Easy No-Rise Cinnamon Buns

Cinnamon buns are a classic breakfast option but making them from scratch can take some planning ahead and time.. But what if I told you there's a no-rise cinnamon bun you can make without yeast that is easy and delicious? That's exactly what we have here!

How Do You Make Cinnamon Rolls Without Yeast?

The simple answer to making cinnamon rolls without yeast is baking powder.

Many individuals have recently gone on a yeast-free baking binge, including making their own bread and pizza dough, neither of which need yeast. And yet the doughs are still light, airy, and soft... with excellent reviews!

You can prepare homemade cinnamon rolls in less than an hour if you use baking powder instead of yeast. 

What’s the Texture of Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Without Yeast?

Traditional cinnamon rolls, which rise, puff, and then fill a baking dish as they bake, these rolls will not have the same amount of rise. That doesn't imply that they won't be light and delicious though.

The cinnamon rolls have a chewier bite and a somewhat thicker texture than the original sweet. Consider this recipe's DIY upgrade if you've ever made Pizza Dough Cinnamon Rolls or something similar.

What you need to make No-Rise Cinnamon Buns

For the dough

• Cottage cheese (4% milk-fat)
• Buttermilk
• Granulated sugar
• Unsalted butter
• Vanilla extract
• Unbleached all-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Table salt
• Baking soda

For the filling

• Unsalted butter
• Light brown sugar
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground allspice
• Chopped pecans

For the glaze

• Confectioners’ sugar
• Cold milk
• Vanilla extract

How to make the recipe

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray the sides and bottom of a 9- or 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray.

Make the dough

In a food processor, combine the cottage cheese, buttermilk, sugar, melted butter, and vanilla. Process until smooth for about 20 seconds.

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together into a mixing bowl. Pulse on/off just until the dough clumps together (don't over-process).

From the top of the dough, scrape it down onto a lightly floured surface and work it with floured hands 4 or 5 times until smooth. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a 12×15-inch rectangle.

Make the filling

Brush the dough with half of the butter, leaving a ½-inch border unbuttered around the edges.

In a medium mixing dish, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Pat gently into the dough's surface area after sprinkling the mixture over it.

Over the sugar, sprinkle the nuts. Roll up the dough jelly-roll style beginning at a long edge. To seal and close the seams, pinch them together.

Trim the edges of the dough with a sharp knife to make them even, then cut the roll into 12 equal pieces. Set the pieces, cut side up, in the prepared pan; they should fill it completely and touch lightly, small gaps are fine.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown and firm. Set the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes to cool. Run a spatula around the inside edge of the pan and remove the springform ring.

Make the glaze

In a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, 2 Tbs. milk, and vanilla to make a smooth glaze. It should be thick but pourable, so add up to 1 Tbs. more milk if needed.

Drizzle the glaze over the cinnamon rolls. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Storing the recipe

Store any uneaten rolls in the refrigerator once they have completely cooled. They will store for 3-5 days. If you have any leftover frosting, you can also store that in the fridge for 3-5 days in a container and use it to top up the rolls when you serve them again.

You can freeze the rolls once they have cooled before you add the frosting. Pop them in an airtight container then defrost them overnight in the fridge. Reheat them in the oven for 10 minutes then add the frosting.

Recipe tips

If you are using pecans, you can toast them for 6-8 minutes until lightly browned before adding them to the mixture.

Recipe variation

Try this Apple-Butter Cinnamon Buns variation: Instead of using the cinnamon-pecan filling in the main recipe, mix ¾ cup apple butter, 1-½ Tbs. melted butter, and 1 tsp. ground cinnamon in a small bowl.

Omit the melted butter from the main recipe and spread the dough rectangle with the apple mixture, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges.

Sprinkle with ¾ cup (3 oz.) finely chopped walnuts, if desired. Roll, cut, bake, and ice as directed. Because this filling is wetter, the buns may need to bake for 30 minutes.