Healthy Cinnamon Rolls with Greek Yogurt Icing

Gooey and fluffy healthy cinnamon rolls topped with Greek yogurt icing in a baking pan.

Healthy Cinnamon Rolls with Greek Yogurt Icing

These soft and fluffy healthy cinnamon rolls are made with white whole-wheat flour, coconut sugar, and a Greek yogurt icing sweetened with maple syrup. No powdered sugar, no refined sugar. They have 8 grams of protein per roll and taste like the cinnamon rolls you grew up with, just made better.

4.98 from 42 votes

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Prep Time 2

Cook Time 20

Total Time 2 20

Serving rolls

Ingredients

For the dough:

2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast, (1 packet)
¾ cup almond milk, (172g), lukewarm (about 110°F)
3 tablespoons coconut sugar, (30g)
2 cups all-purpose flour, (240g)
1 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour, (210g)
½ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, (127g), at room temperature

For the cinnamon filling:

½ cup unsalted butter, (113g), softened to room temperature (not melted)
⅔ cup coconut sugar, (100g)
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

For the Greek yogurt icing:

½ cup cream cheese, (113g), reduced-fat or full-fat at room temperature
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, (56g), close to room temperature without spoiling
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Make the dough

Warm the milk. Heat the almond milk in a microwave-safe dish for 30-40 seconds, until it reaches about 110°F. It should feel warm to the touch but not hot — like comfortable bathwater. If it's too hot, the yeast will die.
Activate the yeast. Stir the yeast and coconut sugar into the warm milk. If using instant yeast, you can move on right away. If using active dry yeast, let the mixture sit for 15 minutes until foamy.
Mix the dry ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine both flours and the salt.
Add the wet ingredients. Pour in the yeasted milk, eggs, and vanilla. Mix on low-medium speed for about 3 minutes, until a soft dough forms around the hook.
Add the butter slowly. With the mixer running, add the room-temperature butter one tablespoon at a time. Let each piece fully incorporate before adding the next. Once all the butter is in, turn the mixer to medium-high and knead for 8-10 minutes. (If kneading by hand, knead on a lightly floured surface for the same time.)
Check the dough. Tear off a small piece and stretch it between your fingers. If it stretches thin enough to see light through without tearing, the dough is ready. If it tears, knead another minute and check again. This is called the windowpane test.
First rise. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 hour, or until doubled in size. (To make these overnight, see notes below.)

Make the cinnamon filling

Mix the filling. In a small bowl, stir the softened butter, coconut sugar, and cinnamon together until it forms a smooth, spreadable paste. It should look like soft frosting. If your butter is too firm, let it sit at room temperature a few more minutes.

Assemble the rolls

Roll out the dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle about ¼ inch thick. Don't overwork it.
Spread the filling. Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the cinnamon filling evenly all the way to the edges.
Roll into a log. Starting from the long edge (hot-dog style), roll the dough up tightly into a log. Pinch the seam closed at the end.
Slice the rolls. Using a piece of unflavored dental floss (or a sharp serrated knife), cut the log into 12 equal rolls, about 2 inches each. Floss gives the cleanest cut — slide it under the log, cross the ends over the top, and pull.
Second rise. Arrange the rolls in a 9x13 inch baking dish (or 10.5x7.5 inch dish). Cover and let them rise at room temperature for another 45 minutes to 1 hour. This step is important — it's what makes them fluffy.
Preheat the oven to 350°F near the end of the second rise.
Bake. Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown on top and the filling is bubbling.

Make the icing

Beat the icing. While the rolls bake, beat the cream cheese and Greek yogurt together with an electric mixer until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
Sweeten. Add the maple syrup and vanilla. Mix until fully combined.
Frost. Spread the icing generously over the warm rolls and serve immediately.

Notes

Yeast type: This recipe uses instant yeast, which can go directly into the dry ingredients with no proofing. If using active dry yeast, stir it into the warm milk first and let it sit for 15 minutes until foamy before continuing. Use the same amount either way.

To make these overnight: After the first rise, punch the dough down, cover the bowl tightly, and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, let the dough sit at room temperature for 1 hour before rolling, filling, and continuing with the recipe.

To make these dairy-free: Use vegan butter (like Earth Balance), dairy-free coconut Greek-style yogurt, and dairy-free cream cheese. Almond milk is already dairy-free.

Softened butter for the filling: Softened, not melted. Melted butter pools and leaks out of the rolls when you slice them. Softened butter spreads into a paste that stays evenly distributed.

Milk substitutions: Any milk works in this recipe as a 1:1 swap, oat milk, soy milk, regular dairy milk, skim, or full-fat. Just warm it to about 110°F (comfortable bathwater temperature) before adding the yeast. Hotter milk will kill the yeast.

Storage: Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat individual rolls in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.

Freezing: Bake, cool completely, wrap individually in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 2 months. Add the icing after reheating, not before freezing.

Nutrition

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snacks

Cuisine American, Healthy

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