No Yeast Homemade Cinnamon Rolls {Oven or Air Fryer}

WRITER BYCassie

POSTEDNovember 26, 2020

No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls are the homemade breakfast treat you deserve! These quick and easy cinnamon buns are made using two ingredient dough (flour + Greek yoghurt). They're super fluffy and light and can be made in the oven or the air fryer. Just a perfect little treat for breakfast, snacks and lunch boxes.

These no yeast homemade cinnamon rolls are the perfect sweet treat that are ready in under 30 minutes. Yes, you read that right.

You see, these sticky and gooey cinnamon buns are made from two ingredient dough (flour & Greek yoghurt). No yeast is required and you don't need to worry about proofing time. It's magic!

Now can I admit something a little controversial here? Cinnabon is too much for me. I can't do it. One bite and I'm overloaded with so much sugar I can't do anymore.

But these cinnamon rolls - they are the real deal. Perfectly sweet with just the right amount of cinnamon. Choose to add the simple glaze on top or enjoy them as is - it all works!

Cook these cinnamon rolls in the oven or the air fryer for a delicious treat that's on the table in a flash!

Don't want to make your own dough? Try my puff pastry cinnamon rolls that use store-bought frozen puff pastry.

What are Cinnamon Rolls?

Cinnamon rolls go by a few names. Cinnamon scrolls, cinnamon buns... all the same and equally as delicious.

These sticky and sweet rolls are made with dough that's covered with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon and rolled up to make a scroll shape. They are then cut into individual portions and baked until gooey and golden.

Cinnamon rolls are believed to have originated in Sweden, where they are called kanelbulle. Sweden even celebrates 'kanelbullens dag' or cinnamon roll day every October 4th. That's my kind of day!

INGREDIENTS

All you need is 5 every day ingredients to make your own batch of fresh cinnamon rolls. Here's what you'll need (full measurements in the recipe card below)...

Greek Yogurt
Self-Raising Flour - OR sub for all purpose / plain flour and baking powder instead. You'll need 2 teaspoons of baking powder for every cup of all purpose / plain flour you use.
Butter (melted)
Brown Sugar
Cinnamon

For the optional glaze, you'll also need:

Caster Sugar - Caster sugar is slightly finer than granulated sugar. It's also referred to as baker's sugar or superfine sugar. See this super helpful guide "what is caster sugar" guide for more information.
Milk
Vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS

Oven Method

Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F and line a baking tray with a silicone mat or baking paper.

Place Greek yoghurt in a mixing bowl and give it a stir. Add in 1 cup of flour and stir to combine. Gradually add in more flour until the dough starts to form into a ball.

Tip the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead with your hands for a minute or two. If the dough is still too sticky, add some more flour and continue to knead. The dough is ready when it is able to hold it's shape and is not sticking to your hands or the surface.

Roll the dough into a rectangle shape, then brush the dough with butter and sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon on top.

Roll the dough up tight, then cut into 8 equal pieces. Spread the pieces out onto a baking tray, keeping a bit of space between each one to allow some room for rising. Place in the oven for 10-15 minutes until golden and cooked through.

Place rolls on a wire rack to cool, but be sure to enjoy at least one (or three) warm and fresh out of the oven.

For the optional glaze - mix ingredients together in a bowl until they form a smooth glaze. Drizzle over completely cooled cinnamon rolls.

Air Fryer Method

Place Greek yoghurt in a mixing bowl and give it a stir. Add in 1 cup of flour and stir to combine. Gradually add in more flour until the dough starts to form into a ball.

Roll the dough into a rectangle shape, then brush the dough with butter and sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon on top.

Roll the dough up tight, then cut into 8 equal pieces. Place a piece of baking paper in the bottom of the air fryer basket. Spread the rolls out on top of the baking paper, keeping a bit of space between each one to allow some room for rising. If you have a smaller air fryer you may need to cook in two batches.

