Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls with Fresh Milled Flour
This post may contain affiliate links.
These Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls with Fresh Milled Flour are topped with a maple cream cheese glaze and rival the ooey-gooey Cinnabon! These are so soft, fluffy, and absolutely perfect. You’ll never need another cinnamon roll recipe again.
For other whole wheat breakfast treats, you’ll love my whole wheat bagels and my sourdough cherry twists.
Recipe at a Glance: Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls
⏱️ Prep Time: 55 minutes
🍞 Rise & Proofing Time: 3 hours
🔥 Bake Time: 25 minutes
🕒 Total Time: 4 hours and 20 minutes
🍽️ Servings: 12-14 rolls
👍 Difficulty: Moderate
😋 Recipe Highlights: Wholesome ingredients, pillowy soft in texture, and as close to Cinnabon as whole wheat can get!
🛒 Featured Ingredients: Hard white wheat flour, avocado oil, buttermilk, butter, brown sugar, cream cheese, instant yeast
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
Is there anything better than a cinnamon roll? Not if you ask me!
Cinnamon rolls have to be up there as my favorite sweet breakfast treat (second only to French toast made with my cranberry wild rice bread). They’re also a Christmas morning staple—for another fresh milled flour Christmas recipe, you’ll love my healthy peanut butter blossoms recipe.
I’ve spent many years perfecting my cinnamon roll technique and have gotten quite the reputation among my in-laws as the cinnamon roll queen. 😉
However, almost all my baking these days is done with fresh milled flour, so I have had to tweak my recipes and methods to work with the unique properties fresh flour has.
I am so excited to share this simple recipe for those looking to make soft, gooey homemade cinnamon rolls with whole wheat flour–especially fresh milled flour!
Due to the time they take, cinnamon rolls are a labor of love–it’s no secret that they take several hours to make. But, they are not difficult! I’ll offer plenty of tips to help you through the most common mistakes.
Featured Comment: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ These are so good! It was my first time using fresh milled flour and I really love how they came out! -Desiré
Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls Ingredients
Here are some of the most important ingredients needed to make this gooey whole wheat cinnamon rolls recipe. For the full ingredient list, check the recipe card at the bottom of the post:
Whole Wheat Flour– If using bagged flour, you can get White Whole Wheat. King Arthur’s Flour sells it in an orange/brown bag.
If making this recipe with fresh milled flour as I do, I recommend hard white wheat berries. Hard white berries are lighter in texture and color than red wheat. It’s perfect for treats that you want to keep light and fluffy.
Buttermilk – You don’t need much, just 1/4 cup. If you prefer not to buy a whole jug of buttermilk, measure 1/4 cup whole milk into a cup and add one teaspoon of lemon juice. Let sit for 5 minutes and you’ve made a homemade buttermilk substitute.
Avocado Oil – I use avocado oil in my baked goods instead of vegetable oil. Avocado oil has excellent nutritional value: it’s high in monounsaturated fats, antioxidants, carotenoids, and polyphenols. It’s worth it to invest in a quality brand to ensure purity.
Instant Yeast – Instant Yeast is best for this recipe. If you only have active dry yeast, check the Substitutions section below for altered instructions.
Cream Cheese – To get that Cinnabon style frosting, it is essential we use some cream cheese.
Maple Syrup – Just a touch to flavor the glaze, but you can skip this if needed. No need to replace with anything; the glaze will just be a bit thicker, but it doesn’t matter because it will melt on the warm rolls.
Ingredient Substitutions
Wheat Berry/Flour Type – I love hard white wheat berries to keep these cinnamon rolls light and fluffy, but hard red wheat will work just as well. This recipe has not been tested with other types of grains. You can use bagged whole wheat flour if you don’t own a grain mill.
Yeast – I highly recommend using Instant Yeast for whole-grain baking. Instant yeast provides a bit more lift than regular active dry yeast, which is helpful when using denser flour like whole wheat. This recipe also requires a short dough rest before kneading, and the flexibility of the Instant Yeast makes that easier to do.
However, if you only have active dry yeast, prep the yeast by adding it to the cup of warm water with a spoonful of sugar. Let it sit 10 minutes, then add the rest of the ingredients.
Buttermilk – Buttermilk makes this dough soft and delicious. If you don’t have buttermilk, just use 1/4 cup whole milk with a teaspoon of lemon juice added. Let the milk sit for 5 minutes before using.
How to Make Fresh Milled Cinnamon Rolls
1. Mix Dough & Let it Rest.
Weigh the flour or wheat berries using a kitchen scale if possible (though it will be about 4 1/2 cups). Mill the wheat berries if using, then pour the flour into the bowl of a stand mixer.
