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Fabulous cinnamon and walnut swirled sweet rolls with a to-die-for silk caramel drizzle. You'll go from start to finish in less than 2 hours!
Although my husband, Scott sometimes calls me "Speedy" (or "a whirling dervish") as a nickname and laughs at how fast I run up and down the stairs, I thought that my age had finally caught up with me. You see, I'd seen some recipes on Pinterest for "60 Minute Cinnamon Rolls". The blurbs claimed that you could have "fresh cinnamon rolls (from scratch) in less than 60 minutes". Wow, was I impressed. That sounded pretty amazing... but it also made me feel like I was really slowing down... getting old. Even with super fast acting yeast, my cinnamon rolls take close to two hours. How in the world do they do it?
I decided to check into it, as I was quite curious. So I googled "60 minute cinnamon rolls" hoping to find the secret. Sure enough, a whole slew of recipes popped up and lots of beautiful images of gorgeous sweet treats. I perused through the recipes and discovered that, just like mine, they called for milk, butter, rapid-rise yeast, sugar, flour, eggs and salt. Same ingredients, just different proportions. The methods had a few variations, but basically, quite similar to mine. Nothing super startling or out of the box unique. So how could these other recipes be so much faster than mine?
That's when I started to do the math on these "60 minute" recipes:
- 2 minutes to warm the milk and butter
- 8 minutes (mixing time) +
- 10 minutes (rest time) +
- 25 minutes (rising time) +
- 20 minutes (baking time) =
- 65 minutes!
65 minutes. Not including time to measure the ingredients, roll out the dough, add the filling, roll into a log and cut into slices. Even for a "Speedy" like your's truly, that would take a minimum of 15-20 extra minutes. Do you think the time calculation in these recipes might be just a wee bit off?
I did set a timer when I made these Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Icing and discovered, if I work quickly with minimal interruptions, I can go from raw ingredients to a fabulously delicious, fragrant sweet treat in just under 2 hours. And they are quite easy, as the title implies. Since the recipe calls for fast-rising yeast, there's no yeast activation necessary, as in traditional sweet roll recipes. Just throw the yeast in with the other dry ingredients and away you go!
This yeast also allows great results with only one rising period versus two with regular active yeast. That in itself saves about 40-50 minutes. You'll find fast-rising, also known as rapid-rising or instant yeast in the baking aisle of most larger grocery stores and online.
Did I tell you these Easy Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Icing are crazy-good? My husband declared them to be "the best cinnamon rolls you've ever made". Maybe it's that they're so moist and tender, perhaps it's the sweet cinnamony-walnut layers swirled throughout these rolls, or it could be the silky smooth, deep caramel icing ... I'm not sure, but I do know that his comment made old "Speedy" feel a bit younger and quite pleased with my results.
P.S. Oh, and if you're truly pinched for time, I gotcha covered there too! Check out this super duper easy cinnamon roll recipe that truly can be made start to finish in less than an hour.
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Easy Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Icing
Ingredients
- Ingredients for the dough:
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ cup butter, cut in 4 pieces (this will help it melt more quickly)
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour, divided
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2¼ teaspoons rapid rise (or instant) yeast, 1 packet
- 1 large egg
- 1 yolk from a large egg
- Ingredients for the filling:
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup finely chopped walnuts
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- Ingredients for the caramel icing:
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Place milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high for 1 ½ minutes. Remove from microwave and add the butter. Stir for a minute until butter is melted, then set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer with the dough hook attached, combine 2 cups of flour, the sugar, the yeast and the salt. Mix until ingredients are combined.
- Check the milk mixture. It should be quite warm to the touch but not super hot, 110˚F-120˚F. Add milk mixture to the mixing bow and mix with the dough hook until dry ingredients are incorporated. Add egg and egg yolk and mix until combined.
- Add the remaining flour and beat until all flour is incorporated. Continue to knead with the dough hook for 5 more minutes.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead a few times to form a ball, coating the dough with flour. Cover the dough with the mixing bowl inverted and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- While dough is resting, make the filling. Combine brown sugar, white sugar, walnuts and cinnamon.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough with a rolling pin into a 12x14-inch rectangle. With a table knife, spread rectangle with the 3 tablespoons softened butter. Sprinkle evenly with the sugar/walnut/cinnamon mixture.
