Healthy Cinnamon Rolls
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These Healthy Cinnamon Rolls are made with whole wheat flour and maple cream cheese icing. These nostalgic sweet rolls are hearty, soft, and pillowy sweet rolls that will make you savor breakfast or a mid morning snack.
If you love making organic sweet rolls as much as I do, be sure to check out some of my other favorites like my One Rise Cinnamon Rolls, Chocolate Peanut Butter Sweet Rolls, or my Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls.
Table of Contents
I make homemade cinnamon rolls on the regular. They are one of my all time favorite pastries that I really enjoy spending extra time making, and of course eating! I love their fluffy texture, sweet insides, and the icing on top is my favorite part!
These Healthy Cinnamon Rolls came to me when I had started to make homemade cinnamon rolls one day, and ran out of flour. I was part way through my recipe and didn't want to run to the store. But, I realized I had whole wheat flour in the pantry, so I figured I'd give it a try. And, to my surprise (and Delaney's) these are one of our favorite organic sweet rolls now!
I use a mix of all purpose flour and whole wheat flour so these Healthy Cinnamon Rolls are still fluffy and chewy like a traditional homemade cinnamon rolls, but with a hearty flavor. I also use less sugar in the inside filling so they are not as sweet which compliments the hearty whole wheat flavor! Then I top them with a maple cream cheese icing as this also has less sugar as well, but tons of flavor! I am not one to shy away from sugar ever, but I saw this recipe as an opportunity to make healthier, yet equally delicious organic sweet rolls that naturally have less sugar than most. And I succeeded, because I still want to eat them! They are so good!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Nutritious and Wholesome: These Healthy Cinnamon Rolls are made with whole wheat flour, providing more fiber, vitamins, and minerals compared to traditional store bought sweet rolls made with refined flour.
Sweet and Tangy: The maple cream cheese icing adds a delightful natural sweetness combined with the tang from the cream cheese. Pure maple syrup also contains antioxidants and essential minerals like zinc and manganese.
Light and Fluffy: I use a mix of whole wheat and all purpose flour in these sweet rolls. Whole wheat flour brings the heartiness, and the all purpose helps give these that light and fluffy texture that you know and love about homemade cinnamon rolls.
Organic Sweet Rolls: These homemade cinnamon rolls with organic ingredients are so much better than store bought!
Ingredients
- Yeast: I use active dry yeast, but instant yeast also works. If you're using instant yeast, your dough may rise quicker, so be sure to look for visual signs.
- Cane Sugar: I use organic cane sugar as it's less processed than granulated white sugar.
- Butter: I use Organic Valley Salted Butter, but you can use your favorite.
- Milk: Use whole milk for the best flavor in these sweet rolls. I prefer to use organic and grassfed too!
- All Purpose Flour: My favorite is Cairnspring Mills.
- Salt: Use fine sea salt.
- Cinnamon: I use organic Korintje cinnamon, which is my favorite variety as it has a very distinct flavor. Check out my post the Best Cinnamon to Bake With for more info on the different kinds.
- Nutmeg: I use a little organic ground nutmeg for depth of flavor.
- Eggs: Use large eggs.
- Cream Cheese: I use Organic Valley Cream Cheese, you can use your favorite.
- Powdered Sugar: Make sure to sift powdered sugar to ensure your icing is smooth without clumps.
- Maple Syrup: I use organic maple syrup for the best flavor.
Tools Needed
- Scale: Always use a digital food scale for the best results.
- Stand Mixer: I use my stand mixer for ease (and because I'm lazy!). But, you can also mix up the dough by hand if you prefer.
- Rolling Pin: You'll need a rolling pin to roll out the dough for these sweet rolls.
- Baking Dish: I use my ceramic Staub baking dish to bake these. You can also use a cast iron skillet too.
- Mixing Bowl: You'll need a mixing bowl to mix up the glaze.
- Whisk: You'll need a whisk to mix up the glaze.
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Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
To make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the yeast, ½ teaspoon cane sugar, and warm water. Stir to combine and let sit for 3 to 5 minutes or until bubbly.
In a medium pot over medium heat, add the butter and milk. Stir until completely melted, remove from heat.
Add the whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, remaining 57 grams cane sugar, and salt to the mixing bowl in that order. Add the egg and milk mixture and knead on speed 2 to 4 for 5 minutes.
Step 2
Place the dough in a greased bowl, add cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 to 3 hours or until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 3
To make the filling: In a bowl, add the dark brown sugar cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix to combine completely.
