Gimme Some Oven

1-Hour Cinnamon Rolls

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This 1-Hour Cinnamon Rolls recipe is quick and easy to make, drizzled with a heavenly cream cheese icing, and absolutely delicious!

1 Hour Easy Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Is there anything better in life than a freshly-baked pan of warm homemade cinnamon rolls?

Actually, yes, homemade cinnamon rolls that can be ready to go in just 1 hour! ♡

We’re talkin’ bakery-style cinnamon rolls made with the softest, chewiest, lightly-golden dough, an irresistible buttery cinnamon-sugar swirl filling, and your choice of icing (either traditional or cream cheese icing, you pick!) generously drizzled on top. They are surprisingly easy to make and guaranteed to fill your home with the yummiest, coziest, hygge-ist vibes as they bake. And once that warm pan emerges from the oven, everyone who has tried these cinnamon rolls agrees that they are downright irresistible.

So this weekend, I thought I would bump this cinnamon roll recipe back to the top of the site since it seems like we could also use some extra comfort food in our lives right now. If you’re new to working with yeast and homemade dough, please don’t be intimidated at all! I promise to walk you through each step of the process with clear instructions, and we also have a step-by-step video to give you a visual. I’ve also updated the recipe below with options to either make the dough either by hand or use the help of a stand mixer. Plus I’ve included two different icing options so that you can choose your favorite!

I’m telling you, these cinnamon rolls are simply the best. So grab your rolling pin, and let’s make a batch!

1-Hour Cinnamon Rolls Recipe | 1-Minute Video

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Ingredients:

Alright, before we get to the recipe, let’s talk ingredients. To make the best cinnamon rolls, you will need:

  • Milk: I typically use cow’s milk for the dough (2% or whole milk). But you could also sub in any other type of plain non-dairy milk that you prefer.
  • Butter: We will melt some butter for the dough. But then it’s also very important that you have softened butter ready to go for the filling.
  • Flour: Just traditional all-purpose flour. (I have not tested this recipe with other types of flour.)
  • Sugars: We will use granulated (white) sugar in both the dough and filling, as well as some brown sugar in the filling.
  • Salt: Just a touch, to bring out the flavor of the dough.
  • Instant YeastAlso known as “rapid rise yeast.” You will just need one little packet (or 2.25 teaspoons).
  • Egg: One egg, for the dough.
  • Ground cinnamonBecause…cinnamon rolls!

I have also included two different cinnamon roll icing options for you to choose from:

  • Cream cheese icing: Made with cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, powdered sugar and milk.
  • Traditional icing: Made with melted butter, vanilla extract, powdered sugar and milk.

Best Cinnamon Rolls Recipe with Cream Cheese Icing

Easy Cinnamon Rolls

How To Make The Best Cinnamon Rolls

Best Cinnamon Roll Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting

 

Homemade Cinnamon Roll Icing

How To Make Cinnamon Rolls:

Full instructions are included in the recipe below. But as a brief overview, to make this easy cinnamon rolls recipe we will simply:

