Cinnamon Roll Muffins

One cinnamon roll muffin that has been glazed sitting on a white plate.

Cinnamon Roll Muffins are a must-try cinnamon roll recipe - no yeast needed & no rise time - and they're made in a muffin tin for the perfect handheld sweet treat. No yeast cinnamon roll muffins start with a basic dough that includes buttermilk for extra moisture and a generous brown sugar filling. Each muffin has that perfect gooey cinnamon roll center, and a simple vanilla glaze that melts into the warm cinnamon roll.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword cinnamon roll muffins, no yeast cinnamon rolls

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Total Time 35

Servings

Calories 277kcal

Author Jessica

Equipment

Ingredients

Cinnamon Rolls

1 large egg
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt (I use sea salt)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
2-3 cups all-purpose flour (see notes for tips)

Cinnamon Roll Filling

2 tablespoons butter softened/slightly melted is fine
2/3 cup brown sugar
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
4-6 tablespoons heavy cream (less if you use regular milk)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls

In a large mixing bowl, add the egg, light brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and vanilla extract. Stir together using a whisk until well combined.
1 large egg, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Whisk in the buttermilk.
1 cup buttermilk
Add 2 cups of the flour into the bowl of wet ingredients. Stir together with a wooden spoon until the dough forms a ball on its own, and is no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl. Add additional flour, in 1/4 cup increments, as needed until this is achieved.
2-3 cups all-purpose flour
Lightly spray a clean countertop with nonstick cooking spray and sprinkle a little bit of flour over it. Dump the dough on top of the lightly floured surface, and knead it for 1-2 minutes, just until it is a smooth dough ball and easier to handle. If the dough is still really sticky and unmanageable while kneading, add additional flour in 1 tablespoon increments.
Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a large rectangle (about the size of a cookie sheet- 12"x18").

Cinnamon Roll Filling

Spread the butter over the dough.
2 tablespoons butter
In a small bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture evenly over the butter in a thick layer.
2/3 cup brown sugar, ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Bake & Glaze

Starting at the longer side of the dough, roll it up tightly 'cinnamon roll style" into a log. Cut the log in half, and then cut each half into 6 equal pieces. Place one cinnamon roll per muffin cup in the prepared muffin pan.
Bake for 13-15 minutes. You don't want the muffins to be browned, they should be pale and not have much color to them at all. You do want to make sure the dough (especially in the center) is cooked and not raw.
Remove the cinnamon roll muffins from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, or until you can safely handle them and lift them out. Place the muffins on a cooling rack.
Whisk together the glaze ingredients in a small bowl and drizzle it over the top of the warm muffins. Enjoy the muffins warm or at room temperature once the glaze has set.
1 cup powdered sugar, 4-6 tablespoons heavy cream

Notes

Nutrition Information & Flour Tips: The amounts listed are for heavy cream and using 2 cups + 3/4 cups all-purpose flour; I have found that that is the average amount used, and it's what I use when I make this recipe (I add 2.5 cups into the mixing bowl, about 2 tablespoons sprinkled on the counter, and then 2 additional tablespoons to the dough when kneading). That includes a little bit for sprinkling on the counter and adding in about 2 tablespoons when kneading. Please remember the amount of flour used will vary. Start with the 2 cups listed in the recipe and add only what's needed to achieve the ball of dough that is pulled away from the sides of the bowl, it's ok if it is still slightly sticky, because you can add more flour when kneading.

Heavy Cream : If you are using anything other than heavy cream in the glaze; then you will need less of it.

Serving Suggestions : These muffins are best eaten warm after they have cooled slightly in the warm muffin pan for about 10 minutes. While they're cooling, I prepare the glaze, and then remove the muffins from the pan onto a cooling rack. I then use a fork or spoon to drizzle the glaze over top the slightly warm muffins. The glaze melts into it and it's so good!

Tip : I recommend using a mixing bowl, whisk, and wooden spoon to make this recipe (as directed in the recipe). I don't recommend using a stand mixer because when you mix the dry ingredients into the dough, it tends to stick to the sides of the stand mixer bowl because of how the paddle attachment works. Hopefully that makes sense. For best results, use a mixing bowl and wooden spoon, when stirring in the flour. It's also easier to not overmix the dough when you're doing it by hand.

Nutrition