Try Easy One Hour Cinnamon Rolls Recipe for soft, delicious, ooey gooey homemade cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing in just 1 hour time!
If you LOVE homemade cinnamon rolls but hate how time-consuming making traditional homemade cinnamon rolls can be, then today’s recipe is for YOU.
Today I’m SO excited to be sharing my Easy One Hour Cinnamon Rolls Recipe with you, and these are hands-down the best cinnamon rolls you’ll ever eat.
Even better, they’re super easy to make in just 1 HOUR or less, with no overnight rising required.
These 1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls are soft + fluffy, ooey gooey, and have the most delicious sweet + buttery, cinnamon filling and a sweet cream cheese icing that’s out of this world good.
Make these quick, no-rise cinnamon rolls for the holidays, special occasions, or for a delicious weekend breakfast treat!
Why are 1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls The BEST?
A. They’re ooey gooey, delicious cinnamon rolls with an irresistibly soft and flaky dough that tastes even better than Cinnabon!
B. They’re EASY and only take 1 HOUR to make! – No crazy prep work, overnight rising, or slaving in your kitchen all day required.
C. They’re made with simple ingredients you most likely already have in your pantry/fridge.
I don’t know about you but if I can make delicious homemade cinnamon rolls in just 1 hour time, I call that a total baking win!
Also, check your expiration dates! If you’re using expired yeast, your cinnamon rolls will not rise properly and turn out the same.
How do you make gooey cinnamon rolls?
Gooey cinnamon rolls start with the perfect “Schmear” or butter spread.
These cinnamon rolls are filled with a delicious “schmear” of softened butter, cinnamon, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla.
Which flour is best for making cinnamon rolls?
For this recipe, I recommend using All-Purpose flour.
How do I store these cinnamon rolls?
I recommend storing these cinnamon rolls, tightly covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you don’t plan to eat them that quickly, I would store covered in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave, or freeze as directed in the freezing instructions below.
Can I make these rolls ahead of time or the night before?
Yes, but they’re so easy to prepare it’s really not necessary. I’ve also found the cinnamon rolls aren’t as soft and fluffy in texture when not made fresh the same day.
To make ahead, prepare you cinnamon rolls up until baking and then cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until ready to bake.
Once ready to bake, set out at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before baking.
Can I freeze these cinnamon rolls?
Yes, these cinnamon rolls can be frozen either baked or unbaked for up to 3 months.
For best results, I recommend freezing without icing them.
Freezer Instructions
To Freeze Unfrosted, Baked Cinnamon Rolls (Whole Pan):
Bake, cool completely, tightly wrap with plastic wrap, and freeze the entire pan. When ready to eat, thaw at room temperature and bake in the oven covered with aluminum foil for 15 minutes at 375 degrees. Let cool and add icing.
To Freeze Unfrosted, Baked Cinnamon Rolls (Individual):
Bake, cool completely, tightly wrap each cinnamon roll individually with plastic wrap, and place in a freezer safe bag. When ready to eat, place in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or until cinnamon rolls are warm. Let cool and add icing.
To Freeze Unbaked Cinnamon Rolls (Whole Pan):
Prepare dough, slice, and place in pan. Tightly wrap entire pan with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for up to 3 months, or once rolls have frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe bag. When ready to bake, thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours and bake in the oven as directed, reducing the baking time to 18-22 minutes. Let cool and add icing.
To Freeze Frosted, Baked Cinnamon Rolls:
Bake, cool completely, and place individual cinnamon rolls in a freezer safe bag for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or until warm. *Do note that since these are pre-frosted, the icing will melt. They’ll still taste great, they just won’t look the same. 🙂
Secrets to Making The Best 1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls:
1. Use softened, room temperature butter for the filling
I usually like to set out my butter to come to room temperature an hour or so before I begin baking, so that it will be perfectly soft to the touch, but not melted.
If you forget to set out your butter ahead of time, most microwaves have a “butter softening setting” you can use. Select the correct settings and microwave accordingly, but make sure you don’t melt the butter.
Melted butter won’t give you the same consistency and the cinnamon sugar mixture won’t spread as far on your cinnamon rolls.
