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Quick 45 Minute Cinnamon Rolls are made with homemade dough filled with ground cinnamon, and a brown sugar mixture rolled and baked in less than an hour. Drizzle a sweet glaze over the top, making this the VERY BEST breakfast!
Fluffy and soft cinnamon rolls taste even better than Cinnabon and are ready in just 45 minutes! Try these strawberry cinnamon rolls, these delicious overnight cinnamon rolls, and of course, these tasty caramel apple cinnamon rolls. There are so many delicious ones to try!
A Reader’s Review
Thank you for sharing this recipe. Just tried it. First time I’ve ever made cinnamon rolls from scratch. Very easy and quick to make. These rolls taste sooo goood!
Quick 45-Minute Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
I love cinnamon rolls but sometimes I want them NOW and not in a few hours. Waiting for the dough to rise, then for them to bake… I don’t have time for that! Which is where this recipe comes in handy! This recipe was inspired by my friend Layla at Gimme Delicious!
These delicious cinnamon rolls only take 20 minutes to rise. Then you can put them together and be eating them before you know it! My kiddos love helping me make these in the kitchen! If you are looking for more quick and easy recipes to make for breakfast check out this The Best Breakfast Casserole or these yummy Perfect Crepes!
What you need to make Quick 45 Minute Cinnamon Rolls
Don’t let the ingredient list scare you! Most of the ingredients are right in your refrigerator and pantry. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all of the exact ingredient measurements.
Dough
- Flour: This adds thickness and combines it all together.
- Sugar: You need sugar for a sweet taste.
- Salt: The salt adds just enough to help the yeast rise.
- Instant Yeast: This makes it so that your dough can rise at a quicker pace.
- Water: Water softens the dough and creates a sticky, gooey texture.
- Milk: You can use whatever milk you have on hand. I used one percent milk, which gave these a creamy and smooth texture with a hint of flavor.
- Butter: I used unsalted butter in this recipe.
- Large Egg: The egg will combine it all together.
Filling
- Butter: The butter is melted and used to combine the cinnamon and brown sugar tougher.
- Cinnamon: You can’t have a cinnamon roll without cinnamon!
- Brown Sugar: I love how this brings a little sweetness to the cinnamon rolls.
- Heavy Cream: This keeps the cinnamon rolls rich and moist.
Glaze
- Powdered Sugar: It dissolves quickly and makes this icing glaze come together.
- Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla makes the perfect blend of icing and tastes SO good!
- Milk: This combines with powdered sugar to form the glaze.
- Cream Cheese: The cream cheese gives a delicious flavor to them.
How to Make Quick 45-Minute Cinnamon Rolls
These cinnamon rolls are SO good and melt in your mouth. Trust me! These cinnamon rolls will not last long and are always a huge hit! Watch the glaze fall into the cracks and in-between the cinnamon rolls getting ooey-gooey.
Dough
- Whisk: In a large bowl whisk the flour, the sugar, salt, and yeast together. Set aside.
- Combine: In a small bowl combine the water, milk, and butter together and heat in the microwave until the butter is melted, about 30-45 seconds.
- Knead into Ball: Use a fork to stir the liquid into the dry ingredients. Add the egg and knead by hand or with a stand mixer for 5-6 minutes, until the dough is no longer sticky. Form the dough into a ball and return to the bowl. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Preheat Oven: Turn on the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9×9 pan with cooking spray and set aside.
Filling
- Combine: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Roll the Dough: Once the dough has rested, dust a clean surface lightly with flour and roll out the dough into a 15×9 inch rectangle.
- Cut: Spread the softened butter over the dough and dust evenly with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Roll the dough up tightly and cut into 9 even pieces.
- Cover: Place the rolls into the prepared pan and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
- Drizzle: Turn off the warmed oven and place the pan of rolls inside. Let them rise for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes have passed, remove the foil or plastic and drizzle the ¼ cup of cream evenly over the top of the buns.
