No Knead Cinnamon Rolls
Looking to wow your Valentine? Make heart eyes over these no knead cinnamon rolls rising high with yeast but none of the fussy kneading. As the no knead cinnamon rolls bake to tender perfection, the house fills with blissful aromas sure to give Cupid a run for his money. Once drizzled with tangy cream cheese frosting, take one bite of these cloud-like treats and you’ll be head over heels in love! Skip the drugstore candy this year and gift your Valentine heavenly homemade no knead cinnamon rolls instead!

Important Steps for the No Knead Rolls
This is the very same dough that I used to make my “No Knead Raspberry Roll”. Full disclosure, I made this dough and used half of the batch of the no knead raspberry roll then refrigerated the other half of the dough to make these no knead cinnamon rolls 2 days later. If you have tried making my raspberry roll before, you know that the dough stays good in the fridge for up to 48 hours or even a little longer.
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- Combine butter, sugar, and water. Heat to melt. Add cold water to cool it down a little bit.
- Add eggs to the mixture. Whisk and add yeast. Let it bloom 5 – 10 minutes.
- Mix 2 cups of flour and add salt. Stir to combine.
- Add another 3 and a half cup of flour. Stir to combine. Cover to rise 60 -90 minutes.
- Punch it down. Cover and let it rise in the fridge for another 60 -90 minutes. The dough stays fresh in the fridge for up to 48 hours.
- Then the dough is ready for shaping for dinner rolls or for this delicious raspberry roll. Easy enough isn’t it?
How to Make These Rolls into Heart Shapes
I believe explaining these steps by using the pictures are more helpful than reading through text. But just wanting to give you a warning that it gets a little messy. Please, see the picture below.
Roll the dough from one side to the middle of the dough sheet and do the same thing from the other side. Roll it as tight as you can then cut the dough with a knife, a bench scraper. Use your hands to adjust the dough into a heart shape. Some of the filling may come out so just do your best. It still going to be a beautiful mess. You can sprinkle some more fillings later. Line them in a baking pan and let the dough to rise for the last time (about 45 -60 minutes).
Also, you can make the regular cinnamon rolls shape and make a dent on the top. Then use your hand to make the heart shape at the bottom. I must also be honest with you that not all of the pieces I tried to make the heart shape cinnamon rolls stays in the shape of hearts. After rising and baking only half of them stayed in heart shapes but all are soft, fluffy, and delicious. You’ll see how mine turn out even more clearly in the video.
How to Store and Reheat Cinnamon Rolls
I personally didn’t take it out of the pan. I just covered them with a cling wrap and left them on the counter as we finish them in 2 days. However, you can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 – 5 days. Then reheat them individually about 20 -30 seconds. The baked rolls can be frozen up to 3 months. Read more about the storage and freezing instructions from Tastes Better From Scratch.
Cream Cheese Frosting
I adore this frosting as it is a great base for other recipes that you can add cream cheese topping such as apple cinnamon cruffin, no knead raspberry roll, pumpkin bread, and carrot cakes.
If you do not have a whisk or an electronic beater, heat the cream cheese in the microwave before combining with icing sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest. Then whisk to combine with a fork. You really do not need expensive kitchen tools for this recipe.
No Knead Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 mixing bowl
Ingredients
For the No Knead Rolls Dough
- 5½ cups flour 2 cups then add another 3½ after salt
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 cup cold water
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp active or instant yeast
- 2 tsp salt
For the cinnamon roll filling
- 3 tbsp cinnamon powder
- 1 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 1 cup butter soften
For Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cup powder sugar one and a half cup
- 1 tbsp milk optional
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
Make the dough
- Use medium – low heat. In a sauce pan, combine butter, sugar, and a cup of water. Heat until the butter is melted and most of the sugar is dissolved.
- Take the mixture away from the heat. Add another cup of cold water to bring the temperature down. Check to see if the mixture is warm to touch. It should not be hot or the eggs will get cooked.
- Add 2 eggs and whisk to combine. Then add instant or active dry yeast. Let it sit for 5 – 10 minutes for the yeast to bloom.
- Add 2 cups of flour and stir to combine. Then add salt and another 3 1/2 cups of flour. Stir to combine. The dough will be very wet and that’s ok.
- Rise 1: Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and let it rest to rise 60 – 90 minutes or until double in size.
- Rise 2: Punch the dough down to deflate and cover the bowl again. Put the dough in the fridge to rise again 60 -90 minutes. Or if you do not want to bake on the same day, you can just leave it in the fridge over night.
Make Cinnamon Filling
- Make sure the butter is soften or melted. You can heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds.
- Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Take a little taste test to see if the cinnamon is too strong for you. If it is, add a little more sugar. But keep in mind that it will be blending with butter and bread so a little strong should be ok. Set it aside.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Whisk the cream cheese to soften or microwave a block of cream cheese in the microwave for 30 seconds. The whisk, add vanilla, and icing powder. If it is too thick for you, add a tablespoon of milk or 2 to thin it out. Set it aside.
Assemble and Bake
- Take the dough out of the refrigerator. Punch it down to deflate one last time. Dust the surface and roll the dough out. Spread some soften butter and cinnamon and brown sugar mixture.
- Roll the dough from one side to the middle of the dough sheet and do the same thing from the other side. Roll it as tight as you can then cut the dough with a knife, a bench scraper. Use your hands to adjust the dough into a heart shape. Some of the filling may come out so just do your best. It still going to be a beautiful mess. You can sprinkle some more fillings later. Line them in a baking pan and let the dough to rise for the last time (about 45 -60 minutes).
- Pre-heat the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then bake the cinnamon rolls for 20 – 25 minutes. Insert a tooth pick in the dough. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is baked.
- Spread the cream cheese frosting while the rolls are still warm. Enjoy!