These Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls are soft, sweet, and gooey with a deliciously nutty whole-grain flavor. They’re filled with brown sugar and cinnamon, then topped with a homemade cream cheese frosting that is out of this world.
You can make the dough with 100% whole wheat flour, or use about half whole wheat and half all-purpose flour for an extra light and fluffy breakfast roll. These would also taste great drizzled with a bit of maple syrup or honey, or with sauteed apples, chopped pecans or golden raisins added to the filling. Yum!
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Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls
These Whole Wheat Flour Cinnamon Rolls are soft and tender with a deliciously nutty flavor thanks to the use of whole grains. The dough is rolled up with a brown sugar and cinnamon mixture, then smothered in gooey cream cheese frosting just after baking.
If you want to go the classic route, we’ve also got a recipe for the Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls you’ve ever tried. Or, check out our entire collection of cinnamon roll recipes and find something that you like. And if you're looking for more wheat recipes, be sure to try our Wheat Dinner Rolls and Homemade Wheat Bread Recipe.
Whole Wheat Cinnamon Roll Ingredients
Cinnamon Roll Dough
- Water - you want this to be lukewarm to help activate the yeast. You can also substitute milk, warming it to no more than 115 degrees F.
- Sugar - we use white granulated sugar for the dough, or you could certainly use the same amount of honey instead.
- Yeast - this recipe calls for active dry yeast which must be activated, or “proofed.” It comes in a few different sized packages - a small envelope, a small jar or a large 1 pound air-sealed package.
- Butter - you want the butter to be either melted, or incredibly soft. You could also use avocado oil if you’d like.
- Eggs - any kind of large eggs will do. It helps if they have come to room temperature, but don’t worry if you forget. You can also run them under warm water while they are still in the shells. The eggs help with rising and the fats in the yolk help keep the dough tender and light.
- Salt - you can use regular sea salt or table salt, but I like to use pink Himalayan sea salt in my baking. It has extra vitamins and minerals in it that regular table salt doesn’t have.
- Flour - you can use your favorite brand of whole wheat flour. Sometimes I also like to substitute about 2-3 cups of all-purpose flour which helps keep the dough extra fluffy.
Cinnamon Sugar Filling
- Butter - this should be melted or incredibly soft.
- Brown Sugar - you can use either dark or light brown sugar, keeping in mind that dark brown sugar has a more intense molasses flavor.
- Cinnamon - any kind of ground cinnamon.
Cream Cheese Frosting for Cinnamon Rolls
- Butter - make sure your butter is at room temperature so that it will mix well with the other ingredients.
- Cream Cheese - you’ll want your cream cheese to be at room temperature, too!
- Powdered Sugar - any type will work.
- Vanilla Extract - pure vanilla extract tastes best.
- Milk - this can be room temperature or cool.
How to Make Whole Wheat Flour Cinnamon Rolls
Step 1 - Mix The Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the warm water, sugar and yeast and stir well. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes until it gets bubbly and activates the yeast.
- Add the melted butter, eggs, salt and 3 cups of flour into the yeast mixture, then mix on low using the dough hook for 2 minutes, or until everything is well-mixed.
- Add an additional 2.5 cups of flour, then stir on low to combine. Next, add up to 1 cup more flour slowly, only until the dough pulls away from the edges of the bowl. Once all of the flour has been added, continue to knead the dough on low for 3 minutes more. The dough should be smooth and elastic but fairly sticky.
Step 2 - Let The Dough Rise
- Turn off the mixer and cover the mixing bowl with a kitchen towel. Let the dough rest in a warm place for about 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.
Step 2 - Roll And Cut The Cinnamon Rolls
- Once the dough has doubled, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface (I usually use white flour for this) and gently roll the dough into a rectangle that is ½" thick and approximately 24" x 18."
- Using an offset spatula, or knife, carefully spread the butter evenly onto the rolled dough, then sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon over the top and pat down gently.
- Starting at either 24" side, roll the dough up evenly making sure to get a nice tight tube, then cut into 1" slices using a very sharp knife or floss.
- Lay the slices ½"-1" apart in a 9 x 13" baking dish (lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray) and cover loosely with a kitchen towel. Let the cinnamon rolls rise for another 30 minutes, or until doubled and touching in the pan.
Step 3 - Make The Cream Cheese Icing
- In an electric mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the room temperature butter and room temperature cream cheese until light and fluffy. Turn the mixer down very low and add 3 cups of powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk and the vanilla. Mix on low until all the ingredients are combined, then turn the mixer on high again and beat until fluffy.
- Add more powdered sugar and/or milk until you reach your desired consistency.
Step 4 - Bake
- Bake in a preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, or until the bottom and the top are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and spread the cinnamon roll icing over the tops while they are still warm. Let them cool for about 5 minutes, then serve warm. Enjoy!
Whole Wheat Cinnamon Roll Recipe Variations
Looking to add even more flavor to your cinnamon rolls? Give one of these recipe variations a try:
- Apple Cinnamon Rolls: Add thinly sliced apples (such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp) along with the cinnamon sugar filling.
- Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls: Incorporate pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice into the dough for a cozy fall flavor. Top with a cream cheese glaze infused with cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Maple Pecan Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls: Drizzle maple syrup over the cinnamon sugar filling and sprinkle chopped pecans before rolling up the dough. Top with a maple glaze and even more pecans.
