Easy Cinnamon Biscuit Rolls are made quick bread style so no yeast is required. Soft and fluffy on the inside with a golden-crisp crust, these biscuits are bursting with cinnamon, pecans and brown sugar and drizzled with a cream cheese icing.

Rustic-looking homemade cinnamon biscuit rolls are so quick and simple to make. They’re extremely hard to resist when they come out of the oven all warm and crispy.

When my daughters were school aged they loved coming home to a batch of these warm biscuits. As soon as they barrelled into the house and inhaled the wonderful aroma, they instantly knew what was coming out of the oven. Along with a cold glass of milk they would enjoy the perfect after school snack with the bonus of sticky fingers to lick.

I also love making a batch of these cinnamon biscuit rolls when I have friends coming for afternoon coffee. I can easily prepare them in advance and pop them in the oven just before they arrive. When my guests are greeted at the door by the lovely scent of cinnamon, they know they’ll be in for something good!

How to make cinnamon biscuit rolls

Since these rolls are made “quick bread” style that means no fussing with yeast, no waiting for dough to rise, and requires much less kneading. They’re as easy to make as biscuits. Just follow the simple recipe and step-by-step photos.

Here are the rolls warm out of the oven drizzled with the cream cheese icing

Tips for recipe success

Ensure the buttermilk is at room temperature, otherwise the melted butter will seize up when blended with it.
Handle the dough gently, overworking biscuit dough results in a less fluffy texture.
Use a ceramic or metal pan and line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper to avoid a sticky mess.
To make the rolls early in the day or a day ahead, prepare recipe up to placing the sliced biscuits in the pan (step 7) only hold off drizzling the butter. Cover and refrigerate. When needed, drizzle with melted butter and bake in a preheated oven as per recipe directions.
If making the cream cheese icing ahead, store it in an airtight container and bring it to room temperature before drizzling.
If nuts are a problem in your household, you could easily replace the chopped pecans with the same amount of raisins.
Great for breakfast, brunch or snack.
The rolls are best eaten warm on the same day they’re baked but leftovers, if you have any, can be reheated the next day.

Fun fact

Did you know that cinnamon can uplift your mood, improve your energy and circulation? That’s why many of us crave comfort food treats with cinnamon. It’s just what anyone needs in the fall season or at any time of the year.

No need to bother with cinnamon spiced candles this fall! Just bake a batch of these cinnamon biscuit rolls instead and you’ll get your cinnamon fix.

This recipe makes 8 rolls, seemingly to serve 8 people. Many families and friends are know to inhale two of them in one sitting – so be prepared to bake more!

Cinnamon Biscuit Rolls

Servings 8

Ingredients

Cinnamon Pecan Filling

¾ cup lightly packed brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon
½ cup pecans, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon butter, melted (plus more butter for rolls – see below)

Biscuit Rolls

2 ¼ cups all purpose flour (plus up to ¼ cup more for kneading)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
6 tablespoons butter, melted (divided into 3 portions of 2 tablespoons each)

Cream Cheese Icing

2 tablespoons cream cheese
3 tablespoons milk, possibly more
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup icing sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9” round baking pan or baking dish and line the bottom with parchment paper.
For the Cinnamon Pecan Filling: In a small bowl mix brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, cinnamon, pecans and 1 tablespoon melted butter. Combine until the mixture resembles wet sand. Set aside.
For the Rolls: In a large bowl mix together 2 ¼ cups flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl or cup, whisk the buttermilk and 2 tablespoons of the melted butter.
Add buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a spatula until all the flour is absorbed. The dough will be damp and shaggy. Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and gently knead while sprinkling with additional flour, as needed, until smooth. The dough should become soft and less sticky.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to approximately a 9” x 12” rectangle with the 12” side in front of you.
Brush the rectangle edge to edge with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter. Sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon pecan filling, leaving a ½” border around all sides. Lightly press the filling into the dough. Starting at the 12” wide side, roll up the dough, away from you, pressing lightly to form a 12” wide log.
With the log seam side down, slice the roll into 8 equal pieces. Gently place each roll spiral side down, into the prepared pan. The rolls should be slightly butting each other (they will puff up when baked). Brush tops generously with the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter, allowing some to drip down the sides.
Bake until golden brown, 22 - 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes.
For the Cream Cheese-Infused Icing: Meanwhile, into a medium microwaveable bowl, add the cream cheese and milk. Place in microwave for 20 seconds or a little longer, until the cheese has melted. Whisk until smooth. Add the vanilla and icing sugar and stir until completely smooth. If necessary add a little more milk to loosen the icing. It should be thick but pourable.
Drizzle warm rolls with the cream cheese icing allowing some to drip down the sides. To serve tear the buns apart to separate. If desired drizzle more icing on each serving.