Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls

These homemade air fryer cinnamon rolls bake at 390°F in about 8 minutes. Crispy on the outside, soft and gooey on the inside, finished with a cream cheese yogurt frosting. No big oven required!

5 from 19 votes

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Prep Time 1 10

Cook Time 8

Total Time 1 18

Serving rolls

Ingredients

The Dough:

½ cup whole milk or full-fat oat milk
1 pack instant yeast, (2¼ tsp)
2 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour, (reserve ¼ cup) spooned & leveled
1 teaspoon salt

The Filling:

2 tablespoon softened butter, (unsalted or salted, but add ¼ teaspoon salt if using unsalted!)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup dark or light brown sugar , packed
1.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon

The frosting:

8 oz cream cheese, (regular or neufchatel), room temperature
¼ cup vanilla Greek yogurt, room temperature
¼ cup real maple syrup, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For thinner frosting: 1 – 2 tablespoon of milk or oat milk

Instructions

Make the dough. In a large microwave-safe bowl, warm the milk in three 20-second intervals until it reaches about 110°F (warm, not hot). Whisk in the yeast and sugar, then the melted butter and salt. Add 1¾ cups flour and stir with a spatula. The dough will be sticky but shouldn't stick to the bowl. Use the reserved ¼ cup flour to dust your surface and knead for 5 minutes, until soft, smooth, and no longer sticky.
Proof the dough. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a towel, and set somewhere warm (I use the microwave, turned off). Let rise about 1 hour, until doubled in size.
Make the filling. Mix the softened butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon into a smooth paste.
Roll and fill. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle about ¼ inch thick. Spread the filling evenly over the dough. Roll up tightly from the long side and pinch the seam closed.
Cut. Slice into 8 rolls, about 1 inch each.
Air fry. Preheat the air fryer to 390°F and line the basket with parchment. Place the rolls in a single layer, not overlapping (sides barely touching is fine). Air fry 5 minutes, flip, then cook 2 to 3 minutes more, until deeply golden and crisp outside, soft inside.
Make the frosting. Beat all frosting ingredients with a hand or stand mixer on medium for 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth and fluffy.
Frost and serve. Let the rolls cool 5 minutes, then spread frosting on while still warm. Enjoy.

Notes

Yeast: Instant (rapid-rise) yeast works best. Active dry works too, just let it activate in the warm milk for a few extra minutes.

Dairy-free: Use vegan butter sticks, dairy-free cream cheese, and non-dairy yogurt. Almond or oat milk keeps it dairy-free.

Storage: Room temp in an airtight container 3 to 4 days, or refrigerated.

Freezing: Freeze without frosting up to 2 months. Add frosting after reheating.

Variations: Swap cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice, or add 1 teaspoon cardamom for a cozy twist.

Nutrition

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine American

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Please leave a comment and star rating on this post and tag @HealthfulBlondie on Instagram & hashtag it #healthfulblondie!