  1. Heat the milk and butter. Heat the milk and 1/4 cup of the butter in the microwave until the butter is completely melted. It’s essential here that the mixture be the correct temperature — lukewarm (110°F, which I really recommend double-checking with a cooking thermometer if you have one — so that the yeast will activate. If the mixture accidentally got a bit too warm in the microwave, no worries, just let it sit out for a few minutes to cool.
  2. Combine dry ingredients. Whisk together 3 cups flour (not all of the flour), 1/4 cup granulated sugar and salt until combined.
  3. Mix the dough. Then mix all of the dough ingredients together as directed in the recipe below, either using a stand mixer or kneading the dough by hand. Once the dough is ready to go, transfer it to a greased bowl, cover and let it rise for 10 minutes.
  4. Mix the cinnamon-sugar filling. Then while the dough rests, make your filling by whisking together the sugars and cinnamon.
  5. Roll out the dough. Once the dough is ready to go, turn it out onto a floured work surface and roll it into a 9 x 14 inch rectangle. Spread the remaining butter out evenly over the entire surface of the dough. And then sprinkle the dough evenly with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
  6. Slice the rolls. Then beginning at the 14-inch edge (see the video for a visual), tightly roll up the dough and give the final seam a little pinch so that it seals. Slice the dough into 11-12 pieces — 11 rolls fit well in a pie plate, whereas 12 rolls fit in a rectangular pan — either using dental floss (see video) or a knife.
  7. Let the dough rise. Place each of the cut cinnamon rolls into a greased 9-inch pie plate or 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Cover with a damp towel and let the rolls rise while you make the icing. Go ahead and turn your oven on at this point too.
  8. Make the icing. Whisk together either the cream cheese icing or traditional icing ingredients in a mixing bowl until smooth.
  9. Bake. Then once the rolls have risen, uncover the dish and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the rolls are golden and cooked through. Remove and let cool on a wire rack for at least 5 minutes.
  10. Add icing. Drizzle with the prepared icing and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.

Best Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Possible Variations:

Feel free to play around with this recipe and customize it however you might like! For example, feel free to…

  • Add nutsFeel free to sprinkle some finely-chopped slivered almonds or pecans over the cinnamon-sugar mixture, before rolling up the dough.
  • Add cardamomI also love adding a teaspoon of ground cardamom to the cinnamon-sugar mixture, to add some extra depth of flavor.
  • Add NutellaIn place of the softened butter spread on top of the dough, you are welcome to substitute Nutella.
  • Add orange glaze: To give these rolls extra orange flavor, just sprinkle the zest of an orange over the top of the cinnamon-sugar filling before rolling up the dough. Then use fresh orange juice in place of milk in the icing.

Cinnamon Rolls

More Favorite Breakfast Recipes:

Looking for more delicious breakfast or brunch inspiration? Here are a few of my favorite breakfast recipes…

Best Cinnamon Rolls Recipe with Cream Cheese Icing

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

1-Hour Cinnamon Rolls

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 90 reviews
  • Author: Ali
  • Prep Time: 40 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 60 minutes
  • Yield: 11 -12 servings 1x

Description

This 1-Hour Cinnamon Rolls recipe is quick and easy to make, drizzled with a heavenly cream cheese icing, and absolutely delicious!


Ingredients

Scale

Cinnamon Roll Dough Ingredients:

  • 1 cup milk (I used 2% milk)
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 envelope (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant (“rapid rise”) yeast
  • 1 egg

Cinnamon-Sugar Filling Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened

Cream Cheese Icing Ingredients:

  • 4 ounces (1/2 cup) cream cheese, softened
  • 3 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 12 tablespoons milk (if needed)

