Cinnamon rolls that take under an hour from start to finish? Sign me up. These Greek yogurt cinnamon rolls are made with fool-proof 3-ingredient dough, and are the perfect addition to any weekend morning brunch!
Sunday mornings are made for cinnamon rolls. The warm smell of cinnamon in the air. Sitting on the couch with a latte, digging into a giant cinnamon bun drizzled with icing. The best part? These Greek yogurt cinnamon rolls take less than 1 hour to make. Start to finish!
Why you need these easy cinnamon rolls:
Cinnamon rolls have always been a cozy morning staple. The problem is, they always seemed way too complicated for me to even try to attempt.
Don't get me wrong- store bought cinnamon rolls are good, but there's just something about knowing you made something yourself that just makes everything taste one hundred times better. That is why I created these SUPER easy, Greek yogurt cinnamon rolls.
They are completely fool proof, don't require any time to rise and are SO good. They are LIFE CHANGING.
I swear as long as you have some cinnamon, Greek yogurt, flour and sugar you will 100% be able to make these cinnamon rolls.
Since I first started making them they've quickly become a weekend staple in my house and are requested almost weekly.
So if I haven't convinced you yet... THIS is your sign you need to make these Greek yogurt cinnamon rolls asap.
What is 3-ingredient dough?
These cinnamon rolls are made from 3-ingredient dough. Also known as the dough these bagels and these pizza rolls are made from.
I love this dough because it is SO easy to make. All you need is flour, baking powder and a thick yogurt and voila you have the most versatile bread dough!
It's safe to say I've fallen in love with 3-ingredient dough. It just helps makes all those recipes that sounded difficult so much easier.
Like these cinnamon rolls... now you can have homemade cinnamon rolls whenever you feel like them!
The bonus is that if you use Greek yogurt you get an extra boost of protein too! It's a win-win!
These are highly requested in my house and they're soon to be in yours too!
What You Need to Make These Greek Yogurt Cinnamon rolls:
- Greek yogurt (plain)- any fat percentage will work- I typically use 2%
- All purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Cinnamon
- Granulated sugar
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Follow the steps below to make these super easy Greek yogurt cinnamon rolls!
Lightly flour a kitchen surface, using a rolling pin roll out dough into a thin (around ½ an inch) rectangular shape
Combine sugar, melted coconut oil and cinnamon until a paste forms and evenly spread over the top of the dough
Slowly roll dough starting from one of the shorter rectangular sides until the dough is in a cylinder shape.
Use a piece of string to cut dough into 5-6 cinnamon rolls and arrange in a baking dish. Place into oven at 350 Fahrenheit.
Substitutions
- To make these cinnamon rolls vegan- You can easily replace the Greek yogurt with coconut yogurt and use dairy free cream cheese in the frosting!
- To make these cinnamon rolls gluten free- I have not personally tested this but many members of the nourished community have mentioned they use 1:1 gluten free flour replacement in these and they turned out great!
- Cream cheese frosting- Any frosting will really work for these cinnamon rolls! If you have a classic frosting you ALWAYS use for cinnamon rolls- make it! I have also just mixed some plain Greek yogurt with vanilla and icing sugar and it tasted great too!
If you are looking for other gluten free breakfast options you can try THESE: spinach and feta egg cups, banana bread oat cups or zucchini brownie baked oats.
Variations
If you are looking for a way to make these Greek yogurt cinnamon rolls even better... look no further!
- Chia jam- For Valentines' Day this year I spread a layer of raspberry chia jam in the filling of these and rolled them into a heart shape (roll each end of the dough towards the center -creating a heart)!
- Berries- Add some defrosted frozen blueberries into the filling for the perfect fruity-twist on these cinnamon rolls! I recommend frozen as they become softer when defrosted making them easily spreadable (similar to jam) however fresh would work as well.
- Banana and chocolate- Add slices of bananas and chocolate chips into the filling before rolling for a 'chunky monkey' twist!
- Chopped nuts- I love sprinkling the cinnamon sugar filling with chopped pecans or walnuts for a little crunch (and healthy fats)!
Equipment
All you need for this recipe is:
- One large mixing bowl
- One small mixing bowl
- One stand mixer (optional but highly recommended)- I have personally tried to use just my hands to knead the dough and it does work but it is ALOT easier using a mixer (I also just love my Kitchenaid mixer and will recommend it whenever I can)!
- Parchment paper
- Round 9 inch cake pan or baking dish
- Rolling pin
Storage
I find these cinnamon rolls taste best when eaten fresh HOWEVER, they can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat- just place them on a place in the microwave and heat for about 1 minute.
To freeze- tightly wrap each cinnamon roll individually using plastic wrap. When you are ready to heat them, place in the microwave on the defrost setting for about 2 minutes!
Top tip
Be patient with the dough! 3-ingredient dough can be a little finicky at first. I strongly recommend sifting the flour to ensure you have the correct measurements, and if needed only adding 1 tablespoon of additional yogurt at a time until the desired dough texture is reached.