- Bake: Return the buns to the oven and turn the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the tops of the buns are golden brown
Glaze
- Beat and Combine: Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, 2 tablespoons milk together until smooth. Add more milk as needed. Let the rolls cool for 20 minutes or so before spreading the glaze over the top.
Tips for Making Quick 45-Minute Cinnamon Rolls
There are several tips for making quick 45-minute cinnamon rolls, but simply following the recipe is straightforward and will help make the best of the best cinnamon rolls! Watch how easily these cinnamon rolls come together.
Dough:
- Liquids: Any liquid, like water or milk, should all be warm to keep the yeast active.
- Rising the dough: For a quicker rise, turn the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Once it reaches 200 degrees Fahrenheit then turn the oven off and let the dough rise in the oven.
- Yeast: It is best to use active dry yeast. You will want to make sure it is fresh too. If it is old, it doesn’t work as well, and your cinnamon rolls may turn out flat.
- Proof the yeast: You can proof the yeast by simply adding water, yeast, and sugar to it. You can tell good yeast by it being foamy after dissolving in the mixture. If it is not foaming, discard that yeast mixture. Your cinnamon rolls will not rise.
Rolls:
- Rolling out the Dough: The thinner you roll out your dough, the more layers and rings it will have rolled up.
- Rolled Dough: After the dough is rolled into a log shape, use non-flavored dental floss to help you cut the cinnamon rolls. The dental floss is a clean cut and helps the rolled dough from flattening and squishing.
- Spray your wrap: When letting your cinnamon rolls raise or anytime they are covered, spray the aluminum foil or plastic wrap before covering your cinnamon rolls. This will avoid the covering from sticking to the cinnamon rolls.
- Filling Variations: Try pumpkin pie spice to the mixture or use fruit fillings to add a little more flavoring.
- Using a Bread Machine: This will work in a bread machine too! Simply add all dough ingredients into the bread machine. Set the bread machine on the dough cycle. Once it is done, let the dough rise for another 10 to 15 minutes.
Glaze:
- Storing the Icing: go ahead and make the icing ahead of time if you need to. Just keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Icing Variations: Change the flavoring on the icing by adding either almond extract or cinnamon to add a little different flavor to your cinnamon rolls.
- Frosting: Let your cinnamon rolls cool for a couple of minutes, but it is best to frost while they are hot, and the frosting can melt on them into each of the layers.
45 Minute Cinnamon Rolls FAQs
Here are a few questions that you may have when making cinnamon rolls. Hopefully, these frequently asked questions and answers can help make these cinnamon rolls easier for you.
- What type of yeast should I use? It is best to use high active yeast when making cinnamon rolls. Traditional yeast does not rise quickly enough compared to the high active yeast.
- What flour is best? All-Purpose flour is best for baking. If you need to use bread flour or gluten-free flour, that will work as well. The texture and taste may be altered a bit using anything besides All-Purpose flour.
- Why didn’t my cinnamon rolls rise? There are a lot of variables on this question. To start, it could simply be your yeast. It may be old and expired and not functioning properly for yeast. If your liquids were not hot when combining could also dilute and kill the yeast. There may not have been enough time for them to rise. If you are baking in the wintertime, you may need a little more time to rise the dough since it is colder than normal. To help, place them in the oven, by a window with sunlight, or simply give them a little more time than an hour.
- Sticky Dough: Add a tablespoon of flour until it is no longer sticky on your fingers.
- Why do my cinnamon rolls seem to fall after baking? Kneading too much can cause the cinnamon rolls to fall apart after baking. I like to use a mixer to do most of the work and prevent me from over-kneading the dough.
How to Store Leftover Cinnamon Rolls
Quick 45-minute cinnamon rolls don’t last long! I haven’t had a chance to even freeze these or store more than 24 hours. They are that good and always a family favorite.
- Bake Ahead of Time: This is always a great idea when making the next day for breakfast. Simply follow the instructions before baking your cinnamon rolls. Once sliced and in a pan to rise. After they have risen, make sure they are covered and placed in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Before baking your cinnamon rolls, remove them from the refrigerator and let rise once again for about one hour. Then follow the instructions and bake accordingly.
