Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

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by Alena Schowalter
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Who doesn’t love a warm, soft cinnamon roll right out of the oven? Our whole wheat cinnamon rolls are the perfect morning companions! Try this healthy treat during fall or winter.

If you’re looking for a healthier alternative to a traditional cinnamon roll, these are exactly what you’re looking for!

And trust us, we don’t compromise on flavor. Our filling is made from ground nuts and delicious maple syrup instead of butter.

You can customize the filling and the dough to your liking, too! This recipe is fairly simple and great for beginners who want to make their own dough. Follow our helpful tips below, and you’ll be a pro in no time!

Looking for more yummy treats? Try our banana bread and healthy lemon cookies!

cinnamon roll that's been cut by a fork on a white plate next to more cinnamon rolls in a baking dish

Recipe overview

  • Wholesome ingredients
  • Sweet and soft goodness
  • Perfect for breakfast or dessert
  • Uses pantry staples
  • Fun for beginners

To make these wholesome cinnamon rolls, you’ll need a mixing bowl, measuring utensils, rolling pin, knife, and baking sheet.

risen whole wheat dough in a bowl with a linen next to ingredients for cinnamon rolls

Ingredients needed

  • Whole wheat flour — our wholesome flour base!
  • All-purpose flour — to lighten the dough texture.
  • Dry-active yeast — what makes the dough rise!
  • Maple syrup — our sweetener of choice. Feel free to use other sweeteners.
  • Cinnamon, salt, chai — cinnamon roll spices!
  • Wholesome filling: cinnamon, nuts, maple syrup, soy milk.

Find exact measurements and serving suggestions below. Let’s get started!

whole wheat dough for cinnamon rolls on a surface with nut filling and cinnamon

How to make whole wheat cinnamon rolls

Make the dough

Mix together the dry ingredients for your dough. Add some of the warm water as well as the maple syrup and start mixing. Add as much water as you need to get a smooth, soft dough that’s not sticky. 

Knead for a few minutes, then cover the bowl with a towel and let rest in a warm place for around half an hour.

Prepare the filling

Heat up the soy milk in a small pot and then add in the nuts, cinnamon and maple syrup. Stir with a spoon for a few minutes to create a homogenous texture, then set aside. 

If the mixture is too thin after resting, add a few tablespoons of ground nuts at a time to get the ideal texture.

woman placing raw cinnamon rolls next to each other in a baking dish

Assemble rolls and cook

Preheat the oven to 360 °F (180 °C).

Once the dough has risen, flour a flat surface and knead it by hand for about a minute, then roll it into a rectangular shape which should be as flat as one of your fingers (about ½ inch or 1.5 cm).

Gently spread your nut filling onto the dough surface, leaving a ½ inch border around the edges.

Roll the dough until you have one large and even roll. Try to be careful and consistent here.

Cut the roll into even pieces using a sharp knife– they can be anything from ½ inch to 2 inches thick, depending on how you like it.

Place your cinnamon rolls horizontally on a non-stick baking sheet or pan. Bake for around 20 minutes until golden brown. 

Allow to cool slightly before taking the first bite! Serve with a nice cup of tea or coffee.

vegan whole wheat ciannon roll on white plate with a fork in it next to a hand

Storage & reheating

To store, keep covered at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the fridge for around a week. 

To reheat, place in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. Or place in the oven at 350ºF (180ºC) for 10-15 minutes.

Serving suggestions

Enjoy our whole wheat cinnamon rolls fresh and warm! Or feel free to top with homemade icing or vegan frosting

To customize the filling, you can try different flavors:

  • Chocolate
  • Jam (Strawberry, raspberry, blueberry)
  • Nutmeg
  • Lemon zest 

Enjoy alongside some tea or a vanilla almond milk latte! These rolls are great for breakfast, a snack, or dessert.

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FAQs & tips

Is whole wheat flour healthy?

Yes, it is! Whole wheat flour contains protein, fiber, and a variety of minerals. It still has the bran and germ, which are nutrient-dense.

Can I add icing?

Of course! You can make homemade icing with powdered sugar and plant-based milk. You can also make a cream cheese frosting!

Tips for assembling cinnamon roll

When rolling the dough, make sure it’s ½ inch thick. The dough needs to be thick enough to create a sturdy cinnamon roll. And the filling needs to be a thin layer so that it doesn’t spill over the edges.

woman in grey sweater holding a white plate with a vegan cinnamon roll and pouring maple syrup over it

More related recipes

Did you make our whole wheat cinnamon rolls and like it? We’d love to read about it, so be sure to leave a review and share it in the comments below. You can also Pin this recipe here!

