Quick Cinnamon Buns with Buttermilk Glaze
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When you don’t have time to wait for a slow-rising yeast dough, these crave-worthy cinnamon buns are the answer.
I love traditional sticky buns, but they require advanced planning and several hours of time for the dough to rise. I don’t know about your family, but when my kids request cinnamon buns for breakfast, they want them five minutes ago, not later this afternoon! That’s where this quick and easy cinnamon bun recipe comes in. Tweaked a bit from Cook’s Illustrated, the recipe relies on a quick buttermilk biscuit dough leavened with baking powder rather than a yeast dough, so there’s no need to let the dough rise. These cinnamon buns are tender on the inside, golden and caramelized on the outside and, best of all, very quick and easy to make!
What You’ll Need To Make Cinnamon Buns
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Filling
Combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of melted butter and mix until the mixture resembles wet sand. Set aside.
Step 2: Make the Dough
In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients for the dough. Note that it’s very important to measure the flour using the spoon and level method: spoon it into a measuring cup and level it off with the back edge of a knife. If you scoop it into the measuring cup, you will have too much flour and dry cinnamon buns.
Add the buttermilk and melted butter and stir with a wooden spoon until the liquid is absorbed and the dough looks shaggy.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Dust the dough lightly with flour and knead until the dough is almost smooth.
Step 3: Roll the Dough
Pat the dough into a small rectangle, then roll into a larger 12-inch x 9-inch rectangle. Brush the dough with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter, and then sprinkle the brown sugar topping evenly over top. Press the filling firmly into the dough.
Starting at the long end, roll the dough into a log and pinch the seam. Then cut the log into nine even pieces.
Lightly flatten the rolls with your hand to pack the filling in place.
Arrange the rolls in a 9-inch cake pan lined with buttered aluminum foil, then brush the rolls with the remaining melted butter.
Step 4: Bake
Bake the cinnamon buns for about 25 minutes, until the rolls are golden brown.
Use the foil overhang to transfer the rolls to a cooling rack. Let them sit about 5 minutes, then pull them apart.
Step 5: Glaze
Make the buttermilk glaze by whisking the buttermilk, cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar together in a small bowl.
Drizzle the glaze liberally over the buns and enjoy warm. (These cinnamon buns are best fresh out of the oven, but they can also be stored in an air tight container and reheated with excellent results.)
Note: As mentioned, this recipe is tweaked from Cook’s Illustrated. I found their recipe to be good but tooth-achingly sweet, so I reduced the sugar significantly. I also increased the salt to balance things out a bit. This version also calls for a bit more flour than the original, making the dough easier to work with.
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Quick Cinnamon Buns with Buttermilk Glaze
When you don’t have time to wait for a slow-rising yeast dough, these crave-worthy cinnamon buns are the answer.
Ingredients
For the Cinnamon Buns
For the Brown Sugar Filling
- ⅔ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
For the dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off with knife, plus more for dusting work surface
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1¼ cups low fat buttermilk
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, divided
For the Glaze
- 1½ tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- ¾ cup confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 425°F. Line a 9-inch square cake pan with aluminum foil and brush with one tablespoon butter.
- Combine the brown sugar, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, cinnamon, cloves and ⅛ teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Add one tablespoon of the melted butter and stir with a fork or fingers until the mixture resembles wet sand. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, remaining tablespoon granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the buttermilk and 3 tablespoons of the melted butter to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until the liquid is absorbed; the dough will be sticky and shaggy. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Knead, lightly dusting more flour as necessary, until just smooth and no longer shaggy, about 1 minute.
- Lightly dust the surface again. Pat the dough into a small rectangle, then roll into a 12x9-inch rectangle, dusting more flour sparingly if necessary so the dough doesn't stick to the rolling pin. Brush the dough with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter. Sprinkle the dough evenly with the brown sugar filling, leaving a ½-inch border. Using your hand, press the filling firmly into the dough. Starting at the long side, roll the dough, pressing lightly, to form a tight log. (If the dough sticks to the surface, use a sharp knife or dough scraper to release it.) Pinch the seam to seal. Roll the log seam-side down and, using a sharp knife, cut it evenly into 9 pieces. Turn the pieces over on their flat sides, and slightly flatten each piece with your hand to seal the open edges and keep the filling in place. Place the rolls in the prepared pan and brush with the remaining butter. Bake until the edges are golden brown, 23 to 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream cheese and buttermilk until thick and smooth (the mixture will look like cottage cheese at first). Add the confectioners' sugar and whisk until smooth glaze forms.
