Healthy Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Healthy Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Healthy cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning, Thanksgiving any time or Easter brunch anyone? If I had to tell you about the hardest recipe I had to work on this year, a healthy cinnamon roll recipe would top the list.

10 times since March. 10 times I made cinnamon rolls. And each time different recipe.

But persistence pays off. I can finally share these relatively easy cinnamon buns with you! And may I call them the best in the world healthy cinnabon buns? They are healthier than traditional cinnamon rolls. Are fluffy, moderately sweet and even with a frosting. Your kids will be happy! Mine are.

What Are Healthy Cinnamon Rolls Ingredients?

• All purpose + spelt flour or whole wheat flour
• Milk
• Eggs
• Butter
• Quick rising yeast
• Cane sugar
• Cinnamon
• Pure vanilla extract
• Yogurt
• Maple syrup

Are Cinnamon Rolls Healthy?

• I can tell you that I tried very hard to make healthy whole wheat cinnamon rolls. But I didn’t love the end result. I found a compromise in using half all purpose flour and half spelt or whole wheat flour.
• I also tried very hard to use only honey or maple syrup as a sweetener. That didn’t go well either because the filling would completely leak out of the rolls.
• At the end, I found a compromise for more wholesome with less sugar but yet fluffy and sweet cinnamon rolls. 4 times less sugar than their counterparts!!! Crazy!
• I also think the key to “health” is to use good quality ingredients like organic flour, sugar and eggs.

I hope this helps with questions about substitutions. Let’s go over them anyways.

Healthy Cinnamon Rolls Substitutions

Flour

1. You can replace both flours with white whole wheat flour.
2. Substitute spelt flour with whole wheat flour.
3. You have to use all-purpose flour. You can’t use only whole wheat or spelt flour because all my tests didn’t produce good results that way.

Milk

• Any dairy milk works. I used 3.25%.
• Dairy free milk like almond milk works too. Rolls will be a bit less flavorful but you are probably used to that if you are asking.

Butter

• Vegan butter works.
• Melted coconut oil is good too.

You can substitute all, use some or combine both. Doesn’t matter.

Cane Sugar and Maple Syrup

• Substitute with coconut sugar.
• You can substitute sugar with liquid sweetener like honey or maple syrup ONLY in the dough. DO NOT make liquidy cinnamon filling. It will run out and you will be upset. I tried many times. You need sugar.
• Brown sugar is OK too.

Yogurt

• Greek or plain yogurt with fat content 2% and higher works.
• Do not use 0% yogurt.
• You can use traditional cream cheese frosting if you want.

How to Make Healthy Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Let me just say this. I’m not a baker. I mean I don’t bake cakes or work with yeast dough often. But when I do, I make sure it is relatively easy recipe. And foolproof.

Don’t be intimidated if you don’t bake often. You can do it if you want homemade cinnamon rolls. It’s not hard. JUST FOLLOW THE RECIPE. Yeast dough doesn’t like a freefall.

I have a funny story. My mom can’t follow a recipe. She doesn’t bake. When I was a kid, she tried once. And gave up. We woke up in the morning to a kitchen floor covered in yeast dough. She threw it in the garbage the night before. Just follow the recipe and you will be fine.:)

1. Activate the Yeast for Healthy Cinnamon Roll Dough

1. Warm up milk and butter on the stove until 109 degrees F or warm to the touch. If the milk is hot or above 120 degrees F let it cool down.
2. Add yeast, sugar, salt and whisk well. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Mixture should be foamy. If not, discard and start again.

2. Make Healthy Cinnamon Roll Dough

1. In a large bowl, add foamy milk and eggs. Whisk.
2. Add flour and stir with spatula until can’t any further.
3. Knead for about 5 minutes. You should end up with a ball of dough.

Alternatively you can use a stand mixer. I just don’t have one.

3. Let Healthy Cinnamon Roll Dough Rise the 1st Time

1. Place the dough ball in the same bowl.
2. Cover with plastic wrap, lid or towel.
3. Place in a warm place like:

• near a heat register;
• inside an oven with a bowl of boiled water;
• by the stove if you are cooking.

