The Best Egg-Free Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls recipe

There’s nothing more tempting than the smell of fluffy cinnamon rolls filling your kitchen with cozy warmth. With the help of a bread maker, these easy bread machine cinnamon rolls, baked to a golden brown finish, come together with minimal effort, allowing you to enjoy a tray of warm rolls that taste like pure comfort.

Best Homemade Cinnamon Roll

My kids are obsessed with cinnamon buns, and in this cozy season, they enjoy them even more.

With the bread machine delay mode, all I need to do the next morning is shape and bake, giving us fresh, warm rolls without any hard work. And that's why these are one of my favorite Bread Machine Sweet Bread Recipes

If you don’t have a bread maker, you can make my egg-free cinnamon rolls kneaded by hand or a stand mixer using a dough hook, or explore other favorites like bread machine dinner rolls and soft coconut rolls. 

I finish these with a simple buttercream frosting, but if you love a tangier finish, you’ll enjoy my recipe for cream cheese frosting — either way, they turn out to be the most delicious homemade cinnamon rolls.

Ingredients

Cinnamon Roll Dough

• 1 cup (240 ml) lukewarm milk
• ⅓ cup (67 g) sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• ⅓ cup (76 g) unsalted butter, softened and cut into small pieces
• 1 tbsp milk powder
• 3 ¾ cups (450 g) all-purpose flour / maida
• 2 tsp (8 g / 1 packet) instant yeast

Filling Ingredients

• 8 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter, softened or at room temperature

Icing / Frosting Ingredients

• 50 g (⅓ cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 100–120 g (about 1 cup) powdered sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1–2 tbsp milk, to adjust drizzling or spreading consistency

Ingredient Notes

• Butter: Softened butter works best for the dough, spreads easily for the filling, and blends smoothly with sugar for the frosting. Room temperature butter ensures even incorporation.
• Sugar: I use regular sugar in the dough to keep it just lightly sweet, brown sugar in the filling for that rich, caramel-y taste, and powdered sugar in the icing to make it smooth and creamy. You can always tweak it a little depending on how sweet you like your rolls!
• Milk Powder: Adds richness and improves browning, but you can skip it if unavailable.
• Yeast: Instant yeast can be added straight to the flour without proofing, making it ideal for bread machines. Make sure it’s fresh, as old yeast may prevent the dough from rising properly. You can also use bread machine yeast, which is just instant yeast labeled for use in bread makers. If you only have active dry yeast, it needs to be proofed in warm milk with sugar before adding it. For simplicity and consistent results, I recommend using instant or bread machine yeast.

Step by Step Instructions

Make the Dough

1. Add the ingredients to your bread machine pan in this order: milk, sugar, salt, butter, milk powder, flour, and finally instant yeast on top (images 1 and 2).
2. Select the “Dough” cycle and let the machine mix, knead, and allow the dough to rise. This dough setting usually takes about 1.5 hours.
3. When the cycle finishes, the dough should be soft, slightly tacky, and elastic.

Shape the Dough

1. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
2. Roll into 20x18 inch rectangle using a rolling pin. 

Spread the Cinnamon Roll Filling

1. In a small bowl, mix butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon into a smooth, spreadable paste.
2. Spread this mixture evenly over the rolled-out dough (image 4).

You can add chopped nuts, raisins, or chocolate chips to the filling for extra flavor and texture.

Step 4: Roll, Slice, and Prove

Starting from the long side, roll the dough tightly into a cylinder, making sure to pinch the seam closed. Trim the ends and cut the log into 12 equal pieces, about 4 inches each, using a bench scraper or a sharp serrated knife.

Grease your baking tray (I used an 11x7-inch ceramic tray) and arrange the rolls, cut side down, leaving a little space between them. Gently shape each piece into a neat circle with your hands. Cover with a clean tea towel and let the rolls rise again until they puff up and start touching each other—this usually takes around 40 minutes, but focus on their appearance rather than the clock. (images 6 and 7)

Step 5: Baking

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F and bake for 20–25 minutes until golden brown.
2. Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly before frosting.

Step 5: Frost the Rolls

1. Beat together softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth.
2. Adjust milk to get a spreadable or drizzling consistency, then spread or drizzle this vanilla icing over warm rolls.

For the frosting, you can try a maple glaze or cream cheese variation for a tangier finish. 

Serve these bread machine cinnamon rolls warm with a cup of coffee, hot chocolate, or a glass of milk for a cozy breakfast treat on a Christmas morning.

Storage Instructions

• Unbaked dough: After shaping, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours for next-morning baking. For longer storage, freeze the shaped rolls for up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge overnight and allow a final rise before baking.
• Baked rolls (unfrosted): Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 days or in the fridge for 3–4 days.
• Frosted rolls: Best eaten within a few hours at room temperature. For longer storage, refrigerate for 3–4 days. Warm slightly before serving.
• Freezing baked rolls: Wrap unfrosted rolls individually, freeze for up to 2 months, then thaw and frost before serving.

Best Tips

• Prepare the dough the night before and refrigerate or freeze it so you can wake up to fresh, warm rolls for a special breakfast, whether it’s Christmas morning breakfast or just a cozy weekend treat.
• Ensure the butter in the filling is soft or at room temperature so it spreads easily without tearing the dough.
• After rolling the dough into a log, use unflavored dental floss to cut it into individual pieces instead of a knife for clean, even slices without squishing the soft dough—or simply use a sharp knife if you prefer.
• During the second rise, don’t go by the clock—let the rolls rise until they gently touch each other for soft, fluffy results.
• Choose a ceramic or aluminum baking tray for even baking and a golden-brown finish; avoid using glass as it can affect baking time and browning.
• Sprinkle extra cinnamon or chopped nuts on top before baking for added flavor and texture.
• Add the frosting when the rolls are warm, not hot, so the buttercream seeps into the rolls without melting and pooling at the bottom.

Related Recipes

1. Bread Machine Cinnamon Raisin Bread
2. Dinner Rolls in Bread Machine
3. Easy Japanese Bread in Bread Machine

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