- Preheat oven to 375˚F. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with baking spray. Line with parchment paper allowing paper to extend over long edges of pan (to help with easy removal from pan). Spray parchment paper lightly with baking spray.
- Starting at a longer edge of the dough, tightly roll into a log. Pinch seam to seal. With a sharp, serrated knife cut log into 12 equal size pieces. Use very light pressure to cut. Place cut side up into prepared pan, spacing evenly. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise until double, about 25-30 minutes.
- Bake for 18 minutes, then cover with foil to prevent over-browning and bake for another 6-8 minutes or until golden and dough in center is done. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before drizzling with caramel icing. Serve warm or at room temperature. To freeze, place rolls in freezer uncovered for 1 hour, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap or foil and return to freezer.
- While the rolls are baking, make the icing. Place butter and milk in a medium-size microwave-safe bowl. Cover with a paper towel and cook on high power for 1 minute. Add brown sugar and stir to combine. Return to microwave and cook for another minute. Take a tiny taste to make sure mixture is not grainy. If there is any graininess, return to microwave for another 30 seconds.
- Add vanilla and powdered sugar and stir till smooth and lump-free. Icing should be fairly thick, but "drizzlable". If it's too thick, add a bit more milk. If too thin add a bit more powdered sugar.
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Total fail. I tried the caramel icing twice and it clumped both times when I microwaved the brown sugar in the butter and milk. Sorry but I really was so disappointed but will looking for another caramel recipe for my cinnamon rolls.
So sorry you had trouble with this recipe, Keel.
I made these again (the covid made me do it) and success. They are delicious.
Haha! I totally get it! Thanks, Claire! 💕
Theese were yummy! It appears the recipe calls for 1pkt or 1 1/2 tsp yeast , should that have been 2 1/tsp yeast ? Although tasty, I thought they would be fluffier.
I love your site and all your recipes ! Thanks for all your recipe tadting and sharing 🌷🌷🌷
Thanks for catching that, Karen. Yes, it should have read 2¼ teaspoons of rapid-rise (instant) yeast. I have corrected that. Sorry that your rolls weren't fluffy. 😕
Well I am not a bread maker (unless the bread machine is involved) since yeast and I are not compatible. But I thought I would give it a try. Only had traditional and bread machine yeast so to the store I went to buy quick rise yeast. Just tried these and although I was not too sure of the texture etc they came out just fine. Again thank you for sharing you recipes.
I guess you are a bread maker now Claire! Congratulation 🙂
I have said it before and will say it again the photos are absolutely amazing, can almost smell them.
YUM !! Can't wait to try these.
How much yeast does 1 package have?
1 package of yeast is 2 1/2 teaspoons or 1/4-ounce (9g).
I have signed up for the automatic posts, but I am not receiving them. What can I do? These rolls look lovely.
Oh my gosh! I need to make these soon - seriously SOON! My mouth is watering - you had me at caramel!
I'm sure your kitchen smells heavenly! How I wish to have one. I feel so lazy today and was avoiding the kitchen at all costs, but I guess I'll have no choice but to make some, they looks so gorgeous and the caramel on top, OMG!
I don't think that its possible to make cinnamon rolls in one hour. I'm a fast cook. I wouldn't be able to do it. 2-3 hrs is about normal timing. Love caramel. Never had cinnamon rolls with caramel. 🙂
Oh, yeah! Crazy good is right! I "might" be able to wait 2 hours to eat these babies, but I'd definitely be sampling the icing before then 🙂
I completely agree that it's important to be honest and realistic about the time it takes to make something. I've never tried making cinnamon rolls but have them on my list of things to conquer in the kitchen. Thanks for sharing yours!
These look amazing Chris! I don't know how cinnamon rolls could be made in 60 minutes unless it was a quick bread instead of yeast and then you still need to do all the other stuff.. So silly!
