This Easy 1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls recipe is quick and simple to make, and the cinnamon rolls are light and fluffy, drizzled with a heavenly vanilla icing, and absolutely delicious!
There’s nothing better than a warm, gooey cinnamon roll, especially when they only take about 60 minutes to make, and these cinnamon rolls are so much fun to make with the kids for a fun occasion like Christmas morning! These babies are bakery-style cinnamon rolls made with the softest, fluffiest, golden-brown dough, an irresistible cinnamon-sugar filling, and sweet delicious vanilla icing drizzled on top.
We appreciate your support
Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask.
Freaky Friday
I’m very excited to be participating in this cookie exchange winter 2020 edition of Freaky Friday, an old fashioned blog hop, with this wonderful recipe easy cinnamon rolls from Devour Dinner, and this recipe is perfect Christmas breakfast or any time with the family.
But isn’t yeast difficult to work with?
No, yeast really isn’t that difficult at all. If you’re new to working with yeast and homemade dough, don’t be intimidated.
I have lots of tips and tricks to help you with this breakfast treat. One of the great things about this recipe is that you proof the yeast in warm water before you ever even use it in the dough, so you know it’s alive and working.
Can I customize this recipe?
Yes, feel free to play around with this recipe and customize it however you like!
- Cut these rolls to be thick or thin, your choice; either is tasty. You’ll just have to cook the bigger ones a bit longer.
- You might want to add nuts to the rolls for a cinnamon nut crunch treat. Sprinkle some finely chopped silvered almonds or pecans over the cinnamon-sugar mixture before rolling up the dough.
- Make Nutella rolls by omitting the cinnamon sugar and spreading Nutella inside the dough. You might also want to toss in a handful of mini chocolate chips.
- Try orange rolls by adding some orange zest to the cinnamon sugar mixture, and glazing the rolls with an orange glaze. To make the orange glaze, simply use orange juice in place of the milk in the icing.
- Frost these with cream cheese frosting rather than vanilla icing.
Can these be made ahead?
Definitely! Especially with such a large batch of cinnamon rolls, I like to keep some for future use, and it’s great to make them ahead of time.
Planning on baking them up tomorrow for breakfast? No problem! You can make these up to 12 hours ahead of time. Just follow the recipe as directed, but before you bake them, place them on a cookie baking sheet, and cover them with plastic wrap and set them in the fridge overnight.
When ready to bake, bring them to room temperature and bake as directed. You can even make the icing ahead of time as well. Just refrigerate the icing until you’re ready to use it, then pop in the microwave for 10-20 seconds, stir, use.
Can these be frozen for longer storage?
Absolutely, these can be made up to 6 months in advance. Again, follow the recipe directions until they’re ready to be baked. Place the unbaked cinnamon rolls in a pie pan or disposable aluminum tray, and cover tightly with foil. When you’re ready to bake, remove them from the freezer, and let them thaw on the counter for about 90 minutes. Then bake according to directions. The icing can also be made ahead and frozen. Just microwave it for a few seconds to thaw.
If you prefer to bake them, then freeze them, that can be done as well. Let them cool completely on a wire rack, and place in a freezer safe container or in a ziplock bag. Just set them out overnight to thaw.
If you have some leftover
Heat in the microwave for 30-40 seconds. They are great this way as well. And I like serving a leftover cinnamon roll with some scrambled eggs for weekday breakfasts! Nice and easy!
How to make these rolls
The picture on the left above shows what the proofed yeast should look like after 15 minutes of rising. The picture on the right is the mixed dough that’s starting to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
Look at the difference in size from before rising on the left to after about 20 minutes in the Instant Pot on the right.
Rolling out the dough and filling it with the cinnamon sugar.
The rolls are filled and rolled and ready to be baked on the left, and after being baked on the right.
Proofing the dough in the pressure cooker
The Instant pot (or pressure cooker) with a yogurt setting is a great place to proof yeasted dough. It keeps a nice temperature and a safe clean place for the yeast to rise. This trick works for any yeast recipe.
You’ll want to use a large Instant pot for this recipe because there’s so much dough. Use a 6-quart to 8-quart Pressure Cooker.
For this recipe, the dough may rise above the edge of the 6-quart insert, and that’s why you want to use the glass lid, an upside down dinner plate, or even a cookie baking sheet as a lid. It allows the dough to proof and rise.
You do not want to use the normal pressure cooker lid with sealing ring because it’s possible that the dough can rise to the point of plugging up the sealing vent, and seal the lit shut as it grows in size, and that would cause a problem opening the lid.
But my pressure cooker doesn’t have a yogurt setting
If your pressure cooker does not have the yogurt setting, you’ll want to proof the dough old school style.
Turn your oven on to any temperature for 30 seconds. Then turn the oven off. Leave the internal light on in the oven. Cover the bowl with the dough in it with a towel, and place it in the warmed oven so it stays nice and cozy, about 85 °F is perfect for proofing dough. You can also proof the dough on the counter if it’s a warm day. Wait for the dough to double in size.
Can I use regular all-purpose flour?
Yes, you can use all-purpose flour in these cinnamon rolls. The rolls come out with a little different texture. The bread flour is stronger, and will help keep the active yeast in line. So, the rolls are a bit different, but the recipe will work.
