I’m so excited to team up with Red Star Yeast® to bring you today’s recipe! I’m the biggest fan of their yeast products. They’re the only yeast products I use in my baking!
Shortly after I started food blogging full time, I came across Sally’s blog the same week she posted a recipe for fluffy breakfast sweet rolls. Like any overly excited fan, I tweeted about how much I wanted to devour her gorgeous treats made with Red Star Yeast.
The next day, I received a tweet in response… Not from Sally, but from Red Star Yeast! They kindly offered to send me product samples, and I nearly fell out of my office chair in sheer shock. I felt like a mini celebrity!
With shaking fingers, I tweeted back my address, and the following week, the mailman delivered a special package with a variety of yeast packets tucked inside. I immediately cancelled all of my plans for the day and dashed into the kitchen instead to bake a batch of my favorite cinnamon rolls.
A couple hours later, I gasped as I peeked underneath the towel after letting the rolls rise in the pan. They were nearly double their usual size—and all I had changed was the yeast I used! Once they finished baking and cooled for a few minutes, just long enough that I wouldn’t burn my tongue on their ooey gooey cinnamon spirals, I tried my first bite.
Tall, fluffy, tender cinnamon roll perfection.
Since then, I’ve kept a constant stash of Red Star Yeast products in my kitchen. The individual packets, glass jars… You name it. I’m obsessed and never bake with anything else!
With chilly fall weather just around the corner, I decided to whip up a batch of these Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte Cinnamon Rolls to celebrate! (Pumpkin season is my favorite time of the “food” year!) They taste just like the iconic autumn drink, a warm hug full of festive pumpkin and earthy coffee and cozy spices… The perfect way to start your day!
So let’s talk about how to make them!
You’ll start by mixing together warm milk, coconut sugar, salt, a tiny bit of melted butter, and Platinum® Red Star Yeast. It’s a special yeast with dough enhancers. I feel like a baking rock star every time I work with RSY’s Platinum yeast because (a) it’s so easy to use and (b) it makes my cinnamon rolls rise as high and look as professional as any bakery’s! Totally awesome feeling.
Even better, Red Star Yeast is offering you an exclusive coupon here! Buy one, get one FREE! ??
Next comes instant coffee (like this!) and pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie mix!) for that iconic pumpkin spice latte flavor. Don’t use regular coffee grounds or brewed coffee! The former will make your dough taste gritty, while the latter will add too much liquid… Which means you’ll need a lot more flour, and you won’t taste the pumpkin. Boo!
And of course, we can’t forget the pumpkin spice! I made my own from cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. My spice cabinet is already bursting at the seams and can’t hold another bottle, so I skipped the store-bought blends!
To keep these cinnamon rolls on the healthy side, you’ll use whole wheat flour. Not all brands work equally well. Some rise higher than others, and from my personal experience, this is the one I’ve found works the best with Red Star Yeast in my recipes!
Now it’s time to knead the dough! I always do this by hand. Kneading dough is my most favorite part of baking… It’s so soothing and therapeutic, especially when it results in supremely tender cinnamon rolls at the end!
Just gently press your well-floured palm into the dough, fold in half, and continue to repeat those motions. Add more flour as needed—you don’t want it sticking to your hands! Once the dough bounces back when you lightly press your finger into it, you’re ready to prepare the filling. (Watch my video here for a visual!)
This is where the magic of gooey cinnamon filling spirals begins… You’ll combine coconut sugar (like this) and pumpkin spice (again, I used homemade!). Super simple! Then roll out the dough into a large rectangle, brush with an itty bitty amount of melted butter, and sprinkle that filling evenly over the top.
Once you’ve rolled up the dough, it’s time for my secret trick to cutting perfect cinnamon rolls! Ready?? You use… Dental floss! Crazy, isn’t it? Watch my video here on how to do it!
How amazing do those cinnamon rolls look after rising?? They’re so tall and puffy, thanks to Red Star’s awesome yeast! ♡ Now all that’s left is to preheat the oven, pop your pan inside, and…
Devour these blissfully cozy and oh-so-irresistible treats! ?? And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking and @redstaryeast IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! ?) I’d love to see your cinnamon rolls and feature them in my Sunday Spotlight series!
| Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte Cinnamon Rolls | Print |
- for the dough
- ¼ cup (60mL) warm nonfat milk (about 100-110°F)
- 2 tbsp (24g) coconut sugar
- ½ tbsp (7g) unsalted butter, melted
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 ¼ tsp (one ¼-oz package) Platinum® Red Star Yeast® (get a coupon here!)