When I was growing up, most mornings during the week my mother gave us a cinnamon roll for breakfast but they came from a package from the local grocery store. Oh how I wish I could have started my days with one of your rolls with the caramel icing…they look great.
I'll have to try these - I've got 2 hours to spare. 🙂
I've just gotten to the point where I can get a pan to first rise in the evening and bake them off in the morning but I like the idea of fresh from the pan to the oven to the belly.
Two hours sounds more reasonable, Chris. There is a lot of handwork in a tray of cinnamon rolls, but worth every minute of the prep time. I love the use of caramel frosting. Makes me drool just thinking about it.
Te caramel icing is what grabs me. Whether it takes 1 or 2 hour they are a labour of love.
These cinnamon rolls look so fabulously delicious! Love the caramel icing!
Even if it took me 5 hours, I'd still wanna make these babies. Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Icing?! I'm in!! Gorgeous pictures, by the way.
Timing is everything 🙂 you said they are easy to make so this makes it a keeper for me. Thank you for another splendid recipe xoxo
What size pan for cinnamon rolls?
A lot of recipes seem to suggest an unrealistic time, it seems. And actually, when it comes to yeast I think longer is better -- a richer flavor. But sometimes we want something in a hurry and really do need fast recipes, and this would be perfect! Good stuff, fun pictures -- thanks.
This will be perfect for when we go camping on the weekends. I can jut smell them cooking by the fire
Oh Chris that topping looks a-ma-zing! I know what you mean about recipes that are a little off on their timings. You'd have to be a machine to make some of them in the times they specify.
I have actually gotten very lazy with my bread baking and found that as long as the water is the right temp and the yeast fresh, I can just throw it all together and don't need to let the yeast prove (proof?) first.
Hi Chris, 65 minutes, count me in, my husband loves cinnamon rolls.
I can't wait to try this recipe. Cinnamon rolls hot out of the oven…mmm. And your husband does a wonderful job with the pictures! What a wonderful team the two of you make.
These rolls look absolutely divine, love that caramel icing!
60 minutes or 120 - I don't think anybody would complain if you were mixing these up. They are beautiful, dripping with caramel icing - gosh I bet they are fantastic!
Beautiful and drool worthy!
My dear Chris...I just came back from my holidays and I saw that delicious post of yours!!I wish I had a bite!!
Good things come to those who wait and waiting for these would not be a problem. That caramel icing looks amazing Speedy!
Very pretty and perfect for the fall recipe box Chris:@)
Chris, I am glad to see you put some perspective on yeast rolls. I don't mind dedicating a little more time for a quality product. I love slow food.
Scott is starting to sound like Geoffrey Garten. He tells Ina it is the best she ever made. I love that.
Your rolls are gorgeous.
WOAH, double bam! These look AWESOME!!!
You could sell them online at the end of this post for a small fortune..you're such a great team..
These look SO good! Thanks to Scott for showing us just how awesome they are, and to you for telling us how.
As if those cinnamon rolls weren't awesome enough, you topped them with the caramel icing! They look to die for, Chris.
I do mine in the bread machine.....what a time saver and utterly delicious indeed. No one would ever guess I used the machine. lol Mine takes even less time than 60 minutes. So easy and encourages me to make them often for my grateful husband.
Wow... I am bout to drool over the keyboard, literally! I still remember the first time I visited this country and of course, trying a cinnamon roll. It was unforgettable! Everybody asked me which one was my fave American treat at that time... I answered it quickly: Cinnamon Rolls! I do still love them though. Thanks for the quick recipe, Chris!
What a perfect Fall treat! they look amazingly delicious:)
Oh, Honey, you haven't even begun to experience that age-thing catching up with you yet! This was not a great e-mail to float into my Box this morning. It's the day after Labor Day and I made all sorts of "get fitter" pledges. Now, in just 60 minutes I can kiss that pledge good-bye. It's all about moderation, isn't it? Everything in moderation. These look good. Along with your 5-minute bread, you have me covered.
So wish I could share one of these with you! I was just craving cinnamon rolls this weekend. 🙂
Oh... that caramel on top..... Gorgeous!