These one hour cinnamon rolls are soft, delicious and slathered with a melt-in-your-mouth frosting. Just like a classic cinnamon roll recipe, but done in half the time!
Easy One Hour Cinnamon Rolls
One of my all-time favorite things to make around the holidays is overnight cinnamon rolls (and my sweet orange rolls). They are so fun to make with my kids and are such a yummy treat.
Let’s be honest though they just take way too long unless your making this cinnamon roll casserole or cinnamon roll pancakes. But I have finally come up with a homemade quick 1 hour cinnamon roll recipe that tastes just as yummy and is done in HALF the time!
They are perfect for my family of 6. We really don’t need more than 1 cinnamon roll each…so 8 is the perfect amount for us! Feel free to double the recipe though if you have a bigger family or want leftovers.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Recipe
- Fast: That’s right, no need to prep the night before, these quick cinnamon rolls are ready in an hour (plus a few minutes)!
- Flavorful texture: They have a soft, chewy and buttery texture with the best cinnamon sugar flavor that would rival any bakery.
- Perfect for the holidays: The best comfort food for a Christmas breakfast or Easter brunch!
How to Make 1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls
- Proof the yeast: Add warm water (bath temperature), yeast and 1 Tablespoon of sugar to a small bowl (I like to use a large measuring cup) and stir. Cover with paper towel and let sit until bubbly (about 5 minutes).
- Make the dough: Stir together the butter, milk, sugar and salt in a separate bowl. When the yeast mixture has bubbled, add to the bowl with the butter mixture and stir. Add one cup of flour and mix until smooth. Then add remaining flour in 1/2 cup increments.
- Knead: Knead for a few minutes. Add more flour if dough is still sticky. You want the dough to be slightly sticky, but not to the point where it covers your hands in dough. When the dough is soft, cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in warm spot. Let dough rise for about 20 minutes.
Rising tip: If you don’t have a warm spot in your house, turn on the oven to 200°F and then turn it off. Then place the dough inside to allow to rise.
- Making filling: Combine the melted butter, sugars and cinnamon to a bowl and mix.
- Roll and cut: When dough has risen, punch it down and roll the dough on a floured surface into a large rectangle that’s about 10×12 inches. Using a pastry brush, spread the cinnamon-sugar mixture onto the dough (I didn’t end up using all of the filling). Then roll the cinnamon roll dough up and cut into 1″ pieces with a large knife or dental floss.
- Bake in oven: Add dough pieces to a buttered pie dish (about 1″ apart) and let rise for 20 minutes. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes at 350°F. You want them to be golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool.
Frosting
The creamy, thick and rich cream cheese cinnamon rolls frosting is what takes these rolls over the top. You could also make a thinner cream cheese glaze if you want a more subtle taste and texture. A tangy sour cream frosting is also a good alternative if you don’t have any cream cheese on hand.
FAQ’s
You’ll need highly active yeast (or rapid rise yeast). That’s what makes this recipe so quick. The rolls won’t rise as fast if you use traditional yeast.
You can make these up to 12 hours ahead of time. Simply roll them out and place on a baking sheet. Let sit for 30 minutes to rise and then cover tightly with foil that has been sprayed with non stick spray. Refrigerate overnight. Then in the morning, remove from the fridge and let rise about 1-2 hours before baking. Then bake as directed.
Yes, to freeze unbaked homemade cinnamon rolls place them in a pie dish and cover tightly with foil. Store in freezer for up to 2 months. Remove from freezer when ready to bake and let them thaw and rise on the counter for 4 to 5 hours. I like to let them rise in the oven during the last hour. Then bake according to directions.
You can also freeze baked rolls. Let cool completely, then place in a freezer container. When ready to enjoy, set out to thaw overnight.
Want more yummy breakfast recipes? Check out these chocolate cinnamon rolls, my favorite pumpkin cinnamon rolls or this simple liege waffle!
More Cinnamon Roll Recipes
HUNGRY FOR MORE? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all the newest recipes!
1 Hour Cinnamon Roll Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Filling
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
Cinnamon Rolls
- ⅓ cup warm water
- 1 Tablespoon highly active yeast
- 5 Tablespoons granulated sugar , divided
- ¼ cup unsalted butter , melted
- ¼ cup warm milk
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 to 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour , or more or less as needed
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter , at room temperature
Frosting:
- ¼ cup salted butter at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon milk
Instructions
Filling
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
Cinnamon Rolls
- In a small bowl, stir together the warm water, yeast, and 1 Tablespoon sugar. Cover with a paper towel. Let sit 5 minutes, or until bubbly.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a dough attachment, stir together melted butter, milk, salt, and the remaining 4 Tablespoons sugar. Stir in yeast mixture until combined. Add 1 cup flour and stir until smooth. Add the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time. Knead 1 to 2 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour until smooth and soft..
