45-Minute Healthy Cinnamon Rolls

 
During graduate school, I woke up one Saturday morning craving cinnamon rolls. As I rolled out of bed, slipped into workout clothes, and laced up my running shoes, visions of cozy spiced spirals filled my head, and I thought about that airy, buttery dough encasing them as my feet pounded the pavement on my 4-mile route around the neighborhood.  

When I arrived back home and started stretching my legs to cool down, I tried distracting myself by listing the other available breakfast options in my pantry and fridge: my favorite Trader Joe’s cereal, oatmeal, English muffins, eggs, bread for toasting, plenty of Greek yogurt and fresh fruit…
 

 
But my out-of-control craving won in the end, so I flicked on the oven to preheat while I rushed through my shower. After throwing on clean clothes, I cracked open a can of refrigerated cinnamon rolls — when my cravings spiral out of control like that, I can’t wait two more hours to proof yeast and kneed dough and wait for it to rise… I need those cinnamon rolls right now! — and popped them in to bake.

By the time I finished responding to my organic chemistry undergraduate students’ emails (yes, I was {and still am} a science nerd!), I heard the timer ringing in the kitchen, and I sprinted through the house to slip the pan out of the oven. Just a few minutes later, I tore into the first one… Light, tender, buttery, with mesmerizing spirals of cinnamony goodness… And reached for another.

I almost always skip the icing on top… I’m too impatient — and I’d much rather scarf down a second cinnamon roll!
 

 
Yet I recently realized I had another option, besides a store-bought refrigerated can, when my overwhelming cravings returned — this quick and easy 45-minute healthy cinnamon rolls recipe! They’re just as soft and full of the same cozy cinnamon spirals, but…

These are ready to eat in under one hour! Much faster than traditional cinnamon roll recipes that require proofing the yeast and two different rises. And when I sent some to work with my mom, one lady exclaimed that they tasted as if they came straight from a bakery — and that she’d gladly pay for them!

My heart nearly melted. That’s the best sort of compliment!
 

KEY INGREDIENTS TO MAKE QUICK + HEALTHY CINNAMON ROLLS

Let’s go over what you’ll need to make these quick and healthy cinnamon rolls!

Whole wheat flour. To make them clean eating friendly, you’ll start with whole wheat flour. That’s right, just regular ol’ whole wheat flour! You can still achieve a beautifully soft and tender cinnamon roll texture with 100% whole wheat flour. I promise! Here’s why…

Some brands of whole wheat flour are ground more finely and have a higher protein content. This means they behave differently, particularly in yeast-based recipes. Higher protein and more finely ground flours are both great for cinnamon rolls. It helps them rise better and gives them a softer, fluffier texture!

This is my favorite whole wheat flour and the kind I use for both homemade cinnamon rolls and other yeast-based recipes. It’s ground more finely than other brands, which means that your cinnamon rolls will rise much better. (Other brands don’t rise nearly as high, and some don’t rise at all!) It’s also relatively inexpensive and easy to find at just about every grocery store here in the US. It truly is my favorite whole wheat flour for cinnamon rolls!

Tip: If you can’t find my favorite brand of whole wheat flour and need to use a different one, that’s okay! Just substitute a small amount of all-purpose flour for an equal amount of the whole wheat flour (ie ¼ to ½ cup) to help your cinnamon rolls rise better.
 

 
Leavening agents. Next, you’ll use both yeast and baking powder. Traditional cinnamon roll recipes only include yeast because you give the dough time to rise before baking. However, we’re skipping that rising step today in order to get these cinnamon rolls on the table and in your belly much, much sooner… Which is where the baking powder comes in! It ensures that the cinnamon rolls rise about as much in the oven as they would during the traditional rising step. It’s my secret trick to speedy cinnamon rolls, and it works like a charm!

As for the yeast, this is my all-time favorite. It’s basically the only kind I bake with! It performs perfectly in all of my yeast-based recipes, from cinnamon rolls and bagels to pretzels and sweet rolls. It rises the best out of all the brands I’ve tried, so I highly recommend it!

Just like with the flour, some brands of yeast don’t perform nearly as well. I’ve done recipe tests where I kept everything else the same and only varied the brand of yeast, and my cinnamon rolls barely rose. Even after baking, they turned out very small and compact. (Since I used to be a chemist before I became a baking blogger, I love running “experiments” like this!)

Tip: If you can’t find my favorite brand of yeast, that’s okay too! If you use another brand, then substitute a small amount of all-purpose flour for an equal amount of the whole wheat flour (ie ¼ to ½ cup) to help your cinnamon rolls rise better.

Warm milk. To bind all of the dough ingredients together, you’ll use warm milk. (The warmer temperature activates the yeast and helps your healthy cinnamon rolls rise!) Just about any kind will work. I generally reach for nonfat milk and unsweetened vanilla almond milk the most, but feel free to use whatever you already have in your refrigerator!

