Quick and Easy Cinnamon Rolls (+VIDEO)

These extra large quick and easy cinnamon rolls are super simple to make and are loaded with buttery cinnamon goodness! The cream cheese frosting is simply delectable!

Quick cinnamon rolls

If you love breakfast pastries, check out these easy homemade blueberry strudels, New Orleans raspberry filled beignets, or raspberry and cream cheese danishes.

Love smells like freshly baked cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting, fresh out of the oven with the gooey and soft centers. These quick and easy cinnamon rolls are not only made with love, they are ready in 45 minutes!

These quick cinnamon rolls have it all- the ground cinnamon and brown sugar mixture rolled up in a delicious dough and the sweet cream cheese frosting. My favorite part is the center because it is loaded with butter cinnamon and sugar and it’s super soft. SO good!

My 45-minute cinnamon rolls are perfect for Saturday mornings and will probably make enough to even eat on Sunday morning! My kids loved making these with me and loved eating them even more!

These cinnamon rolls are super close to copycat Cinnabon cinnamon rolls, except these are made with super simple ingredients and will fill your house with a delicious cinnamon aroma!

Now, here comes my secret ingredient for these copy cat Cinnabon cinnamon rolls…. drumroll please… allspice! Adding a small dash of allspice to the cinnamon filling gives these rolls a depth of warmth. It’s the perfect addition!

Cinnamon roll ingredients

• All purpose flour– I like to use Arrowhead unbleached organic flour for all of my recipes.
• Instant yeast– To make this cinnamon roll recipe super quick, we avoid a lengthy rise time by using instant yeast.
• Sugar– You will need three kinds of sugars for this recipe. Granulated sugar, brown sugar, and confectioner’s sugar is used for this cinnamon roll recipe.
• Milk– Whole milk is warmed and added the the dough mixture, which makes them rich and delicious.
• Salted butter– Salted butter eliminated the need to add extra salt to the recipe and it adds a depth of rich flavor.
• Eggs– One room temperature egg and two egg yolks make the cinnamon roll dough extra rich and fluffy.
• Spices– Cinnamon and allspice are combined with brown sugar for the cinnamon roll filling.
• Cream cheese– Room temperature cream cheese is used as a base for the frosting.
• Vanilla extract– A dash of vanilla adds warmth to these rolls.

Chef’s tips

Use room temperature ingredients

These cinnamon rolls are super fluffy thanks to the use of room temperature eggs and milk. When eggs are luke warm, they add more air into your baked goods, making them more fluffy!

It’s important to use room temperature cream cheese when making the frosting so it does not clump and create an uneven consistency.

Cut the rolls with floss

You read that right. To keep the rolls from pinching on the cut end, use floss to cut them. Place the floss under the roll, then cross the ends of the floss until is slices the cinnamon roll. It will be seamless!

Ice when warm

Ice the cinnamon rolls with the frosting while they are warm. The frosting will be easier to spread all over the rolls and into the little delicious crevices when it is warm.

How to make cinnamon rolls

Make the dough

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Combine the flour, granulated sugar, and yeast in a large bowl, then whisk until everything is combined. In a separate bowl, melt the butter in the microwave, but do not over heat. Add the milk and eggs to the butter and whisk to combine.
2. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture, then mix kneed (with your hands or in a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment)for 3 minutes. The dough will be tacky, but should not stick to your hands when you touch it.
3. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and drape a damp kitchen towel over the top. Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes. Turn off the oven 10 minutes before sticking the dough in the warm oven to proof.

Filling and rolling

1. Combine the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and allspice in a small bowl.
2. Dump the dough out on a lightly floured surface ( I use parchment paper, then lightly flour the parchment paper and dump the dough). Lightly flour the rolling pin, then stretch the dough into a 12 X 16″ rectangle that is about 1/4″ thick.
3. Spread the butter all over the stretched dough, then sprinkle the brown sugar mixture all over. Rub the mixture into the butter. Grab the long edge of dough near you, then roll the dough into itself to make a cylinder shape.
4. Use a dough cutter, sharp knife, or floss to slice the rolls into 1 1/2″ slices. Place them in a lightly oiled 9X13 inch pan, then place foil over the pan.
5. Place the cinnamon rolls in the TURNED OFF oven and allow the rolls to rise for 20 minutes. Remove the rolls from the oven.

Bake and frost

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the foil from the cinnamon rolls, then place them in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until they are golden brown.
2. While the cinnamon rolls are baking, make the frosting. Combine the cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla extract, and water in bowl. Use a hand held mixer on medium speed to whisk the ingredients into a fluffy texture.
3. Remove the cinnamon rolls from the oven, then frost them with the cream cheese frosting. Serve and enjoy immediately. Mangia!

How to store

You can keep the cinnamon rolls on the counter in an airtight container for up to three days.

In the freezer

You can easily freeze these cinnamon rolls, but you have choices here. The cinnamon rolls can be baked then frozen, or they can be frozen right before they are baked.

If you want to freeze baked iced cinnamon rolls, allow them to cool completely, then place them in an airtight container and freeze for up to 8 weeks.

If you want to freeze the cinnamon roll dough, follow the instructions up to slicing the cinnamon rolls and placing them in a pan. Cover that pan twice with plastic wrap, then place them in the freezer. Allow the frozen cinnamon roll dough to unthaw in the fridge overnight before you bake them.

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