- Orange Cranberry Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls: Mix dried cranberries and orange zest into the cinnamon sugar filling for a tangy and citrusy variation. Top with an orange cream cheese frosting for a burst of flavor.
- Nutella Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls: Spread a layer of Nutella over the dough before sprinkling with cinnamon sugar. Roll up and bake as usual, then drizzle with a chocolate glaze and chopped hazelnuts.
- Salted Caramel Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls: Drizzle salted caramel sauce over the cinnamon sugar filling before rolling up the dough. Bake as usual and top with a salted caramel cream cheese frosting.
Frequently Asked Questions
While very similar, the main difference between whole wheat cinnamon buns and cinnamon rolls is in the way they are shaped. Cinnamon buns are braided before baking while cinnamon rolls are rolled up and cut.
Yes! Cinnamon rolls are the perfect make ahead breakfast recipe. You can turn these into overnight whole wheat cinnamon rolls by simply wrapping the baking dish in plastic and storing in the fridge overnight rather than baking. The next morning, pull the dish out of the fridge while you preheat the oven and bake as directed.
You can also make the dough a day ahead and let it rise slowly in the fridge overnight. The next day, let the dough come to room temperature for about 30 minutes, then shape, cut and bake as directed.
If you want your Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls to be as light and fluffy as regular Cinnamon Rolls, we suggest substituting about 2-3 cups of flour with regular white flour. This way you’ll still get the nutty, earthy flavor of whole wheat flour but the texture will be similar to what you may be used to.
If you want to try a different icing, our Lemon Buttercream Frosting or Caramel Sauce would both taste amazing.
Storing and Freezing
- Refrigerator: wrap leftover Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: wrap leftover cinnamon rolls in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 1 month. To thaw, transfer to the fridge overnight.
- To Reheat: for a single portion, you can reheat in the microwave until warm. Otherwise, add the entire pan of rolls back into the oven at 300 degrees for about 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through. Adding an extra dollop of frosting to the cinnamon rolls when reheating makes them even more delicious!
Whole Wheat Cinnamon Buns Recipe
Ingredients
Whole Wheat Cinnamon Roll Dough
- 2 cups Water lukewarm
- ¼ cup Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Active Dry Yeast
- ¼ cup Butter melted
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 Tablespoon Salt
- 5.5-6 cups Whole Wheat Flour
Cinnamon Roll Filling
- 6 Tablespoons Butter melted
- 1 cup Light Brown Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Ground Cinnamon
Cinnamon Roll Icing
- ¼ cup Butter room temperature
- 8 oz Cream Cheese room temperature
- 3-4 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2-3 Tablespoons Milk
Instructions
Whole Wheat Cinnamon Roll Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the warm water, sugar and yeast and stir well. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes until it gets bubbly and activates the yeast.
- Add the melted butter, eggs, salt and 3 cups of whole wheat flour into the yeast mixture, then mix on low using the bread hook for 2 minutes, or until everything is well-mixed.
- Add an additional 2.5 cups of flour, then stir on low to combine. Add up to 1 cup more flour slowly, only until the dough pulls away from the edges of the bowl. Once all of the flour has been added, continue to knead on low for 3 minutes more.
- Turn off the mixer and cover the bowl with a kitchen towel. Let the dough rest in a warm place for about 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.
Rolling and Cutting Cinnamon Rolls
- Once the dough has doubled, turn it out onto a floured surface. Form the dough into a small rectangle with your hands. Using a rolling pin, gently roll the dough into a rectangle that is ½" thick and approximately 24" x 18." (Note: depending on the size of your work surface, you may need to divide the dough into 2 portions. If so, you can roll each to about 12" x 18" and still ½" thick.)
- Using an offset spatula or knife, carefully spread the soft or melted butter evenly onto the rolled dough. Evenly sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon over the top, then pat down gently.
- Starting at either 24" side, roll the dough up evenly making sure to get a nice tight tube, then cut into 1" slices using a very sharp knife or floss. (Note: we recommend using a ruler and pre-marking before you actually make any cuts.)
- Lay the slices ½"-1" apart in a greased 9 x 13" baking pan and cover loosely with a kitchen towel. Let the cinnamon rolls rise for another 30 minutes, or until doubled and touching in the pan.
- While your dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Once risen, bake in a preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, or until the bottom and the top are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and spread the cinnamon roll icing over the tops while they are still warm. Let them cool for about 5 minutes, then serve warm. Enjoy!
Cream Cheese Icing
- In an electric mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the room temperature butter and room temperature cream cheese until light and fluffy. Turn the mixer down very low and add 3 cups of powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk and the vanilla. Mix on low until all the ingredients are combined, then turn the mixer on high again and beat until fluffy.
- Add more powdered sugar and/or milk until you reach your desired consistency, then spread a thick layer of frosting over the warm cinnamon rolls, paying close attention to evenly coat the edges.
Nutrition
More of the Best Cinnamon Roll Recipes to Try
- Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
- Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- Einkorn Wheat Cinnamon Rolls
- Easy Caramel Cinnamon Rolls
- Lemon Sweet Rolls
- Bunny Cinnamon Rolls
- Triple Berry Sweet Rolls
- More Bread Recipes
- More Cinnamon Roll Recipes
If you like cinnamon rolls, you will love these Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls. The dough has a delicious nutty flavor and is filled with cinnamon sugar, then topped with plenty of cream cheese icing.
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