- To Freeze: These are great for freezing. The glaze can either be left off until warming up or leave it on while it is in the freezer. Following the cinnamon roll instructions, bake, frost, or freeze your glaze separately. Then let cool, cover, and place as a pan or individually wrapped cinnamon rolls in the freezer for up to 1 month. When ready to eat, let your cinnamon rolls thaw overnight on the countertop or refrigerator.
- To Reheat: When ready to warm up, place in the oven for best results and warm up on low until the frosting has melted through, or use a microwave to warm up in 15 to 30-second intervals. Try not to overheat in the microwave, leaving these overcooked and dry.
More Cinnamon Recipes to Try
Cinnamon rolls are the absolute best! They make the best breakfast, brunch, and snack for anyone! My kids go crazy over these and they love them so much! Try some more of these delcious cinnamon recipes. Good luck picking your favorite!
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Quick 45 Minute Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
- 2 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 package instant yeast (1 packet = 2 and 1/4 teaspoons)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large egg
Filling:
- 1/4 cup salted butter softened
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup heavy cream for drizzling over buns before baking
Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
Instructions
Dough
- In a large bowl whisk the flour, the sugar, salt, and yeast together. Set aside.
- In a small bowl combine the water, milk, and butter together and heat in the microwave until the butter is melted, about 30-45 seconds.
- Use a fork to stir the liquid into the dry ingredients. Add the egg and knead by hand or with a stand mixer for 5-6 minutes, until the dough is no longer sticky. Form the dough into a ball and return to the bowl. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Turn on the oven to 200 degrees fahrenheit. Spray a 9×9 pan with cooking spray and set aside.
Filling
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Once the dough has rested, dust a clean surface lightly with flour and roll out the dough into a 15×9 inch rectangle.
- Spread the softened butter over the dough and dust evenly with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Roll the dough up tightly and cut into 9 even pieces.
- Place the rolls into the prepared pan and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
- Turn off the warmed oven and place the pan of rolls inside. Let them rise for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes have passed, remove the foil or plastic and drizzle the ¼ cup of cream evenly over the top of the buns.
- Return the buns to the oven and turn the oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the tops of the buns are golden brown.
Cream Cheese Glaze
- Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, 2 tablespoons milk together until smooth. Add more milk as needed. Let the rolls cool for 20 minutes or so before spreading the glaze over the top.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Since we are all quarantined in our city I decided it was time to conquer my fear of yeast dough. I tried making bread that was a bust but then I saw this recipe for cinnamon buns and said I think I can do this. The dough actually came together really nicely and doing the 20 minute rise in the oven I think worked pretty well. I did baked them longer than recommended they aren’t dark but do have a light golden color. I too added cream cheese to the glaze it just tasted very sugar and artifical without the tang of the cream cheese. I going to keep using this recipe and who knows work on making the filling even more gooey. I give this two thumbs up.
Would it work well to use bread flour, instead of all purpose flour?
And, if so, would it be better?
Thanks in advance.
You can use bread flour for 1:1 substitute. It will still have the texture and deliciousness in the cinnamon roll.
I’ve tried to make cinnamon rolls many times but they never quite worked out! These turned out perfectly! My family enjoyed them immensely! Thank you so Much!
Thank you for the recipe! Had quick rise yeast on hand and they turned out awesome! Thanks for the rising in the oven tip!! Wish I could post a picture.
These were so delicious, easy to make, and came together quickly! My family says this recipe is a keeper! Thank you!
Hello, This recipe is gorgeous and DEVINE!! 100% NEVER need another recipe again! I feel I perfected my goal in making the BEST most wonderful cinnamon buns ever! My family is so LOVING these! I made mistake and added butter in the sugar and cinnamon but I figured it was all going to melt in together anyway and I did delightfully. I feel great about myself in this one! Thank you!