- When the buns are done, use the foil overhang to lift them out of the baking pan and onto a wire rack. Let cool for 5 minutes, then carefully separate the buns, using a knife if necessary. If you find the buns are sticking a bit to the foil, transfer them to a wire rack. Drizzle the glaze evenly over the buns. The buns are best served warm; leftovers may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (9 servings)
- Serving size: 1 bun
- Calories: 389
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 66 g
- Sugar: 33 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Sodium: 296 mg
- Cholesterol: 31 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Since I don’t have very good luck with making any kind of bread, I had my doubts but thought I would try this recipe. Absolutely fabulous! So easy and delicious. Family loved it.
My family and I absolutely LOVE cinnamon buns, so I had made these the day of Christmas Eve and had them Christmas morning with the in laws. They are amazing! Thank you for every single recipe you post. They are all amazing- elegant but very easy.
These are simply delisious. Easy to make and
perfect for a family treat and better for a brunch for more than an immediate family.
I especially like them with out nuts!!
I did leave out the cloves not a favored flavor
these are great love them without the frosting
My favorite recipe. I doubted that I could make them but they turn out perfectly every time. Sometimes I add lemon zest to icing. A big hit with my grandchildren.
I made these twice already!
They are perfection and your directions were superb.
Thanks, Thanks, Thanks
These are the perfect cinnamon rolls. The right amount of cinnamon filling – so many cinnamon rolls skimp on the filling.
Made for dessert for a luncheon. Prepared the night before and overnight in the fridge. Baked after getting back to room temperature and these came out a treat. I put a little extra butter in the filling and it caramelised. I flipped the whole thing over onto a plate before adding the glazing. A gooey, sticky delicious dessert! Thank you :o)
This looks delicious!
I am always going to try a cinnamon roll recipie…but always end up buying frozen ones and bake…but I am definately going to get up the courage to do this recipie. Thank you so much for what looks to be an easy recipie that I’m sure will be delicious.
Try adding cinnamon chips for extra flavor!
Needed to add approx 3/4 cup extra flour as dough was too sticky to work with. Wanted to refrigerate overnight and bake in morning, seemed a little dense. Probably should have given more time to come to room temperature before baking. Any recommendations for overnight refrigeration method? We loved the clove addition to the filling.
Made these on Sunday (Father’s Day)…they were a huge hit and I wouldn’t change a thing to the recipe. Even fussy husband who loves Grandma’s cinnamon rolls said that these were terrific. And they were easy to put together first thing in the morning (Grandma’s cinnamon rolls have to rise TWICE before baking, but not these).
Made these this morning. Very easy and good. I think I need to knead them a little bit more next time. They had a slight biscuit texture, but no one was complaining. 🙂
Delicious! Thank you so much for sharing!
Made these rolls over the weekend! They turned out great – flakey, gooey, and delicious. I really enjoyed how you posted pictures at different states of making the dough so I knew what to look for. Definitelly will be making them again. Thanks for posting another go-to recipe!
Made this over the weekend. So yummy!
just made these and had a little bit of a mess on my hands – literally. My dough would not come together and was very sticky. I added more flour and then a little more and finally was able to get it to a place I could knead it. It was a humid night here and I don’t know if that had any effect on the dough. The finished product was a little dense, which I expected due to the extra flour but the flavor was good so I will try again.
I love this recipe. I don’t have to go to Cinnabon anymore. It was so easy and a wonderful way to start the day.
Thank you for the easy rolls. Have been looking for one to make for my children! Thanks again
Can’t wait to try this recipe!!
I made these rolls recently and thought they were very quick to put together.
These look so easy! I cannot wait to make these this weekend.
I’ve always been both intrigued and terrified by the idea of making cinnamon rolls. This post gives me hope. I can’t wait to try it!
I have made these twice now. In one week. They are truly amazing and will come out exactly like the photo thanks to Jenn’s easy instructions. The second time I made these, they were Hoovered up by 8 teens at a slumber party within seconds.
sounds good not to have to use yeast… have to try these also
I had a not so satisfying canned cinnamon roll experience lately and I was just looking for how to make my own – thank you, your pictures are great!
