The day after Thanksgiving, a photographer friend of mine drove over to my house for the afternoon. She wanted help with her latest project, a collection of candidly shot people in their favorite environments, so I immediately agreed to participate and invited her to my kitchen.
She envisioned snapping a number of baking “action” shots, so we picked cinnamon rolls as the recipe to give her lots of options. Kneading the dough, rolling it out, sprinkling the filling, rolling it up and slicing into rounds…
And as a traditionalist, I did everything by hand. Since that’s how my dad taught me to make yeast-based recipes, that’s what I’ve always done!
We ended up with over an hour of spare time while letting the cinnamon rolls rise and sliding them into the oven to bake, so she offered to take some headshots for me. We started with the kitchen as a backdrop (it makes the most sense for a food blogger, after all!), but we doubled over laughing partway through when my little dog ran in with her tennis ball firmly clasped in her mouth, looking left out and like she wanted her own set of portraits too!
Once the cinnamon rolls finished baking and my friend snapped a few more photos of their perfect spirals, I packed up all of them for her to bring home. She looked surprised, but I reassured her that I still had plenty of Thanksgiving leftovers (and desserts!) in my fridge and didn’t need an entire batch of cinnamon rolls to tempt me.
Besides, I already planned on baking these Healthy Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls the following week! They’re light and fluffy, exactly the way cinnamon rolls should be, with lots of warm and cozy holiday spice flavors.
Yet unlike some traditional cinnamon roll recipes or ones you buy at the mall, these healthy ones contain no eggs, refined flour or sugar! And they’re just 112 calories!
With how festive and irresistible they are, I’m pretty sure my family would love these healthy gingerbread cinnamon rolls as their Christmas breakfast! ?
So let’s go over how to make these healthy gingerbread cinnamon rolls!
Just like many traditional cinnamon roll recipes, this healthy one uses a yeast-based dough. But don’t worry! I promise baking with yeast isn’t hard at all. My dad taught me how to make yeast-based recipes when I was eight years old, and if my childhood self could handle it, then I know you can too!
Plus I’m giving you lots of nerdy tips to ensure your healthy gingerbread cinnamon rolls turn out perfectly!
Nerd Alert #1: Warm Milk
You’ll start by adding warm milk to a bowl. The milk needs to be warm in order to properly activate the yeast. However, too hot milk will kill the yeast (or the “yeasties,” as my dad calls them!).
Your warm milk should be about 100-110°F—not too hot and not too cold!—or about the same temperature as a hot tub. I actually do everything by feel in this recipe, so I use the pinky test. If I can dip my pinky into the milk and it’s hot but not burning, then it’s just right!
Nerd Alert #2: Molasses
Next, you’ll add in molasses. I use this kind, not blackstrap! The molasses does two things. First, it provides half of the iconic gingerbread flavor. You know that deep, rich, supremely cozy flavor of gingerbread? That comes from molasses!
Second, the molasses acts as “food” for your yeast. When the yeast gets a hold of the molasses, it produces air bubbles, which helps your cinnamon rolls rise and gives your cinnamon rolls that really light and fluffy texture.
So please don’t skip or substitute for the molasses!
Nerd Alert #3: Yeast
I’m pretty particular about my yeast… After years and years and years of baking bread rolls and cinnamon rolls, I’ve learned that Red Star Yeast always performs the best. My baked goods always rise to twice their original height and turn out so fluffy! Because it isn’t always sold in stores near me, I actually buy mine online here. It’s totally worth it!
So you’ll sprinkle the yeast into your bowl with the warm milk and molasses, after you’ve stirred in a teensy bit of melted butter and some salt. Wait about 10-15 minutes before the next step. This is called “proofing” the yeast.
Basically… It’s like you put the yeast into their own little hot tub, and now they’ll create all of the bubbles in the hot tub themselves! After 15 minutes, your bowl should look like it contains some frothy or puffy clouds. That’s great—it means your yeast is alive and doing well!
Nerd Alert #4: Whole Wheat Flour
Yes, we’re using whole wheat flour to make these gingerbread cinnamon rolls healthy! Just like with the yeast, I’m also very particular about the whole wheat flour I use.
