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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
Quick 45-Minute Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
This is the only cinnamon bun recipe you will ever need! These cinnamon rolls are Incredibly soft, fluffy, and ready in just 45 minutes. And no, they are not made with pre-made or canned dough. The dough is made entirely from scratch and rises super fast, thanks to my oven-proofing method. You basically make the dough and let it rest for just 5 minutes. Then, you roll and cut the cinnamon rolls and let them rise in a warm, preheated 200-degree Fahrenheit oven.
They will rise in just 20 minutes and are then ready for baking. You then turn on the oven to 375F and bake for 15 minutes, and that’s pretty much it! The result is soft and fluffy cinnamon rolls that are out of this world. Top with my easy glaze, and enjoy these warm rolls right out of the oven!
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. These cinnamon rolls come together quickly and easily in just a few simple steps.
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.
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.
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
- Mix and knead: In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast until evenly dispersed. Set aside. In a small microwavable bowl, heat the water, milk, and butter together in the microwave until the butter is melted (about 30-45 seconds). Stir the butter mixture into the flour mixture. Add the egg and knead with a hand or stand mixer for 3-4 minutes or until the dough is no longer sticky. Place in a lightly greased bowl and let rest for about 5 minutes.
- Preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and turn it off after 10 minutes or just before placing rolls in the oven.
Filling
- Roll and add to pan: After the dough has rested for 5 minutes, roll it out in a 15×9 inch rectangle. Spread the softened butter on top. Mix the cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle it all over the dough. Roll up the dough tightly and cut it into 9 (large) even pieces. Place in a lightly greased 9-inch or square pan (or cut into 12 small pieces and place in a 9×13 pan) and lightly cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
- Let the roll rise in the oven, then bake: TURN OFF the oven and place the cinnamon buns in the oven to rise for 20 minutes. Keep the buns in the oven (REMOVE THE FOIL OR PLASTIC) and turn on the oven to 375F. Bake the cinnamon rolls for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and top with glaze.
Glaze
- Combine and Drizzle: Mix the powdered sugar, vanilla, and 2 Tablespoons milk together until smooth and lump-free. Drizzle over warm rolls.
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
Breakfast
Baked Cinnamon Roll Oatmeal
Desserts
Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes
Desserts
Churro Cupcakes
Desserts
Cream Cheese Snickerdoodles
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 ¼ 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
Serves: 9
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
Love the recipe! Huge and fluffy. Going to try making them smaller next time and have more of them. Should I roll them out to a different size to do this?
I am always looking for a good roll recipe. Do you think this dough would turn out well for a dinner roll recipe without the cinnamon/sugar and glaze?
Try these quick 1-hour dinner rolls instead! 1-Hour Dinner Rolls
I am making these right now. Stupid question — but do you roll these up long ways or the short side to short side?? I did long side to long side & Found it a bit tricky to cut, as they smashed down. We shall see how they turn out 🙂
The thinner that you roll out your dough the more layers there will be! So maybe try rolling your dough to be a little bit thicker and they will hold up better when you cut them with your floss? Cutting them with floss helps it so that they don’t squish down as much! Hope that helps!
My family loves cinnamon rolls and I’ve been making them for years. I found your recipe to be the best! It was easy and took less time to make than others. I said my family loves cinnamon rolls, right? So for that extra punch of flavor, I use cinnamon sugar in the dough in place of the regular white sugar. These warm rolls didn’t last too long on Christmas morning. Delish! Muah!
A few tweaks to improve.
Use less sugar and cinnamon in the filling- maybe 1/2 that listed.
Use buttermilk in place of the milk/water.
25 minutes rise in the warmed oven and 25 mins at 350 help them rise bigger and fluffier.
I love making these on Christmas!
Thanks so much for this recipe, it saved me from near disaster this morning! I tried a recipe from another site and the buns ended up burning badly on the bottom (not sure what happened). Yours was the quickest recipe I could find to replace the ones that were ruined. Everyone at my in-laws Christmas Eve breakfast loved them!!! Your recipe will now be my go to, so quick and very delish!
I’ve made these many times and love this Recipe. I have a question though-think I could make the most of this ahead of time and put in fridge tonight, then bake in the morning? Trying to make my Christmas morning a little less hectic. 😬
Yes, that will work! Have a Merry Christmas!
Ignore my question from today….I was scrolling through and see that I already asked this question last year!! 🙈 Going to actually try it today!
I just made these for the second time. The first time the dough never got “not sticky”. This time I had a better experience but I wonder why mine were tough and dry. I really felt like I needed double the butter in the filling. Maybe I kneaded too long in the stand mixer? Any thoughts are appreciated.
Sometimes the texture of the dough can be affected by the ‘temperature’ of your flour, and thusly the method used to measure it. My flour bin is stored in a cabinet on an exterior wall, thus is very different in weight/temp/texture during winter months than in warmer months. This means I may actually be using more flour at certain times than others even if my measuring method is the same. That can drastically affect the outcome of yeast doughs…
Love these!! Can the recipe be doubled and the same rising time used?
Yes, that is correct! Enjoy your cinnamon rolls.
Since I found this recipe it’s the only way I make it we all love it and it’s very easy if you have never tried to make cinnamon rolls before you should try this recipe I think you will love it as we all do
The whole family loved it. This recipe is a keeper.
I used another recipe for the rolls as I did not have yeast, but the icing is very good 👍😋
Wonderful recipe.
I have probably made these cinnamon rolls at least a dozen times over the past couple years, and they turn out perfect every time (save that one time I used old yeast, which is why I recommend proofing it instead of mixing it into the dry ingredients as the directions state). Since we’ve become a mostly vegan household (save the tween who still prefers his animal products), I modified the recipe using Myoko’s vegan butter and aquafaba in place of regular butter and eggs. I used the Silk Cashew Almond protein milk in place of milk, and actually added 1/3 C pumpkin puree in place of some of the liquid and made these into pumpkin cinnamon rolls. For the filling I replaced half the cinnamon with pumpkin pie spice, again used the vegan butter, and used 1 tbsp each of regular brown sugar and Lakanto brown sugar. The modificaions added about 10 minutes to the baking time, but they turned out so good, even the picky tween carnivore devoured 3 in one sitting. Happy Fall, y’all! Thanks again for this recipe, it has definitely taken the intimidation out of making cinnamon rolls. I share it often.
My goto cinnamon roll recipe. The whole family loves it.
I used a cream cheese icing as I love cream cheese. Easy enough, plenty of cinnamon. I recommend this recipe. Very good!
I added cardamom to the flour mix, they taste very similar to the cinnamon buns my Finnish grandmother made. So easy to make, love this recipe!
These were pretty good but to overwhelmingly sweet. We will give them another try with less sugar in the cinnamon filling, maybe add some chopped pecans and use a cream cheese icing instead.
My family and I love these! They are definitely not just a 45-minute task though, it usually takes me closer to an hour to 1.5 hours, but I like to take my time while baking. These are super fluffy and also reheat well in the microwave (if there are any leftovers!). I often make a double batch in order to have breakfasts for the week and they last well on the counter covered or in the fridge. Overall very tasty and I love them.
These turned out really well! The dough was wonderful to work with. I read that some people thought there was too much cinnamon, but I didn’t think so. It took a little longer than 45 minutes, but not too much more. I will make these again. Thank you for the recipe.
I haven’t tried this recipe yet but was wondering if you could make the rolls then freeze them for a different day?