Amazingly soft, 100% sprouted whole wheat cinnamon rolls your friends and family will rave about.
Enjoy a sweet indulgence with minimal refined ingredients. You wouldn’t even know they were whole wheat!
Light, tender cinnamon rolls made with 100% sprouted whole wheat flour.
Friends, these are the real deal.
If you’re skeptical, I understand. The idea of making a decadent treat like cinnamon rolls with sprouted whole wheat flour sounds like a good idea, but is it just another healthified cinnamon-swirled brick with icing?
Not hardly. That would never fly around here.
Cinnamon rolls speak to the happy place in my husband’s heart so if I am going to mess with his bliss, it has to hit every mark. This wasn’t my first attempt to make a healthier version, but it was the first time 100% whole wheat delivered the taste and texture he was expecting.
It was smiles all around and just in time for Christmas baking. 🙂
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our Disclosure Policy.
The soft texture and mild wheat flavor of white whole wheat flour is the key. Well, it’s one key. Another is patience. A couple months ago, I dove into Peter Reinhart’s Bread Revolution cookbook and I’ve been studying … and baking.
I also teach bread making classes using the same technique I’m sharing with you in this recipe so you can coax all the potential out of the sprouted flour.
Three Keys to Making the BEST Sprouted Wheat Cinnamon Rolls:
- Sprouted White Whole Wheat Flour. You absolutely can make this recipe with any sprouted whole wheat flour. However, I highly recommend the white wheat variety, which is what I used. White and red wheat have the same levels of nutrition, but white has a sweeter, mild flavor (less wheat-y) and produces a lighter texture in softer baked goods like rolls and pastries.
- Patience. The trick is to be patient during the folding process and allow the flour to absorb the liquid in the recipe—and you may need to let it rise a little longer.
- Resist the urge to to add more flour. The dough is sticky, so you’ll be tempted to overcome the sticky-ness with more flour, but if you do that the finished product will be heavier and dry. Pay close attention to whether it is “holding its shape” as described in the recipe. Once the dough slump is minimal, it’s time to switch from flour to oil. Watch the video here:
Sprouted Wheat Dough Holding Its Shape
Make lighter, softer baked goods with sprouted whole wheat. This video demonstrates what sprouted whole wheat dough should look like, so you avoid adding too much flour.
As it goes with any bread making, it may take a couple of tries to get the hang of it but it’s worth it to have delicious better-for-you bread at your fingertips.
Need help finding sprouted flour? Look for sources just below the recipe.
The BEST Sprouted Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 3 1/2 cups sprouted white wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 packet instant dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 1 cup whole milk heated to 115°F
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup butter plus more for the pan
- 1 large egg
- Oil for managing dough
For the Cinnamon Filling:
- 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar or brown sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup butter melted
For the Icing:
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter , room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, blend 2 cups of the flour, salt, and yeast until well mixed. In a small saucepan, heat the milk to 115°F.
- Add the milk, honey, butter, and egg to the flour mixture and beat on low speed until 1 minute and then on medium speed for another minute until smooth. Scrape down beater and sides of bowl, as needed. Cover the bowl with a towel and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
- Stir in enough remaining flour on low speed adding 1/2 cup at a time until the dough begins to leave the sides of the bowl and hold its shape -- it may slump slightly, but is no longer sliding off the beater.
- The dough will still be sticky and very soft at this point. Continue to mix with a dough hook for 3 minutes.
- Using your hand, spread 2 tablespoons of oil on a clean counter or work surface in a 12 to 15 inch circle. Scrape the dough out of the mixing bowl onto the oiled counter. Once on the counter, the dough should hold its shape, but still relax a little.
- Using oiled hands, fold the dough over onto itself 4 or 5 times. (A pastry knife can help lift and fold when the dough is sticky.) Cover with a large bowl and allow to rest 5 minutes.
- Repeat the folding process 3 more times with a 5 minute rest, covered with the bowl, in between each session. You will need to oil your hands each time you handle the dough and you should notice the dough becoming more stable as it hydrates with each folding session.