3. Let dough sit undisturbed for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

4. Make Cinnamon Sugar Filling

1. Melt the butter.
2. In a small bowl, add sugar and cinnamon; stir.

5. Roll Out the Healthy Cinnamon Rolls Dough

1. Flour the surface and a rolling pin with a bit of all purpose flour.
2. Place risen dough on it.
3. Using your hands, form a rectangle. Makes rolling out the dough later easier.
4. Roll out into 12″ x 24″ rectangle. I literally use tape measurer.

6. Add the Filling

1. Brush the butter leaving 1/4″ border all around.
2. Sprinkle the filling all over buttered part.

7. Form Healthy Cinnamon Rolls

1. Starting at one long end, roll the dough as tightly as possible.
2. Pinch the dough on all ends. Long and short.
3. Use a tape measure and divide into 12 same size pieces. I recommend to measure to the center first and mark with a sharp knife. Then the center of the “new” log etc.
4. Using very sharp knife or floss, cut the dough into 12 same size pieces.

8. Let Healthy Cinnamon Rolls Rise for the 2nd Time

1. Spray 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Place cut cinnamon rolls in 4 rows, 3 per row.
3. Cover with towel or plastic wrap.
4. Let cinnamon rolls rise in same warm place for 30-60 minutes. Depends how warm is your room. Good indicator of proper rising is when rolls doubled in size and are touching each other.

9. Bake Risen Cinnamon Rolls

1. In a small bowl, whisk remaining 1 egg with a splash of water to make an egg wash.
2. Brush cinnamon rolls generously on top and sides.
3. Bake in preheated 350 degrees F oven uncovered for 20 minutes.

Healthy cinnamon rolls are ready when:

1. They look like cinnamon rolls. Haha.
2. A bit crusty outside. Don’t over dry them.
3. Puffed up more. Like almost doubled.
4. Not very brown on top. Mine never do.

10. Make the Yogurt Frosting

Remove healthy cinnamon rolls from the oven and while they are cooling down a bit, make the healthy icing. It’s optional but so good.

1. In a medium bowl, add 1 cup thick Greek or plain yogurt, 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
2. Whisk until smooth.
3. Refrigerate if necessary. I recommend to add it not more than an hour before serving.
4. That’s it. You can also make your favorite traditional cream cheese frosting. No problem.

11. Serve Healthy Cinnamon Rolls and Be Proud of Yourself!

Drizzle the icing all over the rolls and then spread with a butter knife. I recommend to add it not more than an hour before serving.

FAQs About Healthy Cinnamon Rolls

Can I prepare cinnamon rolls the day before?

Yes. You can leave assembled cinnamon rolls in the refrigerator overnight until ready to bake the next day. We are talking about the 2nd rise. Please DO NOT leave them on a counter. You have to refrigerate cinnamon rolls to avoid dough rising too much. Cover entire baking dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Bake directly from the fridge.

Can I use regular yeast?

No. This recipe is meant to be used with quick rise yeast. The difference is that it makes dough rise faster.

Milk mixture didn’t foam. Why?

If you added the yeast to warm milk and no visible changes happened after 20 minutes, here are the possible reasons why:

1. Your yeast is old. Check the label for expiry date. Use fresh yeast. I always buy fresh just not to risk it.
2. Milk was too hot. Temperature over 120 degrees F will kill yeast and nothing will happen.
3. Milk was too cold. Not warm enough to activate the yeast.

In either case you have to restart. Good thing you are not that far ahead in the process.

Why leave 1/4″ border?

To ensure the filling doesn’t leak out during baking.

Do I really have to pinch the dough?

Yes. To prevent the filling from leaking.

Healthy Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

These healthy cinnamon rolls have 4 times less sugar than other recipes and yet are fluffy with healthy frosting on top.