Instructions

  1. Heat the milk and butter. Combine milk and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high for 1 minute, then remove and stir. Continue heating in 20 second intervals, pausing after each to stir, until the butter is melted and the milk is warm to the touch but not hot. (The mixture should be around 110°F — I recommend measuring the temperature with a cooking thermometer.) If it is too hot, just wait a few minutes for it to cool.
  2. Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour, granulated sugar and salt until combined.
  3. Mix the dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough-hook attachment, add the warm milk mixture and sprinkle the yeast on top, then give the mixture a brief stir. Add the flour mixture and egg, and beat on medium-low speed until combined. If the dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl, add more flour (up to an additional 1/2 cup), until the dough begins to form a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Continue beating for 5 minutes on medium-low speed. Remove dough and form it into a ball with your hands.  Place it in a greased bowl and cover with a damp towel.  Let rest for 10 minutes.
  4. Mix the cinnamon-sugar filling. While the dough rests, make your filling by whisking together the granulated sugar, brown sugar and ground cinnamon together in a small mixing bowl until combined.
  5. Roll out the dough. Once the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured work surface. Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 9 x 14 inches in size. (If you want all of the edges to be even, you can use a pizza slicer to cut the dough into an even rectangle.) Use a knife or an offset spatula to spread 1/4 cup of the softened butter evenly over the entire surface of the dough. Then sprinkle the dough evenly* with the cinnamon and sugar filling.
  6. Slice the rolls. Beginning at the 14-inch edge, tightly roll up the dough and give the final seam a little pinch so that it seals. Use a piece of dental floss or a knife to slice off the two ends of the roll (just 1/2-inch or so on each end, which you can discard) so that the ends are even. Slice the remaining dough into 11 or 12 equal pieces. (11 rolls fit well in a pie plate, whereas 12 rolls fit in a rectangular dish.)
  7. Let the dough rise. Place each of the cut cinnamon rolls into a greased 9-inch pie plate or 9 x 13-inch baking dish.  Cover the dish with a damp towel, and leave it in a warm place to rise for 25 minutes.  Heat the oven to 350°F.
  8. Make the icing. While the dough is rising, whisk together either the cream cheese icing ingredients in a mixing bowl until smooth. If it seems too thick, add in an extra tablespoon of milk at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. If it is too thin, add in extra powdered sugar.
  9. Bake. Once the rolls have risen, uncover the dish. Place on the center rack of the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the rolls are golden and cooked through. Remove and let cool on a wire rack for at least 5 minutes.
  10. Frost. Drizzle with the prepared icing and serve warm.


Notes

To Make The Dough By Hand: If you do not have an electric stand mixer with a dough attachment, you can simply stir the ingredients together in a mixing bowl.  Then turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead by hand for 5 minutes.

Dental Floss Dough-Cutting: Simply break off a piece of floss about 12 inches long. Then carefully slide the floss under the dough to the exact location you want to “cut”.  Pull the ends of the floss up and cross over the top of the dough. Then give the floss a gentle tug to cut all the way through the dough. (See the video above for a visual.)  This is the best method I’ve found to make a clean slice through the dough — although the standard knife method still works too.

Traditional Icing Ingredients: If you would like to make a traditional icing (without cream cheese), whisk together 1/4 cup melted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, and 1-2 tablespoons milk until smooth.

 

Share this Post

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

389 comments on “1-Hour Cinnamon Rolls”

  1. I made these for my boy today. It’s his birthday and he loves cinnamon rolls. These were easy enough my three year old could “help” with out hindering too much.. And they tasted GREAT!

  2. This recipe looks amazing! Do you think they would still turn out fine if I baked them in a cast iron skillet? 

    • Thank you Courtney, we hope you enjoy these! And yes, they should be fine in a cast iron skillet (just make sure it’s large enough, as they will need room to proof and expand in size when they’re baking. We’d also just make sure that you liberally coat the bottom of the pan with butter or cooking spray.

  3. I cannot believe these came out of my kitchen.  Just made them. Ate two and truly struggling to save the rest for planned company.  I will be making these quite often!!! . . . oh recipe, where have you been all my life???

  4. I grew up with a mom who made delicious cinnamon rolls. They tasted and smelled just like the rolls from cinnamon from Cinna Bon. My first encounter with Cinna Bon was in  the mall and I kept thinking to myself, wow those smell just  like my mom’s.  So of course I had to trthem and yep they tasted the see also. I  love this recipe and so does my family.  They too can have cinnamon rolls just like grandma makes 
    I am making them today for a mother’s day brunch.  Will cook them tomorrow so they are hot from the oven. 

    I have made these twice now. The second time I made them the night before.   Left them out for 30 min the next morning and then baked them. They were just as delicious as the first time I made them.  I also used whole milk instead of 2 percent and they were still yummy 
    Thanks for sharing a recipe that will go into my children’s cookbook 

    • Thanks for sharing Diane — we’re so glad to hear you and your family love these! :D

  5. Thanks for your suggestion Robert, we think that’s a great tip!

  6. Hi Ali! I had to let you know that these have become a family favorite. My five year old often wakes up saying she thinks it should be a cinnamon roll day! Together with her two year old brother we make an absolute disaster of the kitchen! We shared these with an elderly widow next door, and as a result have become close friends. Thank you! I am looking forward to trying more of your recipes!