Add the water, sugar, buttermilk, egg, and avocado oil to the bowl of flour. Do not add the salt or the yeast yet.
Mix the ingredients together until everything is thoroughly combined. Cover the bowl and let it rest 30-45 minutes.
2. Knead.
After the dough has rested 30-45 minutes, sprinkle the salt and the instant yeast on top of the dough.
Attach the dough hook and knead the salt and yeast into the dough. Knead for about 5-10 minutes until you have a nice, smooth ball.
3. Rise.
Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours until doubled.
Toward the end of the rise, prepare the cinnamon sugar filling by whisking together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch in a bowl, then set aside.
4. Roll Out the Dough.
Pour the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface and use a rolling pin to flatten into a large rectangle, roughly 16″x20″.
Spread the 1/2 cup softened butter evenly over the dough, leaving about half an inch untouched on the longer sides of the dough.
5. Spread the Sugar.
Pour the cinnamon sugar mixture onto the dough and spread it out on top of the butter, also avoiding the half-inch edge on the longer sides. Lightly press the sugar mixture into the dough with a rolling pin.
6. Roll & Score.
Starting with one of the long edges, roll the dough up jelly-roll style into a tight log. Cut off the oddly shapen ends–you will still bake these in the loaf pan.
Score the trimmed dough log every 1.5 inches or so to make sure you cut them into even portions. You will have 12 rolls, plus the ends.
7. Slice the Rolls.
Line a 9×13 inch baking dish and a loaf pan with parchment paper.
Use a clean string or piece of dental floss to slice the rolls by wrapping the string around the score and pulling the ends across to slice.
Alternatively, you can use a pizza cutter to slice the dough while it is still a flat rectangle, & then roll the cinnamon rolls one at a time and place in the pan.
Depending on the size of the ends, you may want to roll them together and bake as one. Place the ends in the loaf pan for baking.
8. Proof.
Cover the cinnamon rolls lightly with plastic wrap and let proof until the rolls get puffy and start to crowd the pan.
Alternatively, place the covered pan of rolls in the refrigerator after slicing and let them do a “cold proof” in the fridge overnight.
If you refrigerated the rolls overnight, pull them out when you wake up in the morning. If needed, let them sit 1-2 hours to warm up and finish proofing–they are ready whenever they’ve gotten puffy.
9. Bake.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the cinnamon rolls for 23-25 minutes until the tops start to turn golden, but do not let them get too dark if you want gooey rolls!
10. Frost.
While the rolls bake, add the softened cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and maple syrup to a mixing bowl and whisk together.
Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. I like to use my Kitchenaid, but you can do this by hand, too.
After removing the rolls from the oven, allow them to cool slightly, then top the warm rolls with the frosting. Serve when they’re cool enough to handle.
Expert Tips & Tricks
Proper Proofing
Proper proofing ensures these rolls are fluffy and soft, not dense. Having a warm room temperature for rise/proof helps speed this recipe along.
I like to turn on my fireplace to warm the air. I don’t recommend placing the dough right by the fire as that will likely be too hot–I have learned this the hard way–but moving your dough to a nearby table can be helpful.
Slicing the Rolls
I find the easiest way to slice the rolls to be with a piece of dental floss. Even mint-flavored dental floss works fine–it’s never left any flavor behind.
Using a knife tends to smush the rolls. A lot of people like to leave the rolls as a flat sheet and slice them individually instead of rolling the dough into a log. You can use a pizza cutter to cut each piece about 1 1/2 inches wide, then roll up the individual slice.
Measuring by Weight
I recommend using a kitchen scale to measure the flour, but it can also be used for all ingredients. This will ensure the dough is soft and supple.
The table below shows the weights for the ingredients in the recipe as written.
| Ingredient | Weight |
|---|---|
| Hard White Wheat Berries | 585 grams |
| Water | 240 grams |
| White Sugar | 100 grams |
| Buttermilk | 2 ounces |
| Egg | 2 ounces |
| Avocado Oil | 77 grams |
| Salt | 6 grams |
| Instant Yeast | 0.25 ounces |
| Butter | 112 g + 56 g |
| Brown Sugar | 270 grams |
| Cream Cheese | 2 ounces |
| Vanilla Extract | 4 grams |
| Maple Syrup | 20 grams |
| Powdered Sugar | 150 grams |
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Baking Schedule Options
Ready for Breakfast
To have these whole wheat cinnamon rolls ready for breakfast, start them the evening before (around 5 or 6pm). After the first rise, roll the dough out, spread the butter & sugar, & slice. Place the cut rolls in the baking pan, then cover with plastic wrap and stick them in the fridge.
