Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte Cinnamon Rolls
Yields: 12 cinnamon rolls
 
These cinnamon rolls taste like the iconic autumn drink! Tender pumpkin dough flavored with coffee and filled with gooey cinnamon spirals—what’s not to love?? It basically tastes like a big cozy bear hug for breakfast, but without the guilt of store-bought cinnamon rolls! Leftovers will keep for at least one week if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
  1. Lightly coat a 9”-round pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. (See Notes.)
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. To prepare the filling, stir together the coconut sugar and pumpkin spice in a small bowl.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
Notes: To make the homemade pumpkin spice, use as follows: 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ½ teaspoon ground cloves. (Store-bought pumpkin spice will also work.)

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}
Recipe by Amy's Healthy Baking at https://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2017/09/05/healthy-pumpkin-spice-latte-cinnamon-rolls/