On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a rectangle that is about 12 x 16-inches. Using a butter knife or spatula spread the butter all over the rolled out dough.
Sprinkle the brown sugar and spice mixture to completely cover the butter. Starting at the larger side, fold the dough over and start to roll the dough until it is completely rolled into a log. Trim off each of the ends, then cut the dough log into 8 cinnamon rolls. Place in a greased baking dish.
Step 4
Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown. (Be sure to check the Notes at the bottom of the recipe for high altitude instructions if you are baking at high altitude.)
Step 5
To make the icing: In a mixing bowl, add the powdered sugar, cream cheese, and maple syrup and whisk until you have a smooth glaze. Pour the glaze over the top of the warm cinnamon rolls, about 10 minutes after coming out of the oven.
Baker's Tips
- Make sure your yeast is good. When you add the yeast, sugar, and water together it will start to bubble after a few minutes. If it doesn't do this, then the yeast has gone bad. There is no point to continue on with the recipe if the yeast is bad, as the dough won't rise. And the dough needs to rise in order to make fluffy cinnamon rolls!
- The water should be warm, not boiling. I just run the hot in my sink and grab it there. But, if the water is too hot, it can kill the yeast, which will also make your dough not rise. Do not use boiling water from your kettle or hot water system, that is too hot. If water is 120°F it starts to kill yeast, 140°F will kill all the yeast. Water boils at 212°F at sea level (around 195°F up where I am at 8,000 feet). Your latte you get at the coffee shop is served to you at 160°F. So there's some references for you to give you an idea of how warm the water should be! It should just be warm, not hot.
- I use both all purpose flour and whole wheat flour in these homemade whole wheat cinnamon rolls to make them fluffy and hearty! Make sure to use organic flour for the best results. You can find my top picks for organic all purpose and organic whole wheat flour in my Amazon shop here.
- Make sure to use organic cinnamon and nutmeg that you like. Different brands of spices can produce a slightly different flavor. Find my favorite cinnamon here. And my favorite nutmeg here.
- Make sure to buy pure organic maple syrup. I've linked one of my favorite maple syrups here. But, if you are buying at the grocery store, just make sure that you buy a pure organic maple syrup. I usually go with grade A for baking and eating on waffles.
FAQ's
Yes, if you don't want to use any whole wheat flour, feel free to use entirely all purpose flour.
Yes! These homemade cinnamon rolls are great to make ahead of time. You can do the entire recipe down to placing the rolls in the baking pan. Then cover the unbaked rolls with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, preheat the oven and pull out the rolls at the same time so they come to room temperature. Then bake off the rolls. They made need a few extra minutes in the oven with this method.
Homemade cinnamon rolls are best stored in an airtight container. I prefer to just place them under a cake dome on a plate.
Craving More?
Healthy Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Dough
- ¼ cup warm water
- 7 grams active dry yeast
- ½ teaspoon cane sugar
- 47 grams salted butter
- ¾ cup milk
- 340 grams whole wheat flour
- 95 grams all purpose flour
- 57 grams cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 large egg
Filling
- 113 grams dark brown sugar (packed)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 57 grams salted butter (softened)
Icing
- 106 grams powdered sugar (sifted)
- 57 grams cream cheese
- 44 grams maple syrup
Instructions
- To make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the yeast, ½ teaspoon cane sugar, and warm water. Stir to combine and let sit for 3 to 5 minutes or until bubbly.
- In a medium pot over medium heat, add the butter and milk. Stir until completely melted, remove from heat.
- Add the whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, remaining 57 grams cane sugar, and salt to the mixing bowl in that order. Add the egg and milk mixture and knead on speed 2 to 4 for 5 minutes.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, add cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 to 3 hours or until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- To make the filling: In a bowl, add the dark brown sugar cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix to combine completely.
- On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a rectangle that is about 12 x 16-inches. Using a butter knife or spatula spread the butter all over the rolled out dough.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar and spice mixture to completely cover the butter. Starting at the larger side, fold the dough over and start to roll the dough until it is completely rolled into a log. Trim off each of the ends, then cut the dough log into 8 cinnamon rolls. Place in a greased baking dish.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown.
- To make the icing: In a mixing bowl, add the powdered sugar, cream cheese, and maple syrup and whisk until you have a smooth glaze. Pour the glaze over the top of the warm cinnamon rolls, about 10 minutes after coming out of the oven.
- Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
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