Can I cut this recipe in half?
Yes, this can be cut in half to make a smaller batch, no problem. Use the servings slider on the recipe card to easily adjust the ingredient amounts.
And since the recipe calls for 3 eggs, no need to cut an egg in half, just use 2 eggs when you half the recipe.
Troubleshooting
Why are the Cinnamon Rolls Dry?
Dry tough cinnamon rolls happen for a few reasons.
You may have added too much flour to the dough, or the dough may have been over kneaded. Kneading the dough in a stand mixer is a great way to make this dough, however, there is a tendency to add in too much flour. Be sure it’s sticky, but not sticky enough to stick to your fingers, and it’s just starting to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
The rolls may also be over baked. Be sure to check them on the earlier side of the baking time to see if they are golden brown and cooked through.
Also, if you pack the pan too full, it’s difficult for them rolls to bake evenly, and you may get hard dense rolls.
Devour Dinner
This is my first time meeting Rebecca at Devour Dinner. I love learning about new blogs and all the yummy goodies they offer. Rebecca hopes that her site will allow her friends and family a deeper passion of cooking, and take the guesswork out of “what’s for dinner”.
And let me tell you she definitely does that! I’m impressed. Besides the cinnamon rolls that I’m sharing with you today, she had so many recipes that not only sound delicious and would be perfect for a cookie exchange, but easy to make too! Like her Homemade Oreo Cookies, these Peppermint Kiss Cookies, and the delicious looking Ginger Snap Cookies. Hop on over and tell her Life Currents sent you!
Take a look at all of our 2020 Freaky Friday Holiday Cookie Exchange Recipes
Easy 1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Easy 1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
Ingredients
Dough
- 3 ½ cups warm water 100-130 °F
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup oil
- 6 tablespoons Instant Yeast
- ½ tablespoon salt
- 3 eggs
- 10-10½ cups bread flour
Cinnamon Rolls
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3-4 teaspoons cinnamon
Icing
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3-6 tablespoons milk for desired consistency
Instructions
Dough
- In a large bowl, add warm water. Stir in sugar and oil. Add yeast, and stir gently. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes.
- In a large stand mixer, add 3 cups flour and salt. Add yeast liquid and mix. Add eggs one at a time and mix after each addition.
- Add 3 more cups of flour and mix.
- Slowly add 3 more cups of flour and mix.
- You now have 9 cups of flour into the dough. Add an additional 1 to 1 & ½ cups flour. Check for stickiness. Dough should be pulling away from bowl edges. It should be sticky but not stick to your fingers.
- Spray the inside a 6-8 quart Instant pot insert with non-stick cooking spray. Remove dough from mixer and place in Instant Pot on Yogurt Setting (Low). Cover with a glass lid or an upside down plate and allow to rise for 15-20 minutes
- If you do not have a pressure cooker with a yogurt setting, place your dough into a bowl, cover with a towel and place on the counter to double in size.
Cinnamon Rolls
- Separate dough into 3 sections. Using one section at a time, roll out on a lightly floured board into a rectangle. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon mixture evenly over dough.
- Roll dough and pinch seam together. Cut dough into rolls, about 1 & ½ inches wide. I like to use unflavored dental floss or thick thread to cut them. Lift the edge of the roll, slide floss under crosswise, lay roll back down then cross threads over the top or the roll, and pull until a slice is cut through. Place rolls about 2 inches apart on a buttered baking sheet.
- Bake at 400°F for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.
Icing
- Mix all icing ingredients together, and drizzle over warm cinnamon rolls. Enjoy.
Dang these look terrific! I have tried other 1 hour cinnamon roll recipes and they weren’t my fave because the yeast just does not have time to do its thing, but these really look fluffy and perfect and OMG THE FROSTING! Can’t wait to try!
I love that you used the IP for proofing!! I’m definitely trying these!
I bet Santa would love one of these on his route! I hope that you and your hubby, and sweet kitty have a great holiday season, Debi!
Love that these cinnamon rolls can be made in just 1 hour! Got to get the instant pot out pronto!
Oh wow!! Cinnamon buns in only 1 hour!? I’m in! I love baking something special for Christmas morning and I think these just might be the winner!
I haven’t used my instant pot for proofing dough yet so I can’t tell you how exciting this recipe is for me. You sure answered any questions I had so they’re easy enough to get on my my table for Christmas morning!
I can’t believe how quick and easy these are to make. They look delicious. Definitely a great way to start Christmas day.
Oh i’m in cinnamon roll heaven, sweet perfection right here! Thanks for the instant pot tip to proof the yeast, brilliant!
Oooo, I love a warm, fresh cinnamon roll! These look so amazing and I love all of the options you gave in making these rolls!
The fact that these cinnamon rolls were done in an hour blew my mind! And using the electric pressure cooker for them? BRILLIANT. We’ll be having these (again!) on Christmas morning for sure.
I will admit to having had my doubts about cinnamon rolls in 1 hour, but these definitely did not disappoint! I’m going to make these again on Saturday!
Cinnamon rolls are one of my favorite things about the holiday season, and to have them in an HOUR?? Sounds like there will be a lot more in my future!