A family favorite weekend baking recipe! These Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls are quick to make, full of cinnamon and a little more wholesome made with part whole wheat flour.
These Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls were adapted from a recipe in one of my mom’s small town cookbooks. You know the kind – a cheesily-named plastic coil-bound book with a photo of the town statue on the front, full of well-loved (albeit sometimes questionable) recipes put together by community members.
But sometimes, these unassuming cookbooks really did have the best recipes. The original version of these cinnamon rolls even earned the esteemed handwritten Mom-note of “VG!” (“very good”) next to its name. That’s how you truly knew a recipe was a keeper!
(You may be interested to know that these rolls came from “What’s Cooking in Komarno?”, a cookbook from Komarno, MB featuring the town’s monument of a giant mosquito. Yep, can’t get much more small-town than that)
But back to the cinnamon rolls…
What makes this recipe “quick” is that it uses baking powder as a leavening agent rather than yeast, meaning there’s no rising or waiting involved. While it gives the rolls more of a biscuit or scone-like texture, they are still perfectly delicious. The outsides are tender and flaky while the interior is soft and fluffy and filled with sweet cinnamon flavor.
And of course, I had to take the opportunity to add a little extra nutrition by using part whole wheat flour. It adds a nice heartiness and nutty flavor without causing the cinnamon rolls to be too dense.
Flour 101: White vs. Whole Wheat
We all know whole wheat flour is more nutritious than white, but do you know why? Let’s take a quick look at the differences between the two, how to substitute whole wheat flour and maximize nutrition in our baked goods without sacrificing flavor or texture.
White Flour
Also known as all-purpose or plain flour, this flour is made from only the soft white interior of the wheat kernel (the “endosperm”). This results in a fine flour that is rich in carbohydrates and contains a small amount of vitamins and fiber. It is suitable for most uses like baking bread and pastry, to coating meat or thickening sauces.
Whole Wheat Flour
Whereas white flour is made from only endosperm, whole wheat flour is produced by grinding the entire wheat grain, bran and germ included. These parts of the grain are particularly rich in B-Vitamins and dietary fiber, as well as smaller amounts of protein and other minerals. In addition to being more nutritious, whole wheat flour has a nuttier taste and darker color that can impact the recipe in which it is used.
But Wait! What is White Whole Wheat Flour??
White whole wheat flour is still 100% whole wheat, it is simply made from white rather than red wheat grains. This means that it is still as nutritious as traditional whole wheat flour, but with a lighter color and milder flavor. White whole wheat flour can be a great option if you don’t love the color or taste of regular whole wheat.
How To Substitute Whole Wheat Flour
General guidelines from King Arthur Baking suggest that you can simply substitute whole wheat flour in place of white or all-purpose using different proportions:
25%
As a good starting point for more delicate, lighter colored baked goods, like cake or bread. You may be able to increase the proportion depending on your recipe.
50%
In most recipes that use all-purpose flour. Flavor and texture should not be noticeably affected but the end result may be a darker color than usual.
And remember! If you’re hesitant to use whole wheat flour, opting for white whole wheat can be less noticeable and still give you the same great nutritional benefits!
Whole Wheat Cinnamon Roll Ingredients
On to our recipe, here is what you’ll need:
- Whole wheat flour. Regular whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour can be used in this instance.
- All-purpose flour. A mix of all-purpose and whole wheat flour is used to maintain a light, fluffy roll.
- Baking powder. As these quick rolls are made without yeast, we will use baking powder to causes a fast-acting rise through a chemical reaction. Yeast leavens dough through fermentation which requires substantially more time to rise.
- Salt.
- Egg. One large egg is needed.
- Milk. This recipe was tested with 2% milk but other dairy-free alternatives may work too.
- Honey. For the dough, equal parts sugar can be used, too.
- Butter. Cubed cold butter is used to create a flaky and fluffy dough. Then melt a few tablespoons to spread over the dough for the cinnamon sugar filling.
- Brown sugar. Use brown sugar over white for that classic dark brown filling.
- Ground cinnamon. A full two tablespoons make these rolls super cinnamon-y.
How To Make Homemade Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls
- Combine the dry ingredients.
- Whisk together the egg, milk and honey.
- Add the wet ingredients into the dry and stir together until a rough dough forms. Knead a few times on a flour-dusted surface to bring the dough together.
- Roll the dough into a large rectangle, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
- Roll the dough up into a tight log and slice into even-sized rolls.
- Bake until golden brown and your whole house smells of delicious sweet cinnamon!
Storing & Freezing Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls
These Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls are best enjoyed the same day but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To recreate that just-baked experience, heat leftover rolls in the microwave for 10-20 seconds before enjoying.
Baked cinnamon rolls can be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in a sealable bag or container for best results. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.
More Baking Recipes To Try!
- Sweet Molasses Dinner Rolls (100% Whole Wheat!)
- Baked Peaches With Pecan Crumble Topping
- Easy Apple Cinnamon Turnovers with Flaky Phyllo Pastry
Quick Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls (No Yeast!)
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 10–12 rolls 1x
Description
A family favorite weekend baking recipe! These Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls are quick to make, full of cinnamon and a little more wholesome made with part whole wheat flour.
Ingredients
For the dough:
1 1/4 cup (140g) whole wheat flour
1 cup (120g) all purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
1 large egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup honey
For the filling:
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder and salt.
- Add the cold butter cubes and cut into the flour. Continue cutting in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and the butter pieces are about the size of a pea.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg. Add the milk and honey and stir until the honey has dissolved.
- Add the milk mixture to the flour. Stir until a rough dough forms, then turn it out onto a clean, flour-dusted surface. Knead the dough a few times to bring it together. Add an extra sprinkle of flour if the dough is too sticky.
- Roll dough out into an approximately 10 x 14-inch rectangle. Brush entire dough surface with melted butter, then evenly sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Starting on the long end, tightly roll up the dough into a log. Cut into 10-12 even rolls and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet or in a buttered baking dish.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes on a baking sheet or 20-25 minutes in a baking dish, or until lightly browned on top and cooked through the center. Remove cinnamon rolls from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Notes
For flaky dough: ensure your butter is cold and avoid overworking the dough to create layers of flaky pastry on the outside and a super soft and fluffy interior.
Bake in a muffin tin: for a more uniform shape, bake cinnamon rolls in a lightly-greased muffin tin for 15 to 20 minutes.
Freezer instructions: Baked cinnamon rolls can be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in a sealable bag or container for best results. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature and heat up before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cooling Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: breakfast, dessert
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