After experimenting with lots of different brands, I’ve found that Gold Medal whole wheat flour performs the best. It consistently rises taller than other brands, especially when paired with Red Star Yeast. If you can find Gold Medal whole wheat flour at your local grocery stores, it’s 1000000% worth it to make these healthy gingerbread cinnamon rolls! (And all of my other cinnamon roll recipes too!)
Nerd Alert #5: Kneading
I do this by hand too! It feels so soothing and therapeutic to work the dough with my hands. I use a silicone baking mat as my work surface because (a) I know it’s clean and dry, (b) it’s nonstick, which makes rolling out the dough easier later, and (c) it’s easier to clean up after than my kitchen counter!
To knead, I sprinkle a lot of flour on my silicone baking mat, the dough, and my hands. Then I use a press and fold motion. I press the heel of my hand into the dough, then fold the dough in half. Keep repeating, adding more flour as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands, until the dough mostly springs back when you gently press your index finger into it.
See? Not that hard at all!
Nerd Alert #6: Spiced Filling
You’ll let the dough rest for a bit while you mix up the filling! It’s a combination of coconut sugar and gingerbread spices. I use ginger (obvious!), cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Those extra spices, besides cinnamon, add such a warm and cozy flavor to these healthy gingerbread cinnamon rolls!
Nerd Alert #7: Rolling
Two types of rolling here… Rolling out the dough and rolling it back up!
You’ll start with rolling out the dough. Add more flour to your work surface, if needed, and roll the dough into a big rectangle. I always use my silicone rolling pin to do this! Just like my silicone baking mats, it has a nonstick surface, so the dough doesn’t stick to it as much as it does with wooden rolling pins. (My silicone rolling pin also has a smoother surface than wooden rolling pins, which comes in handy for rolling out cookie dough!)
Once you’ve rolled out the dough, you’ll brush a teensy tiny bit of melted butter on top. Then sprinkle your spiced coconut sugar filling. And finally…
Roll the dough back up into a log!
Nerd Alert #8: Slicing
This may be one of my all-time favorite baking tricks… I use something special to slice my healthy gingerbread cinnamon rolls to ensure they turn out perfectly round, not misshapen or lopsided. And that special thing is…
Dental floss! It sounds absolutely crazy, but it works like a charm. You can see exactly how I do that in my video here!
Nerd Alert #9: Rising
Once you’ve sliced all of your healthy gingerbread cinnamon rolls with dental floss, place them in your pan. I prefer springform pans because they have taller sides than standard cake pans, which lets your cinnamon rolls rise taller during this step!
Place a clean dry towel on top of your pan (with a springform pan’s tall sides, you don’t need to worry about your cinnamon rolls rising too tall and touching the towel!), and put your pan in a warm draft-free place. I use my oven for this!
I turn it on to its lowest temperature, let it run for a few minutes, then turn it off and slide my pan onto the middle rack. You actually want the oven to feel pretty warm, right around the same “hot tub temperature” as the milk.
If your oven is too cold, then your cinnamon rolls won’t rise properly! That actually happened to me with my first batch of these, but when I turned on the oven for another minute partway through rising, my cinnamon rolls got that extra bit of warmth they needed and fully rose to double their original size.
It’s like magic!
Nerd Alert #10: Baking
You’re almost done—it’s officially time to bake your healthy gingerbread cinnamon rolls! They don’t take long to bake, and I use the “feel” test again. When the sides of your cinnamon rolls feel firm yet still soft (not crunchy or crusty!) at the place where they touch their neighboring cinnamon rolls, then they’re done!
Now it’s time to eat! 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 gingerbread cinnamon rolls!
| Healthy Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls | | Print |
- for the dough
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp (150mL) warm nonfat milk (100-110°F)
- 2 tbsp (30mL) molasses
- ½ tbsp (7g) unsalted butter, melted
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 ¼ tsp (7g or one ¼-oz package) dry yeast
- 2 – 2 ½ cups (240-300g) whole wheat flour
- for the filling
- 6 tbsp (72g) coconut sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 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, molasses, butter, and salt. Sprinkle the yeast on top, and wait 10-15 minutes or until the mixture turns frothy. Mix in 1 ½ cups of flour. 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, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves 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 spiced coconut 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 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) 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 17-21 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the sides feel firm. Cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before serving.