    • Hey Jen! Thanks for sharing this with us — we’re so happy to hear you and your little ones enjoy these, and that’s so sweet you shared them with your neighbor!

  7. Is the butter correct in the cream cheese frosting?  It seems odd there is twice as much in it compared to the regular frosting.  I made these and they were delicious, but I think I’ll do less butter next time as I frosted them warm and ended up with butter pools on top!

  8. Can I freeze these before baking them? I have made these for the past few years for Christmas morning, and I’m wanting to ease my workload a little and was wondering if I can freeze them after they rise, or if it should be before? Thank you!

    • Hi Mindy! Yes, you can. You can cover them tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then when you remove them from the freezer, allow them to thaw and rise. Then you can bake and ice. OR, you can freeze the rolls after you’ve baked and cooled them (leave them unfrosted). When you’re ready, let them thaw and warm them for a few minutes in the oven, then ice. We hope you enjoy!

  9. Guess it’s finally time to make these for Dad over Christmas. Will let you know how they turn out!

  10. YUM! Just had some delicious cinnamon rolls at brunch with my roommate yesterday, and I’ve gotta try my hand at making these at home now. Thanks for the share Ali!

  11. I love cinnamon rolls, though I haven’t had any in a long time.  I’m glad to see that you put a lot of cinnamon into the cinnamon sugar.  I would skip the icing, because I am after the cinnamon flavor and don’t like a lot of sweet.  I used to make cinnamon rolls using Bisquick- I guess it was essentially pie crust – and I would have sold my soul for those.  Probably still would…  Perhaps because they were rolled they still came out soft on the inside, despite being pie crust.  I may have to get back to making them, starting with this recipe (I’d likely put frosting on half of them, because my husband loves sugar).

  12. Hi Ali, 

    By medium-low on your KA mixer, do you mean 2, 3??  I’m never quite sure what setting to use when it comes to mixing and kneading dough, because honestly, I’m afraid of dough. Such a coward, I know, but this is why the baking gods gave me a Zojirushi bread machine.  But I think for your cinnamon rolls I could learn to be a little less of a ‘fraidy cat. 

    And is there a point before baking where I can freeze them?

    • Hi there! Yes, a 2 or a 3 speed. And you can freeze them before baking (cover tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Then when ready, allow them to thaw and rise, then bake and ice. Or, you can freeze them after you’ve baked them (but unfrosted), and let them thaw, and then warm them for a few minutes in the oven. We hope you enjoy!

  13. Have you tried making these the night before and letting them rise the next morning? I would love to have a batch on Christmas morning, but I don’t know if I could squeeze in the prep time.

    • Hi Angela! Yes, you can put them in the fridge to rise overnight, before baking. Just take them out of the fridge and let them sit for 30 minutes in the morning before you pop them in the oven.We hope you enjoy!

  14. I had a similar question.  Could I make these the day before and leave them in the fridge before baking?  I’d love to have them on Christmas but would prefer not to bake early in the morning.

    • Hi Rebekah! Yes, you can put them in the fridge to rise overnight, before baking. Just take them out of the fridge and let them sit for 30 minutes in the morning before you pop them in the oven. We hope you enjoy them!

  15. These look amazing!! How do you think these would hold up in the fridge overnight before baking? Contemplating Christmas breakfast, but would love to have them ready to go and just pop them in the oven! 

    • Thanks, Kate, we hope you enjoy them! And yes, you can put them in the fridge to rise overnight, before baking. Just take them out of the fridge and let them sit for 30 minutes in the morning before you pop them in the oven.

  16. Hi Ali!
    These look delish! I really want to try them ! Just one question- is there any part of the recipe that could be done ahead of time? I would love to be able to wake up and pop them directly into the oven on Christmas morning……
    Thanks & Happy Holidays!

