Easy One Hour Cinnamon Rolls (Better Than Cinnabon)
About this recipe
These Easy One Hour Cinnamon Rolls are a quick and delicious treat that can be made in just one hour, no overnight rising required. They're soft, ooey gooey, and filled with a sweet buttery cinnamon filling, topped with a rich cream cheese icing that rivals Cinnabon.
Perfect for breakfast or a sweet snack, this recipe is straightforward and uses common ingredients, making it accessible for bakers of all levels.
Ingredient notes
- Use whole or 2% milk for the best results.
- 1/4 cup of unsalted butter is equivalent to 1/2 stick.
- For the filling, use 1 stick (1/2 cup) of softened unsalted butter.
Tips from Cara's Recipes’s video
- Make sure to let the dough proof in a turned-off oven to create a warm environment for rising.
- When rolling out the dough, aim for a rectangle that is 14 inches by 18 inches and about 1/4 inch thick for even baking.
- Use a serrated knife with slow sawing motions to cut the rolls for clean slices without squeezing out the filling.
Good to know
- How long do I bake the cinnamon rolls?
- Bake in the oven at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until they are a light golden brown.
- What should the dough texture be like?
- The dough should be soft and slightly tacky but not too sticky.
- How many cinnamon rolls does this recipe make?
- This recipe yields 12 cinnamon rolls.
- What type of butter should I use for the filling?
- Use softened unsalted butter for the filling.
No life story here — the video and the recipe are the whole point. All credit to Cara's Recipes: watch the original on YouTube.
The recipe
Ingredients
Steps
- 1
Melt half a stick of unsalted butter in a microwave and pour into a large mixing bowl.
- 2
Heat 1 cup of milk in the microwave for 45 seconds and add to the bowl.
- 3
Add 1/4 cup of granulated sugar to the bowl.
- 4
Add 1 packet of active dry yeast to the bowl.
- 5
Use a whisk and stir until combined.
- 6
Cover the mixture with a tea cloth or towel and let sit for 10 minutes.
- 7
After 10 minutes, remove the towel and add 1 large egg, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp vanilla extract.
- 8
Use a spatula and stir until combined.
- 9
Begin adding in 3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour in 1/2 cup increments, folding in with a spatula until combined.
- 10
Preheat your oven to the lowest setting.
- 11
Use your hands to incorporate the last bit of flour; the dough should be soft and slightly tacky but not too sticky.
- 12
Form the dough into a round ball and cover with a tea cloth.
- 13
Turn your oven off and place the covered dough in the oven to proof for 10 minutes.
- 14
While the dough proofs, prepare the filling by combining 1 stick of softened unsalted butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon, and 1 tsp vanilla extract in a bowl.
- 15
Use an electric hand mixer to mix together until smooth and combined.
- 16
Once the dough has proofed, place it on a large pastry mat or a clean lightly floured surface to roll out.
- 17
Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to form a 14in x 18in rectangle that's 1/4 inch thick.
- 18
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- 19
Use an offset spatula to spread your filling on the dough, spreading it almost to the edges, starting with the short side towards you.
- 20
Tightly roll the dough vertically away from you to form a log.
- 21
Once rolled, use a dough scraper or a knife to pre-mark the dough for cutting: first in half, then half of those halves, and lastly three slices in each section for a total of 12 even cinnamon rolls.
- 22
Use a serrated edge knife to cut each slice using slow back and forth sawing motions for the cleanest cuts, being careful not to press down too hard or the filling will seep out.
- 23
Place your cinnamon rolls in a 9x13 baking pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
- 24
Bake in the oven at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cinnamon rolls are a light golden brown.
- 25
While the cinnamon rolls cool, prepare your cream cheese icing by combining 4 oz of softened cream cheese in a large mixing bowl with 2 cups of powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 2 to 4 Tbsp milk, adding one at a time.
- 26
Continue mixing until smooth and combined.
- 27
Lastly, use an angled spatula to spread the cream cheese icing over your warm cinnamon rolls, adding as much as desired.
Heads up — we had to guess a little:
- The quantity for the butter in the filling was inferred as 1 stick based on common recipes.
Credit where it’s due: this recipe was transcribed from Cara's Recipes’s original video on YouTube. Follow them there — it’s their dish.
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