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

by Alena Schowalter
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Who doesn’t love a warm, soft cinnamon roll right out of the oven? Our whole wheat cinnamon rolls are the perfect morning companions! Try this healthy treat during fall or winter.
Serves 9 rolls

Ingredients

Dough

  • 1 ¼ cups whole wheat flour 160 g
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour 90 g
  • 1 tbsp dry active yeast instant
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ¾ cup warm water 160 ml
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • ½ tsp chai or gingerbread spice optional

Cinnamon Nut Filling

  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • ¾ cup nuts of choice ground (110 g)
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • ½ cup soy milk 120 ml

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients for your dough. Add some of the warm water as well as the maple syrup and start mixing. Add as much water as you need to get a smooth, soft dough that’s not sticky. 
  • Knead for a few minutes, then cover the bowl with a towel and let rest in a warm place for around half an hour.
  • Prepare the filling by heating up the soy milk in a small pot and then adding in the nuts, cinnamon and maple syrup. Stir with a spoon for a few minutes to create a homogenous texture, then set aside. If the mixture is too thin after resting, add a few tablespoons of ground nuts at a time to get the ideal texture.
  • Preheat oven to 360 °F (180 °C).
  • Once the dough has risen, flour a flat surface and knead it by hand for about a minute, then roll it into a rectangular shape which should be as flat as one of your fingers (about ½ inch or 1.5 cm).
  • Gently spread your nut filling onto the dough surface, leaving a ½ inch border around the edges.
  • Now, roll the dough until you have one large and even roll. Try to be careful and consistent here.
  • Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into even pieces – they can be anything from ½ inch to 2 inches thick, depending on how you like it.
  • Put your cinnamon rolls horizontally on a non-stick baking sheet or pan. Bake for around 20 minutes until golden brown. 
  • Allow to cool slightly before taking the first bite! Serve with a nice cup of tea or coffee.

Notes

  • You can use any plant-based milk you like in this recipe.
  • To make the rolls sweeter, you can add more maple syrup or any other vegan sweetener but make sure to adjust the flour or water to get the right texture for the dough.
  • Keep covered at room temperature for a few days or in the fridge for around a week.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Nutrition Facts
Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls
Serving Size
 
1 roll
Amount per Serving
Calories
233
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
8
g
12
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
6
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
6
g
Cholesterol
 
2
mg
1
%
Sodium
 
64
mg
3
%
Carbohydrates
 
37
g
12
%
Fiber
 
4
g
17
%
Sugar
 
11
g
12
%
Protein
 
7
g
14
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated automatically, their accuracy is not guaranteed.
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Hi, I'm Alena Schowalter — a Certified Vegan Nutritionist who has been a vegetarian since childhood and vegan since 2012. Together with my husband, I founded nutriciously in 2015 and have been guiding thousands of people through different transition stages toward a healthy plant-based diet. I enjoy discussions around vegan ethics, walks through nature, and creating new recipes. Read more about us here.

21 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Hi! thank you for the recipe! These are so good I made them for my family but ate most of them myself. Didn’t change a thing and it was so easy.

    Reply
    • the filling should be spreadable but not super liquid-y! Did you use the right quantities? Maybe try it with less plant-based milk the next time ♡

      Reply
  2. The same happened with my first batch that I just made. Very liquid-y. My only change was that I used oat milk. Measured using a scale and added about 116ml because I was too lazy to measure the perfect 120ml. ;)

    Reply
  3. I made these last night – turned out Really nice and soft. Only one comment we thought the dough needed some salt!

    Reply
  4. Love recipe. The dough is rising right now. But I’m surprised you didn’t call for a rising of the rolls before baking. Does it not make a difference to the ultimate fluffiness?

    Reply
    • Hi Genevieve,
      excited for you to try the recipe! I must say that I’m a beginner-level chef myself and I like my recipes to be as convenient as possible — so I haven’t tried letting the dough rise before baking in this case. If you have the time and patience, it would probably make for a lovelier texture I can imagine!
      I might have to make them again soon and experiment.
      Warm wishes,
      Alena

      Reply
  5. I’ve tried making these gluten free using GF all purpose flour. Unfortunately, the dough didn’t seem to raise much and it cracked when I tried to roll it. I must not be cut out to bake cinnamon rolls.

    Reply
  6. These looks delicious. Do you think the texture would stay fluffy if I made the dough the night before, refrigerated it, and baked the rolls in the morning?

    Reply
  7. This is getting tried for sure! We are GF due to an allergy so will be using that. For those trying to use GF flour, if you are 100% plant based add a flax egg to your baked “traditional” recipes. If you are comfortable with eggs, add an egg yolk to whatever it calls for. We have used a dash of oil instead as well, but the flax egg or egg yolk (vegetarian but not vegan here so we do eat home fresh eggs occasionally) seem to help counteract the “crackly” that happens with just the GF dough . A vegan butter can also be used, but again, the egg /egg sub seems to work better.

    I think I’ll try the second rise time too! If you use applesauce like you suggested, that would add some moisture (good thing with GF!), but don’t just add it to the filling mix or do you add any to the dough? Thank you!!

    Reply
4.59 from 56 votes (54 ratings without comment)

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