    • Hi Caitlin! We’re sorry we’re getting to your comment too late. You can make them the night before (don’t bake), and let them rise in the fridge overnight. Then in the morning, just take them out of the fridge and let them sit for 30 minutes before you pop them in the oven.

  17. Can I use Active Dry Yeast instead of the rapid rise? I happen to have this on hand.

    • Hi Tina, good question! These two types of yeast can really be used interchangeably but if using the active dry yeast, these rolls will probably need longer to rise. We hope you enjoy!

  18. These are on my menu for Christmas Day – can you prep them ahead of time and put them in the fridge?

    • Hi Stephanie! We’re sorry we’re getting to your comment too late. Yes, you can put them in the fridge to rise overnight, before baking. Just take them out of the fridge and let them sit for 30 minutes in the morning before you pop them in the oven.

  19. Can this be frozen 

    • Hi Leigh — you can freeze them before baking (cover tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Then when ready, allow them to thaw and rise, then bake and ice. Or, you can freeze them after you’ve baked them (but unfrosted), and let them thaw, and then warm them for a few minutes in the oven. We hope you enjoy!

  20. I woke up wanting some cinnamon rolls.  I’m glad I found this recipe!  These were easy to make and delicious.  I warmed up my oven to a little over 100 degrees and turned off.  Put the rolls in to rise and they were nice and ready to bake in 25 minutes. Thanks for the great recipe.

  21. Just whipped these up earlier for a Christmas morning treat. Your step by step directions made it so easy. I of course used the cream cheese frosting. I used a cup in place of a rolling pin to get this dough flat and it worked like a charm! My family loved these and my husband and i will be making these annually. Thank you for posting this delicious easy recipe. Such a hit!

  22. This is THE best and easiest cinnamon rolls recipe out there! I had to make up two batches of these over the Christmas weekend! I just want you to know that you deserve 5 stars and extra kudos for this. If I was near you – you’d get to sit in the rocker and be queen/king for the day!

  23. Looks great! I’m in the KC area as well…where do you get your envelope of instant or ‘rapid rise’ yeast?

    • Hi Maria! You should be able to find it at most grocery stores (in the baking aisle).

  24. Holy smokes…these were DELICIOUS! Made them on Sunday for our daughters’ sleepover and they were a total hit. I have been in search of a good recipe for cinnamon rolls and have have tried multiple recipes. After I made these, I threw out all of my other recipes! This will now be my “go to” for cinnamon rolls. Thanks for a great recipe and for making a bunch of kiddos very happy Sunday morning!

  25. this is AWESOME!!! yummy. I can’t wait to try this! Pinned! so healthy!!

  26. Easy and delicious!

  27. Needing to find a good GF recipe- has anyone had success substituting a GF flour blend? 

    • Hi Rebecca! We haven’t experimented with gluten free flour in this recipe, but you’re welcome to! If you do, we would suggest a gluten-free AP blend. If you give it a try, definitely let us know how they turn out! :)

  28. I made these today and this recipe is hands down the best cinnamon roll recipie I’ve used to date! They are delicious!
    Thanks for sharing :)

  29. I found your recipe online on Sunday and made these. So delicious. I ate 4 of them already. Of course not in one siting.
    So good.

  30. Cinnamon rolls are one of my favorite things to eat and I consider these to be the best homemade cinnamon rolls I have ever had! I can’t believe they were made right in my own kitchen. It is a very simple recipe as well. If you have ever been afraid of baking anything with yeast this is the recipe to try. The cream cheese frosting is to die for. Thank you so much Gimme Some Oven for sharing this amazing recipe! I am literally going to get rid of every other cinnamon roll recipe I have. This is the only one I need!






    • Wow, thank you so much for the high praise and rating, Mandas! We’re so happy you love these! :D

  31. Just made these after securing a bunch of recipes for them. I chose yours and OMG. Terrific! Thank you.






  32. These are amazing and so easy! Thank you!

  33. I made these and added orange zest to the dough then used orange juice in the standard frosting instead of milk. Mmmmmm!!






