you decide to try, I’d love to know how it turns out if you decide to try.

      Reply

    1. You can freeze it after it’s been rolled and cut. Once your ready to bake it, ensure it’s thawed out entirely in the refrigerator (overnight) and then proof it twice as long before baking. Enjoy!

      Reply

  11. Cinnamon rolls are a classic treat, but I love that your recipe takes only one hour. I will make these more often!

    Reply

  15. Hi Sabrina, love the idea of making something with a mixer.  In your write up you indicated even for a smaller family.  Can you cut this recipe in half 18 isn’t lots but for 2 or 4 people it’s unfortunately too many.  Or could you mix it all up bake half and freeze half before baking.

    Thanks
    Sandra

    Reply

    1. I’ve never tried it but I would recommend freezing it once it’s rolled and cut. When you’re ready to use it, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and proof it twice as long before baking since it’ll be colder just coming from the fridge. I hope this helps!

      Reply

  16. Just curious if you have ever tried this recipe without eggs (family member has an egg allergy). If not is there a substitute you might suggest. I know there are store bought cinnamon rolls that don’t contain eggs.

    Reply