Frequently asked questions
Don't worry! This can sometimes happen with 3-ingredient dough depending on the type of yogurt you use. The good news is there is a very easy fix, all you need to do is add a little more yogurt! I like to start with an additional 1 tablespoon of yogurt and going from there!
** Do not add more than 1 tablespoon of yogurt at a time as you don't want your dough to become overly sticky and impossible to roll out!
The dough! A classic cinnamon roll dough typically consists of bread flour, yeast, warm water and a few more ingredients. To activate yeast and allow it to really do it's job you usually need to allow a cinnamon roll dough to proof for about 1-2 hours before you are able to continue with the recipe.
To make these cinnamon rolls we use a dough made from just flour, yogurt and baking powder and because of this, the dough requires no time to proof (or rise).
I personally am a huge fan of using 3-ingredient dough because it significantly cuts down the prep time for this recipe and it allows cinnamon buns to become a weekly staple rather than just a treat!
It depends on what your definition of healthy is. The use of Greek yogurt in the dough does add a little extra protein typical cinnamon rolls do not have. However to create a balanced meal I would still recommend pairing these with another form of protein along with a source of fibre (a great option is some eggs and fruit)!
Yes! I have any many individuals make this recipe using gluten free 1:1 flour with great success! I recommend using Bob's red Mill 1:1 baking flour!
Yes you absolutely can! If you are making these cinnamon buns for more than 5-6 people feel free to double the recipe, just make sure you use two separate baking pans!
More easy breakfast ideas
You will love these easy breakfast additions:
Ps. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make these Greek yogurt cinnamon rolls don't forget to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment below!
📖 Recipe
Greek Yogurt Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 + ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 + ¼ teaspoon salt optional
- 1 + ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
Filling
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- 2.5 tablespoon coconut oil melted
- 1.5 tablespoon cinnamon
Icing
- ¼ cup cream cheese Plain yogurt will also work but will result in a thinner consistency
- 1 tablespoon icing sugar
- *milk to thin
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Line a baking pan with parchment paper
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together four, baking powder and salt
- In a separate bowl, combine flour mix and yogurt and mix well, using your hands knead the dough until fully combined and shape into a ball
- Lightly flour a kitchen surface, using a rolling pin roll out dough into a thin (around ½ an inch) rectangular shape
- Combine sugar, melted coconut oil and cinnamon until a paste forms and evenly spread over the top of the dough
- Slowly roll dough starting from one of the shorter rectangular sides until the dough is in a cylinder shape
- Place a piece of string under the cylinder and cross the ends to slowly cut the dough into 5 even cinnamon buns
- Arrange the rolls in the prepared pan
- Bake for approximately 35-40 minutes or until the edges begin to turn golden brown
- While the rolls are baking, combine the icing ingredients
- Remove the buns from the oven and allow them to cool. Once cool, spread icing over the top of the rolls and enjoy!
Olivia says
Would einkorn all purpose flour work?
Nicole Addison says
Hmm I have never tried however I can't see why not!
Brittany says
I’m here to confirm that you can indeed use Einkhorn flour. I used it this morning and they were a hit!
Vanessa says
Putting this on my list of things to make! Do you need to let the dough rise? Is yeast needed?
Thank you!
Nicole Addison says
Hi Vanessa, nope! No yeast or rise time is needed, just follow the recipe as written! That is why I love this recipe!
Kristen says
I make these all the time! so so easy and delicious!!!
Tabatha says
These turned out great! My husband is a big Pillsbury cinnamon roll fan, but after I made these for him, he said he likes them more. Very easy to make for a relatively quick cinnamon roll for breakfast or brunch.
Nicole Addison says
Hi Tabatha! That is AMAZING, and such a great compliment, thank you for sharing!!
Karen Larsen says
Could you use whole grain flour?
Nicole Addison says
Hi Karen- Yes you can!
Brooklyn says
Every time I make this recipe, it’s a huge hit! You cannot tell there’s much different about the recipe, and most definitely can’t tell it’s made with Greek yogurt! It’s super simple to make, and makes the cutest cinnamon rolls. #nourishedholiday
Leslie says
So good! Quick, easy and yummy. Recipe worked perfectly.
Nicole Addison says
Hi Leslie! I am so glad this recipe worked out for you!!
Donlea says
Haha. I love this recipe. Made it with gluten-free flour and vanilla yogurt. Filling of 1\2 butter and 1\2 coconut oil, coconut sugar and lots of cinnamon. Fun to play with the sticky dough.
I thought I would be fancy and roll from each end to form a heart shape. They look like boobs. Would send photo, but don't do instagram.
Nicole Addison says
Hi Donlea!
Hahah! Oh my!! I've rolled them into a heart shape before and they can definitely be a little finicky! I'm glad you still enjoyed the recipe!
Bonnie says
I haven't tried making cinnamon rolls since I made them as a kid with my grandma--they take so long to make, and there's so much room for error. I made these this morning, and they're perfect! I can't get over how delicious they were with such a simple, easy to work with dough. My kiddos loved them too so I believe this recipe will be on regular rotation in our household. 🙂
Amina says
Hi can one use cake flour or self raising flour if i dont have all purpose flour? Thanks
Nicole Addison says
self rising flour will work great!