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No-Knead Cinnamon Rolls resting on a cooling rack.
Easy Cinnamon Rolls (No knead)
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Proof for
10 hrs
Total Time
11 hrs 15 mins
 

Try my Cinnamon Roll Recipe for bakery-style, soft, and fluffy buns with gooey icing and sweet cinnamon sugar—minimal effort for max flavors!

Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 buns
Author: Gemma Stafford
Ingredients
No Knead Dough
  • 3 ½ cups (1 lb 1 oz/ 497 g) all-purpose flour
  • 3 teaspoons instant dried yeast
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ¾ cup (6 fl oz/170 ml) whole milk
  • cup (3 fl oz/90 ml) water
  • ¼ cup (3 oz/85 g) honey
  • ¼ cup (2 oz/58 g) butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
Cinnamon Roll Filling
  • ½ cup (4 oz/115 g) butter, melted
  • 1 ¼ cups ( 7 ½ oz /210 g) dark brown sugar
  • 2 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup (4 oz/115 g) toasted pecans, chopped
Cream Cheese Glaze
  • ½ cup (4 oz/ 115 g) cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup (2 oz/ 58 g) butter, softened
  • 1 cup (4 oz/115 g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
The Night before Make The No Knead Dough
  1. Combine the flour, yeast and salt in a very large bowl.

  2. In a separate jug add in the milk, water, honey, and butter. Heat it in the microwave until it is warm (at blood temperature) and the butter has melted. Whisk in the eggs quickly.

  3. Stir the wet into the dry to make a soft dough. You can simply mix with a spoon until there are no flour lumps yet. Scrape down the dough from the sides of the bowl.

  4. Cover the bowl, and let the dough rise for 2 hours at room temperature. After this, refrigerate the dough for at least 8 hours but preferably overnight. It can be refrigerated for up to 3 days before use.

The Next Day
  1. Line a 9 x 13 inch baking tray with parchment and butter the sides. Set aside.

Make the Cinnamon Roll Filling
  1. Combine the melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl and stir until smooth. Set aside.

  2. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface, and roll it into a rectangle approximately 22-inches x 12-inches. This is a soft dough so use extra flour where needed.

  3. Spread the filling over the dough, leaving a narrow margin around the edge uncovered.

  4. Starting with a long edge, gently roll the dough into a log. Don't roll it too tightly; if you do, the centers of the buns will pop up as they bake.

  5. Slice the rolls about 2-inches thick and set them with their cinnamon face up. (at this point you can cover then and place in the fridge overnight to be baked the next day if you want)

  6. Cover the pan, and allow the rolls to rise until they're have grown into each other and are puffed up, about 60 minutes.

  7. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C)

  8. Carefully uncover the pan and gently egg wash the buns.

  9. Bake the buns for 40 to 45 minutes, until they're a deep golden brown.

To Make The Cream Cheese Glaze
  1. In a medium bowl beat the soft cream cheese, butter, sugar, and vanilla together with a whisk until well smooth and lump free.

  2. Remove the pan from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes.

  3. Spread the cream cheese glaze generously over the cinnamon rolls while still warm and devour immediately. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 1 day.

Watch the Recipe Video!

Recipe Notes
  • Don’t let the yeast mix with the salt when pouring in the bowl, salt kills yeast! Once you mix, it should be fine!
  • If you’re rolling your dough, and it springs back, don’t fret! Give it a little more time to rest and within three minutes, it should be good to continue rolling.
  • Rise: When it comes to bread fermenting/ proofing, there is no restricted timeline. The telltale sign you use is how your dough looks: if the dough has doubled in size, almost feels lighter and a finger indent doesn’t spring back right away, then it’s ready.