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot. Let rise about 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a pie dish.
- Once your dough has risen, punch it down and roll out on a floured surface. You want to form a rectangle, approximately 10×12 inches. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Spread softened butter onto the dough with a brush and then sprinkle the filling evenly over the top. Gently press the sugar down into the butter. Roll the doll, length-side, into a swirl.
- Cut the dough into 1-inch pieces with floss or a large knife. Place rolls, swirl-side up, into pie dish, about 1 inch apart. Let rolls rise about 15 minutes.
- Bake 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool.
Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat together butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. You can add more milk or powdered sugar to reach your desired consistency. Spread over the top of the rolls.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Biscuits + Rolls, Bread, Breakfast, Christmas, Freezer-Friendly, Kid-Friendly, Nut-Free, Sweet Breakfast, Vegetarian, Yeast Bread
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Very grateful to the person who shared this on Facebook and to the owner of this recipe. So so so easy to make (from someone who makes stone solid scones) and it turns out peeeerrrrffeeeccttttt!!!! So soft and delicious. I only added cream cheese for the frosting. It did take me more than an hour. I think it has something to do with my yeast / room temperature as it took much longer to rise. That’s ok, it’s a lazy Sunday ?
Thanks again for the recipe!
I loveee your recipe!!! So grateful to have bumped into an easy and quick one that tastes as great as the ones that take so long to be ready!!! ❤️❤️❤️ I baked them twice this week and me and my family loved them. ??
What kind of flour do I use? Self rising or all purpose?
All purpose flour :)
I never tried cinnamon rolls, I was a bit reluctant to try the recipe. I have gone through the reviews. I thought I should give it a try. Honestly! it was super yummy and melt in mouth thing :). I have been baking since my childhood but it is my first try to make cinnamon rolls and also my first comment to any blog (ever). Thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipe. I made bit amendment of sugar in frosting. it works wonderful.
Profound regards;
Ss
Can you tel me when to add raisins during this process? Our family really likes them in our cinnamon rolls. Thank you!
I would add them with the cinnamon filling. :)
If I make these today, can I refrigerate them until Xmas day, so roughly 40ish hours from now? And then bake them on xmas day?
That sound work! :)
Can’t say enough good things about these cinnamon rolls! I’m an avid baker and love making cinnamon rolls, but they are very time consuming and make a ton for my little family of four. I admit I was slightly hesitant yesterday trying these, how could they possibly be as good as rolls that take hours? They turned out beautifully and tasted amazing!! Thank you so much for a great recipe. I have my sister making them today!!
Made these a few nights ago, my family LOVED them!
Al purpose or self riseing flower
All purpose. :)
So I’m a man that never bakes but these looked amazing. First try and they were perfect, and yes my wife loved them as well…off to look for more recipes to bake :)
I am going to try theses, but was wondering can you double the recripe? Or do I have to make 2 batches?
Thanks
I would make two batches the first time – only because doubling a recipe with yeast can be too much in a bowl if you don’t know what a single batch looks like. :)
Each time ive made them its turned out to be awesome.
I have made these twice, and both times the dough did not rise . The yeast was fresh and bubbled up nicely , but after mixing other ingredients, it did not rise. Has anyone else had this problem ? I was hoping these would be an easy quick roll, but not having very good luck with these. They look amazing .
Any ideas thanks , Susie
If the yeast bubbled, I wonder if maybe your kitchen is a bit cooler than mine is?
These turned out great! Great recipe ?
Thank you Jamielyn for sharing this super quick and easy recipe! yesterday I made it in to a giant cinnamon roll cake, my family loved it! Happy 2016!
I have used this recipe several times and the cinnamon rolls always come out great!
I saw things I really like. How do I get the recipes?
My whole family loved these cinnamon rolls. In fact my mom said that this was the best thing that I’d ever baked.(I’ve been baking for the past 16 years). They were wonderful even without the frosting. The only problem was converting all the measurement to grams.
I’m so glad your family loved these! I love how easy and delicious they are! :)