Quick Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Cinnamon Buns
Cinnamon Rolls

I don’t think I have ever met anyone who did not like cinnamon rolls.  Just the scent of them baking in the oven makes the house smell sooooo divine!  These cinnamon rolls also freeze well and they are a staple in my freezer because I can quickly pull one out when the craving strikes.  A quick defrost of just a few seconds and a re-heat for about 15 seconds in the microwave and these taste like they are fresh from the oven.

The recipe I will share at the end of this post is one I have been making for many years.  The rolls end up being a bit different shape because I use muffin tins to bake them.  Several years ago, there was a hotel in downtown Charlottetown, PEI, that had a great little restaurant and this was how they shaped their cinnamon rolls.  This intrigued me and so I have been making my cinnamon rolls this way ever since first seeing them at this restaurant that, unfortunately, no longer operates.

Cinnamon rolls are really little more than a sweet biscuit dough.  They take no uncommon ingredients and are quick to make.  There are two tricks I have learned to making cinnamon rolls.  The first key is not to over-mix or over-knead the dough as this results in a tough cinnamon roll.  The second key is not to over-bake them as they will dry out.

I don’t typically drizzle an icing on my cinnamon rolls but, for those who have an extra special sweet tooth, simply mix up 1/2 cup icing sugar with 1/4 cup milk and drizzle over the cinnamon buns while they are still warm.

Cinnamon rolls are a nice addition to a weekend brunch and so I am sharing some photographs of a summertime brunch where I featured cinnamon rolls.

If you are like me, weekday morning breakfasts are generally quick and there is little time for relaxation over the first meal of the day.  However, weekend breakfasts or brunches are much more relaxing.  In the summer, we like to eat breakfast/brunch out under the front verandah.

So, here was what was on the brunch menu: Fresh-squeezed orange juice, boiled egg, cheese, multi-grain toast with homemade rhubarb marmalade, yogurt, fresh-from-the-oven cinnamon rolls and, of course, a nice pot of tea.

I love these little blue and white egg cups!

As you can see, the color theme for today’s brunch was blue and white.

I like to add a splash of color to the plates. Nothing more than a slice of orange, a piece of parsley from the herb garden and a sweet little viola is needed.

There’s always time for a second cup of tea on weekend mornings so a nice big teapot is a good thing!

And, of course, there are the cinnamon rolls to finish off with that second cup of tea!

It’s hard to stop at just one of these yummy cinnamon rolls!

Curious to see what the cinnamon roll looks like inside?

Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
2 tbsp white sugar
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

½ cup cold butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ cup milk

Cinnamon Filling:

⅓ cup butter, softened
½ cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Method:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 10 muffin cups.

Assemble ingredients.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in large bowl.

Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture is consistency of coarse crumbs.

Whisk the egg and milk together and pour over dry ingredients. Stir with a fork just until the wet ingredients have been incorporated.  Do not overmix – ingredients will be further incorporated during the kneading process.

Turn ingredients out on to a floured surface. Knead ten times. Do not over-knead as this will create a tough dough.

Roll out dough into a 9”x12” rectangle.

Spread the dough with the softened butter.  Sprinkle the brown sugar over the surface. Evenly sprinkle the cinnamon over the sugar.

Starting at the nearest long edge , roll up the dough evenly into a log shape. Pinch the seam to seal. Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 10 even pieces.

Place each roll in a greased muffin cup.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until buns spring back to a light touch. Do not overbake or the cinnamon rolls will be dry.

Let cool in pans for 5-7 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Yield: Apx. 10-12 cinnamon rolls

(NOTE: I find the cinnamon rolls are a better size if just 10 are cut out of this recipe; however, it is possible to get 12 by cutting each a bit smaller.)

If you have made this recipe and enjoyed it and/or wish to share it with your friends and family, please do so on social media but be sure to share the direct link to this posting from my website.

Connect with My Island Bistro Kitchen on Social Media

Join the Facebook page for My Island Bistro Kitchen:  https://www.facebook.com/MyIslandBistroKitchen/

Follow “the Bistro” on “X” (formerly Twitter):  https://twitter.com/PEIBistro/

See the drool-worthy gallery of mouth-watering food photos from My Island Bistro Kitchen on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/peibistro/

Follow “the Bistro” on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.ca/peibistro/ and pin the Pinterest-ready photo found at the end of this post to your favorite Pinterest boards.

Cinnamon Rolls

These easy-to-make quick Cinnamon Rolls are super delicious and perfect for brunch or coffee break. Best served warm and freshly made.
Course Snack
Keyword cinnamon rolls
Servings 10
My Island Bistro Kitchen My Island Bistro Kitchen

Ingredients

Dough:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tbsp white sugar
  • 4 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup cold butter
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • ½ cup milk

Cinnamon Filling:

  • cup butter, softened
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 10 muffin cups.
  2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in large bowl.
  3. Using pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture is consistency of coarse crumbs.
  4. Whisk the egg and milk together and pour over dry ingredients. Stir with a fork to make a soft dough. Do not overmix.
  5. Turn ingredients out on to a floured surface. Knead ten times. Do not over-knead as this will create a tough dough.
  6. Roll out dough into a 9”x12” rectangle. Spread the dough with the softened butter, leaving ½” border unbuttered along one long edge. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the surface. Evenly sprinkle the cinnamon over the sugar.
  7. Starting at the long edge opposite to the unbuttered edge, roll up the dough evenly into a log shape. Pinch the seam to seal. Using a serrated knife, cut the log into 10 even pieces. Place each roll in a greased muffin cup.
  8. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until rolls spring back to a light touch. Do not overbake or the cinnamon rolls will be dry.
  9. Let cool in pans for 5-7 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Recipe Notes

Yield: Apx. 10-12 cinnamon rolls

(NOTE: I find the cinnamon rolls are a better size if just 10 are cut out of this recipe; however, it is possible to get 12 by cutting each a bit smaller)

 

[Copyright My Island Bistro Kitchen]

If you like cinnamon, you might also like this easy-to-make Cinnamon Quick Bread recipe from My Island Bistro Kitchen and which is made with only standard pantry baking ingredients:

Cinnamon Quick Bread

Pin Me To Pinterest!
Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon Rolls