↑

Savoring Today

Clean eating recipes for a healthy lifestyle.

Shop Clean Eating Rubs

Find Your Perfect Rub

Monthly Cooking Course

Learn More

Three Keys to the BEST Sprouted Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

Published . Last updated by 21 Comments

Savor and Share!

See Recipe Print Recipe

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!

A healthier version of a holiday favorite -- light, tender rolls the whole family will love and you can feel good about.

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.

Learn the keys to making healthier cinnamon rolls with 100% sprouted whole wheat flour. Recipe delivers everything you want--light, tender rolls the whole family will love and you can feel good about. 

Three Keys to Making the BEST Sprouted Wheat Cinnamon Rolls:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.

Cut and in the pan, risen and ready to bake, fresh from the oven, and iced for serving. From prep to icing, this is what your cinnamon rolls should look like.

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.

Print Recipe

The BEST Sprouted Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

Amazingly soft, 100% sprouted whole wheat cinnamon rolls with almond frosting.
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Rising Time1 hr 30 mins
Total Time2 hrs 30 mins
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American
Servings: 15 Rolls
Author: Judy Purcell

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 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 -- soft , room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons whole milk
US Customary - Metric

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

IMPORTANT: "Holds its shape" means the dough may still slump or spread slightly when placed on the counter, but isn't runny. This is important because once the dough can sit in a shaggy lump, only relaxing slightly, you can stop adding flour and switch to oil for handling the dough through the folding process. Through the folding and resting process, the dough will continue to hydrate and stabilize.
More notes: Rolls can be frozen once completely cooled and iced. Defrost, then cover with foil and gently warm in the oven at 350°F for 15 minutes. Otherwise, leave uncovered and warm individual rolls a microwave for 20 seconds.

Nutrition

Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 245mg | Potassium: 64mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 285IU | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 0.8mg
MAKE IT ♥ SHARE ITMention @savoringtoday or tag #savoringtoday

How-to and sources for the best sprouted wheat flour will help you make healthier 100% sprouted wheat cinnamon rolls your family will love and you can feel good about.

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. 😉

Learn the three keys to making the BEST 100% sprouted whole wheat cinnamon rolls.

More Sprouted Wheat Recipes You’ll Love

Savor and Share!

Comments

    • 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!

      Reply

  2. 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

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  3. 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?

    Reply

    • 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. 🙂

      Reply

  4. 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.

    Reply

    • 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. 🙂

      Reply

  6. ChgoJohn says

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply

  8. 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!

    Reply

  9. 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.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

DisclosurePrivacyCopyright
Savoring Today is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.