Healthy Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls
Yields: 12 cinnamon rolls
 
With their juicy fresh berry filling, these cinnamon rolls are perfect for spring and summer brunches! They dough is light and tender, and the fruit filling is such a fun twist on classic cinnamon rolls. Leftovers will keep for at least four days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
  • for the dough
  • ¾ cup (180mL) warm nonfat milk (100-110°F)
  • ½ tbsp (7g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 tbsp (24g) coconut sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 ¼ tsp (7g or one ¼-oz package) Red Star Quick Rise Yeast
  • 2 – 2 ½ cups (240-300g) whole wheat flour
  • for the filling
  • 2 cups (240g) ripe fresh strawberries, diced
  • 1 tbsp (7g) ground cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp (8g) cornstarch
  1. Lightly coat a 9”-round pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. (See Notes.)
  2. In a large bowl, stir together the milk, butter, sugar, 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.
  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, gently toss together the strawberries, cinnamon, and cornstarch in a medium bowl.
  5. On a clean, well-floured surface, roll the dough out into a 16x10” rectangle. Spread the filling on top, leaving a ½” border on one longer side and a 1 ½” border on the other longer side. Carefully roll up the dough into a log, starting at the ½” border long edge and rolling towards the other 1 ½” border long edge. (The filling tends to squish towards the second longer edge, which is why there’s a larger border!) 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) 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 minutes or until doubled in size.
  7. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the cinnamon rolls for 18-22 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the sides feel firm. Cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Notes: 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 brand of 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!)

Any milk may be substituted in place of the nonfat milk.

For a vegan version, substitute your favorite non-dairy milk and stick-style vegan butter in place of the regular unsalted 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 cinnamon 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.

I highly recommend using a silicone baking mat like this and a silicone rolling pin like this to roll out the dough. The dough doesn't stick as much to those!

It’s really important to finely dice your strawberries. They should be no larger than the size of miniature chocolate chips. This small size ensures (a) that they don’t poke holes through the dough while you roll it up and (b) they fully cook through while baking. I know it takes more time to cut them so small, but I promise it’s worth it!

If your strawberries aren’t overly ripe and sweet, then add 1-2 tablespoons (12-24g) of coconut sugar to the filling.

To see how to make cinnamon rolls, watch my video here located directly above the recipe. (It’s for a very similar recipe!)

{clean eating, vegan option, low fat}
Recipe by Amy's Healthy Baking at https://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2018/05/03/healthy-strawberry-cinnamon-rolls/