Sometimes you want homemade cinnamon rolls without turning breakfast into an all-morning project. You want the soft dough, the cinnamon-sugar swirl, and the sweet glaze—but you don’t necessarily want to wait for yeast dough to rise.
That’s where these Greek yogurt cinnamon rolls come in.
This version uses baking powder and baking soda instead of yeast, with Greek yogurt to bring the dough together. Roll it out, brush it with melted butter, add brown sugar and cinnamon, then roll, slice, and bake.
There’s no yeast and no rising time to wait through. Just a simpler way to make cinnamon rolls when the craving strikes.
Our Greek Yogurt Cinnamon Rolls
Prep time: Approximately 15 minutes
Bake time: 20–25 minutes
Oven temperature: 350°F
Yield: 8–10 rolls
Ingredients
For the dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 2–4 tablespoons milk
For the cinnamon filling
- ¼ cup melted butter, for brushing over the dough
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
For the glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ tablespoon vanilla
- 1–2 teaspoons milk
How to Make Them
1. Mix the dry ingredients.
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
2. Add the yogurt and milk.
Add the Greek yogurt and 2 tablespoons of milk to start. Knead the mixture until a smooth dough forms, adding the remaining milk a little at a time as needed to bring the dough together.
3. Roll out the dough.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle about ¼ inch thick.
4. Add the butter and cinnamon-sugar filling.
Brush the melted butter over the rolled-out dough. Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon evenly across the surface.
5. Roll and slice.
Roll the dough into a log, then cut it into approximately 8–10 rolls.
6. Arrange in a baking dish.
Place the rolls in a greased baking dish, leaving a little space between them.
7. Bake.
Bake uncovered at 350°F for 20–25 minutes, until the rolls are cooked through and lightly golden.
8. Make the glaze.
While the rolls bake, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1 teaspoon of milk. Add the remaining milk as needed to reach a consistency you can drizzle over the rolls.
9. Drizzle and serve.
When the rolls come out of the oven, drizzle the glaze over the top. Serve warm.
Why We Like This Shortcut
Traditional cinnamon rolls made with yeast can be wonderful, but they take more time because the dough needs to rise.
This version skips that waiting period. The Greek yogurt, flour, baking powder, and baking soda make a different kind of dough, but the process is straightforward and the cinnamon-sugar filling gives you the familiar flavor that makes cinnamon rolls so appealing.
It’s a good option for a weekend breakfast or a sweet treat when you don’t want to plan hours ahead.
The Little Things That Matter
A few simple details help this recipe come together:
- Add the milk gradually. Start with 2 tablespoons and add more as needed until the dough comes together smoothly.
- Roll the dough evenly. Aim for about ¼ inch thick so you can spread the filling and roll it into a log.
- Leave a little space between the rolls. They’ll have room to bake in the dish.
- Glaze while warm. Drizzling the glaze over the rolls as soon as they come out of the oven gives you that sweet finish without another complicated step.
The Worth It Test
★★★★☆ Worth it, with caveats.
These cinnamon rolls are worth trying when you want a homemade cinnamon-roll treat without the time commitment of yeast dough.
The biggest advantage is convenience: no yeast, no rising time, and a short list of everyday ingredients. The trade-off is that this is a shortcut-style dough, so the texture won’t be exactly the same as traditional yeast cinnamon rolls.
For a quicker homemade option that still delivers cinnamon, brown sugar, butter, and sweet glaze, that’s a trade-off worth considering.
And sometimes, the best recipe is the one that makes a little treat possible on an ordinary morning.
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