Easy no yeast cinnamon rolls deliver all the yummy goodness of regular rolls without all the tedious proofing! Cutting the prep in half means getting gooey cinnamon rolls to the table quicker! Ditch the yeast and let’s start baking; and for another lazy girl cinnamon roll recipe, try the TikTok famous cinnamon rolls with heavy cream.
“Made these yeast-free cinnamon rolls, and holy wow. Delicious and a perfect, simple Christmas morning recipe. My husband said this is officially our new Christmas breakfast tradition.”
-Chelsea, Instagram
How Do You Make Cinnamon Rolls Without Yeast?
Baking soda, combined with an acid, creates bubbles that lighten baked goods. In this recipe, baking soda and buttermilk respond quickly, so they don’t require the lengthy rise time of traditional cinnamon rolls.
What You Need to Make this Recipe
- Sugar: There is sugar and more sugar in these no yeast cinnamon rolls! Light brown sugar sweetens the filling, and white sugar flavors the cinnamon rolls.
- Cinnamon: We’re making cinnamon rolls, so you need cinnamon!
- Salt: Offset the sweetness with a little salt.
- Flour:I use all-purpose flour to create a softer consistency; I swear by King Arthur. You can also use bread flour if you prefer a more structured cinnamon roll.
- Baking Soda: Use baking soda and buttermilk in place of yeast.
- Buttermilk: Without yeast in the cinnamon rolls, buttermilk adds a slightly sour yeast-like flavor.
- Butter: The star ingredient of any tasty cinnamon roll is butter! You will need it for the rolls, filling, and frosting.
- Powdered Sugar: Flavor the icing with powdered sugar.
- Vanilla Extract: I use vanilla extract for the icing, but go crazy. Orange or maple extract would make for a tasty modification. I also have a cream cheese frosting recipe at the end of this post.
- Milk: For best results, use whole milk. Almond milk is a great non-dairy option.
How to Make Easy No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
For the Dough:
Step 1: Combine the ingredients for the filling in a small bowl, and set it aside.
Step 2: Add the dry ingredients to a mixing bowl: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set it aside.
Step 3: Whisk buttermilk, five tablespoons melted butter, and vanilla together in a separate mixing bowl. Pour the mixture into the middle of the dry ingredients, and combine until a dough forms. Do not over mix.
Step 4: Knead the dough with your hands and form a smooth ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
For the No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls:
Step 5: Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Roll the dough ball into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Cover it with the reserved filling mixture, leaving room on all four sides of the dough, about 1/4- inch. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.
Step 6: Roll the dough into a tube. Trim the ends and cut them into even slices, about 10.
Step 7: Prepare a baking dish and line it with the cinnamon rolls.
Step 8: Brush the tops with melted butter using a pastry brush and bake for 17 minutes.
Step 9: While the rolls are baking, make the icing. Use a hand mixer and blend the softened butter. Then, add vanilla. Slowly incorporate the powdered sugar and blend until smooth. Finally, whisk in the milk. Set it aside.
Step 10: Retrieve the cinnamon rolls from the oven. Allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes then drizzle them with the frosting.
Expert Tips
- Use baking soda and buttermilk instead of yeast. For baking soda to do its job, it needs an acid; I use buttermilk. So please, please, please, don’t replace the buttermilk with regular milk.
- Melted butter helps to bind the ingredients together and adds moisture to the rolls. It also helps to create a tender and flaky texture.
- When making no yeast cinnamon rolls, precise measurements are necessary for the success of the recipe.
- When rolling the cinnamon roll dough, make sure to roll it tightly; this ensures the rolls hold their shape during baking and don’t spread out.
- Before icing the rolls, let them cool for a few minutes. This will help to prevent the icing from melting and becoming too runny.
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What to Do With the Leftovers
- Refrigerate – If you somehow end up with leftovers, cinnamon rolls keep at room temperature for 3-4 days. Place the leftover rolls on a plate and cover them with aluminum foil.
- Freeze – I do not recommend freezing already baked rolls unless you bake them and leave the frosting off. I often make two batches; one for freezing and quick baking the next time. To freeze the rolls, gather them together, wrap them tightly in plastic, and place them into a freezer-safe container or bag. No yeast cinnamon rolls keep for up to 2 months.
- Thaw – Defrost the cinnamon rolls in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat – For best results, set the oven to 350°F (176°C) and pop them in for 5 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the texture of cinnamon rolls without yeast?
Unlike traditional rolls that puff with yeast, no yeast cinnamon rolls don’t have the same amount of rise, leaving them more dense and filling.
I don’t have buttermilk. What can I do?
You can easily make buttermilk for your baked goods with a simple step. Using milk of your choice, add distilled white vinegar or lemon juice. I prefer lemon juice; my go-to ratio is 1 cup of milk to 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
What the best frosting for cinnamon rolls?
I include a simple recipe for icing in the recipe card. However, you can easily upgrade the icing by adding pumpkin spice, maple, orange, or caramel extract.
Another option is the classic cream cheese frosting. Here’s what you need to make it:
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1½ cups sifted powdered sugar
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
More Dessert Recipes:
No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls
- 3 Small Bowls
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 3 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup white sugar, granulated
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling the dough
- 2 tablespoons white sugar, granulated
- 1 ¼ tablespoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cup buttermilk
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoons milk, whole milk
For the Dough:
- Combine the ingredients for the filling in a small bowl, and set it aside.
- Add the dry ingredients to a mixing bowl: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set it aside.
- Whisk buttermilk, five tablespoons melted butter, and vanilla together in a separate mixing bowl. Pour the mixture into the middle of the dry ingredients, and combine until a dough forms. Do not over mix.
- Knead the dough with your hands and form a smooth ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
For the Cinnamon Rolls:
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Roll the dough ball into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Cover it with the reserved filling mixture, leaving room on all four sides of the dough, about 1/4- inch. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.
- Roll the dough into a tube. Trim the ends and cut them into even slices, about 10.
- Prepare a baking dish and line it with the cinnamon rolls.
- Brush the tops with melted butter using a pastry brush and bake for 17 minutes.
- While the rolls are baking, make the icing. Use a hand mixer and blend the softened butter. Then, add vanilla. Slowly incorporate the powdered sugar and blend until smooth. Finally, whisk in the milk. Set aside.
- Retrieve the cinnamon rolls from the oven. Allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes and drizzle them with the frosting.
- Use baking soda and buttermilk instead of yeast. For baking soda to do its job, it needs an acid; I use buttermilk. So please, please, please, don’t replace the buttermilk with regular milk.
- Melted butter helps to bind the ingredients together and adds moisture to the rolls. It also helps to create a tender and flaky texture.
- When making no yeast cinnamon rolls, precise measurements are necessary for the success of the recipe.
- When rolling the cinnamon roll dough, make sure to roll it tightly; this ensures the rolls hold their shape during baking and don’t spread out.
- Before icing the rolls, let them cool for a few minutes. This will help to prevent the icing from melting and becoming too runny.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
Chelsea Aldirawy
Sunday 22nd of May 2022
After trying many cinnamon roll recipes and never getting a batch to turn out quite right, I gave these a shot on Christmas morning. The recipe was so simple, easy to follow, and tasted just like yeast cinnamon rolls too. This recipe is now a staple in our home for holiday mornings as it doesn’t set us back in time waiting for the rolls to rise and is simply delicious!
Tressa - Jamil Ghar Team
Sunday 22nd of May 2022
Thank you for trying this recipe; we are overjoyed it's become a part of your family tradition.