- 2 tsp instant coffee granules
- ½ cup (122g) pumpkin purée, room temperature (not pumpkin pie mix!)
- 1 tbsp (6g) homemade pumpkin spice (see Notes)
- 2 – 2 ½ cups (240-300g) whole wheat flour
- for the filling
- 5 tbsp (60g) coconut sugar
- 2 tsp homemade pumpkin spice (see Notes)
- ½ tbsp (7g) unsalted butter, melted
- Lightly coat a 9”-round pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. (See Notes.)
- In a large bowl, stir together the milk, coconut sugar, butter, and salt. Sprinkle the Platinum Red Star Yeast on top, and wait 10-15 minutes or until the mixture smells fragrant. (It’s okay if it doesn’t turn bubbly or frothy!) Stir in the instant coffee and pumpkin purée until the coffee has completely dissolved. Sprinkle the pumpkin spice and 1 ½ cups of flour on top, and stir until completely incorporated. If the dough is still wet, continue stirring in 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 pumpkin spice in a small bowl.
- On a clean, well-floured surface, roll the dough out into a 16x10” rectangle. Brush with the melted butter, leaving a 1” border on the two longer sides. Sprinkle with the filling sugar mixture, 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 ends 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 (recommended; see Notes!) or a sharp serrated knife. Place the rolls into the prepared pan, and cover the pan with a clean towel. Set the pan in a warm, draft-free spot, and let the rolls rise for 45-60 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. 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.
I highly recommend using a 9”-round springform pan, like this! Springform pans have taller sides than most traditional cake pans, so this allows your cinnamon rolls to rise properly without touching the top of the towel in Step 6.
For the whole wheat flour, I highly recommend this kind. In my kitchen, is has performed the best out of any brand I’ve tried, and it ensures your cinnamon rolls fully double in size while rising in Step 6. (Other brands of whole wheat flour haven’t risen nearly as high for me!)
I’ve had great luck with Red Star Yeast’s® Quick Rise and Active Dry Yeast products in this recipe too! (Don’t forget to get your coupon for them here!)
Any milk may be substituted in place of the nonfat milk.
For a vegan version, substitute your favorite non-dairy milk and stick-style margarine in place of the butter. (You may substitute coconut oil, but the cinnamon rolls will taste different, and the yeast won’t turn frothy in Step 2.)
Do not substitute regular coffee grounds or brewed coffee! The former will make your cinnamon rolls gritty, while the latter will add too much liquid. (This means you’ll need a lot more flour, and you won’t taste the pumpkin!)
Brown sugar may be substituted in place of the coconut sugar, but the rolls will no longer be clean-eating friendly.
I haven’t had good luck substituting gluten-free flours in this recipe. The cinnamon rolls don’t rise the way they do with wheat-based flour due to the lack of gluten.
For more tips on kneading the dough and slicing the cinnamon rolls, watch my video here located above the recipe.
{clean eating, low fat, vegan option}
*This recipe is sponsored by Red Star Yeast. As always, all opinions, text, photos, and recipe are my own. Visit RSY on social media! Facebook • Pinterest • Instagram • Twitter • Google+
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
♡ Healthy Chocolate Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
♡ Pumpkin Spice Latte Energy Bites
♡ Pumpkin Spice Latte Protein Overnight Oats
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy pumpkin recipes!
Will either home-milled Prairie Gold whole white wheat or pastry whole wheat flour work well for this recipe?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Debi! I don’t have experience with either flour, so I don’t personally know the results. I’m guessing they’ll be fine though! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these cinnamon rolls!
can I sub the milk for almond milk?
I’ve actually answered that already in the Notes section of the recipe underneath the Instructions! That section can be easy to miss. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these cinnamon rolls Tani!
Can I use normal yeast ??
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Lilla! What’s the exact yeast brand and product name that you want to use? 🙂