These no yeast cinnamon rolls give you warm, gooey spirals with cream cheese frosting in about 40 minutes, with no proofing, no waiting, and no special equipment.
The dough comes together like a biscuit dough, so you stir, roll, fill, slice, and bake. They are ideal for a lazy weekend breakfast, a last minute brunch, or any morning when a yeast dough feels like too much work.
Table of Contents
Why This No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls Recipe Works
Baking powder does the lifting that yeast usually does, so the dough puffs in the oven instead of rising on the counter. A short mix keeps the rolls tender, while melted butter in the dough and soft butter in the filling give richness and help the sugar melt into a syrupy swirl.
The cream cheese frosting goes on while the rolls are still warm, so it softens into every crevice. The result is a roll that is softer and more cake like than a bakery yeast roll, and ready much faster.
Ingredients for No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup milk
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided: 3 melted for the dough, 2 softened for the filling
- 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon milk for the frosting
Baking powder. It is the only leavener here, so use a fresh container. The Iowa State University extension notes that baking powder loses strength over time after opening.
Milk. It binds the dough. Whole milk gives the softest result, but any milk works, and buttermilk would add tang.
Butter. It enriches the dough and the filling. Salted butter is fine if you cut the added salt slightly.
Brown sugar and cinnamon. The brown sugar melts into a caramel like layer, and the cinnamon should be fresh for the best aroma.
Cream cheese. It makes a tangy frosting that balances the sweet filling. Let it soften fully so there are no lumps.
How to Make No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls
1. Prep the pan. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F and grease a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.
2. Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Make the dough. Stir in the milk and 3 tablespoons melted butter until a shaggy dough forms. Knead gently on a floured counter 5 or 6 times, just until smooth.
4. Roll and fill. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 12 by 9 inches. Spread it with the softened butter, then sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.
5. Shape the rolls. Roll tightly from the long side into a log, and cut it into 12 pieces about 1 inch thick. Set them cut side up in the dish.
6. Bake. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the tops are golden and the centers are set.
7. Frost. Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth, then spread it over the warm rolls.
How to Serve No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls
Serve the rolls warm with hot coffee or a glass of cold milk. For a breakfast spread, add our cinnamon streusel coffee cake and a plate of eggs. If you enjoy cinnamon desserts, try the cinnamon crunch banana bread or the air fryer cinnamon crescent rolls. A spice cake with cream cheese frosting uses the same frosting idea for a bigger crowd.
How to Store and Reheat No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls
Unfrosted rolls keep at room temperature for up to two days in an airtight container. Because the frosting contains cream cheese, refrigerate frosted rolls and eat them within 3 to 4 days. You can also freeze unfrosted rolls for up to a month. Reheat for about 15 seconds in the microwave or a few minutes in a warm oven, then frost fresh if you like.
Tips and Variations for No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls
Do not overwork the dough. Too much kneading makes biscuit style dough tough, so stop once it is smooth.
Use dental floss to cut. A length of unflavored floss slides under the log and slices cleanly without squashing the spirals.
Roll tightly. A snug log keeps the swirls from separating in the oven.
Watch the bottoms. Rolls cooked in a glass dish brown faster, so check a few minutes early.
Add nuts or raisins. A handful of chopped pecans or raisins in the filling adds crunch or chew.
Try a glaze. Mix powdered sugar with a little milk if you prefer a thinner, pourable topping to the cream cheese frosting.
Frost warm, not hot. Hot rolls melt the frosting into nothing, so let them cool for a few minutes first.
Frequently Asked Questions About No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls
Are no yeast cinnamon rolls as fluffy as the yeast kind?
They are soft and tender but less chewy and stretchy than yeast rolls. Think biscuit texture with a cinnamon sugar swirl.
Can I make no yeast cinnamon rolls the night before?
You can shape them, cover the dish, and refrigerate overnight, but baking powder starts working once it is wet. For the tallest rolls, bake them the same day.
Why are my rolls dry?
Measuring too much flour or baking too long are the usual reasons. Spoon the flour into the cup, level it, and pull the rolls when the centers are just set.
Can I use self rising flour?
Yes. Replace the all-purpose flour with self rising flour and omit the baking powder and salt from the dough.
How do I keep the filling from leaking out?
Leave a small border along the far edge of the rectangle, pinch the seam closed, and keep the sugar layer even.
Easy No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- 9 by 13 inch baking dish
- Rolling Pin
- Mixing bowls
- Sharp knife
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup milk
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted, for the dough
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter softened, for the filling
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ tbsp ground cinnamon
- 2 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp milk for the frosting
Instructions
Cooking
- Prep. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F and grease a 9 by 13 inch dish.
- Mix dry. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Make the dough. Stir in the milk and melted butter, then knead 5 or 6 times on a floured counter.
- Roll and fill. Roll to a 12 by 9 inch rectangle, spread with softened butter, and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Shape. Roll up tightly from the long side and cut into 12 slices about 1 inch thick. Set cut side up in the dish.
- Bake. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until golden.
- Frost. Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth and spread over the warm rolls.