Cook on 180C / 350F for 10-15 minutes or until the dough is golden and cooked through. Move to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the optional glaze - mix ingredients together in a bowl until they form a smooth glaze. Drizzle over completely cooled cinnamon rolls.

How do you know when cinnamon rolls are done?

Your cinnamon rolls are done when the dough has turned golden. If you're unsure if it's cooked through, place a skewer into one and if it comes out clean - you're good to go.

STORAGE ADVICE

There's nothing quite like a warm and gooey cinnamon roll that's just come out of the oven. But you can keep these scrolls fresh for later.

Once the scrolls have cooled completely, store in an airtight container or ziplock back at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

I like to zap them in the microwave before serving to warm them up again. I LOVE warm cinnamon rolls.

TOP TIPS

Be sure to check out my two ingredient dough guide for all the tips and tricks for getting the dough right!
You want to work quickly with this dough - it tends to get stickier the longer it's at room temperature so once you have the right consistency roll it out, load it up and roll it up.
Don't worry too much about getting a perfect rectangle shape. I certainly never do. Just roll it out as much as you can then top with the sugar, cinnamon and butter.
Roll it up as tightly as possible and try to cut it into 8 even parts. This is easier to do if you cut the roll in half first, then half again, and again.
Keep a close eye on the rolls at around 10 minutes while cooking. You want them to be lovely and golden.
Enjoy them warm!

MORE TWO INGREDIENT DOUGH RECIPES

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Originally published August 7, 2019. Updated November 26, 2020 to include air fryer cooking method and optional cinnamon roll glaze. Photos also updated.

RECIPE

No Yeast Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Total Time

25 minutes

0 Stars (33 Reviews)

servings

8

Scale

Optional Glaze

½ cup Icing Sugar / Processed Sugar

½ tsp Vanilla Extract

1-2 tbsps Milk

Instructions

OVEN METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F and line a baking tray with a silicone mat or baking paper.

Place Greek yoghurt in a mixing bowl and give it a stir. Add in 1 cup of flour and stir to combine. Gradually add in more flour until the dough starts to form into a ball.

Roll the dough into a rectangle shape, then brush the dough with butter, then sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon on top.

Place rolls on a wire rack to cool, but be sure to enjoy at least one (or three) warm and fresh out of the oven.

If making optional glaze - mix ingredients together in a bowl
until they form a smooth glaze. Drizzle over cooled cinnamon rolls.

AIR FRYER METHOD

Place Greek yoghurt in a mixing bowl and give it a stir. Add in 1 cup of flour and stir to combine. Gradually add in more flour until the dough starts to form into a ball.

Roll the dough into a rectangle shape, then brush the dough with butter, then sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon on top.

Cook on 180c / 350F for 10-15 minutes or until the dough is golden and cooked through. Move to a wire rack to cool completely.

If making optional glaze - mix ingredients together in a bowl
until they form a smooth glaze. Drizzle over cooled cinnamon rolls.

Notes

1. Flour

If you don't have self-raising flour you can sub for all purpose flour / plain flour and baking powder instead. You'll need 2 teaspoons of baking power for each cup of all purpose flour. So if your dough uses 1 & 1/2 cups of flour, use 3 teaspoons of baking powder etc.

2. Storing

Once the rolls have cooled completely, store in an airtight container or ziplock back at room temperature for a day, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

I like to zap them in the microwave before serving to warm them up again. I LOVE warm cinnamon rolls.

3. Tips for making this recipe

Be sure to check out my two ingredient dough guide for all the tips and tricks for getting the dough right!

You want to work quickly with this dough - it tends to get stickier the longer it's at room temperature so once you have the right consistency roll it out, load it up and roll it up.
Don't worry too much about getting a perfect rectangle shape. I certainly never do. Just roll it out as much as you can then load it up.
Roll it up as tightly as possible and try to cut it into 8 even parts. This is easier to do if you cut the roll in half first, then half again, and again.
Keep a close eye on the rolls at around 10 minutes while cooking. You want them to be lovely and golden.
Enjoy them warm!