Overnight, they will rise a little bit, but you might need to make up some ground in the morning. Pull them out of the fridge as soon as you wake up, and then put them somewhere warm to continue proofing for the next hour or two. Bake them once they are sufficiently puffy.
Prep Days in Advance
These rolls should be fine in the refrigerator for 1-2 two days, however, if you need to make these farther ahead than that, you can freeze them after slicing the rolls. If you decide to freeze them, use a disposable foil pan for ease.
At least a full day before you’d like to bake them, take them out of the freezer and put them in the fridge to begin the thawing process. In the morning, follow the steps outlined above to get them warmed up and baked.
Whole Grain Cinnamon Buns FAQs
Yes, you can make cinnamon buns with whole wheat flour! There are many whole wheat baking techniques that can be applied to keep them soft and fluffy, such as using a dough recipe with high hydration (like this one), choosing the right type of wheat (I recommend hard white wheat berries for the lightest texture), and using Instant yeast over active dry, which is more potent & gives a slightly better rise.
So yes, you can make great cinnamon rolls with whole wheat flour, however, you must remember it will still not be exactly like white flour, because these flours just aren’t exactly the same!
Yes, you can make cinnamon rolls without bread flour! Bread flour is simply a wheat flour with a higher percentage of protein–typically, 12-14% protein. For comparison’s sake, all purpose flour is 10-12% protein, and cake flour is only 5-8% protein.
Cinnamon rolls will turn out better with a higher protein flour because it is the protein in wheat that makes dough stretchy and shapable, which we need to do to create the rolls. This recipe uses hard white wheat flour, which ranges 10-14% protein, making it a great choice for baking cinnamon rolls.
The secret to fluffy cinnamon rolls is a well hydrated dough! Make sure you have enough liquid in your recipe so the dough is not too dense. Doughs that are too dry will not turn out soft and fluffy, however, that doesn’t mean wetter is always better. The dough needs to workable, so it cannot be TOO sticky. You need the proper balance of wet and dry ingredients.
The second secret to a fluffy cinnamon roll is strong, potent yeast. I like using instant yeast for whole grain baking. The smaller yeast granules are more robust–they activate faster in less time, which means you aren’t wasting its powder on idle baking steps.
Other Fresh Milled Flour Recipes
If you love this recipe, here are some of my other favorite whole wheat, fresh milled baked treats–like my whole wheat pita recipe and my fresh milled sandwich bread.
Leave a 5-Star Rating & Review! If you make these ooey, gooey whole wheat cinnamon rolls with fresh milled flour, please come back and let me know! Leave a 5-star rating and review–it helps me out so much, and I reply to every comment. 🙂 Happy Baking!
📖 Recipe
Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Cream Cheese Glaze
Equipment
- 1 9"x13" baking dish for 12 of the rolls
- 1 Loaf Pan to bake the remaining 2 rolls
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- 1 Whisk
Ingredients
Dough
- 585 grams hard white wheat berries ground into flour (or use bagged whole white wheat–about 4 1/2 cups)
- 1 cup warm water 240g
- 1/2 cup sugar 100g
- 1/4 cup buttermilk 2 ounces
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup avocado oil 77g
- 1 teaspoon sea salt 6g
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast 7g
Filling
- 1 1/4 cup brown sugar 270g
- 2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon 20g
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch 16g
- 1/2 cup softened butter 112g
Frosting
- 2 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup softened butter 56g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5g
- 1 tablespoons maple syrup 20g
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar 150g
Instructions
- Use a kitchen scale for the flour if possible, though if measuring by volume, it is about 4 1/2 cups. Mill the wheat berries into flour and pour into the bowl of a stand mixer. You can also use bagged whole-white wheat.585 grams hard white wheat berries
- Add the water, sugar, buttermilk, egg, and avocado oil to the bowl of flour. Mix it together until everything is thoroughly combined. Cover the bowl and let it rest 30-45 minutes.1 cup warm water, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup buttermilk, 1 egg, 1/3 cup avocado oil
- After the dough has rested, sprinkle the salt and the instant yeast on top of the dough. Attach the dough hook and begin to knead the salt and yeast into the dough. Knead for about 5-10 minutes until you have a nice, smooth ball.1 teaspoon sea salt, 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
- Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours until doubled. Toward the end of the rise, prepare the cinnamon sugar by whisking together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch in a bowl and set aside.1 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Pour the dough out onto a clean work surface and use a rolling pin to flatten it into a large rectangle, about 16×20". Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough leaving a half-inch on the longer sides of the dough untouched.1/2 cup softened butter
- Pour the cinnamon sugar mixture onto the dough and spread it out on top of the butter, also avoiding the half inch edge on the longer sides. Lightly press the sugar mixture into the dough with a rolling pin.