Easy to make and tastes sooo good!!
I made these cinnamon rolls at the last minute when my family was in town. They were great and came together so easily! I think I should have kneaded them a bit more because it wasn’t a smooth dough (so the texture of the cooked rolls wasn’t very smooth) but the taste was great! I also made 12 smaller rolls in a slightly larger pan (there were 6 of us so I wanted to make sure each person could have up to 2 rolls). My husband and I enjoyed the few leftovers for breakfast the next morning.
review for boos cutting board entry- I really love that these are a quick cinnamon bun, you can make them spur of the moment and u dont have to get up at 5 am to make them for breakfast. I also really like the simple ingredients list, all of the ingredients are pantry staples. My only hesitation is they look more dense than other cinnamon rolls (probably because they dont need time to rise) and I like fluffy flakey cinnamon rolls.
Can’t wait to try…haven’t had much luck with non-yeast recipes. LOVE the step-by-step photographs!!
These look interesting. i just made a very laborious recipe form the Baking with Julia book for sticky buns . i need to try something less time consuming.
Tom. Delicious!
These look fantastic! Definitely bookmarked for next weekend! (And I love that Cook’s Illustrated was your source… they’ve become the place I turn to first when I’m looking for a recipe I know I can trust.)
I LOVE Cinnamon Rolls.
Love how great your step by step directions with amazing photo’s make it easy to prepare. Made these over the weekend along with your chai banana bread and both were a huge hit! Will definitely make both recipes again.
Does anybody know if I can make the rolls the night before and then bake them off the next morning??
Hi Sloan, I’m not sure you’d get the same rise on the rolls but I honestly can’t say for sure because I haven’t tried it. Sorry I can’t be more helpful.
How delicious do these look! Definitely saving this recipe for sure.
I made these this morning for my crew and not only were they easy, but they looked amazing, smelled amazing, and tasted heavenly. The dough was light and had a good flavor complimented by the rich sweet filling. Thank you once again for a recipe with an excellent outcome made with ingredients in my pantry and refrigerator.
I made these this morning and they came out BEYOND perfect. Thank you for another fantastic recipe!
Just made these for my husband’s birthday breakfast! They are really good! A little dense for my liking, but that was maybe user error! Will definitely make again.
So glad you liked them, Erica! If you add too much flour during the kneading and rolling process or over-knead the dough, they could become a little dense. Try to add the flour sparingly (it should be just dry enough to work with) and have a light hand when kneading and rolling the dough. Hope that helps and thanks for leaving a comment!
Just made with 14 yr old son– these are AMAZING!!!
House smells like cinnamon and clove, buns tender and moist! We doubled the glaze because we spread and didnt drizzle. 😉 Thanks again for the late night snack that won’t make it til the morning!!!
So glad you liked them as much as we did, Vikki!
Thank you for a wonderful Sunday morning breakfast! My boys and I enjoyed these in the back yard this morning. Unfortunately when I went to make the glaze I found out my cream cheese was no longer edible. So I used greek yogurt instead and they still came out tasting wonderful!
These look wonderful. I’m definitely adding this recipe to my weekend todo list.
This look delicious. I haven’t made them yet. I was wondering if after the dough’s been cooked, do they taste like biscuits?
I did not think they tasted like biscuits, more bread-like. They were good!
Hey Cindy, Your instincts are right because it is a biscuit-like dough but they don’t taste like biscuits at all. They’re more bread-like than anything. Hope you enjoy!
I, too, love cinnamon rolls and have difficulty with the yeast recipes. I can’t wait to try this recipe! It looks almost too good to be true. Thanks!
I LOVE cinnamon buns and these look much easier to make than most homemade recipes. I love Cooks Illustrated, as well 🙂
All your recipes look amazing, but this one, being the day before the weekend just hits the spot. And without yeast involved, it will probably make it to my favorite recipes binder. Thanks again for taking the time to share with us and shorten our learning curve! Love every week!
Oh my! My kiddos will absolutely love these. Can’t wait to try them, looks very “doable” with my baking skills 🙂
These sound awesome. I may make them this weekend.
These look fabulous and I do love Cooks Illustrated… I can always depend on their recipes and techniques.