Cinnamon rolls for breakfast are a delicious way to wake up in the morning. They’re so flavorful and indulgent, you’d think you were eating dessert, not breakfast. pair well with coffee, bacon, or as a treat all on their own. The soft, fluffiness of the dough and the bold flavor of the cinnamon, it’s just the perfect morning food. You might even find yourself making them as a treatment because who says cinnamon rolls can’t make the perfect afternoon snack?
If you hate waiting for yeast to rise and enduring the frustration of inactive yeast, you may forego on making them most of the time. However, this recipe for cinnamon buns requires no yeast, making it a quick bread dough to make.
These cinnamon rolls don’t require many ingredients, which makes them a convenient. You might have everything you need to make these breakfast pastries already.
How you make them is an easy baking process that doesn’t require you to do anything but put them in the oven and wait — patiently if you can.
And while they’re good all by themselves, you can amp these up with nuts, cooked peaches or apples, or caramel. If you’re a huge fan of the dough, you could always spread a chocolate hazel spread, peanut butter, almond butter, or fruit preserves inside of them.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Requires no yeast
- Doesn’t require you to wait for them to rise
- Includes recipe for icing
- Perfect blend of sweetness and spice
- Doesn’t require kneading
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
These cinnamon rolls are perfect as is, but you could cook down apples or peaches to mix in with the cinnamon filling. On the other hand, if you find you like this dough a lot, feel free to switch up what you put inside it. For instance, a hazelnut chocolate filling would make these rich and delicious. Peanut butter adds some protein to the mix along with a sweet and nutty taste.
Jams or preserves could work well in this recipe, too. Feel free to use the same icing for these.
For some added flavor and texture, try chopping up nuts of your choice and adding them to the filling. This would even add a little protein to your breakfast or snack.
If you want to make these and have no buttermilk, you can make your own by adding one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to one cup of milk. Two percent or whole milk will work.
How to Make It
When you’re filling the dough, put on enough that it spreads easily without tearing. However, you don’t want to put too much on because the filling may leak out. Having too much filling could cause the inside of the cinnamon rolls to be too wet. As a result, the inside may not bake all the way. Too much filling could give the cinnamon buns too much flavor and sweetness.
Preheating the oven before you put in the rolls is essential. They’ll then bake evenly and will become golden brown on top while still cooking the inside. You want the oven on 425 degrees Fahrenheit because you want these to cook all the way through and brown on the top without drying out.
Before you put the rolls in a baking dish, you need to grease it well or your cinnamon buns may stick. You have some options there. You could either spray it with cooking spray or rub it with oil or vegetable shortening.
Tips for Success
Cutting the dough into even sections after you roll it will make sure the rolls bake at a similar rate. That way, you don’t have some that bake before others, with some burning and other not getting cooked enough.
Make sure you don’t keep opening the oven to see if they’re done. You cool off the oven when you do that. Wait the 20 minutes and check them for the best results.
Storage & Reheating
To store them once you make them, either place with in a large zip-up bag or two or an airtight container and place them in the fridge. They’ll stay fresh for several days.
If you’re making a large batch or would like to save some for rainy day, you can place them in a freezer bag or airtight container for two to three months.
Anytime you reheat them, you’ll want to put them in the oven on 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes or so.
Serving Suggestions
These work well all by themselves for breakfast. They’re a nice way to treat yourself to something special. However, if you’d like to a have more well-balanced breakfast with these cinnamon buns on the side, try making a Christmas morning casserole or breakfast tacos.
These pair really well with yogurt or coffee if you’re looking for something less filling. Some people may even enjoy dipping their cinnamon roll in their coffee.
FAQs
1. How do cinnamon rolls with no yeast rise?
Rather than yeast that causes them to rise, cinnamon rolls without this ingredient tend to have leavening agents like baking powder that cause them to fluff up.
2. Do I have to use buttermilk in cinnamon rolls?
Some recipes don’t require it. However, this one does. You could always make your own by adding one tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to one cup of milk.
3. Should I grease my baking dish before making cinnamon rolls?
Yes, you should grease the baking dish well to prevent the buns from sticking. Cooking spray, oil, or shortening will work.
Notes
Homemade cinnamon rolls were a Sunday-morning brunch in my house every now and then. And I looked forward to these ritual. The scent of cinnamon wafting through the air always gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside.
While these were a pleasant memory I had of my mother in the kitchen and treating us, I really wasn’t of fan of having to wait for dough to rise. I despised every time I came back to yeast that never activated and doubt that didn’t rise. This recipe alleviated all of that.
Quick Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
The Quick Dough:
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 Tbsp Granulated Sugar
- 4 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 6 Tbsp Unsalted Butter frozen and grated
- ¾ cup Cold Buttermilk the acidity reacts with the baking powder for a better lift
The Nutty Filling:
- 4 Tbsp Butter browned and cooled slightly
- ½ cup Light Brown Sugar packed
- 1 ½ Tbsp Ground Cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Ground Cardamom adds a sophisticated, floral warmth
The Vanilla Bean Glaze:
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar
- 2-3 Tbsp Heavy Cream
- 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients. Use a box grater to shred the frozen butter directly into the flour. Toss gently to coat. This “cold-shred” method ensures the butter doesn’t melt before it hits the oven, creating flaky layers without the need for yeast.
- Pour the cold buttermilk into the center. Stir with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms. Over-mixing at this stage will make the rolls tough.
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Gently pat it into a rectangle, fold it in thirds like a letter, and pat it out again. Repeat this twice. This “faux-lamination” creates the visual layers seen in yeasted rolls.
- Combine the browned butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom into a paste. Roll the dough into a ¼-inch thick rectangle and spread the paste to the very edges.
- Roll the dough tightly into a log. Use unflavored dental floss or a very sharp serrated knife to slice into 8–10 even rounds. Floss prevents the dough from being squashed during the cut.
- Place the rolls in a greased 9-inch round cake pan so they are just touching. This forces them to rise up rather than spread out.
- Bake at 400°F for 20–25 minutes until the tops are golden and the center roll springs back when touched.
- Whisk the glaze ingredients until smooth and pour over the rolls while they are still warm so it seeps into the spirals.