- Remove the dough from the counter and temporarily place in the bowl you used to cover it. Clean the counter with a dough scraper if needed.
- Spread 2 more tablespoons of oil on the counter in an approximate 12x15-inch rectangle. With oiled hands, press the dough out over the oil then use a rolling pin to roll the dough to an even 1/2-inch thickness, approximately 12x15-inches.
- In a small bowl, mix the coconut palm sugar and cinnamon. Brush the 1/4 cup melted butter evenly over the rolled out dough. Sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon-sugar up to the edge. From the 15-inch side, roll the dough into a tight log; pinch the seam closed.
- Butter a 9x13-inch pan. Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into 15 (1-inch slices) slices, placing the slices in the pan about 1/4-inch apart. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in size.
- Place the oven rack to the middle position in the oven and heat oven to 350°F. Remove plastic wrap and bake rolls 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown or an instant read thermometer reads 190°F in the center of the rolls.
- Immediately remove rolls from pan by placing a cooling rack on top of the pan and flipping the rolls over on the rack. Use another rack to flip the rolls again, right side up. Cool 5 minutes on the rack.
For the Icing:
- In a small bowl, stir glaze ingredients until smooth, adding the milk one tablespoon at a time until icing is thin enough to easily spread. Place the icing in a quart size zip-type bag and press toward a bottom corner.
- Snip the corner with a pair of scissors and squeeze the icing out of the bag to pipe onto the warm rolls. Serve warm.
Video Displays Here or In Post
Notes
Nutrition
How does sprouting make the wheat better for you?
- Naturally manufactures vitamin C, increases vitamin B, carotene levels, and minerals.
- Initiates the digestion process, breaking down the complex sugars, which makes digestion easier and the vitamins and minerals more bio-available.
- Neutralizes enzyme inhibitors and reduces phytic acid (an anti-nutrient) that inhibits absorption of calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, and zinc.
- Sprouted wheat is NOT gluten free. However, because of its lower starch content, some people who have been on a gluten-free diet due to gluten sensitivity have been able to eat sprouted flour.
Where do you buy Sprouted Wheat Flour?
I have used a wide variety of sprouted wheat flour and encourage you to keep in mind they are all different. Some absorb moisture more quickly, some are more finely ground, and as I mentioned, there is a difference in flavor between the red and white varieties.
They also vary in price primarily due to shipping. As this time, prices start around $2.47 per pound and go up from there, but there’s more to the story than the price. It is the shipping costs that can bite so look for shipping discounts or free shipping for the best deal.
This is not an exhaustive list of sources, just the suppliers and brands I have experience using and can personally recommend—they are all organic and Non-GMO. Feel free to post any questions in the comments.
Thrive Market (online only) — Their sprouted white wheat flour brand has become my new favorite. It has the silkiest, most finely ground texture of any I’ve tried, which makes beautiful cinnamon rolls like these. It is only available through Thrive Market, a membership community for purchasing health food and natural products at wholesale prices.
They offer a free 30-day membership trial and you can cancel any time. Annual membership is $59.95 and they guarantee your annual membership will pay for itself in savings. FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $49 and their sprouted wheat flour is among the lowest priced.
To Your Health Flour Company (online & in-store) — I have used a variety of sprouted flours from this company and love the fact I can choose from so many. To Your Health offers sprouted white wheat flour on their site, as well as on Amazon—the price (and shipping) is consistent on both. Their flour is also finely ground and I have had great results every time I’ve used it.
If there is anything that makes me pause it’s the shipping costs, however, they have been on the shelves at Whole Foods Market from time to time, so I always check when I’m there. You can check out a brief tour of their plant on The Kitchn.
One Degree Organic Foods (online & in-store) has a great small farm story and I’ve had great results with their flours too. They also offer a nice variety of sprouted grain flours, including ancient grains like khorasan (Kamut). White wheat flour is not part of their product line at this time, but their red wheat flour is superb.