• Author: Olena of ifoodreal.com
• Prep Time: 140 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
• Yield: 12 cinnamon rolls
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Healthy Cinnamon Rolls Dough

• 1 cup milk
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tbsp cane sugar
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp quick rising yeast
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups spelt or whole wheat flour

Healthy Cinnamon Filling

• 1/2 cup cane sugar
• 2 tbsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp butter, melted

Healthy Yogurt Frosting

• 1 cup Greek or plain yogurt, fat 2% +
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Make Healthy Cinnamon Roll Dough

1. Warm up milk and 2 tbsp butter on the stove until 109 degrees F or warm to the touch. If the milk is hot or above 120 degrees F let it cool down.
2. Add yeast, 1 tbsp sugar, salt and whisk well. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Mixture should be foamy. If not, discard and start again.
3. In a large bowl, add foamy milk and 2 eggs; whisk.
4. Add flour and stir with spatula until can’t any further. Then knead for about 5 minutes. Alternatively you can use a stand mixer.
5. Place a ball of dough into the same bowl, cover with plastic wrap, lid or towel. Put in a warm place like near a heat register, inside an oven with a bowl of boiled water or by the stove if you are cooking.
6. Let dough sit undisturbed for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Make Cinnamon Sugar Filling

1. Melt 2 tbsp butter.
2. In a small bowl, add sugar and cinnamon; stir.

Form Cinnamon Rolls

1. Flour the surface and a rolling pin with a bit of all purpose flour.
2. Place risen dough on it. Using your hands, form a rectangle. Roll out into 12″ x 24″ rectangle.
3. Brush the butter leaving 1/4″ border all around. Sprinkle the filling all over buttered part.
4. Starting at one long end, roll the dough as tightly as possible. Pinch the dough on all ends. Long and short.
5. Use a tape measure and divide into 12 same size pieces. I recommend to measure to the center first and mark with a sharp knife. Then the center of the “new” log etc. Using very sharp knife or floss, cut the dough into 12 same size pieces.

Bake Cinnamon Rolls

1. Spray 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Place cut cinnamon rolls in 4 rows, 3 per row. Cover with towel or plastic wrap.
3. Let cinnamon rolls rise in same warm place for 30-60 minutes. Depends how warm is your room. Good indicator of proper rising is when rolls doubled in size and are touching each other.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
5. In a small bowl, whisk remaining 1 egg with a splash of water to make an egg wash. Brush cinnamon rolls generously on top and sides. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
6. Healthy cinnamon rolls are ready when they look like cinnamon rolls.

Make the Yogurt Frosting

1. Remove healthy cinnamon rolls from the oven and while they are cooling down a bit, make the healthy icing. It’s optional but so good.
2. In a medium bowl, add yogurt, maple syrup and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Refrigerate if necessary. I recommend to add it not more than an hour before serving.

Serve Healthy Cinnamon Rolls and Be Proud of Yourself!

Drizzle the frosting all over the rolls and then spread with a butter knife. I recommend to add it not more than an hour before serving.

How to Make Ahead

You can leave assembled cinnamon rolls in the refrigerator overnight. We are talking about the 2nd rise. Please DO NOT leave them on a counter. You have to refrigerate cinnamon rolls to avoid dough rising too much. Cover entire baking dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Bake directly from the fridge.

Notes

As for the flour. You can use ALL white whole wheat flour. Substitute spelt flour with whole wheat flour. You can’t use all whole wheat or spelt flour because all my tests didn’t produce good results. You have to use all-purpose flour.

Any dairy milk works. I used 3.25%. Dairy free milk like almond milk works too. Rolls will be a bit less flavorful.

Vegan butter or coconut oil works.

Substitute cane sugar with coconut or brown sugar. You can substitute sugar with liquid sweetener like honey or maple syrup ONLY in the dough. DO NOT make liquidy cinnamon filling. It will run out and you will be upset. I tried many times. You need sugar.

★ Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating in the comments.

1 cinnamon roll27313.9 g140.1 mg6.5 g3.2 g0 g43.5 g2.9 g9 g59.1 mg

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