Tip: If you use non-dairy milk, then it’s really easy to make your healthy cinnamon rolls vegan and dairy-free!
 

 
Cinnamon. For the filling, you’ll need two ingredients. The first is obvious: cinnamon! If you can find it, I highly recommend Saigon cinnamon. It has a slightly stronger, richer, and sweeter flavor. I’m obsessed with it, and it’s basically the only kind I use in my baking now! Many stores have started stocking it, but I typically buy it online here. (It’s really affordable!)

Sweetener. The second filling ingredient is coconut sugar. Coconut sugar is exactly what it sounds like: an unrefined sweetener that comes from coconuts. However, it does not actually taste like coconuts! It has a caramel-like flavor, similar to brown sugar, but it has the same pourable consistency as granulated sugar. Many stores have started stocking it on the baking aisle, right next to the granulated sugar and brown sugar.
 

HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY CINNAMON ROLLS IN UNDER ONE HOUR

Let’s quickly talk about how to make these healthy cinnamon rolls — in under one hour! Trust me… I timed it, and my cinnamon rolls were ready in a mere 45 minutes!

Make + knead the dough. First, you’ll make and briefly knead the dough. Call me old-fashioned, but I love kneading by hand. I find it so therapeutic! Fold, press, turn… Fold, press, turn… Fold, press, turn… It’s rather soothing, don’t you think? Kneading only requires a few minutes, and the dough is ready to rest (briefly!) once it springs back most of the way when you gently press your index finger into its surface.

Form a log. After making the filling, you’ll roll out the dough into a large rectangle. I love using a silicone rolling pin and silicone baking mat for this step. Their nonstick surfaces make the process much faster and easier! Next, you’ll lightly brush the dough with a little melted butter. Only a tiny bit — I promise! Just enough to taste and give your cinnamon rolls that irresistible richness. Then you’ll sprinkle the filling mixture on top and roll it up into a log.

Tip: To make your healthy cinnamon rolls vegan and dairy-free, substitute stick-style vegan butter. I love this one and this one!

Slice. To slice the dough into individual rolls, try my special trick for perfectly round rolls… Dental floss! You can see exactly how I do that in this video here (located above the recipe). I know it sounds a little strange, but it’s much easier than using a knife. It’s also faster — and it yields perfectly round, not-lopsided-at-all cinnamon rolls!

Transfer + bake. Once you’ve “sliced” your log into cinnamon rolls with the dental floss, gently place each one into the pan. Because of the baking powder, you can skip the proofing and rising step and simply slide your pan straight into a preheated oven. Your healthy cinnamon rolls will still rise and turn out deliciously cozy and soft!

Hint: It’s true — without any proofing or rising steps, these turn out slightly denser and often don’t rise quite as high as classic cinnamon rolls made with yeast alone. If you’d prefer ones that are lighter and fluffier, follow this traditional healthy cinnamon roll recipe of mine instead!

Then 45 minutes after you first started… Or 44 minutes and 32 seconds (yes, I timed myself!)…
 

 
Enjoy! And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy cinnamon rolls!

45-Minute Healthy Cinnamon Rolls

© Amy's Healthy Baking

Yields: 12 cinnamon rolls

These quick and easy cinnamon rolls are one of my all-time favorites! I can never resist those cozy, cinnamony, perfectly sweet spirals. They’ll keep for at least four days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

4.76 from 25 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients 

FOR THE DOUGH

• 2 – 2 ½ cups (240-300g) whole wheat flour (measured like this – and see Notes!)
• 2 ¼ tsp (7g or one ¼-oz package) quick-rise active dry yeast (see Notes!)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup (180mL) warm nonfat milk (100-110°F)
• ½ tbsp (7g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tbsp (12g) coconut sugar

FOR THE FILLING

• 5 tbsp (60g) coconut sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tbsp (7g) unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F, and lightly coat a 9”-round springform pan or 9"-round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• To prepare the dough, whisk together 1 cup of flour, yeast, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, stir together the milk, butter, and sugar. Mix in the prepared flour mixture. Continue to mix in the remaining flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
• Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, and knead for 3-5 minutes or until the dough springs back most of the way when you gently press your index finger into it. Let the dough rest while preparing the filling.
• To prepare the filling, stir together the coconut sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
• On a clean, well-floured surface, roll the dough out into a 16x10” rectangle. Brush with the melted butter (from the filling ingredients), leaving a 1” border on the two longer sides. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar, leaving a 1” border on the two longer sides again. Carefully roll up the dough into a log, starting at one long edge and rolling towards the other one. Pinch the free end onto the roll to seal. If the dough won’t stick together, gently brush the second longer edge with water before pinching to seal.
• Slice the log into 12 pieces using dental floss or a sharp serrated knife. Place the rolls into the prepared pan. Bake the cinnamon rolls for 17-20 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the sides feel firm. Cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

TIMING NOTE: The 45 minutes only includes the time it takes to complete the Instructions. It does not account for any time needed to assemble or measure the ingredients.

