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Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls are soft, gooey, bakery-style rolls you can make completely from scratch in a fraction of the oven time, and they came to the rescue the first chilly Saturday morning when Maddie and Lizzie wanted cinnamon rolls but I did not want to heat the whole oven. The air fryer gives them puffy, golden tops and tender centers in about 11 minutes per batch. If you love our lemon blueberry coffee cake, this cozy breakfast is right up your alley.
One bite of that warm cinnamon swirl under a tangy lemon glaze, and you will never reach for the canned kind again.
Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 11 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 1 hour 6 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 12 rolls
- ⚡ Calories: 407kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Soft, gooey, sweet cinnamon with a bright lemon glaze
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, beginner-friendly yeast baking, on par with our homemade brioche bread
Quick Answer
To make air fryer cinnamon rolls, mix a simple yeast dough with warm milk, eggs, butter, sugar, and flour, then let it rise about 40 minutes. Roll it out, spread with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, roll into a log, and cut into 12 rolls. Air fry six at a time at 320 degrees for about 11 minutes, brushing with heavy cream partway through, then drizzle with lemon glaze.
Jump to:
- Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls FAQs
- Other Recommended Breakfast and Pastry Recipes
- Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls (From Scratch Recipe)
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- The air fryer is faster and gentler. It circulates hot air for golden, evenly puffed rolls in about 11 minutes, with no need to heat up a giant oven.
- Heavy cream is the secret to gooey centers. Brushing cream over the rolls partway through baking soaks in and keeps them ultra soft and rich, just like the famous copycat trick.
- From-scratch dough beats canned. A simple yeast dough with milk, butter, and eggs bakes up tender and bakery-soft, with real flavor canned rolls cannot match.
- A quick proof, not an all-day rise. The dough only needs about 40 minutes to nearly double, so you can have warm rolls before lunch.
- Lemon glaze cuts the sweetness. A bright, tangy lemon glaze balances the rich cinnamon filling so each bite is sweet but never cloying.
- Small batches, perfect results. Air frying six rolls at a time gives every roll room to puff and brown evenly.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They are soft, gooey, and bakery-quality, all from scratch with no special equipment beyond an air fryer.
- The air fryer bakes them in about 11 minutes a batch, with no big oven required.
- That tangy lemon glaze over warm cinnamon filling is pure cozy-morning magic, like our lemon blueberry coffee cake.
Key Ingredients
Here is what goes into these soft, gooey rolls. A few simple pantry staples turn into bakery-worthy cinnamon rolls.
- All-Purpose Flour: The structure of the dough. Spoon and level it so the rolls stay tender, not dense.
- Active Dry Yeast: Gives the rolls their soft, pillowy rise. Make sure your milk is warm, not hot, so you do not kill it.
- Butter, Brown Sugar, and Cinnamon: The classic filling. Soft butter holds the brown sugar and cinnamon in a gooey swirl.
- Heavy Cream: Brushed on partway through baking, it soaks in for the soft, gooey centers that make these rolls special.
- Powdered Sugar and Lemon Juice: Whisked into a bright, tangy glaze that sets beautifully over the warm rolls.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These rolls are easy to customize. Here are a few favorite ways to switch them up.
- Classic vanilla glaze: Swap the lemon juice for milk and a splash of vanilla for a traditional sweet glaze.
- Cream cheese frosting: Top with a tangy cream cheese frosting instead of glaze for an extra-decadent treat.
- Add nuts or raisins: Sprinkle chopped pecans or raisins over the filling before rolling for texture.
- Orange rolls: Use fresh orange juice and zest in the glaze for a citrusy twist.
- Make them overnight: Shape the rolls, refrigerate overnight, and air fry fresh in the morning, much like our Christmas breakfast casserole.
How to Make Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls
- Place the milk in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 15-second intervals until just warm to the touch. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and let it sit until foamy.
- Add the eggs, melted butter, granulated sugar, and salt to the bowl and mix well.
- Add all of the flour and mix until a soft, shaggy dough comes together.
- Cover and leave in a warm place for about 40 minutes, until the dough has nearly doubled in size.
- Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about a quarter inch thick.
- Spread the soft butter over the dough, then mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle it evenly on top.
- Roll the dough into a tight log and cut it into 12 rolls with a serrated knife.
- Line the air fryer basket with parchment paper, add 6 rolls, and air fry at 320 degrees until puffed and starting to turn golden.
- Open the air fryer, brush the rolls with half of the heavy cream, and air fry 2 to 3 minutes more until golden and cooked through.
- Whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth, then drizzle the glaze over the warm rolls and serve.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Warm, not hot, milk. Milk that is too hot will kill the yeast. Aim for just warm to the touch, around 110 degrees.
- Do not skip the heavy cream. Brushing cream over the rolls mid-bake is the trick to gooey, soft centers.
- Use a serrated knife or unflavored floss to cut clean rolls without squishing the spiral.
- Work in batches. Air fry 6 rolls at a time so each one has room to puff and brown.
- Glaze while warm. Drizzle the lemon glaze over warm rolls so it melts slightly into every crevice.
- Check early. Air fryers vary, so peek a minute or two before the timer to avoid over-browning the tops.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These are at their absolute best warm from the air fryer, with the lemon glaze still glistening. Serve them with hot coffee or a tall glass of cold milk for the ultimate weekend breakfast.
Make it a full brunch spread alongside our Christmas breakfast casserole or a stack of baked cake donuts. The mix of savory and sweet keeps everyone at the table happy.
Leftovers, if you have any, reheat beautifully. Pop a roll back in the air fryer for a minute to bring back that fresh-baked softness, or warm one next to a slice of lemon blueberry coffee cake for a cozy afternoon treat.
Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls FAQs
Air fry the cinnamon rolls at around 320 degrees Fahrenheit. A lower temperature lets the dough cook through and rise without burning the tops, giving you soft centers and golden, evenly browned rolls.
Yes, you can air fry canned cinnamon rolls, but this from-scratch dough is softer and more flavorful. If you use canned, reduce the cook time and watch closely, since they brown faster.
The most common reason is yeast that was killed by milk that was too hot, or yeast that was past its expiration date. Make sure your milk is just warm to the touch and your yeast is fresh and foamy before mixing.
Absolutely. Shape and cut the rolls, then cover and refrigerate them overnight. In the morning, let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes and air fry as directed for fresh, warm rolls.
Store cooled rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days or in the fridge for up to five. Reheat in the air fryer for about a minute to bring back the soft, gooey texture.
Yes. Freeze the baked, unglazed rolls in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw, warm in the air fryer, and add fresh glaze before serving for the best texture.
Craving more from-scratch baking? Try our soft homemade brioche bread next.
Craving more cozy breakfast bites? Our crispy apple cinnamon cream cheese roll ups come together in 30 minutes.
Add this quick egg salad sandwich to your easy lunch rotation.
Our fig jam is delicious on warm pastries and rolls fresh from the oven.
Add our popovers to your brunch table next to your favorite sweet rolls.
Pair these with a savory skillet of our homemade corned beef hash for the ultimate breakfast.
Add our golden apple fritters to your brunch spread for a cozy fall treat.
Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls (From Scratch Recipe)
Equipment
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
For the filling:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter very soft
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
For the glaze:
- 1 & 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice fresh squeezed
Instructions
- Place milk in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 15-second intervals until it reaches 110°F. Whisk in the yeast and let it sit for 5 minutes until it blooms. If your yeast hasn’t bloomed in 5 minutes, it is not active, and you need new yeast.1 cup milk, 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- Add the eggs, butter, sugar, and salt to the bowl and mix well.2 large eggs, 1/3 cup unsalted butter, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Add all of the flour and mix until combined.3 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- Cover and leave in a warm place for 40 minutes until it has almost doubled in size.
- Roll out the dough to about 1/4th of an inch thick.
- Smear the butter on top, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl, then sprinkle on top of the butter.1/4 cup unsalted butter, 3/4 cup light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- Roll into a tight log and cut into 12 rolls with a serrated knife.
- Line the air fryer basket with parchment paper. Place 6 of the rolls in the air fryer and cook at 350°F for 7-8 minutes. You will have to cook these in batches.
- Open the air fryer, brush with half of the heavy cream, and bake for another 2-3 minutes. They should be golden brown and cooked through. Allow to cool while you make the glaze and cook the second batch of the rolls.1/2 cup heavy cream
- For the glaze, mix the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth in a small bowl. Drizzle icing over buns and serve warm.1 & 1/4 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Notes
- Use parchment paper or aluminum foil at the bottom of the basket for easier clean-up.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. Giving them a little space ensures even cooking.
- Warm your milk slightly before adding the yeast. It helps activate it faster!
- For a more caramelized filling, increase the brown sugar a tad.
- If using a different brand of air fryer, monitor the cooking time closely.
- After mixing your dough, let it sit in a warm, cozy spot in your kitchen. This helps with the rising.
Nutrition
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A question: I have ALMOND milk on hand – rarely use whole milk. Will Almond milk work in this recipe?