Would you believe you can make these cinnamon rolls in HALF the time it takes to most cinnamon roll recipes? In this post, you’re going to find out 2 of the biggest secrets for how to make quick cinnamon rolls so that you’ll have no excuse not to make this cast iron cinnamon roll recipe every weekend.
If there was ever something in this world I could faceplant into, aside from a bowlful of buttercream frosting, it’s a plate of cinnamon rolls smothered in cream cheese frosting. Ugh they’re just so so good!
I have this major cream cheese weakness. It started with growing up in the land of bagels (aka Long Island, NY) and just continued to spiral.
In my adult life, this weakness grew into developing recipes like Oreo cheesecake bites and chocolate cream cheese frosting. And of course, multiple cinnamon roll recipes with cream cheese icing.
Glaze or Frosting for Cinnamon Rolls?
Speaking of cream cheese frosting, are you Team Frosting or Team Glaze for your cinnamon rolls?
If you’re at all familiar with the canned cinnamon rolls so many of us grew up eating, you’re probably team frosting on your cinnamon rolls. I’m WITH YOU!
This cream cheese frosting is a really, really great copycat of those little cans that come with the popped dough. It’s just SO GOOD!
And what makes it so much better than the canned stuff is that it only has 6 normal, easy to find, pronouncable ingredients. I love that about homemade recipes!
If you’re Team Glaze for cinnamon rolls, I certainly won’t give you the side eye. Because really, I wouldn’t turn down a cinnamon roll with vanilla glaze either.
The Secret to Quick Cinnamon Rolls
And yes, if you’re wondering, these buns really are quicker to make than most cinnamon roll recipes! I think that’s one of the biggest draws for me about this cinnamon bun recipe!
Made with a heavy hand of yeast and some baking powder, the dough rises up quickly without compromising the flavor that a longer-rise dough provides.
In fact, you’ll only need to allow the dough to rise once for 30 minutes! That’s more than twice as fast as a traditional cinnamon roll recipe!
How fantastic is that?!
Cinnamon Roll Ingredients
Here’s the basic grocery list for the ingredients you’ll need for these cinnamon rolls. Be sure to keep scrolling down to the recipe card below for the full printable Ingredients list!
For the cinnamon rolls:
- Dark brown sugar
- Unsalted butter
- White sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground cloves
- Table salt
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Whole milk
- Instant yeast or rapid-rise yeast
For the cream cheese frosting:
- Cream cheese
- Confectioners’ sugar
- Unsalted butter, melted
- Whole milk
- Pureanilla extract
- Table salt
Don’t get me wrong, classic overnight cinnamon rolls have their place in this world – and I do loooove them so – but these quick cast iron cinnamon buns have a place in every lazy weekend morning kitchen. Just like mine.
How to Store Cinnamon Rolls with Icing
When you want to keep your leftover cinnamon rolls with icing fresh for a couple of days, you’ll want to store them properly. Here’s what always works great for me:
- Allow the cinnamon rolls to cool completely in the pan you baked them in.
- Wrap the pan tightly with plastic wrap.
- Store the covered cinnamon rolls at room temperature.
At room temperature, you will have soft cinnamon rolls for about 3 days.
What To Serve with Cinnamon Rolls
And speaking of lazy weekend mornings, why not make an iced latte or latte or even an iced pumpkin spice latte at home to go with these cinnamon buns so you never have to get out of your slippers to have your favorite coffee shop drink?
Quick Cast Iron Cinnamon Rolls
Cast iron cinnamon rolls can be made in under 1 hour! This is a quick-rise homemade cinnamon rolls recipe that my family loves to make on easy-going weekend mornings. It's an easy recipe to make with kids and everyone will LOVE the cream cheese frosting!
Ingredients
For the cinnamon rolls:
- ¾ cup packed (5 ¼ oz) dark brown sugar
- 9 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 6 tbsp (2 ⅔ oz) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- Table salt
- 2 ¾ cups (13 ¾ oz) all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 ¼ cups warm whole milk, (110° F)
- 4 tsp instant or rapid-rise yeast
For the frosting:
- 3 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (4 oz) confectioners' sugar
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp milk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp table salt
Instructions
- To make the cinnamon buns: Grease a 10-inch cast iron pan with butter; set aside. Mix the brown sugar, 3 tablespoons melted butter, ¼ cup granulated sugar, the spices, and ⅛ teaspoon salt together in a small bowl; set aside.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and ¾ teaspoon salt together in a large mixing bowl. Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk and stir in 2 tablespoons melted butter and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and stir them together with a rubber spatula until combined - the mixture will be shaggy and very sticky.
- Transfer the dough to a well-floured work surface and knead for about 2 minutes, until the dough forms a soft, smooth ball. Roll the dough out into a 12x9-inch rectangle with a long side closest to you. Brush two tablespoons of melted butter over the dough, stopping within a ½-inch of the edges. Spread the cinnamon filling mixture in an even layer over the dough, stopping ¾-inch from the edges.
- Starting with the side closest to you, roll the dough into a tight log, pinch the edge of the dough into a seam to seal, and lay to the log on the work surface with the seam side down. Pat the ends back into the center of the log to bring it back to 12 inches in length. With a serrated knife, cut the log in half and then cut each half in half again. Cut each quarter into 3 equal pieces.
- Arrange the buns in the prepared pan cut-side down with the seams facing inward. Cover the buns lightly with a piece of plastic wrap and allow them to rise in a warm spot for 30 minutes.
- In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350° F. Once the buns have puffed and risen after 30 minutes (they won't be quite double in size), brush them gently with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Bake for 23-28 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the time, until the tops are browned and the filling is melted. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and allow them to cool for 10 minutes.
- To make the glaze: Add the cream cheese to a medium bowl and sift the confectioners' sugar into the bowl. Whisk in the melted butter, milk, vanilla, and salt until the mixture is smooth. Using an offset spatula, spread the glaze in an even layer over the buns. Serve while still warm.
Notes
adapted from America's Test Kitchen
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