1-Hour Cinnamon Rolls
Published Dec 02, 2020•Updated Apr 12, 2024
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These cinnamon rolls are golden on top, tender in the middle, and topped with cream cheese frosting. And the best part? They can be made in an hour.
I’ve never met a breakfast dish that I didn’t like. Morning foods are my jam (as evidenced by the fact that we have over 50 breakfast and brunch recipes living on the pages of this site), but I’d argue that nothing tops homemade warm-from-the-oven cinnamon rolls. I first shared this recipe for 1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls in 2015 (it’s been updated with new tips and photos to share today).
Since 2015, I’ve tried so many other cinnamon rolls including these, these, and these. All are fantastic and absolutely worth the effort, but I find myself coming back again and again to this 1-hour recipe. The quick rise time is just right to create the light, fluffy rolls that cinnamon roll dreams are made of. You can form the rolls quickly and without being too precise, and they still seem to bake up into a beautiful pan of golden rolls all topped with creamy just-sweet-enough frosting.
The only change I’ve made to this recipe since it was first published is that I now prefer to bake the rolls in two 8-inch round cake pans (you can also use one 9×13 baking dish). One 8-inch pan makes just enough for our family on a Saturday morning and the second pan can be frozen. If we’re hosting or if we know we’ll want to snack on the rolls all weekend, I go ahead and bake the entire batch.
How to Make 1 Hour Easy Cinnamon Rolls
If you have never made cinnamon rolls from scratch, this is a great place to start. It uses my all time favorite 1 hour dough (also seen in the 1 Hour Light and Fluffy Dinner Rolls) which is the easiest dough I’ve ever worked with. I have abused this dough, forgotten about it, made it by hand and in a mixer, and the results are always great.
The secret, especially if you’ve only got an hour, is not to overthink it. These are the steps for making cinnamon rolls:
- Make dough.
- Roll out on a floured surface into a square that is approximately 9″x18″
- Spread softened butter over dough.
- Sprinkle dough with cinnamon sugar.
- Starting with the side closed to you, roll into a tube and slice.
- Let rise briefly and then bake.
- Top with frosting!
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Saigon Cinnamon in Cinnamon Rolls
There is one true secret when it comes to great cinnamon rolls. Saigon Cinnamon. Ever wonder what makes those shopping mall cinnamon rolls so fragrant and irresistible? It’s Saigon Cinnamon. The flavor is more intense and exotic than the traditional ground cinnamon that most of us have in our pantry. If you’re going to make homemade cinnamon rolls, this is well worth adding to your spice drawer.
If you don’t have Saigon Cinnamon, increase the amount of regular cinnamon you use so that you get some extra flavor (see recipe for tips).
To Freeze
To freeze the rolls, cover tightly as soon as they have been transferred to the baking dish. Freeze immediately up to 6 months. To bake, let the rolls come to room temperature and then bake according to recipe instructions.
Printable Freezer Label
Print and attach the label below so cooking instructions are ready when you are!
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1-Hour Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- Microwave Safe Bowl
- Rolling Pin
- 2 8" or 1 9×13" Baking Pan
- Stand or Hand Mixer
- Large Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1 1/2 cups Milk (any type will work)
- 2 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter, melted
- 1 Tablespoon Instant Yeast
- 2 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar
- 4 cups All-Purpose Flour, plus more for rolling (500 grams)
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Filling:
- 3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, softened
- 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Saigon Cinnamon
Icing:
- 4 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 2-4 Tablespoon Milk (any type will work)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F / 200 C.
- Spray two 8-inch round cake pans or one 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Heat 1 1/2 cups milk in the microwave until warm to the touch. Combine milk and 2 Tbsp. melted butter in the bowl of a standing mixer. Stir in yeast and 2 Tbsp sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- To the yeast mixture, add flour, and salt. Mix on low until the ingredients come together. Increase speed to medium and mix for 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic and begins to make a slapping sound as it hits the sides of the bowl.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer and cover the dough with a dish towel. Let dough rise (preferably near the warm oven), until the surface is smooth, about 15 minutes.
- Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and roll it into a rectangle (approximately 9"x18") with the long side facing you.
- Spread 3 Tbsp. softened butter over the dough. Combine 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle sugar-cinnamon mixture over softened butter.
- Starting with the side closest to you, roll up the dough. Slice roll of dough in half. Slice each half into 9 rounds (you should have 18 rolls total). Place the slices in the prepared baking dish(es) and let rise uncovered in a warm place (preferably near the warm oven) until the edges of the rolls are touching, 15 minutes.
- Bake until light golden brown on top, 15 to 18 minutes.
- While the rolls are baking, use a hand mixer to beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla. While beating, add milk a little at a time, until the mixture is smooth and pourable.
- When the rolls come out of the oven, let them cool for 5 minutes before drizzling icing over top.
- Serve immediately (of course…who could wait!).
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Easy to follow recipe. Yummy too!
So glad you liked it!