In this instructable, I will show you how to make cinnamon rolls. This amazing no-knead cinnamon rolls recipe is my new favorite! They are soft, pillowy, and oh so delicious. Time to impress your friends and family with this awesome recipe. Absolutely no kneading involved. These rolls are super easy to make, if I can do it, you can do it. Let's get baking!

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Follow the easy steps below or watch the video tutorial or do both. :)

Step 1: Ingredients and Tools

You can print the recipe here if you like.

Dough:

1 1/2 cups of water (355)
1 Tbsp. of active dry yeast (or instant/rapid rise) (8.5g)
1/4 cup of butter, melted (55g)
2/3 cup of white granulated sugar (135g)
2 large eggs
4 1/2 cups of all-purpose (plain) flour (540g)
1 1/2 tsp. salt (6g)
Butter for basting the top of the rolls

Filling :

1 cup brown sugar (200g)
1/2 cup unsalted butter (113g)
1 1/2 Tbsp ground cinnamon (11g)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (6ml)

Cream Cheese Frosting (Recipe was doubled in the video, you really don't need that much):

8 ounces softened cream cheese (225g)
1/4 cup softened butter (55g)
2 cups powdered sugar (220g)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (2ml)

Tools:

Bowls
Rolling pin
13x17 inch pan or use two smaller pans
basting brush
dental floss or knife
plastic wrap
damp cloth
hand mixer

Step 2: Start the Yeast

First, let's get the yeast started. Heat up the water to around 100 to 110F. (37 to 43 C). Then add about a tsp. of your sugar to the water. Next, add the active dry yeast. Mix it with a fork a little bit, then let the mixture sit until it gets nice and foamy, 5 to 10 minutes. If after 10 minutes the mixture isn't foamy, then start again with new yeast. The yeast could have been bad or the water was too hot or too cold.

Step 3: Flour and Salt

Next, mix together the salt with the flour with a whisk. I have made this with both all-purpose flour and bread flour and it turns our great both ways.

Step 4: Butter, Sugar, Eggs

Now melt the butter and pour it into the bowl with the yeast. Make sure the butter isn't too hot, otherwise it will kill the yeast. Then add in the sugar. Whisk those ingredients together. Next, whisk up the eggs in a separate bowl, then combine those with the yeast mixture.

Step 5: It's Flour Time

Now add in about a third of the flour. Use your whisk to combine, then switch to a wooden spoon and incorporate the rest of the flour. The resulting dough will be fairly tacky, which is great.

Step 6: Cover and Rise

Now place the dough in a large bowl that has been sprayed witch kitchen spray. Then cover it with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise for 2.5 to 3 hours. The dough should about triple in size.

Step 7: Make the Filling

Once the dough has risen, make the filling by adding together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract in a small bowl.

Step 8: Roll, Baste, Spread

Next, dump the dough out onto a floured surface. Roll it out with a rolling pin and baste the top with butter. Then spread out the brown sugar mixture evenly over the top. You may also add raisins, pecans, etc. in the filling if you like.

Step 9: Roll, Cut, Cover

Now we roll up the dough fairly tightly, resulting in a long cinnamon roll snake! :) Next, we need to cut out the rolls. I learned a trick in my 8th-grade cooking class, many years ago for cutting cinnamon rolls, using dental floss! It works great and doesn't smash down the rolls like a knife sometimes will do. Place the floss under the dough then cross it at the top and pull each in. It will cut the dough perfectly. Or you can just use a knife if you like. Place the rolls in a large baking pan that has been sprayed with kitchen spray. I am using a 13x17 inch roasting pan, but you can use two smaller pans if you like. This recipe makes about 14 to 18 very large rolls. Afterward, cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise again, for about 1 and a half hours.

Step 10: Baste and Bake

After the rolls have risen, baste the tops of them with some butter. Then bake them in a preheated oven, 375 F (190 C) for 15 to 20 minutes until they are nice and golden brown on the top. Beautiful right? Once they come out of the oven, allow them too cool for about 15 minutes.

Step 11: Cream Cheese Frosting

I love either a cream cheese frosting or classic glaze on the cinnamon rolls. This time I will show you how to do a basic yummy cream cheese frosting. In a large bowl add your cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract and cream them all together. Then slowly incorporate all of the powdered sugar (icing, confectioners). Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.

*Note in the pictures and video I doubled the recipe. You only need half of what is shown, unless you want lots of extra frosting for other things. I use the same recipe on my yummy carrot cake.