Instant Pot Cinnamon Rolls from Scratch
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Make these gooey and sweet instant pot cinnamon rolls in under an hour with your electric pressure cooker. This is one of our most popular instant pot dessert recipes. We hope you enjoy it!
We love our cinnamon rolls around here! We have also shared instant pot Pillsbury cinnamon rolls, instant pot monkey bread, and bread machine apple cinnamon rolls.
This recipe requires no rise time thanks to two amazing kitchen helpers: baking soda and baking powder. This recipe does not require yeast. Don’t get me wrong, I love my yeasted bread but it felt wrong to have to 1-2 hours rise time for an Instant Pot recipe.
Unless I am making yogurt, I do not want to wait longer than an hour for a recipe to be ready. I want my cinnamon rolls ready quickly!
New to the instant pot? Check out our instant pot guide here.
Let me tell you. We were not disappointed! We ate a little bit on the day I made them and the rest for our Sunday breakfast. I have to say, I think they might have even been better the second day! Just make sure you warm them – cold cinnamon rolls just aren’t the same. 🙂
I knew I wanted to try cinnamon rolls in my instant pot ever since I heard about someone making Pillsbury cinnamon rolls in their electric pressure cooker. I just knew I needed to try making them from scratch.
There are quite a few ingredients listed below. Don’t be alarmed! These are the ingredients for the cinnamon roll dough, the filling, and the cream cheese icing.
There are a lot of components that go into making cinnamon rolls. Luckily, you get to skip the rise time, dough punching, and second rise time all while still having from scratch cinnamon rolls hot, fresh, and ready to eat!
Why use a paper towel and foil to make instant pot cinnamon rolls?
Covering your instant pot cinnamon rolls with a paper towel and then sealing with foil is very important. Since you are cooking the cinnamon rolls in a pressure cooker with water, the paper towel and foil keeps most (if not all) of the moisture away from the cinnamon rolls.
What if my cinnamon rolls come out undercooked?
Some people’s cinnamon rolls are coming out undercooked. If this happens to you, put them back into the instant pot and cook on high pressure (the manual or pressure cook button, depending on model) and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
What if my dough is too sticky?
The amount of flour your add depends on a lot of factors. Sometimes when there is more moisture in the air, than you may need to add a bit more flour. I reccomend slowly adding more flour (about 1/4 cup at a time) until the dough is dry enough to work with. It should still be a little sticky – but not sticking all over your hands.
Traditional icing for cinnamon rolls
Would rather make traditional icing instead of the cream cheese frosting for your instant pot cinnamon rolls? I recommend you use the recipe in this post for Banana Blueberry Muffins with Vanilla Glaze.
Helpful Tools for Making Cinnamon Rolls in the Instant Pot
Do You Want More Great Instant Pot Recipes?
For more instant pot recipes and tips, join our group on facebook and subscribe to our newsletter.
Instant Pot Cinnamon Rolls from Scratch
Equipment
Ingredients
Filling
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 4 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon ground
- 1/8 tsp cloves ground
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp butter melted
Cinnamon Rolls
- 1 1/4 cup milk
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for work surface
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 7 tbsp butter melted
- 2 cups water
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 tbsp cream cheese softened
- 2 1/2 tbsp milk
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- Instant Pot
- 7 inch pan
- Trivet
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar, 4 tablespoons granulated sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
- Whisk in the 1 tablespoon melted butter until it resembles wet sand. Set aside.
- Combine the 1 1/4 cup milk and vinegar in a cup. Let sit 5 minutes. (This will make sour milk, buttermilk may be used in place of this)
- Brush 1 tablespoon melted butter on the bottom and sides of a 7-inch push pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Mix 2 tablespoons melted butter into the soured milk.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the soured milk + butter.
- Mix until a dough is formed.
- Pour your dough onto a floured surface and knead until the dough becomes smooth.
- Roll the cinnamon roll dough into a 9x12 rectangle.
