Name: Healthy Cinnamon Rolls
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: ¾ cup (3 ½ ounces) coconut sugar; 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon; ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt; 2 Tbs. unsalted butter (or coconut oil, melted); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 ¼ cups almond milk ((110 degrees)); 4 teaspoons instant yeast; 1 tablespoon coconut sugar; 2 ¾ - 3 cups (330- 360g) white whole wheat flour; 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder; ¾ teaspoon kosher salt; 3 Tbs. unsalted butter (or coconut oil, melted and cooled); 1 cup (120 g) confectioners sugar; 1-2 Tbs. almond milk; 2 Tbs. maple syrup

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These healthy cinnamon rolls with a maple icing are everything you love about a cinnamon roll – gooey, cinnamon filling, sticky sweet glaze, and fluffy yeasted dough. But with less guilt! Made with coconut sugar, whole wheat flour, and almond milk these cinnamon rolls are a perfect way to start your holiday mornings.

I hope the word healthy didn’t just have you running in the other direction. Because it shouldn’t.

Not when the word healthy is followed by two words that immediately get me salivating – Cinnamon. Rolls. If you want to indulge in cinnamon rolls, but feeling a little guilty about doing so then these healthy cinnamon rolls are the answer.

Drooling yet? Should be.

What makes these cinnamon rolls healthy?

Natural sweetener – I used coconut sugar in the filling and dough. Coconut sugar has a lower glycemic index than regular sugar so it won’t spike your blood glucose and insulin like white sugar does.
100% Whole Grain – This rolls are made with white whole wheat flour, which is a 100% whole grain but is made from a different variety of wheat than regular whole wheat flour so it’s softer in texture.
Almond Milk – I usually use whole milk in my cinnamon rolls, but I swapped it out for organic almond milk. It’s rich in good fats and is a good source of Vitamin E.
Healthy Fat – I used much less butter than I normally do. I highly recommend using organic, grass fed butter if you can. But you can also swap it out for coconut oil for a healthier alternative as well. Turn these into vegan cinnamon rolls by swapping out the butter for a vegan butter or coconut oil and you’re all set.

Ingredients for this cinnamon roll recipe

Coconut Sugar
Cinnamon
Kosher Salt
Unsalted butter (or coconut oil)
Vanilla extract
Almond milk
Instant yeast
White whole wheat flour
Baking powder
Confectioners sugar
Maple syrup

How to make these cinnamon rolls

For the filling: Combine coconut sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Stir in coconut oil (or butter) and vanilla until mixture resembles wet sand; set aside.

For the dough: Grease 9-inch round cake pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper and grease parchment. Whisk warm milk, yeast, and coconut sugar in a bowl and let sit until bubbly about 5 minutes.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.

Stir in yeast mixture and 2 Tbs. melted butter (or coconut oil) until dough forms. Dough will be sticky. Transfer dough to well-floured counter and knead until dough ball forms, about 2 minutes.

Roll dough into 12 by 9 inch rectangle with long side parallel to edge.

cinnamon roll dough rolled out into a rectangle

Brush dough completely with 1 tablespoon melted butter, leaving ½-inch border on far edge.

melted butter brushed onto cinnamon roll dough

Sprinkle filling over butter and press filling firmly into dough.

cinnamon mixture sprinkled on to cinnamon roll dough

My Secret For Forming Cinnamon Rolls

I used make cinnamon rolls and try to roll up the whole log of dough and then cut into rolls. I would recommend that you would either get a super sharp knife, throw up a prayer your dough was rolled up tight enough, or go find some thread and floss to cut it with.

Well no more! I’ve seen the light. Cut the dough before you roll it up. Yup cut it then roll it. It’s genius. It’s easy. I’m never going back.

So cut the dough into 8 strips. You’re welcome.

Roll each strip into a tight roll. Place each roll spiral side up.

