Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls

These air fryer cinnamon rolls are easier to make than in the oven and totally delicious! The fluffy dough and crispy exterior make this recipe a total hit.

If you’ve ever wondered if you could make cinnamon rolls in the air fryer – well, you can! We make both store-bought cinnamon rolls and our own recipe in the air fryer.

The best part about this recipe is that it cooks very quickly in the air fryer and you don’t have to turn on the oven for an extended period of time. You can also cook just one or two cinnamon rolls at a time, so you don’t have a more than you need.

Of course, if you don’t have an air fryer, you can also cook them in the oven. I’ll give instructions for this too, below. It’s great for making other types of breakfast like these air fryer egg bites too!

Ingredients You Need

If you’re making store-bought air fryer cinnamon rolls, all you need is to buy the cinnamon rolls!

Homemade cinnamon rolls

• Warm water
• Granulated sugar
• Cooking oil
• Yeast, approximately 3 packets
• Salt
• Eggs
• Flour
• Butter
• Cinnamon
• Brown sugar (you can use granulated sugar here instead if you want)

For the Frosting

• Butter
• Vanilla
• Powdered sugar
• Milk

How to Air Fry Store-Bought Cinnamon Rolls

It’s incredibly easy to make store-bought cinnamon rolls in the air fryer.

They are a great option when you are in a hurry or just don’t want to make your own dough. They turn out great and cook a whole lot faster than in the oven. But I do encourage you to try making your own dough, too. We give the instructions below.

The brands we use most often are Pillsbury cinnamon rolls in a tube, and Rhodes Cinnamon Rolls in a bag.

A tube of cinnamon rolls usually contains 5 big cinnamon rolls. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you usually can’t make more than 3 at a time in the air fryer. They need space to expand.

Cut a piece of parchment paper so that it fits inside the air fryer. This prevents the cinnamon rolls from sticking to the tray.

Set three cinnamon rolls on the paper in the air fryer basket and cook at 350 degrees F for 4-6 minutes. Flip them over and cook for another 4 minutes. If you want them to turn out crispier, remove the parchment paper when you flip them over.

For smaller cinnamon rolls, you can reduce the cook time to 3 minutes per side.

Air Fryer Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Step 1: Mix the dough

I recommend using a stand mixer with the dough hook for this, because it requires a lot of mixing.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the warm water, 1/2 cup of sugar, oil and yeast. Yes, it’s a lot of yeast. It makes the dough very active, so it doesn’t take long for them to rise.

Let it sit for fifteen minutes until it’s frothy. This is how you know the yeast is active.

Add in the salt, eggs, and flour. Mix for ten minutes on a low speed. Yes, it’s a lot of flour, and that’s a lot of mixing, but it’s worth it. After mixing, let it sit for ten minutes.

Step 2: Roll out the dough

Now you roll out the dough. I usually just roll out dough on my countertop. You can use a silicon mat or a large cutting board.

Flour the surface. Turn the dough out on the surface. With a rolling pin, begin to shape the dough into a large rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick.

Spread the melted butter over the surface of the rectangle.

Mix together the remaining 1 cup of sugar and the cinnamon in a bowl. Then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the dough.

Roll the dough lengthwise into a long tube shape.

Step 3: Cut into rolls

Cut the roll into twelve pieces. Let them rise for a bit on the counter.

It doesn’t take much time to rise. Maybe 15 minutes at most. Just watch out that it doesn’t rise too much while you’re making other batches in the air fryer.

If the rolls overrise, they can deflate, so don’t allow them to rise too long on the counter. They can be kept in the refrigerator until ready to bake.

Step 4: Cook Cinnamon Rolls in the Air Fryer

The easiest way to cook cinnamon rolls in the air fryer is on squares of parchment paper, so the cinnamon roll dough doesn’t stick to the basket. I put 3-4 rolls on each square because that is what would fit in my machine.

Since you can only cook about 3-4 at a time, you have to bake them in batches.

Cook the cinnamon rolls in the air fryer at 350 degrees F for 6 minutes. Take the parchment paper and cinnamon rolls out of the air fryer. Flip the cinnamon rolls over and put them back into the air fryer without the parchment paper. Cook for 6 more minutes.

Cooking times vary between machines, so you may need to adjust the second cooking time by a minute or two. They should come out crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

You can also make cinnamon roll bites with this recipe. Just make the dough into bite-sized pieces instead, roll them in the cinnamon sugar, and bake them in the air fryer.

How to Cook Cinnamon Rolls in the Oven

If you don’t have an Air Fryer, that’s okay! You can still cook these cinnamon rolls in the oven.

Place the cinnamon rolls into an oven-safe baking dish. I recommend a 9″x13″ pan. Place them in four rows of three, spaced out.

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. They are done when they’re golden on top and spring back to the touch.

How to Make Cinnamon Roll Frosting

To make the cinnamon roll frosting, combine the softened butter, vanilla and confectioners’ sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat until the frosting is smooth. This leads to a pretty thick frosting.

If you’d like it to be more like a glaze, you can add a teaspoon of milk at a time until you reach the desired consistency.

When the cinnamon rolls come out of the air fryer, you can spread the frosting on and allow it to melt over the roll. It’s the perfect combination. For something slightly different try this cream cheese frosting.

What to Do With Leftovers

Leftover cinnamon rolls can be transformed into a variety of delightful treats. Here are some creative ideas:

• Cinnamon Roll French Toast: Slice the cinnamon rolls horizontally and dip them in a mixture of egg, milk, vanilla, and a touch of cinnamon. Fry them in a buttered pan until golden brown on both sides. Serve with maple syrup or a dusting of powdered sugar.
• Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding: Cube the cinnamon rolls and place them in a baking dish. Pour a mixture of eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of cinnamon over the top. Let it soak for a bit, then bake until set. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of caramel sauce.
• Cinnamon Roll Waffles: Press a cinnamon roll into a preheated waffle iron and cook until crisp. This turns the rolls into a waffle-like texture, perfect for topping with syrup, fresh fruit, or whipped cream.

Questions About the Recipe

Why does this recipe have so much yeast?

It is a large amount of yeast, but it makes the dough very active so that it rises quickly and you don’t have to let the dough rise for hours in the warm kitchen. It doesn’t taste super yeasty. But if you don’t want to use as much yeast, that’s fine too. You will just need to let it rise for longer.

Can I freeze my homemade cinnamon rolls for later?

es, you can freeze homemade cinnamon rolls for later use, and it’s a great way to preserve their freshness. After shaping the rolls and placing them in the baking dish, cover them tightly with plastic wrap. Freeze them at this stage if you prefer to bake them fresh later. When you’re ready to bake, let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then leave them at room temperature for about 30 minutes to an hour before baking as usual.

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