These one hour cinnamon rolls are super soft, delicious and slathered with an amazing melt-in-your-mouth frosting. Just as yummy as the classic cinnamon roll recipe, but done in half the time!

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…sometimes they just take way too long. I’ve finally come up with a quick cinnamon roll recipe that tastes just as yummy and is done in HALF the time!

This is one of my favorite breakfasts to make for Christmas morning. You can make these cinnamon rolls in one hour (okay plus a few minutes) and they turn out amazing. They’re soft, fluffy and have the best cinnamon sugar flavor. 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.

How to make 1 hour cinnamon rolls

Prepare 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. 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 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 rectangle that’s about 10×12 inches. Using a pastry brush, spread filling onto the dough (I didn’t end up using all of the filling). Then roll the dough up and cut into 1″ pieces with a large knife or 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 top with cinnamon roll frosting or a cream cheese glaze.

FAQ’s

• What type of yeast do you use for one hour cinnamon rolls? 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.
• What do you do if the dough is too sticky? Just add a little more flour. I would add in small increments (a Tablespoon at a time) until it is slightly sticky and smooth.
• How big do cinnamon rolls get after baking? They should be a little bigger than palm size. If yours weren’t this size, let them rise a little longer next time around.
• Can you make them night before? 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.

Freezer instructions

Freezing unbaked rolls: Place the unbaked cinnamon rolls 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.

Freezing them baked: Let cool completely, then place in a freezer container. When ready to enjoy, set out to thaw overnight.

More cinnamon roll inspired recipes:

• Cinnamon roll monkey bread
• Soft cinnamon roll sugar cookies
• Cinnamon roll breakfast smoothie
• Cinnamon crescent rolls
• Cinnamon roll pancakes

1 Hour Cinnamon Roll Recipe

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cinnamon rolls

Prep Time: 50 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 347

Author: Jamielyn Nye

These one hour cinnamon rolls are super soft and delicious slathered with an amazing melt-in-your-mouth frosting. Just as yummy as the classic cinnamon roll recipe, but done in half the time!

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Ingredients

Dough:

• 1/3 cup warm water
• 1 Tablespoon highly active yeast
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 cup butter (melted)
• 1/4 cup warm milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 to 2 1/2  cups flour (more or less as needed)

Filling:

• 5 Tablespoons butter (softened)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon  cinnamon

Frosting:

• 1/4 cup salted butter (softened)
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 Tablespoon milk

Instructions

• In a small bowl, add warm water, yeast and 1 Tablespoon of sugar. Stir, and cover with a paper towel. Let sit for about 5 minutes until bubbly.
• In a large bowl, stir together butter, milk, sugar and salt. Add yeast mixture and stir until combined. Add one cup of flour and stir until smooth. Add the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time. Knead for 1-2 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, you can add a little more flour.
• Once dough is nice and soft, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot. Allow dough to rise for about 20 minutes. I like to warm the oven to 200°F with a small pan of water, turn it off and set the bowl in there to rise.
• While dough is rising, make the filling. Combine the butter, sugars and cinnamon in a small bowl.
• 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 filling onto the dough with a brush and then roll the dough up. I did not use all of the filling. Cut the dough into one inch pieces with floss or a large knife. Place dough onto a buttered pie dish with rolls about 1 inch apart. Let rolls rise for about 15 minutes.
• Bake at 350°F for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
• While the rolls are cooking, beat together the frosting ingredients in a large bowl and then spread on top of the rolls. You can add more milk or powdered sugar to reach your desired consistency.
• Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Storing and reheating: Store in an airtight container. Reheat one roll in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.

Rising tip: Turn the oven to 200°F. Then turn off the oven and let the dough rise in the oven. 

Making the night before: 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.

Freezing cinnamon rolls: You can freeze the rolls after they have been baked and cooled. Simply place in a freezer container, then set out to thaw overnight. You can also freeze the rolled dough. Simply place the rolls on the baking sheet and then cover tightly with foil. Then freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to bake allow to thaw and rise for about 4 to 5 hours. I usually let them rise in the oven for the last hour. Once they have risen, bake according to directions. 

Nutrition

Calories: 347kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 317mg | Potassium: 31mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 585IU | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 0.3mg

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