- Starting with one of the long edges, roll the dough up jelly-roll style into a tight log. Cut off the oddly shapen ends if needed (you can still bake these in the loaf pan). Score the dough every 1.5-2 inches or so to make sure you cut them into even portions. You will have 12 rolls, plus the ends. Depending on the size of the ends, you may want to roll the pieces together.
- Line a 9×13" baking dish and a loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Use a clean string or piece of dental floss to slice the rolls by wrapping the string around the score and pulling the ends across to slice. Alternatively, you can use a pizza cutter to slice the dough while it is still a flat rectangle and then roll the cinnamon rolls one at a time and place in the baking dishes.
- Cover the cinnamon rolls lightly with plastic wrap and let proof until puffy and starting to crowd the pan. Alternatively, place them covered in the refrigerator after slicing and let them do a "cold proof" in the fridge overnight.
- If you refrigerated the rolls overnight, pull them out when you wake up in the morning. If needed, let them sit 1-2 hours to warm up and finish proofing–they are ready whenever they've gotten puffy.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the cinnamon rolls for 23-25 minutes until the tops start to turn golden, but do not let them get too dark if you want gooey rolls!
Making the Frosting
- While the rolls bake, add the softened cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and maple syrup to a mixing bowl and whisk together. Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. I like to use my Kitchenaid, but you can do this by hand, too.2 ounces cream cheese, 1/4 cup softened butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- After removing the rolls from the oven, allow them to cool slightly before topping with the frosting.
Video
Notes
- This recipe makes 12 full rolls, plus the two ends. Bake the ends in a parchment lined loaf pan at the same time as you bake the main pan.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can pour 1/4 cup milk into a cup, add 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- If you wish to freeze the unbaked rolls to bake at another time, after slicing the rolls (but before the second proof), place them inside an airtight freezer safe ziplock bag or other container. The day before you want to bake them, you can remove them from the freezer and put in the fridge to thaw and do their second rise. If needed, set them on the counter a few hours before baking to thaw and rise even more.
Making this a second time and reread my comment – just came here to say I meant to give it 5 stars instead of 4!! Can’t wait to share these with our family this weekend 🙂
Yum!! Hope they love them! 😋
These are hands down the best cinnamon rolls I have ever had! I’m new to baking with fresh milled flour and was so excited to try this recipe – it was super simple and I even had a couple tiny helpers 🙂 I had to make it dairy free and used plant based butter and oat milk with 3/4 tsp white vinegar to make buttermilk. I did an overnight ferment and let them sit on my counter for about 2 hours the next morning before baking for 31 minutes! They turned out INCREDIBLE. Already wrote this recipe down in our family recipe book and can’t wait to make it again! I wish I could attach pictures to this review. 😍 Thank you so much!
So glad you loved them!! 🙂 and glad to hear those plant based swaps worked well—that is helpful for others to know if they need those swaps, too!
These are excellent! I will definitely be making these over and over 🙂
So happy to hear that! 🙂 Glad you liked them!
I’ve been baking with fresh milled flour for awhile but this was the first recipe I tried for cinnamon rolls. Which I have never made…but they turned out amazing. It was so good, my husband cried when he took a bite. Haha. I made another batch and froze them for Christmas, can’t wait to eat them.
Aww, I love to hear this!! Cinnamon rolls are truly the best. 🙂 Merry Christmas!
Thank you so much for sharing this.
I especially love the weight chart you included – so very handy. All the photos are much appreciated, and the substitution explanations.
Reporting back with some substitutions I used, and it all worked well.
– pizza yeast: all I had, required no prep/bloom, worked out fine
– organic oil blend (sunlower, sesame, canola, olive, flaxseed)
– used Robin Hood whole wheat flour (by weight)
– no maple syrup for frosting, but did 0.5 T of vanilla total
– made 14 rolls (including ends), placed in two glass pie plates, each lined with parchment, 7 per plate
Baked for a bit over 22 min, no foil needed.
Sounds delicious! 😋
This was my first recipe to make with fresh milled flour and it turned out fantastic! There is so much more depth in the dough and plenty of flavor in the filling. Thank you for the recipe!
Wonderful, Melissa! I’m so glad you loved it! 🙂
These are so good! It was my first time using fresh milled flour and I really love how they came out! How would you suggest storing them? Can I freeze them after they’ve been baked?
So glad you loved them! 🙂 yes, you can freeze. I recommend freezing without frosting so you can warm them up as needed. If they’re already frosted, that’s ok. It just might melt if you heat it up in microwave or oven.
To warm in the oven, I’d cover the pan with foil to keep moisture in and heat at 325 until warm.