Place buns into prepared pan. I place one in the middle and 7 buns in a circle around the middle one.

eight cinnamon rolls in a round cake pan unrisen

Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes, until dough springs back when gently pressed. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.

risen unbaked cinnamon rolls in a cake pan

Remove plastic wrap and place buns in the oven until edges are well browned – 23 to 25 minutes. Rotating pan halfway through baking. Loosen buns from sides of pan with paring knife and let cool for 5 minutes. Flip buns out of pan and then flip again, right side up, onto platter. Let cool for 5 minutes.

For the glaze: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all glaze ingredients until smooth. Adjust consistency by adding more milk or more sugar, if needed. Drizzle glaze evenly over buns and serve.

glazed healthy cinnamon rolls in a round cake pan

Maple Icing

And of course, half the reason I eat those cinnamon swirled treats is the thick layer of vanilla cream cheese frosting on top. I decided to opt for a (slightly) healthier glaze and make a simple three ingredient maple icing

I combined organic powdered sugar, organic maple syrup, and almond milk. You can always adjust the consistency by adding more sugar, or more almond milk

Ok now you can dive in.

Bet you’re glad you busted out those sweatpants now aren’t you?

fork digging into a cinnamon roll on a plate

Tips for making these healthy cinnamon rolls

Test the milk temperature. You want to use a thermometer to test the temperature of your milk before adding to the yeast. Yeast is a living thing, which means if the milk is too hot, it will kill the yeast. If the milk is too cold the yeast will not proof properly. Because this mixture uses Rapid Rise Yeast, it can be at a higher temperature than use for other types of yeast. The mixture can be between 120-130°F. You can read more here from Bob’s Red Mills about what temperature kills yeast.
Measure your flour accurately. Either measure using this method described in this post, or use a kitchen scale for best accuracy. You will notice a range of flour. Start with the lower end and then sprinkle in a little bit more if it’s too sticky.
Use A Stand Mixer. You can use your stand mixer with a dough hook attachment to make kneading this bread easy or make your bread dough in a mixing bowl with a dough whisk, and knead your bread dough by hand.
Easy On The Flour. Once the dough is ready to be rolled out, make sure to not add too much flour to the dough. It’s fine to add a little extra if it’s sticky, but add as little as much as possible. Too much flour could result in a tough cinnamon roll.
Let Rise In A Warm Spot. Your kitchen needs to be on the warmer side, otherwise your rolls may take longer to rise.

Recipe FAQ’s

Can I freeze these cinnamon rolls?

Yes! And you should! This is what eases the stresses of holidays. After rolling and cutting you can wrap the pan in plastic wrap (and then a layer of tin foil to ensure no freezer burn). When ready to bake, allow to thaw overnight in the fridge, or at room temperature for 2 hours then continue with the second rise and bake as directed.

You can also freeze baked cinnamon rolls. After baking, allow to cool completely before wrapping up and freezing.

You can also read my full post on how to freeze bread here. And be sure to download my FREE freezing bread cheatsheet.

How do you store cinnamon rolls?

If you have them covered in cream cheese icing, then they will need to be refrigerated (should keep for up to 2-3 days). Just warm them ( I do this in the microwave for a few seconds until warm and gooey again). You can also try warming them in the oven for a few minutes (200oF). If they are unfrosted, then you keep them at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Can I use active dry yeast?

You definitely can use active dry yeast instead, but your rolls may take longer to rise.

Can I use low fat milk instead?

You definitely can swap out the almond milk for any milk that works for you. Low-fat, whole, even soy.

What if my cinnamon roll dough is too sticky?

The dough should be somewhat sticky. It should come off the sides of the bowl, but still stick to the bottom of the bowl. If it’s not coming away from the sides of the bowl, then add in a bit more flour. Just add a few tablespoons at a time though, so you don’t end up adding too much (which will make for a tough cinnamon roll in the end).

Can I make these cinnamon rolls ahead of time?

Yes you can make them the night before. Just warm them up gently in an oven or in the microwave for a few seconds (10-15 for each roll.)

Can I make these vegan?

Yup just swap out the butter for a vegan buttery spread, or coconut milk and you’re all set!

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