Whole grains and unrefined sugars make a perfect healthy-ish breakfast treat! These cinnamon roll sticky buns will be a hit with the family.
Ok ok - I'm sure you're rolling your eyes at the "healthy" bit, but healthy is in the eye of the beholder! We make our own "junk food" with our preferred ingredients like whole grains and unrefined sugars. We just feel better enjoying these in that way.
Yes, it makes two large pans. So make friends with the neighbors! Cinnamon rolls are a decent amount of work so I always say make the full amount and share. Don't worry about how they look - mine would never win any awards before baking but just you wait til they come out of the oven!
If you're looking for classic frosted/glazed ones, Soft Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls fit the ticket. I also have One Hour Cinnamon Rolls for when you are in a rush.
Key Ingredients
Flour - a mix of AP and fresh ground make a light texture that still gets some whole grains in.
Coconut Sugar - This is a great unrefined sugar to use in place of cane sugar. It has a great caramel flavour closer to brown sugar, which is amazing in these rolls.
Butter - Lots of butter! It holds the filling in and makes for an amazing sticky roll topping.
Maple Syrup - Adds more great taste to the topping and is another unrefined sugar option.
How to Make Healthy Sticky Buns
***See recipe card below for precise measurements and instructions.***
Step 1: Use your large mixer to get the dough going.
Step 2: Smooth and soft is what we are aiming for!
Step 3: Roll out to a large 1x2-foot rectangle.
Step 4: Make sure your butter is super soft here!
Step 5: Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Step 6: Roll 'em up and slice!
Step 7: Pour topping into lined pans and nestle in rolls to rise.
Step 8: Once doubled, bake and invert.
FAQs
You can use granulated sugar without issue if that's what you have and prefer. Coconut sugar can have a bit of a strong taste if you aren't used to it. I would recommend using granulated sugar in the dough and the filling, but then try 1 cup white and 1 cup brown when making the topping so it has a really great flavour! You want that dark caramel bit in the topping.
Feel free to sprinkle in chopped nuts with the topping if you like! Walnuts or pecans taste great with the perfect crunch. You can also sprinkle a few in with the filling as well. The bonus of having two pans of rolls at once is you could try nuts in one and not the other.
More Breakfast Recipes
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Healthy Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups milk or water whey, or buttermilk left from butter making will work (but NOT cultured buttermilk)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons active dry OR instant yeast
- 2 - 2 ½ cups organic all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole wheat flour fresh ground
Filling
- ½ cup butter really softened
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
Sticky Bun Topping
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups coconut sugar
- ½ cup maple syrup
Instructions
Make Dough
- Melt together the butter and water/milk until the butter is just melted and the milk isn't too hot (it will kill yeast if it's too hot for you to hold your finger in).
- In a stand mixer with dough hooks, mix salt, sugar, yeast, and 2 ½ cups flour.
- Add in milk/butter to flour mix and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Add in 1 ½ cups flour, and knead until well combined. You want the dough to pull away from the sides of the bowl, NOT stick to it, and be "soft as a baby's bottom." If it's not there yet, add in flour a couple tablespoons at a time.
- Once it's the right consistency, let machine knead for 3-5 minutes until bread hits windowpane stage.
- Cover mixer bowl and let rise until doubled, about an hour.
Prep Topping
- In medium saucepan, melt butter and stir in sugar and maple syrup.
- Line two 9x13" pans with parchment paper. Divide butter mixture evenly between the two pans.
Make Rolls
- When doubled, dump dough onto a lightly floured counter. Roll out to a 24x12" rectangle.
- Spread softened butter over the dough. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
- Roll up dough and cut into 24 rolls (about an inch wide).
- Place 12 rolls in each of the prepared pans.
- Put your baking pans inside of a plastic bag. I reuse a turkey roaster bag for this but you can even use a grocery bag. Make sure it's inflated with air and tie it off so it stays blown up like a balloon. This creates an excellent "proofing chamber" for your bread to rise well.
- Allow rolls to rise until doubled. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate pans and bake for 10-15 minutes more. They take longer than regular cinnamon rolls; ensure they are lightly browned on top.
- Allow to rest for 5 minutes, then line a half sheet pan with parchment to invert the first pan of rolls. Peel off original parchment. Repeat with second pan and serve.
Notes
- Feel free to add some chopped nuts to the topping in the pans.
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