2. Use good quality cinnamon for the best flavor
For the absolute best flavor, I recommend using this cinnamon for these cinnamon rolls.
Purchasing your cinnamon in stick form will taste so much better, and it’s super easy to grind them up quickly with this affordable spice/coffee grinder.
Trust me, once you taste the difference you’ll never go back to pre-ground cinnamon again!
3. Add your flour in increments to avoid dry dough
The dough should be tacky to the touch, but not overly sticky and hard to work with.
When it comes to baking, humidity and weather can really impact how much wet/dry ingredients you’ll need.
Even on the day I made/photographed these cinnamon rolls, the weather was extremely humid requiring me to add a little more flour than normal.
I recommend adding flour in increments to avoid adding too much or too little flour.
4. Lightly grease your work surface when rolling the dough out
As mentioned above, you want to avoid adding too much flour to your dough so that your cinnamon rolls don’t turn out dry.
One trick is to spray the workspace you’ll be working on with non-stick cooking spray or using a little bit of cooking oil.
If using flour, I recommend only using 1 tablespoon or so – just enough to make it not stick to the surface and easily roll.
5. Cut your dough into equal portions by “marking” the dough with a knife first.
Simply take a sharp knife and pre-mark the areas where you will be slicing it.
I like to start by halving the dough, then halving those halves, and cutting three slices in each section for a total of 12 even cinnamon rolls. (See photo for reference)
6. For easy slicing, use unflavored dental floss
Knives can sometimes make cutting cinnamon rolls messy and time-consuming, so do yourself a favor and grab some unflavored dental floss.
I’ve found this is what gets the cleanest slices, and it’s a lot easier than using a knife. However, if you don’t have any on hand, use a serrated knife and gently rock back and forth with the knife to get the cleanest slices.
7. Wait 10 minutes before adding icing
You might be tempted to immediately want to add the icing to your cinnamon rolls right as they come out of the oven, but I recommend waiting at least 10 minutes.
This will allow your cinnamon rolls to cool a little bit and the icing will spread more easily (and further) on the cinnamon rolls.
How to Make 1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls
Step 1 – Prepare Your Dough
First, melt unsalted butter in a small, microwave-safe bowl in the microwave for 40-45 seconds, or until melted. Pour into a medium size bowl and set aside.
Next, heat milk in the same small microwave-safe bowl in the microwave for 45 seconds. Add to butter mixture, and stir in sugar and yeast packet until dissolved. Cover with a tea cloth/towel or plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes.
While you are waiting for your dough to activate, preheat your oven to the lowest setting (mine is 170 degrees F)
After 10 minutes, remove towel and add in 1 egg, salt, and vanilla extract. Next, begin adding in flour in 1/2 cup increments, folding in with a spatula until combined. *If easier, you can use your hands to incorporate the last bit of flour. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky, but not too sticky.
Form dough into a round ball in the bowl, cover with a tea cloth, and place in a (170 degrees F) preheated oven to proof for 10 minutes.
Step 2 – Make Your Filling & Spread
While your dough is proofing, begin preparing your cinnamon sugar filling. In a medium size mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to combine softened butter, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract until combined. Set aside.
Once dough has proofed for 10 minutes, remove towel and place dough on a clean, lightly greased or floured surface to roll out. You can also use parchment paper to make it easier. Use a rolling pin and roll the dough to form a 14″ x 18″ rectangle and 1/4″ thick.
Next, begin preheating oven to 350 degrees and use an offset spatula to spread the cinnamon sugar butter mixture on your dough almost to the edges.
Starting with the short side towards you, tightly roll vertically away from you to form a log.
Step 3 – Roll & Cut Your Cinnamon Rolls
Once rolled, use unflavored dental floss or a serrated edge knife to cut 12 nearly equal-size cinnamon rolls. If using a knife, use slow, back and forth sawing motions for the cleanest cuts. *Follow my tip of pre-marking your dough in the area where it should be cut to ensure your cinnamon rolls will be cut equally.
Step 4 – Bake & Cool
Next, place cinnamon rolls in a 9×13 baking pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the cinnamon rolls are a light golden brown.