- Brush the dough with 2 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle the filling on top of the butter - leaving 1/4 inch of space around the edges.
- Pat it down so it sticks, leaving 1/4 inch around the edge of the cinnamon roll dough.
- Roll the dough lengthwise until it resembles a log. Pinch the seams along the edge and on the ends so they stick.
- Cut the log into 6 equal pieces. Place one piece in the center of your push pan and the remaining 5 around the center cinnamon roll.
- Brush the tops of the rolls with the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter.
- Pour 2 cups water in the bowl of your Instant Pot electric pressure cooker and place the trivet inside.
- Create a foil sling with a long piece of foil, folded lengthwise into thirds. Gently place the foil into your pressure cooker with the ends poking out on both sides.
- Place a paper towel on top of your push pan (with cinnamon rolls inside) and cover with a piece of foil. This keeps the water out of your cake pan so your cinnamon rolls don't get soggy.
- Gently lower your cinnamon rolls (with the paper towel and foil still on top) into your pressure cooker.
- Fold the ends of the foil sling over the top of your push pan so they are accessible after your instant pot cinnamon rolls have cooked.
- Close lid and set to "sealing". Cook your the cinnamon rolls on high pressure for 23 minutes. Natural Pressure Release (NPR) for 15 minutes.
- To make the icing: Mix together softened cream cheese and 2 tablespoons milk. It will be lumpy. Whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth.
- Once the cinnamon rolls are finished cooking, gently remove the pan using your foil sling. Let cool 10 minutes.
- Remove the cinnamon rolls by pushing them out from the bottom (this is where the push pan comes in handy).
- Spread the icing over the top of your instant pot cinnamon rolls and enjoy immediately.
- Refrigerate any uneaten portion and reheat prior to serving.
Nutrition
Other Delicious Instant Pot Recipes:
Other Delicious Instant Pot Recipes:
Instant Pot Mushroom and Parmesan Risotto
We love a delicious batch of warm and gooey cinnamon rolls, but the rise time can be a bummer. This recipe for instant pot cinnamon rolls saves so much time!
My pressurw cooker has no “sealing” setting, just high or low?
Hi Barbara! Just cook on high pressure. 🙂
I hope this works out and I was really supposed to leave the paper towel on top as it was cooking. Recipe looks great, I just didnt understand the paper towel and foil part. I will let you know.
Hi Marci. Yes, the paper towel and foil are supposed to stay on while cooking. This helps create a barrier between the cinnamon rolls and any water that may try to get in there. I hope it worked you enjoyed them!
Hi there. Did you use a 6 or 8 qt instant pot for this recipe? I have the 8qt so I was wondering if I need to make a larger batch, or would this work?
Hi Kim! I prepared them in a 6 quart, but it will work the same in an 8 quart instant pot. If you have a larger push pan (the one I use is a 7 inch), you can cut them into 6 rolls instead of 5. No need to increase the recipe or anything. I hope you enjoy them1
for those who do not have a springform or push up pan just line the pot with tin foil or parchment paper. thus wilol work too.
Hi there! Can this be prepared in a 6″ fat daddio pan? What would be the cook time? Thanks!
Hi Jenn. Yes, it can be prepared in the 6 inch instead of 7-inch. They may need to be squished a little in there but should fit. I have not personally made it in the 6-inch pan, so I’m not sure on the cook time. I would advise you start with the original cook time. If they seem to be a bit undercooked, add 5 more minutes.
Please let me know how it works out for you!
These look amazing!!! My kids would devour these!
I bet they would! Mine sure did. 🙂
These look sooo good! Is there any way to adjust the recipe for an oven? I don’t have a instant pot, just a crock pot.
Hi Angela. Yes! This recipe is actually adapted from an oven recipe I have used for many years (but have not yet posted). Just prepare as directed, and bake at 425 degrees for 23-25 minutes, until golden brown on top. Enjoy!
looks so good. Cannot get the pilsbury cinnamon rolls here in Australia so i NEED this recipe. I have a Philips multi cooker not the actual instant pot but I’m hoping this will work the same.
