Air-Fried Cinnamon Buns: Quick, Easy, And Delicious!

Cinnamon buns are a delicious treat, but they can be time-consuming to make. Air fryers offer a quicker and easier way to cook them, with most recipes taking less than 15 minutes. You can use pre-made dough or make your own, and the results will be golden brown, soft, fluffy, and moist.

Prepare the ingredients

To make cinnamon buns in an air fryer, you will need the following ingredients:

• Cinnamon roll dough (you can make this from scratch or use a pre-made option like Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls)
• Heavy cream (optional)
• Icing or frosting (you can use the kind that comes with the pre-made cinnamon rolls or make your own)

If you want to make your own dough and frosting, you will need the following:

For the dough:

• Self-rising flour (or a mix of flour, baking powder, and salt)
• Vanilla yogurt (Greek, coconut, or soy)
• Butter (melted)
• Brown sugar
• Cinnamon

For the frosting:

• Cream cheese (softened)
• Butter (softened)
• Powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar)

Make the dough

Making the Dough

The first step in making cinnamon buns in an air fryer is to make the dough. Here is a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to do this:

Ingredients

• Milk (preferably whole milk or full-fat oat milk)
• Instant yeast
• Granulated sugar
• Butter (melted and softened)
• All-purpose flour (reserve ¼ cup)
• Vanilla extract
• Brown sugar (dark or light)
• Ground cinnamon

Method

• In a large microwave-safe mixing bowl, add the milk. Heat the milk in the microwave in three 20-second increments to reach a temperature of about 110°F (not hot).
• Whisk the milk, and then add the instant yeast and sugar.
• Whisk in the melted butter and salt.
• Add 1 and ¾ cups of flour and mix with a spatula. The mixture will be sticky, but it should not stick to the bowl.
• Use the extra ¼ cup of flour to dust your surface, and then knead the dough for around 5 minutes until it forms a smoother ball. The dough should be soft, smooth, and not sticky.

Roll out the dough

To roll out the dough, you'll need to follow these steps:

Firstly, lightly flour a kitchen surface and transfer the dough on top. If you are using a recipe that requires yeast, you will need to proof the dough first. This involves placing the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and covering it with a dish towel. Leave it to sit for an hour to rise, or until it has doubled in size.

Next, roll the dough out into a large, rectangular shape. The dough should be around 1/4 to 1/2 an inch thick. Be careful not to overwork the dough.

Now, spread your filling (a mixture of softened butter, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon) on top of the dough, leaving a 1/4 inch gap around the sides.

Finally, roll the dough up tightly from the long end, and slice it into 6-9 equal pieces.

Air fry the rolls

Now that you've prepared your cinnamon rolls, it's time to air fry them!

First, preheat your air fryer to 320-360°F. You can line the basket with aluminum foil or parchment paper, but this is optional. If you skip this step, you may want to spray the basket with a little oil to prevent sticking.

Place your cinnamon rolls in the basket, leaving a little space between each one. If you're using a smaller air fryer, you may need to cook the rolls in batches to avoid overcrowding.

Set the timer for 7-8 minutes for regular-sized cinnamon rolls, or 5 minutes for smaller ones. Keep an eye on them, especially if this is your first time making them, as cooking times can vary between air fryers.

When the timer goes off, check your rolls. They should be golden brown and fully cooked. If they need a little longer, put them back in for another minute or two.

Once they're done, remove them from the air fryer and spread the icing on top. Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Make the frosting

Now for the fun part: making the frosting! This is what will take your cinnamon buns from delicious to sublime.

For a basic cream cheese frosting, you'll need:

• Cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• Butter, softened
• Powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar)

If you want to get a little fancier, you can also add a dash of vanilla extract or a tiny pinch of salt to enhance the flavours.

To make the frosting, simply beat the cream cheese and butter together until they're nice and creamy. Then, slowly add in the powdered sugar and beat until everything is combined and you have a smooth, fluffy frosting. You can adjust the consistency by adding a tiny bit of milk or water if it's too thick.

Feel free to taste as you go and adjust the sweetness or flavourings to your liking. Once you're happy with the frosting, you can spread it generously on your warm cinnamon buns. If you prefer a more aesthetic look, you can also pipe the frosting on top using a piping bag.

And there you have it! Delicious, homemade cinnamon buns with cream cheese frosting made right in your air fryer. Enjoy the sweet, fluffy goodness!

Frequently asked questions