 

TEXTURE NOTE: Without any proofing or rising steps, these turn out slightly denser and often don’t rise quite as high as classic cinnamon rolls made with yeast alone. If you’d prefer ones that are lighter and fluffier, follow this traditional healthy cinnamon roll recipe of mine instead!

 

PAN NOTE: I prefer a springform pan because the sides are taller, which allows the rolls to rise higher, and the sides are removable for easy serving. A regular 9”-round cake pan may be substituted instead.

 

STEP 5 NOTE – ROLLING PIN + WORK SURFACE: I absolutely love using my silicone rolling pin and silicone baking mat for rolling out the dough in Step 5! Their nonstick surfaces make the process much easier, and they’re also really easy to clean. (However, even if you use the same silicone tools as I do, make sure you lightly flour your surface and rolling pin first so the dough doesn’t rip or tear!)

 

IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It's extremely important to measure the flour with this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much will make your dough dry and possibly even crumbly.

 

IMPORTANT FLOUR NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: For the flour, I use Gold Medal whole wheat flour. It performs the best out of the majority of the whole wheat flour brands that I’ve tried. Other brands don’t rise nearly as high, and some don’t rise at all! If using another brand, I recommend substituting a small amount of all-purpose flour for an equal amount of the whole wheat flour (ie ¼ to ½ cup) to help your cinnamon rolls rise better. (See the "whole wheat flour" header in the "Key Ingredients to Make Quick + Healthy Cinnamon Rolls" section in my blog post above for more info!)

 

White whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour may also be substituted, but because of their lower protein content, your cinnamon rolls might not rise as high. Again, if using one of these, I recommend substituting a small amount of all-purpose flour for an equal amount of the whole wheat flour (ie ¼ to ½ cup) to help your cinnamon rolls rise better.

 

All-purpose flour may be used as well (and your cinnamon rolls will rise just as high as with my favorite whole wheat flour!), but the cinnamon rolls will no longer be clean-eating friendly.

 

IMPORTANT YEAST NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: For the yeast, I use Red Star® Quick Rise Yeast. It performs the best out of any yeast I’ve used, so I highly recommend it! Some other brands don't rise nearly as much, if at all. It isn’t always easy to find in grocery stores, so I buy mine online here. I've tested both their rapid rise active dry yeast and regular active dry yeast, and they work equally well! (See the "leavening agents" header in the "Key Ingredients to Make Quick + Healthy Cinnamon Rolls" section in my blog post above for more info!)

 

If you use another brand, then I recommend substituting a small amount of all-purpose flour for an equal amount of the whole wheat flour (ie ¼ to ½ cup) to help your cinnamon rolls rise better.

 

MILK ALTERNATIVES: Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.

 

BUTTER ALTERNATIVES: Salted butter and stick-style vegan butter (I like this one and this one) are the best substitutes for the unsalted butter. Coconut oil will also work in place of the butter, but it won’t have quite the same flavor.

 

SWEETENER ALTERNATIVE: Light brown sugar may be substituted in place of the coconut sugar, but the rolls will no longer be clean-eating friendly.

 

CINNAMON NOTE: I highly recommend using Saigon cinnamon. I buy mine online here because it’s so inexpensive and affordable, and it’s the main cinnamon I now use in my baking now. It has a stronger, richer, and sweeter flavor than regular cinnamon, which makes your cinnamon rolls taste even better!

 

GLUTEN-FREE NOTE: I haven’t had good luck substituting gluten-free flours in this recipe. The cinnamon rolls don’t rise or maintain their shape the way they do with wheat-based flour due to the lack of gluten.

 

EGG-FREE, DAIRY-FREE + VEGAN VERSION: For a vegan version, substitute your favorite dairy-free milk and stick-style vegan butter (I like this one and this one) in place of the butter. Coconut oil will also work in place of the butter, but it won’t have quite the same flavor.

 

HOW TO STORE: Store leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should keep for at least four days (if not longer!), and they reheat beautifully, if you'd like to serve them warm.

 

For additional information and tips, please see my blog post above. For visual tips on kneading the dough and slicing the cinnamon rolls, watch my video here located directly above the recipe. (It's for my classic cinnamon rolls, but the process of making them is similar!)

 

{clean eating, egg-free, dairy-free option, vegan option, low fat, low calorie}

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.

View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
 
 
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♡  The Ultimate Healthy Classic Cinnamon Rolls
♡  Healthy Slow Cooker Cinnamon Rolls
♡  Healthy Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls
♡  Healthy Orange Cinnamon Rolls
♡  Healthy Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
♡  Healthy Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls
♡  Healthy Chai Cinnamon Rolls
♡  Healthy Cinnamon Roll Oatmeal Cookies
♡  …and the rest of Amy’s healthy cinnamon roll recipes!