  34. This recipe is so easy and delicious. My great aunt had quite a reputation for her cinnamon rolls and I’ve been told by family that mine are better, more moist. ;)
    I found her old recipe and one alteration to this recipe that I’m trying this time around is to add coffee to the icing. Sadly my daughter is not a cream cheese frosting fan. I have made them probably 10 times and they never disappoint!!






  35. Hi there! These look delicious! Quick question–what if I don’t have that attachment for the mixer? Can I use the normal attachment? Thanks!

  36. So I’ve made this recipe successfully many times, however, i’ve had it happen twice where my dough won’t rise. and I don’t realize until it’s in the oven. Anecdotally I think my milk may be too hot with the yeast, but wanted to know if you’ve ever had this happen and what I might be doing wrong.

    Thanks!






  37. This is my go-to recipe for cinnamon rolls! They are a hit with my family and they are the one request I get for every family dinner!

  38. These are amazing!!! Can’t wait to make them again for Christmas morning! I plan on freezing in advance – how long do you think I should let them rise from frozen?






  39. Love these! This is absolutely the easiest dough to work with. If you are intimidated by yeast dough recipes, this is the one to start with. So good!






  40. I’ve never made cinnamon rolls, unless you count heating up store bought ones in the microwave. But I made these today and Omg they are amazingly delicious!!! I love them!






  41. I may have already posted about these quick delicious cinnamon rolls as I have been making them for years now. Let’s just say if this recipe was in a cookbook it would be the stained page the book always opens up to due to repeated use. I actually now have it memorized. Thanks for the great recipe!






  42. So delicious, my family loved them.






  43. This is my go to recipe for cinnamon rolls! I just shared it on my blog and linked to you.
    https://momlifefoodandtravel.com/2019/08/01/caramel-pecan-cinnamon-rolls/






  44. I’ve made these once and loved them! I need to double the recipe for a crowd next weekend. Do you recommend making each batch of dough separately or can I double the recipe?

  45. Soooooo goooood! Soft, airy, full of flower and that icing!!! Made our Xmas breakfast amazing. Thank you for sharing the recipe!






  46. Made these this morning… super easy and delicious!! Highly recommend!






  47. I love this recipe! I am currently pregnant and all I crave is cinnamon rolls. But I also have a toddler so I need something quicker than your usual cinnamon roll recipe. I have tried a couple and all turn out kind of flat. But this recipe is so easy to follow and the cinnamon rolls turn out nice and fluffy. Thanks for the recipe.






  48. Fantastic!! I made some modifications to fit our house, so I’ll list them below:
    -used margarine instead of butter (I know, I know, but I’m lactose intolerant). I also used lactose-free whole milk (Fairlife brand)
    -didnt have any instant yeast so I used pizza yeast, which is instant yeast but with additives to prevent the bounceback when rolling/stretching out.
    -used vietnamese cinnamon
    -placed the rising dough on the stove above the oven while it was on in order to help the rising process.
    -used the classic icing recipie but added a bit of honey to make it richer
    -used a round cake pan and then put my two end pieces in a mini pie tin (a wonderful idea, very pinterest-y
    -didnt have an egg, so I substituted 1 1/2 TB water + 1 1/2 TB oil + 1 tp baking powder. This actually helped my dough form into a ball faster as I was mixing it by hand (because of the oil).
    The prep time was definitely longer than what was predicted because I rose my dough for the second time just out on the counter at first. I noticed it hadnt really rose at all, so I put it on top of the oven this time. MUCH BETTER RESULTS. Overall a wonderful recipie!! The proportions are PERFECT!! And it still turns out beautifully even when modified for dietary needs.






    • So glad to hear an egg sub worked! My son has an egg allergy and I was going to try this same egg sub!

  49. I made this amd it turned out super yummy!!






  50. These are delicious, although kind of labor-intensive (but worth it!)
    Can you leave these out on the counter? Or do you have to refrigerate them? Is freezing an option?