Hi Joey! Yes, it should work the same. Enjoy those cinnamon rolls!
Hi. In the filling part of recipe it calls for 4 tablespoons sugar. That is the only granulated sugar mentioned. On the rolls part. It says to add remaining 2 Tablespoons of sugar. My question is. Is some of the 4 Tablespoons in filling section supposed to go in the rolls section?
Hi Roxy! Thank you for catching that discrepancy in the instant pot cinnamon rolls recipe. It should be 6 tablespoons granulated sugar for the rolls. 4 tablespoons in the filling and 2 additional tablespoons added to the cinnamon roll batter. I will update the recipe. Thanks again for bringing this to my attention. I hope you enjoy them!
I noticed that it says 6 tbsp for filling and in the directions it clears up where the tablespoons go.
Is there a push pan for the IP mini?
Hi Sharyn, I don’t have personal experience with the mini, but I found this list from Fat Daddio. They are the makers of the push pan I use and love. http://fatdaddios.com/help/instant-pot-bakeware-list
ACK!!! I have no idea what happened but this was a total FAIL for me! I followed your recipe. The Fat Daddio push pan leaked cinnamon sugar all over the bottom of the IP insert and was dripping when removed. The rolls rose nicely but were very doughy so I placed the pan (on the foil that covered it in the IP) in a 350F oven for 5 min. to firm up and slightly brown. Inverted the pan of rolls onto a plate. They looked good but they were now hard and still not brown. My husband couldn’t even cut into one. So disappointed.
Oh no! I am so sorry this happened to you! I will continue to test this recip so I can figure out exactly what happened to you. Did they turn out for you once they were baked?
I had the exact same problem as these people. Any updates to the recipe? They took a long time to cook so disappointed in the result
Hi Melissa. I’m so sorry the recipe didn’t wor out for you. That must have been so frustrating! If your rolls come out undercooked, I recommend adding an additional 10 minutes of pressure cook time. I have also updated the posting with this information. – Aileen
Same thing happened to me. Did the 23 + 15 NR (doubles up on the paper towel too). Too doughy and not close to being cooked. Put in a new paper towel, and set it for 10 + 10 NR. Better but still doughy. Putting it in the oven to see if this can be saved. Wonder what went wrong.
Had the same thing happen, still doughy after high pressure 25 min and npr 15. I also transferred to the oven to get the crisp texture and cook all the way through
Same thing happened to me. Total fail. All the work for nothing… guess we will be making something else for breakfast today.
I received the Chefman pressure cooker for xmas. Can this be done with this cooker? I do not have a spring pan, cooker came with nothing extra not even instructions
Hi Brenda! Yes, you can make it in your pressure cooker. But you will need a push pan or spring form pan. 😊
Do you leave the paper towel in the instant Pot while they are cooking ?
Hi Ann! Yes, the paper towel stays in the Instant Pot while cooking It absorbs any extra moisture over the cinnamon rolls.
A push pan is not always needed. I use the 7″ Pyrex dish for making my rolls. Just remember not to sit it on a cold counter after taking it out of the IP. Have a towel ready to sit it on.
Barbara, that is a great tip! Thank you!
Have you tried prepping them the night before so they can just be placed into the IP in the morning to “cook”?
Hi Vicki! Yes, you can totally do all of the prep the night before and pop them in your pressure cooker in the morning. Enjoy those cinnamon rolls!
Will the pressure cooking time increase if all prep done night before and taken from refrigerator to pressure cook in the morning?
Hi Bonnie! If you are taking the batter straight from the fridge to pressure cooker, I would add 5 minutes. If you let it come to room temperature first, there is no need to change the time.
These sound amazing!
Love these easy delicious rolls. Will be making probably more often than I should. Thanks for this recipe