First of all let me just say OMG. That is right…these things are so good they have me talking like a teenage girl. Trust me…that doesn’t happen very often.
I will admit when I started out on my adventure of developing a clean eating cinnamon roll recipe, I did not have very high hopes. I mean…how could something as perfect and amazing as cinnamon rolls… in all there warm, sugary, buttery gooeiness…be made clean. It took me a couple of tries, but I am happy to say it can be done.
Seriously, these things are so good. I don’t even have anything else talk to you about today…all I can think about are these rolls.
The roll part is awesome. You don’t even miss the white flour. And the filling…soooo good. Butter, raw sugar, and cinnamon…need I saw more? Now lets talk icing. I went back and forth on this. How can you make icing without powdered sugar? Now I am here to tell you, it can be done! Cream cheese, butter, honey, vanilla, orange zest…OMG! See I am becoming a teenage girl again. This stuff is soo good I am wondering what else I can put it on. Apples…toast….bananas…sure why not. I think this stuff would make tree bark taste good.
These cinnamon rolls would be an awesome Christmas morning breakfast or brunch dish!
I adapted this recipe from a great one I found on Suzie Sweet Tooth. I cleaned up the ingredients and added my own twist. Click here to check out the original! It is fantastic!!!
Local Ingredient: Local Honey (purchased from a store that sells some local ingredients)
In 1/4 cup of warm water and sugar water activate the yeast. let sit for 10 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl combine the eggs, milk, sugar, and butter.
Pour in the active yeast.
Once the wet ingredients are mixed, add 4 1/2 cups of whole wheat pastry flour. Keep adding the remaining 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour, until a bread ball has formed and the dough no longer sticks to the bowl.
Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, and form into a dough ball.
Place the dough ball in a butter greased bowl and cover with a towel. Place in a warm spot and allow to rise for 60-90 minute.
While the dough is rising put the ingredients for the filling in a small bowl.
Mix the filling ingredients until they form a paste.
Once the dough has doubled in size, remove the towel.
Punch the risen dough down with your hand.
Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat floured surface. Sprinkle the dough with additional flour to prevent sticking.
Roll out the dough.
Spread the filling mixture over the dough. be sure to leave about 1/2 inch border around the edge.
Roll the dough lengthwise.
Cut the dough into 12 even slices.
Place the rolls into a butter greased baking dish.
Cover the rolls and place them back in a warm spot to rise for an additional 60-90 minutes, until they double in size. Once the rolls have risen bake them at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
While the rolls are baking add the cream cheese, vanilla, orange zest, honey and remaining butter in a mixing bowl.
Whip until ingredient are well combined.
Once the rolls are finished baking allow them to cool slightly before frosting. Enjoy!
Ingredients
1/4 cup warm water
1 package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon turbinado sugar
1 cup almond milk, room temperature
5 tablespoon unsalted, melted
3 eggs, room temperature
4 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
8 tablespoons butter, room temperature
3 teaspoons cinnamon
8 oz cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons butter, softened
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 orange, zested
Instructions
- Fill a glass measuring cup with 1/4 cup of warm water (follow instructions on yeast package). Stir in the sugar and yeast and let dissolve.
- Allow the yeast to sit for ten minutes, until it is bubbly and gives off a nice yeasty smell.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the sugar, milk, butter, eggs and yeast mixture. Cream together until smooth.
- Add 4 1/2 cups of whole wheat pastry flour.
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle, mix the bread mixture until a dough ball begins to form. Add the remaining 1.2 cup of whole wheat pastry flour as needed to achieve a ball that does not stick to the bowl.
- Knead the dough for approximately 6 minutes. You can do this either by hand or using the dough hook attachment on the stand mixer.
- Take another large bowl and butter the sides to prevent sticking. Place the dough ball inside the bowl and cover with a kitchen towel.
- Place the bowl in a warm place and let rise for 60-90 minutes, until the dough has doubled in size.
- Take the dough out of the bowl and punch it down.
- Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough. A 16x14 baking sheet can be used as a guide for rolling out the dough. Make sure to flour the counter surface and the rolling pin so the dough does not stick.
- In a small bowl combine 1/2 a cup of turbinado sugar, 8 tablespoons of butter, and the 3 teaspoons of cinnamon. Mix the ingredients until a paste forms.
- Spread the paste over the top of the rolled out dough. Leave about a 1/2 border around the edges of the dough.
- Roll the dough lengthwise. Start with the side of the dough farthest away from you and roll towards you. Once the dough has formed a tube, use a sharp knife to cut it into 12 equal sections.
- Place the sections in a butter greased baking dish.
- Cover the dish with a kitchen towel and place in a warm place to rise a second time. Allow to rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until the rolls have doubled in size.
- Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F.
- Once the rolls have risen remove the kitchen towel.
- Bake the rolls at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, until the top turns golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
- While the rolls are cooling combine the cream cheese, the remaining butter, honey, vanilla extract, and orange zest in a medium mixing bowl. Beat the mixture until all the ingredients are incorporated and it has a frosting consistency.
- Use a spatula to spread the frosting on top of the cinnamon rolls.
Yes yes yes!!!!!!! So awesome! I cannot wait to try them
Hayley, they are sooo good! You have to let me know how they are!!!