You can find their sprouted whole wheat flour on the shelves at Whole Foods Market or online at Amazon, which usually has shipping deals making online ordering the better way to go.
One more thought on price—the investment in your health when buying sprouted flour will always cost more than refined all-purpose flour, but that’s a good thing. Why is that good? Because it is a helpful reminder that even healthier carbs should still be a small part of your overall diet, especially when butter icing is involved. 😉
More Sprouted Wheat Recipes You’ll Love
-
Sprouted Wheat Slider Buns for Party Sandwiches
-
Zucchini-Ginger Bread: Sprouted Wheat, More Zucchini, Bits of Ginger
-
Apple Walnut Bread
-
Parmesan Sprouted Wheat Bagels
-
Pioneer Woman’s Sloppy Joes & Caramelized Onion Sprouted Wheat Buns Recipe
-
Sprouted Wheat Burger Buns
-
Sprouted Wheat French Bread
-
“Sprouted” Wheat Banana Spice Bread [Soaked Method]
-
Sprouted Light Rye Sandwich Buns
-
Sprouted Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls
Jane says
Hi, I’d love to make these for new year’s breakfast, but ideally I’d be able to make them the day before, put them in the fridge and then pop in the oven in the morning. Do you think that would work? Thanks!
Judy Purcell says
Hi Jane, that’s a good question! I haven’t tried that with this recipe, but I have done that with others and been successful. Once removed from the fridge, it will take longer to rise, so give it at least a couple of hours before baking. Rising time may go faster if you put them in the oven with just the oven light on, making it a warm, draft-free proofing area. Let me know how it goes! Happy New Year!
Jane says
Just wanted to say thanks! I warmed the oven slightly before putting them in to prove in the morning and it worked out great. The buns were so soft, and I also made them slightly healthier using a date paste/cinnamon spread for the center, which was delicious.
Judy Purcell says
Jane, thank you for taking the time to let me know how it went! I’m so glad to hear the rolls turned out just right, and I imagine the date and cinnamon spread would be delicious.
Bianca Speed says
ALRIGHT!
I ACTUALLY made these!
I was bummed after reading reviews before I baked because I realized they were giving 5 stars on the idea and execution of the recipe but not because they did it.
SOOOOO I MADE THEM.
I used to your health sprouted white wheat.
I measured with a measuring cup not a scale, like lots of bready things I was a bit confused on what to do but it was 6am so I prayed for the best
I ACCIDENTALLY DID ALL FLOUR AT ONCE. Oops.
I say follow original recipe about staring with two cups BUT it didn’t negatively affect my dough.
I oiled my counter and hands with avocado oil. I followed the instructions and after the first folds I noticed how luxurious the dough became and after the final folds I realized the elasticity was phenomenal.
I never had to scrape. It held together well and was sticky prior to the oily step.
I used maple sugar and cinnamon with melted Kerry gold unsalted butter for the filling.
I could not for the life of me pinch it shut.
I tried my best but realized I was going to have to depend on the other rolls and pan edge to make them stay rolled.
I left rise in my oven after putting the oven on low and turning off before I started rolling out and rolling.
I made like 13 rolls. It wasn’t quite 1/2 in either it was much smaller (again prayed for the best) but I used a rolling pin from the start because the oily dough made it hard to stretch without it
So I may have knocked air out of it.
After they rose for an hour I took it out of my oven and started preheating to 350.
By the time it was ready I placed them in and they rose like 12 more minutes.
Which was great.
I baked and oh my gosh HEAVENLY CLOUDS!!!!
I made a cream cheese frosting with a block of softened cream cheese, stick of butter, vanilla extract dash of salt, cinnamon, and powdered maple sugar I just blended some time ago and a glug
or two of maple syrup.. I flippped to a cooling rack then flipped back into a glass casserole dish and smeared the icing all over. I did this to stop the cooking on the rolls. I don’t like crusty or crunchy edges lol
5 STARS ✨
THIS WAS AN AMAZING RECIPE
THANK YOU
Shawna says
Hi!
