Cinnamon Rolls Recipe (Without Yeast) - Dessert for Two (2024)

Published: Oct 16, 2023 · Modified: Dec 14, 2023 by Christina Lane · This post may contain affiliate links · 214 Comments

You will hardly find a time when a slow weekend morning isn't improved upon by homemade baked goods! These small-batch cinnamon rolls for two are so quick to make. Plus, they don't contain any yeast! We're using baking soda, baking powder and a small amount of vinegar instead of yeast, and you will love it!

I've had a lot of no yeast / quick cinnamon rolls in my day. And, um, most of them are not much different than a biscuit with cinnamon sprinkled on top.

We can surely do better than that.

But these babes? They're baked at a much lower temperature than most other recipes. They also have a much higher concentration of butter than most.

But, good news---I figured out the secret to marriage: sharing ahalf-stick ofbutter with your partner as often as possible. We don't need no stinkin' marriage counseling. We got butter!

(Can you tell I'm writing this at the end of a long day that started with a cinnamon sugar high?)

You need a regular muffin pan for this recipe--this is my favorite pan. I love darker muffin pans because they encourage browning in muffins. Also, I love that it only has 6 cups, because we're into this small batch lifestyle, aren't we?

Ingredients For This Cinnamon Roll Recipe (No Yeast)

• Flour. All-purpose, regular flour that you fluff, scoop and level with a knife to measure.
• Sugar. Granulated sugar for the actual dough
• Baking Powder. We’re using baking powder instead of yeast for an instant rise in the dough, caused by the heat of the oven. Baking powder reacts to heat. Technically, baking powder is double-acting, which means it reacts to acidity in the dough AND reacts to heat in the oven. This will help make our rolls super tall and fluffy.
• Baking Soda. We need a small amount of baking soda for the perfect rise.
• Salt. Please don’t omit the salt; it flavors the dough so much, and balances the sweetness of the filling.
• Milk. I really recommend whole milk for baking. I almost always notice inferior results when using skim milk, because it lacks fat.
• Vinegar. It sounds strange to add vinegar, but this is extra acidity for the baking powder and baking soda to react with. Do not omit! You will not taste the vinegar.
• Butter. You can use unsalted or salted butter here. If you use salted butter, omit the salt in the recipe.
• Brown Sugar. You can use either dark or light brown sugar.
• Cinnamon. Ground cinnamon is the classic flavor of cinnamon rolls, but a little cardamom would be great, too!
• Cream Cheese. The best cinnamon rolls have a cream cheese frosting.
• Powdered Sugar. Also known as icing sugar, powdered sugar dissolves easily into frosting without any graininess.

How to Make Quick Cinnamon Rolls

1. Preheat the oven to 375, and spray 4 cups in a muffin pan with cooking spray (or use extra melted butter).
2. Combine the flour, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. In a small measuring cup, combine the milk, vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of the melted butter.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and stir until a soft dough forms.
5. Heavily flour a work surface, and pat the dough out into a rectangle about 6" long. Use plenty of flour as you go.
6. Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter on top of the dough.
7. Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and remaining 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar. Press this mixture lightly into the butter on top of the dough. Carefully, roll the dough up starting with the long side. Roll away from you. When you get to the end of the dough, pinch the entire seam shut.
8. Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces, drop into the greased muffin cups, and bake for 14-15 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, beat together the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar. If it seems hard to spread, splash in some milk or heavy cream.
10. Frost the cinnamon rolls when they come out of the oven, and serve.

Tips for making Homemade Cinnamon Rolls (No Yeast)

• Ensure your baking soda and baking powder are fresh and not expired.
• Go slowly and gently while you roll, and know that the muffin tin will help shape the rolls, so you don’t have to stress. Just roll them as tightly as possible.
• Use plenty of flour when rolling to prevent sticking.
• The best way to cut raw dough is with a very sharp serrated knife. It’s helpful to clean the knife between cuts.

Best Frosting for this Cinnamon Rolls Recipe (Without Yeast)

It’s just not a cinnamon roll unless it has fluffy cream cheese frosting. This recipe is for a small batch, since we’re only making 4 rolls. Try to find the small 3-ounce blocks of cream cheese, but if you can’t, save the remaining cream cheese for myCheesecake Cups.

What others are saying about these No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls

-Tara G said 'I just made these and shared them with my roommate...they were such a joy to make and SO DELICIOUS!'

-Courtney said 'I made these this weekend...(and) they were so yummy! They tasted just like rolls I buy at the grocery store.'

-Beth said 'I've just made these, and I have to say they are amazing! The dough is so soft and easy to work with, and so quick to make too!'

-Jana said 'Just made these...they were delicious! First time making cinnamon rolls from scratch & they were so easy to make & so yummy!'

Ok, I've officially used throngs of women to convince you how much you need small batch cinnamon rolls for two in your life.

The hardest part of this recipe is remembering to take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator to soften while you bake. But just so you know, if your fridge is fresh-out of cream cheese, you can use this glaze from my potato cinnamon rolls. Other than cream cheese, you should have everything to make these cinnamon rolls for two in your pantry. Dangerous, right?

I trust you, though. You can have this recipe, and do with it as you please. I'm not here to judge your small batch cinnamon roll consumption levels.

Get ready. Your weekends will never be the same.