Easy Whole Wheat Cinnamon Roll Recipe

Servings: 10 cinnamon rolls

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 3

This cinnamon roll recipe is easy to make and there is very little wait! In the morning it's ready to be baked while you enjoy your cup of coffee!

4.98 from 34 votes

Print Pin

Ingredients

1 tablespoon active dry yeast
½ cup warm water, 105F
2 ½ cups whole wheat flour*
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 large eggs, at room temperature
¼ cup honey or sugar
½ cup butter, at room temperature

Filling:

½ cup butter, at room temperature
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons milk or cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Activate the yeast:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm water with the yeast and a teaspoon of sugar or honey. Mix with a spoon and wait 10 minutes for yeast to activate.
Add ½ cup of flour (white or wheat) to the yeast and mix with a whisk to form a thick paste. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm spot for about 30 minutes.

Make the dough:

Add the eggs, sugar, butter, salt, and remaining 4 cups of flour to the yeast mixture.
Fit the mixer with the dough hook and knead the dough on medium speed for 8 to 10 minutes, adding a small amount of flour to reduce the stickiness, if needed.

Let it rise:

Once the dough is smooth and forms a ball, stop the mixer, remove the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set in a warm spot for 2 hours or until the dough is doubled in size.

Make the rolls:

Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Transfer the dough to a flour surface and roll it out into a 15 x 10-inch rectangle.
Spread ⅓ cup of butter over the rectangle then sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Immediately roll the dough lengthwise.
Cut the roll in half, then cut each half into into 4 slices for larger cinnamon rolls, or 5 for medium-sized cinnamon rolls.
Place the cinnamon rolls, cut side up into the baking dish and brush the tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter.

Refrigerate:

Cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 12 hours.

Bake:

The next morning, preheat the oven to 350F.
Remove the cinnamon rolls from the fridge and allow them to rise once more while the oven preheats.
Bake for 30 minutes or until the tops of the cinnamon rolls are golden brown.

Make the glaze:

Meanwhile, in a medium bow, combine the powdered sugar, melted butter, cream, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
Allow the baked cinnamon rolls to cool slightly before drizzling with the icing.

Notes

You may use spelt instead of whole wheat flour. I find that this recipe doesn't rise well if you make it 100% whole wheat or 100% spelt. You will need to add 4 teaspoons of vital gluten to the recipe in order for the flour to rise well.
Alternatively, you can make this recipe with 100% all purpose (white) flour without any changes.

Nutrition information is calculated without the glaze.

Nutrition