Thank you! Excellent recipe – that it could be done this evening (after promising to make them all day and never getting to it), my sweetie pie husband was able to have one with his evening cup of coffee. Can’t wait to try it again…
I always use McCormick’s cinnamon, which does fine – does anyone have an opinion on other tasty cinnamon? Vietnamese? Roasted or not? Organic? I lost my sense of taste by using too much Zicam way back when, but it is slowly coming back, and fortunately I can taste/smell cinnamon.
I use a cinnamon from Costco called Saigon Cinnamon which is very good and tasty.
I add a small amount of star anise sometimes. Delicious!
The best cinnamon roll recipe I’ve tried! My family devours them every time I make these.
Perfect!! Easy, quick, and delicious 😋! I wouldn’t change a thing! The dough was sticky… but I just added about a tablespoon of flour to get it off my hands after I kneaded it (actually I had my mom come do that so I could get my hands free 😆) I will have to try not to make these too often… or I’ll have to buy new clothes🤣
Thanks for the great recipe!
Great recipe and I must have read the instructions wrong I used 2 teaspoons of cinnamon but that wasnt enough so I put in 2 more they are great ! Thanks Alyssa for sharing it .
Good fast dough. Way, way too much cinnamon. It almost burns the tongue. I even said to my kids as I made it that there was about double the cinnamon that should be in the recipe but trusted the blogger, thinking it must come together somehow. Even wiping it off as you unroll the roll, there is too much left over. So I have a batch of rolls that are too spicy to eat.
If you halve the cinnamon, it will turn out great.
Second time making these and both times the dough was really sticky! I was afraid to add more flour for fear of making them too dense. Had to use a spoon to scrape the dough out of the bowl even, very wet.
Unfortunately, my second batch the dish exploded in the oven and I didn’t get to taste them. But what should I do about the wet dough? Thanks.
I found the dough was really sticky but got better with kneading for about 5 minutes (I used a mixer/dough hook to knead) and they allowing the dough to rest for about 5 minutes. I’m a greased bowl. When I put it into the greased bowl to rest I turned it over once to grease on all sides then let it sit for 5-6 minutes while I mixed the brown sugar/cinnamon and preheated the oven to 200. After that it was not sticky and easy to work with.
I realized a little too late that I accidentally added extra butter to my milk and water mixture too so I added about 1-2 tbsp extra flour. Not sure if that helped with the sticky issue.
Sadly, I just of messed up somewhere because when my sister makes them, these are the best. I kept my liquids warm & used new rapid rise instant yeast but for some reason, they are in the oven and didn’t rise 🙁
Very nice recipe! A few comments: 1) I had to add at least a 1/2 cup more flour than called for to make the dough workable. (Could have been my extra-large egg or maybe I mis-measured.) 2) Next time I’ll probably use more filling for more flavor and gooeyness. 3) I ended up baking about 5 minutes extra for better browning on top. The oven rising worked well and the timing was spot-on. Thank you !
After years of proofing and rising dough in a cool house, I finally found a timesaver recipe that tastes just as delicious. The only thing I do differently is that I mix the softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon all together and then spread it on the raw dough. Delish!
I found this recipe about two weeks ago and I’m on my fourth batch! They’re easy to make and taste amazing! The dough is soft and fluffy and we love the flavor. I ended up adding a little more flour while kneeding, but flour can be finicky if not weighed. They’re definitely heavy on the cinnamon, but I usually add extra anyway. Not needed with this recipe! But if you don’t like a strong cinnamon flavor you can easily dial it back. And I added pecans as well! SO GOOD! Definitely a keeper! Thank you for such a good an easy recipe!
This is my favorite recipe for cinnamon rolls! I’ve been baking bread for 50 years so I wasn’t looking for the easiest or quickest recipe, just perfect cinnamon rolls. This dough is so easy to work with, even though it is quite soft. I made these this morning for at least the tenth time because my grandchildren go crazy for them. I thought it was time to send you a thank you note!