Let cool for 10 minutes on a wire cooling rack.
Step 5 – Add Icing & Enjoy
While cinnamon rolls are cooling, prepare your cream cheese icing. Use an electric hand mixer to combine softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk (1 tbsp at a time) in a medium size mixing bowl.
Whisk until smooth and continue adding milk until desired icing consistency is reached. (Add more milk for a thinner drizzle, and less for a thicker icing)
Spread cream cheese icing on warm cinnamon rolls, serve, and enjoy!
Grab the Printable One Hour Cinnamon Rolls Recipe Below
First, melt unsalted butter in a small, microwave-safe bowl in the microwave for 40-45 seconds, or until melted. Pour into a medium size bowl and set aside.
Next, heat milk in the same small microwave-safe bowl in the microwave for 45 seconds. Add to butter mixture, and stir in sugar and yeast packet until dissolved. Cover with a tea cloth/towel or plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes.
While you are waiting for your dough to activate, preheat your oven to the lowest setting (mine is 170 degrees F)
After 10 minutes, remove towel and add in 1 egg, salt, and vanilla extract. Next, begin adding in flour in 1/2 cup increments, folding in with a spatula until combined. *If easier, you can use your hands to incorporate the last bit of flour. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky, but not too sticky.
Form dough into a round ball in the bowl, cover with a tea cloth, and place in a (170 degrees F) preheated oven to proof for 10 minutes.
While your dough is proofing, begin preparing your cinnamon sugar filling. In a medium size mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to combine softened butter, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract until combined. Set aside.
Once dough has proofed for 10 minutes, remove towel and place dough on a clean, lightly greased or floured surface to roll out. You can also use parchment paper to make it easier. Use a rolling pin and roll the dough to form a 14″ x 18″ rectangle and 1/4″ thick.
Next, begin preheating oven to 350 degrees and use an offset spatula to spread the cinnamon sugar butter mixture on your dough almost to the edges.
Starting with the short side towards you, tightly roll vertically away from you to form a log. (see photos in post for reference)
Once rolled, use unflavored dental floss or a serrated edge knife to cut 12 nearly equal-size cinnamon rolls. If using a knife, use slow, back and forth sawing motions for the cleanest cuts. *Follow my tip of pre-marking your dough in the area where it should be cut to ensure your cinnamon rolls will be cut equally. (see photos in post for reference)
Next, place cinnamon rolls in a 9×13 baking pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the cinnamon rolls are a light golden brown.
While cinnamon rolls are cooling, prepare your cream cheese icing. Use an electric hand mixer to combine softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk (1 tbsp at a time) in a medium size mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth and continue adding milk until desired icing consistency is reached. (Add more milk for a thinner drizzle, and less for a thicker icing)
Spread cream cheese icing on warm cinnamon rolls, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
Storage Instructions
Store leftover cinnamon rolls, tightly covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you don’t plan to eat them that quickly, I would store covered in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave, or freeze as directed in the freezing instructions below.
Freezer Instructions
To Freeze Unfrosted, Baked Cinnamon Rolls (Whole Pan):
Bake, cool completely, tightly wrap with plastic wrap, and freeze the entire pan. When ready to eat, thaw at room temperature and bake in the oven covered with aluminum foil for 15 minutes at 375 degrees. Let cool and add icing.
To Freeze Unfrosted, Baked Cinnamon Rolls (Individual):
Bake, cool completely, tightly wrap each cinnamon roll individually with plastic wrap, and place in a freezer safe bag. When ready to eat, place in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or until cinnamon rolls are warm. Let cool and add icing.
To Freeze Unbaked Cinnamon Rolls (Whole Pan):
Prepare dough, slice, and place in pan. Tightly wrap entire pan with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for up to 3 months, or once rolls have frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe bag. When ready to bake, thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours and bake in the oven as directed, reducing the baking time to 18-22 minutes. Let cool and add icing.
To Freeze Frosted, Baked Cinnamon Rolls:
Bake, cool completely, and place individual cinnamon rolls in a freezer safe bag for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or until warm. *Do note that since these are pre-frosted, the icing will melt. They’ll still taste great, they just won’t look the same. 🙂
