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No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls

This no yeast homemade cinnamon rolls recipe is the quickest and easiest way to make everyone’s favorite cinnamon-filled bakery item.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 12
Cuisine: Chinese
Calories: 120

Ingredients
  

Dough & Filling
  • 2.25 cups all-purpose flour divided
  • 2.5 teaspoons baking powder
  • 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 0.25 teaspoon salt
  • 0.67 cup whole milk
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
  • 0.5 cup light brown sugar
  • 2.5 teaspoons cinnamon
Cream Cheese Icing
  • 2 ounces cream cheese room-temperature
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room-temperature
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk
  • 0.25 teaspoon salt
  • 0.75 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup powdered sugar sifted

Method
 

Cinnamon rolls
  1. Preheat oven to 350* F. Spray an 8 inch round baking pan with baker’s spray. Set aside.
  2. In a medium sized, spouted, measuring cup add the whole milk and 4 tablespoons of the unsalted butter. Heat in the microwave for 1 - 1.5 minutes on high or until the butter has melted and the milk is warm but not boiling. Mix together and allow to cool slightly.
  3. In a large mixing bowl add 2 cups of the all-purpose flour, baking powder, granulated sugar and salt. Stir to combine.
  4. Using a spatula, slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the flour mixture. You will gently stir the dough together until all the milk is absorbed by the flour. Lightly flour your hands and use your hands to lightly knead the dough to form a ball inside the mixing bowl. Cover the bowl of dough with a damp paper towel or tea-towel and allow the dough ball to rest for 10 minutes while you prepare your filling.
  5. In a small bowl stir together the light brown sugar and cinnamon. In a small dish melt the remaining two tablespoons of unsalted butter. Set aside.
  6. On a clean counter, or rolling mat, add the remaining 0.25 cup all-purpose flour and spread it out to roll out your dough. Using a rolling pin, which has been lightly floured, roll your dough out into a 10x12 inch rectangle.
  7. Brush, using a pastry brush, the 2 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter onto the entire surface of the dough. Evenly sprinkle the entire surface of the dough with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
  8. Roll the dough, from the 12 inch long side, into a log. Carefully trim off each end of the log so that you have a nice even log of cinnamon roll dough.
  9. Slice your cinnamon rolls evenly into 12 rolls. These should be about an inch wide per roll.
  10. Gently place each roll into the prepared 9 inch round baking dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the no yeast cinnamon rolls are just lightly golden on the edges. You do not want to over bake your cinnamon rolls.
Cream cheese icing
  1. In a medium sized mixing bowl cream together, with a handheld mixer on medium-low speed, the cream cheese, unsalted butter and salt for 1 minute or until there are no lumps.
  2. Add the vanilla extract and whole milk to the cream cheese mixture and beat for an additional 30 seconds until completely incorporated.
  3. With the mixer on low, beat in the powdered sugar until creamy and smooth. You may need to add an additional 1-2 teaspoons of whole milk to thin out your frosting if it is too thick to spread.
  4. Once your no yeast cinnamon rolls have come out of the oven you can frost your cinnamon rolls while they are warm with the cream cheese icing. *You can use a pinch of cinnamon to sprinkle onto the top of your frosted cinnamon rolls if desired for a garnish*