Wanting to try these. Have you made these with mashed potatoe too? I love making cinnamon rolls with mashed potatoes, wondering if I could do that with these too?
Judy Purcell says
Hi Shawna! I haven’t made these with mashed potato, but I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t. There isn’t much difference between this dough and regular dinner roll dough except the additional sweetener, so I would try it.
Do let me know how it works out for you! 🙂
Shawna says
Okay thanks! Would I need to add more flour too if I did that? Also, I’ve been making your sprouted recipes, they have been turning out fine when I use the amount of flour in the recipe but I made the burger buns today, didn’t quite hold it’s shape as it normally would even after I added 2 to 3 tablespoons of flour to it. When I use fresh ground sprouted flour, do I need to add extra flour? I’ve heard I think you add 1/4 cup flour per cup of flour for freshly ground flour?
Judy Purcell says
I encourage you to go more by feel than measurement in the recipes whether you are adding the mashed potatoes or freshly milled flour. You are correct that freshly milled flour is lighter/looser than flour that has settled and I haven’t proofed the recipe by weight yet, so it could require a little more than the recipe calls for. However, the folding and resting method in this recipe is to allow the flour to hydrate. If the dough isn’t holding its shape after folding and resting, add 2 tablespoons at a time until it does (with resting periods). There are a number of factors that can affect dough — temperature, humidity, type of flour (red, white, soft, hard, winter, spring), milled, etc — so I pay closer attention to how it feels and how it is responding than an exact measurement. I do hope this is helpful. I am delighted you are trying these recipes and do hope you’ll let me know how they turn out. 🙂
Shawna says
Sounds good, good to know! It is very helpful, Thank you!
Shawna says
Well I made these today, with pumpkin puree instead of mashed potato like I do with other cinnamon roll recipes. added some cinnamon, ginger, cloves and allspice to the dough too. Good flavor when done but didn’t turn out like they should of. I need to get a sifter, and maybe next time I’ll leave out the potatoes out of this specific recipe. 🙂 it turned out more like a cake texture, kinda dense. Ive had good success with a couple of your other sprouted recipes like the biscuits and the dinner rolls, but last couple times trying these, hamburger buns and the French bread, didn’t turn out like it should have. I guess I just have to get use to just baking with sprouted wheat, 🙂
Meadow Norwood says
Can I make these with plant based milk instead of Dairy?
Judy Purcell says
While I haven’t proofed the recipe with plant-based milks, these are recommended substitutions for baking:
Whole milk: Use soy, cashew, or well-shaken canned coconut milk for its higher fat content
Skim, 1%, or 2% milk: Use almond or rice milk, or coconut milk beverage
Buttermilk: Make your own buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup non-dairy milk. Let it rest for about 5 minutes before using in your recipe.
If you try any of these subs, I’d love to hear back from you about your results!
Lindy says
Hi i made these and i’m not sure what went wrong but my dough had no elasticity like there was no gluten structure at all, when they cooked they taste lovely but resemble a dense cake rather than the light scrolls you’ve made, would you have any idea were i went wrong. This was my first time working with sprouted wheat which i sprouted and ground myself
Thankyou
Judy Purcell says
Hi Lindy! I’m sorry to hear your first experiences went that way. I am happy to help you trouble shoot it and if you’d like to chat more real time, please PM me on my Facebook page. It would also help me to see a photo. 🙂
Otherwise, if that happened to me, I would run through these questions:
1. The flour. How old were the wheat berries? I’ve pulled old wheat berries out of the cupboard before (like I couldn’t remember how old they were) to use them up and been disappointed by the results.
2. The grind. If wheat isn’t ground very fine and consistently smooth, the larger bits can shred gluten development and create a crumbly texture. When I grind my own grain I sift it with a fine mesh to remove any uneven or inconsistent bits. I even do this with store-bought if it’s not ground as fine as I want it. These bits are especially noticeable with pastries.
3. I would also question the yeast. Did it rise like expected?
I’m here to help!
