Soft, fluffy and delicious, these whole grain cinnamon rolls, made with freshly milled wheat flour are a great dessert to make for guests or family alike. Once you bite into these flavorful rolls, topped with a cream cheese glaze, you won’t be able to eat just one.

Homemade Cinnamon Roll Recipe

Nutrition.

That has been my goal since the beginning of the journey of learning how to grind flour at home.

I wanted every one of our meals and snacks to be packed full of nutrition. Each from scratch meal I made had to nourish the body, not just fill the belly. Fresh milled flour played a huge part of that mission.

Today, when I create a baked good, I make sure the recipe is not only delicious but also nutritious. I think as a whole when society thinks about something being healthy or full of nutrition, we think of something green. Maybe a salad. A carrot. Or a smoothie filled with antioxidants. The words baked good and healthy aren’t usually words that go hand-in-hand. I don’t know about you but the words sugary sweet, artificial and unhealthy is what generally comes to my mind when I walk down the snack or baking isle at the grocery store.

But that doesn’t always have to be the case.

You can make healthy baked goods at home in your kitchen by using real ingredients. Items such as real milk, butter, sucanat and of course, freshly milled flour. Now I won’t go as far to say that this cinnamon roll recipe is calorie free but if you know the benefits of grinding flour at home then you will agree with me that homemade cinnamon rolls made with whole grain is definitely a more nutritious way to go.

Sink your teeth into this soft, plump cinnamon roll recipe! Each and every gooey bite is loaded with flavor. Starting with the dough, made with hard white wheat flour and plenty of real dairy. Then filled with brown sugar, lots of cinnamon spice and a generous portion of butter. Finally the rolls are topped with a liberal amount of cream cheese glaze. Baked until golden brown, these rolls are delicious, easy and of course filled with the essential nutrients we all need like fiber and vitamins.

Is Freshly Milled Flour Better for You?

Yes! Today a bag of flour from the grocery store does not provide the vital fiber and nutrients that your body needs. When grain is kept whole, it retains all of its nutrients and oils. As soon as the bran (the outer hard shell) is broken, the nutrients deteriorate quickly. Commercially sold flour can turn rancid if the oil-rich germ and other nutrients are left. In order to avoid this, commercial flour must remove these components so that the flour is shelf stable. Even if the flour is organic or labeled as enriched, there is absolutely no comparison to the health benefits of milling your own flour at home. Milling your own flour ensures you get the most nutrients, vitamins and fiber.

Items You May Need to Bake With Freshly Milled Flour

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• Hard white or hard red wheat berries
• A grain mill such as the Mockmill 100 Stone Grain Mill 
• Bowl or stand mixer
• Pastry brush
• Rolling pin
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Whisk
• I used a stoneware dish to bake the cinnamon rolls in but a baking pan or large cast iron skillet will also work.
• I use a spice grinder to make my own powdered sugar. If you do not have a spice grinder, you can use a small blender or simply swap the freshly powdered sugar for store bought powdered sugar.
• Vital wheat gluten helps bread made with fresh ground flour to rise higher.
• When you mill your own flour there is no need to sift it. Simply grind, measure and get baking!

Cinnamon Rolls with Freshly Milled Flour

Makes: 15 rolls

Whole Grain Cinnamon Roll Ingredients

Filling

1/2 cup organic brown sugar or sucanat
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, melted

Dough

1 1/2 cups warm milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 teaspoon honey
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon vital wheat gluten, optional
4 1/2 cups freshly milled hard white wheat or hard red flour * (see note below if using whole wheat flour)
1 tablespoon instant yeast

Glaze

6 tablespoons sugar
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons whole milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

How to Make Cinnamon Rolls with Freshly Milled Flour

For the filling: In a bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside until the dough is ready.

For the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm milk, butter, honey, salt, egg and vital wheat gluten, if using. Add 3 cups of flour and mix until a wet batter forms. Add yeast and mix to combine.

Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes. Cover the bowl, place in a warm spot and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Roll into an 18 x 15 inch rectangle. Brush melted butter over the dough, leaving about a 1/2 inch of space around each side. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar filling onto the butter. Rolling from the long side, roll the dough tightly into a cylinder until you reach the other side. Place seam side down. Use a knife to cut the roll into 15 slices.

In a greased 9 x 13 pan, arrange the cinnamon roll slices. Cover pan and allow to rise until the rolls have doubled in size, about 30-40 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375° F. Bake the rolls for 25-28 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven.

For the cream cheese glaze: In a spice grinder or small blender, grind the sugar until fine and powdery like powdered sugar. In a bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, milk, melted butter, vanilla extract and salt. Whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Drizzle as much glaze as you’d like over the top of the cinnamon rolls. Cut, serve and enjoy! Any leftovers can be kept in a sealed container for several days.

Note: If you’d like to make this homemade cinnamon roll recipe but do not have wheat berries or a grain mill, you can swap the 4 1/2 cups of fresh ground flour for whole wheat flour. Do not add the vital wheat gluten.

More Whole Grain Recipes You May Want to Try

• No Knead Whole Grain Bread
• Whole Grain Dinner Rolls
• Dutch Baby Pancake
• Hamburger Buns Made With Fresh Ground Flour
• Pretzels Made With Whole grain

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