For the whole wheat flour, I highly recommend Gold Medal whole wheat flour. It performs 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 don’t rise nearly as high, if at all!)
White whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour may be substituted for the whole wheat flour, but the cinnamon rolls might not rise as high (see Note directly above this one!). All-purpose flour may be substituted, and the cinnamon rolls should rise just as high as with Gold Medal whole wheat flour.
For the yeast, I used Red Star Quick Rise Yeast. It performs the best out of any yeast I’ve used, so I highly recommend it! It always easy to find in grocery stores, so I buy mine online here. (Both their rapid rise yeast and regular active dry yeast work equally well!)
Any milk may be substituted in place of the nonfat milk.
The molasses is essential to create the gingerbread flavor. It’s inexpensive, shelf-stable, and keeps for ages. I do not recommend substituting for it! In a pinch, you can substitute pure maple syrup, honey, or agave, but the cinnamon rolls will no longer have that classic gingerbread taste.
For a vegan version, substitute your favorite non-dairy milk and Earth Balance buttery sticks 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.)
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.
To see how these cinnamon rolls are made, watch my video here, located directly above the recipe! (The recipe isn't exactly the same, but it's very close!)
For more information, please see the Nerd Alerts #1-10 in my blog post above!
{clean eating, low fat, vegan option}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Healthier Eggnog Cinnamon Rolls
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Cinnamon Rolls
♡ Healthy Chai Spice Cinnamon Rolls
♡ Healthy Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte Cinnamon Rolls
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy holiday recipes!
These cinnamon rolls… all I can say is, “hello holiday fabulousness.”
You’re the sweetest Liz — thank you!! 🙂
I love your recipes. I only wish there were more photos of the actual process instead of the same pictures appearing throughout the whole blog.
I truly appreciate your interest in my recipes Kelly! I’ll keep that in mind. 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of these cinnamon rolls if you try them!
I had this exact thought!
These look delicious! Do they freeze well?
Yes, they do! I’d love to hear what you think if you try them Larissa! 🙂
I’m so excited to try these! I made cinnamon rolls for my boys last Christmas and they’ve already asked for them again this year. Is there any way to prep the rolls the night before? Can I put the dough in the fridge once its been sliced and then pull them out the next morning? Any tips for saving time for making these for Christmas morning would be greatly appreciated : )
I’m so honored that you’d consider making these for Christmas morning Jill! I haven’t tried making these in that fashion, but I know that they reheat really well! So my best recommendation for you would be to bake them fully the night before, leave them in the pan, and place foil over the top once they’re at room temperature. In the morning, leave the foil on the pan and pop that in the oven so you can serve them warm. Does that make sense? ? Merry Christmas to you and your boys!!
I’m lactose intolerant, and don’t have access to Earth Balance sticks. I know coconut oil is a possible substitute, but I was wondering if I could just omit the butter entirely? Thanks!????
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Cacey! I don’t recommend omitting it entirely. I know it’s a small amount, but it makes a huge difference in the texture of these cinnamon rolls! Also, if you’re just lactose intolerant, then you may be able to eat butter. My brother is severely lactose intolerant, but he’s fine with butter because lactose is the sugar naturally occurring in dairy, and since butter is pure fat, it doesn’t contain any of that lactose sugar. (He also swears by lactase pills — he can eat literally any kind dairy if he takes one before [milk, ice cream, yogurt, cheese, you name it!]. Just wanted to mention that in case you find it useful!) 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think if you try making these cinnamon rolls!
Would country crock work maybe?
I haven’t personally tried, but I think that should work. I’d love to hear how your cinnamon rolls turn out if you do try that Cacey! 🙂
Perfection!
I’m so glad you loved these cinnamon rolls Riley! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know! 🙂