15-Minute Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls
A quick small batch of soft cinnamon rolls that bake up golden in the air fryer basket in about 10 minutes — no oven required.
- Total time
- 1 hr 6 min
- Bake
- 11 min
- Yield
- 6 rolls
- Level
- easy
The quick answer
Air fryer cinnamon rolls bake at 330°F for about 10–12 minutes in a single layer in the basket. Because circulating air browns the tops fast, use a slightly lower temperature than an oven and tent with foil if they color before the centers set.
When you want warm cinnamon rolls without heating the whole oven for a giant pan, the air fryer is the answer. This small batch of six rolls proofs while the basket preheats and bakes in about 10 minutes, with the rushing hot air giving the tops a deep golden, almost caramelized crust while the centers stay pillowy. It's the perfect weekend-for-two recipe, and cleanup is a single basket instead of a sheet pan.
Ingredients
Dough
- ½ cupwarm whole milk (about 110°F) — warm, not hot
- 1½ tspinstant yeast
- 2 tbspgranulated sugar
- 2 tbspunsalted butter, melted — cooled slightly
- 1 egglarge egg — room temperature
- 2 cupsall-purpose flour — plus more to dust
- ½ tspfine salt
Filling
- 3 tbspunsalted butter, very soft
- ½ cuppacked brown sugar
- 1 tbspground cinnamon
- 1 pinchfine salt
Vanilla glaze
- ¾ cuppowdered sugar
- 1 tbspmilk — plus more to thin
- ½ tspvanilla extract
Instructions
Whisk the warm milk, yeast, and a pinch of the sugar. Let it sit until foamy.
Surface looks foamy and smells yeasty.
Stir in the remaining sugar, melted butter, and egg. Add the flour and salt and mix to a shaggy dough, then knead until smooth.
Dough is smooth, soft, and springs back when poked.
Cover and let rise in a warm spot until noticeably puffy — this quick batch does not need a full double.
Dough has grown by about half again.
Roll the dough into a 10x8-inch rectangle. Spread with the soft butter, then sprinkle the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt to the edges.
Roll up tightly from the long edge and cut into 6 even rolls. Line the air fryer basket (or a small round pan that fits it) with a parchment round and arrange the rolls with a little space between them.
Preheat the air fryer to 330°F. While it heats, the rolls will relax and puff slightly in the warm basket area.
Rolls look relaxed and slightly swollen.
Air fry at 330°F until the tops are deep golden and the centers are set.
Tops are golden brown; a center roll reads about 190°F. Tent with foil if they brown before the centers cook.
Let the rolls cool in the basket a few minutes. Whisk the glaze until pourable and drizzle over the warm rolls.
Glaze sets to a thin, glossy coat.
Make ahead, store & reheat
- Make ahead
- Assemble through cutting, arrange on the parchment round, cover, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then air fry as directed — you may need an extra minute or two.
- Storage
- Store covered at room temperature up to 2 days, or refrigerate up to 4 days.
- Reheating
- Pop a roll back in the air fryer at 320°F for 2–3 minutes, or microwave 15 seconds.
- Freezing
- Freeze baked, unglazed rolls up to 1 month. Reheat from frozen in the air fryer at 320°F for about 5 minutes, then glaze.
Substitutions
- Active dry yeast (bloom it in the warm milk first) instead of instant yeast
- Cream cheese frosting for a richer finish instead of vanilla glaze
Troubleshooting
- Tops browned before the centers cooked
- Lower to 320°F and tent loosely with foil — air fryers brown surfaces faster than they cook through.
- Bottoms too dark
- Always use a parchment round and check at 9 minutes; basket floors run hot.
- Rolls dried out
- Air fryers pull moisture fast, so pull the rolls at 190°F internal and glaze while warm.
Tools I reach for
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- Air FryerBakes small batches fast with a golden top — no oven preheat.
- Rolling PinRolls the dough into an even rectangle for tidy spirals.
- Digital Kitchen ScaleWeighing flour is the single biggest fix for dry or dense rolls.
- Saigon (Vietnamese) CinnamonThe boldest, sweetest cinnamon for a deep filling flavor.
Frequently asked questions
- What temperature do you cook cinnamon rolls in an air fryer?
- Around 330°F for 10–12 minutes. Use a lower temperature than an oven because circulating air browns the tops quickly.
- Can I use canned or store-bought dough?
- Yes — arrange them on parchment and air fry at 320°F for about 8 minutes, checking early since brands vary.
- Why are my air fryer cinnamon rolls raw in the middle?
- The tops browned before the centers cooked. Lower the temperature to 320°F and tent with foil so they have time to cook through.
Nutrition (estimate): 1 roll (of 6) · ~340 kcal. Nutrition is an automated estimate and will vary with brands and exact quantities.
Food safety: don't taste dough containing raw flour or raw egg. Refrigerate anything with cream cheese frosting, and reheat leftovers until piping hot.
Frostings & glazes to pair
- Vanilla Bean GlazeA glossy, pourable vanilla bean glaze that sets into a thin sweet shell over cinnamon rolls, sweet buns, and scones.
- Classic Cream Cheese FrostingThe tangy, silky-smooth cream cheese frosting that melts into warm cinnamon rolls and defines the bakery-style classic.
- Cinnamon Roll Icing Without Cream CheeseA buttery, vanilla-forward icing made without cream cheese — smooth, sweet, and perfect when you want the classic look without the tang.
Helpful guides
- How to Reheat Cinnamon RollsThe best ways to reheat cinnamon rolls — microwave, oven, and air fryer — with exact times and temperatures so they taste freshly baked.
- Why Are My Cinnamon Rolls Dry? (And How to Fix It)The real reasons cinnamon rolls turn out dry — over-baking, too much flour, and over-proofing — plus exactly how to fix each one.
- The Best Cinnamon for Cinnamon Rolls (Saigon vs Ceylon)Which cinnamon makes the best cinnamon rolls — Saigon vs Ceylon vs Cassia, how strong each tastes, how much to use, and which to buy for a bold, warm swirl.
More cinnamon rolls to try
- Classic Homemade Cinnamon RollsSoft, fluffy, bakery-style cinnamon rolls from scratch with a gooey brown-sugar filling and cream cheese frosting.
- One-Hour Cinnamon RollsWarm, frosted cinnamon rolls from scratch in about an hour using extra yeast and a single warm rise — no overnight wait.
- No-Yeast Cinnamon RollsFast cinnamon rolls with a tender biscuit-style dough leavened by baking powder — no rising, no proofing, warm in under an hour.
- Cinnamon Roll DonutsBaked cake donuts with a cinnamon-sugar swirl running through the batter and a sweet vanilla cream cheese glaze — all the cinnamon roll flavor, no yeast or frying.