Noelle says
These look amazing! I’m excited to try them, but I’m kinda lost in the sprouted wheat area, what makes it special? Does it benefit the rising proses in whole wheat things or is it just the flavor? Also do you think this recipe would work with just normal whole wheat flour? We tend to grind our own flour and the whole sprouting and drying process looks pretty time consuming, is it worth it?
Judy Purcell says
Hi Noelle, all good questions! What makes sprouted wheat special is the sprouting process makes the grain’s nutrients more readily available and is less bitter when using 100% whole wheat. It doesn’t give any advantage to the rising process.
The recipe should work with regular wheat flour just fine, but the total amount of flour might be a little different.
Sprouting your own grain does take some time, though most of the time is hands-off. Either way, I think sprouted wheat is worth the effort if bread is a regular part of your diet. Let me know if you have anymore questions. 🙂
Noelle says
Thanks!! That’s very informative. I’ll definitely have to try it out some time.
auntsal says
What a wonderful recipe! Thanks so much for it, because I was tasked with making the cinnamon rolls for our family Christmas breakfast, which I haven’t done in nearly a decade, and the only flour I have that isn’t ancient is lots of sprouted wheat flour. All I have is red, which concerned me a bit–as did trying a new recipe with a flour I hadn’t used before–but it worked perfectly. Even the few of my relatives (such as my nephews) whom I expected not to love them, really did. One nephew kept telling me how great they tasted. I loved them, too–the great wheaty taste was special, and I think I’ll stick with the red flour, though I might try white sometime just for the taste experience. Now I can’t wait to make bread with it.
Judy Purcell says
Hi auntsal, your comment made my day! Thank you for taking the time to let me know the recipe worked for you and that your family enjoyed the cinnamon rolls — it’s why I do what I do. I am delighted to hear you are excited to continue baking with your sprouted wheat, please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions. Also, I am in the process of updating the other yeast bread recipes here at Savoring Today to reflect the folding and resting process, so if you look at those keep that in mind. It should be pretty easy to incorporate that into any of the other bread recipes for ideal results. Again, thanks so much for the feedback. 🙂
Maureen says
I’ve made sprouted wheat bread but cinnamon rolls? Get outta here! These look FANTASTIC!!
Merry Christmas!
Judy Purcell says
Thanks, Maureen ~ and Merry Christmas to you!
ChgoJohn says
I’ve yet t jump on the sprouted wheat bandwagon, Judy, but not for lack of want. I just don’t bake that much bread these days and, when I do, it’s spur of the moment. That may change, however, and if it does, I know where to come to get info on purchasing the wheat. Thanks!
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
I have a girl friend who tries to use sprouted wheat all the time…she will love this recipe.
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
I just wanted to stop back by to wish you and your family Merry Christmas.
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
Wishing you a very happy and healthy New Year.
mjskitchen says
That’s a beautiful batch of cinnamon rolls, Judy!!!! I’ve also wanted to make something with sprouted wheat, but just haven’t tried it. I didn’t realize you could actually buy the sprouted wheat. Silly me. I thought I would have to sprout it myself. 🙂 I’m going to have to check out your sources. Thanks for those BTW! Love these rolls!
Judy Purcell says
Thanks MJ! Let me know how it goes for you — I can see sprouted wheat rolls with green chiles in your future. 😉
John/Kitchen Riffs says
Who doesn’t like cinnamon rolls? And sprouted wheat turns these into health food, right? Haven’t played with sprouted wheat flour before — really should get my hands on some. To make these, of course. 🙂 Good stuff — thanks.
Liz Posmyk says
Wow, Judy, these look drop dead mouth watering! I wonder if we have sprouted wheat here in Australia!?
Judy Purcell says
Thanks, Liz! It looks like you can order sprouted flour on your side of the world from this company: http://www.organicdoor.com.au/buy/sprouted-whole-wheat-flour/RUD102
Liz Posmyk says
Thank you kindly, Judy. I will look into it. All the best for a peaceful and joyful festive season my friend xx