Naturally Sweetened Cinnamon Rolls (Fresh Milled Sourdough)
Our family has a tradition of enjoying cinnamon rolls for birthday breakfasts, and since we’ve been trying to make the switch to using more natural sweeteners, I knew I needed to come up with a cinnamon rolls recipe that was fresh milled, sourdough, and naturally sweetened. And these are just the thing!
Gooey, tender, and topped with a naturally sweetened cream cheese frosting, these naturally sweetened cinnamon rolls are made with fresh milled flour and sourdough starter and are insanely delicious!
The natural sweeteners and fresh milled flour really add a depth of flavor that compliments the cozy flavors of a cinnamon roll perfectly.
The dough can easily be whipped up in about five minutes the night before, so that you can enjoy fresh cinnamon rolls in the morning while still enjoying your sleep.
Whether you enjoy them for Christmas morning or for a birthday celebration like our family, I know you’ll enjoy these gooey, homemade cinnamon rolls made with natural sweeteners.
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Naturally Sweetened Cinnamon Rolls (Fresh Milled Sourdough)
Equipment
- Grain mill
- Electric stand mixer
Ingredients
Cinnamon Roll Dough
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ tsp salt
- 2 Tbs honey
- ¾ cup sourdough starter active
- 1 cup milk room temperature
- 3½ cups fresh milled flour spooned and leveled
Cinnamon Filling
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1¼ cups coconut sugar
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 Tbs + 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
Cream Cheese Icing
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 2 Tbs butter softened
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ¾ tsp vanilla
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- To mix the dough, combine the softened butter, active sourdough starter, honey, salt, whole milk, and half of the flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Turn to low speed and add the remaining flour as it mixes. Knead for one minutes. Do not over knead. The dough will feel slightly sticky and not have fully pulled from the side of the bowl; this is fine.
- Remove the dough to a greased medium mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Allow to sit at room temperature for 8-12 hours (depending on the temp of your room), or until dough is puffy.
- To make the cinnamon filling, use an electric hand mixer to mix the softened butter, coconut sugar, cinnamon, maple syrup, and pinch of salt until well combined. Store at room temperature until ready to assemble the cinnamon rolls.
- When ready to assemble, roll the sourdough cinnamon roll dough out on a lightly floured surface until it reaches a 16-inch by 12-inch large rectangle. Spread the cinnamon coconut sugar filling evenly over the rectangle.
- Roll the dough up, starting with one long side and working towards the other long side. Once rolled up, pinch the long edge of the dough to the roll to help the cinnamon rolls not unwind/separate. Using thread or dental floss, cut the cinnamon roll dough log into 12 individual equal-sized rolls and place in a greased 9×13 inch baking dish. Cover and allow to rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours.
- When the cinnamon rolls are almost risen, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Once preheated, bake the fresh milled cinnamon rolls for about 30-35 minutes, or until just lightly golden. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- For the cream cheese icing, add the softened cream cheese and butter to a small mixing bowl and combine until creamy. Add the maple syrup and pinch of salt and mix. Once the icing is well mixed with no clumps, spread on the warm fresh milled sourdough cinnamon rolls and enjoy.
Notes
Kitchen Equipment
Ingredients to Note
Active sourdough starter – You’ll want your sourdough starter nice and bubbly (fed 4-12 hours before mixing) for this recipe in order to have fluffy cinnamon rolls that aren’t overly sour.
Fresh milled flour – I used about 3 cups of hard white wheat berries for this recipe. If you substitute a different type of wheat berry, you may need to adjust the amount of flour slightly.
Milk – Use room temperature, full fat milk for the most tender dough.
Cream cheese – Use full fat cream cheese for best results.
Coconut sugar – Coconut sugar is a less refined natural sweetener and has a delicious, deep flavor that pairs well with cinnamon rolls.
Maple syrup – The maple syrup in the filling keeps the consistency spreadable, and adds a delicious flavor to these naturally sweetened cinnamon rolls.
Tips for Fresh Milled Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
Cut the rolls with thread – Use a thread or dental floss to divide the log into rolls by laying the log over the thread, and then bringing both ends of the thread up and pinching them together. Using a knife will squish your cinnamon roll log and squish the filling out.
Room temperature milk – Using room temperature milk helps the dough remain tender as you mix it and gives you a more accurate idea of its consistency. If you use cold milk, it will cause the softened butter to become harder and make the dough appear to be stiff/too dry when it is not.
Spoon and level the flour – Spooning and leveling the flour helps the flour not pack and gives a more consistent measurement. If you simple scoop the flour, you may end up with a denser or tougher cinnamon roll. (See below for instructions on spooning and leveling flour.)
Storage Instructions for the Cinnamon Rolls
To store these naturally sweetened sourdough cinnamon rolls, keep them glazed or unglazed in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
How to Spoon and Level Flour
To spoon and level the flour, simply scoop the freshly milled flour with a spoon into your measuring cup, and then, without shaking the flour down, use the flat side of a butter knife to level the extra flour off the top of the measuring cup. Repeat for each measuring cup of flour.
Why use freshly milled flour?
Freshly milled flour is such an amazing superfood (containing vitamin E, magnesium, manganese, iron, folate, zinc, vitamin B6, antioxidants, and enzymes, just to name some).
Out of the 44 essential nutrients the human body needs, freshly milled flour contains 40 of them! Who knew fresh milled cinnamon rolls could contain so may nutrients?
Many of the nutrients in the freshly milled flour, however, will begin to deteriorate when exposed to oxygen (which occurs when the wheat berries are milled).
Most sources agree that consuming the flour within 72 hours of milling is the best way to utilize all the amazing benefits of freshly milled flour before their deteriorate.
For more info on the amazing benefits of milling your own flour, check out this article.
What kind of wheat berry should I use?
While there are some general uses for different wheat berries, it really boils down to personal preference. In this recipe I used hard white wheat berries. Below are a few general guidelines if you are new to the terms.
Hard red wheat – These wheat berries produce a flour high in protein, and therefore are great for bread recipes as they develop a nice amount of gluten. They will yield a hearty whole wheat bread.
Hard white wheat – Hard white wheat berries still have a decent amount of protein, but have a milder flavor, making them ideal for bread, but also other baked goods such as tortillas, and cookies.
Soft white wheat – These wheat berries have a lower protein and gluten content and yield a more delicate crumb, making them ideal for pastries and cakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Step by Step Instructions
- To mix the fresh milled sourdough cinnamon roll dough, combine the softened butter, active sourdough starter, honey, salt, whole milk, and half of the flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Turn to low speed and add the remaining flour as it mixes. Knead for one minutes. Do not over knead. The dough will feel slightly sticky and not have fully pulled from the side of the bowl; this is fine.
2. Remove the dough to a greased medium mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Allow to sit at room temperature for 8-12 hours (depending on the temp of your room), or until dough is puffy.
3. To make the cinnamon filling, use an electric hand mixer to mix the softened butter, coconut sugar, cinnamon, maple syrup, and pinch of salt until well combined. Store at room temperature until ready to assemble the cinnamon rolls.
4. When ready to assemble, roll the sourdough cinnamon roll dough out on a lightly floured surface until it reaches a 16-inch by 12-inch large rectangle. Spread the cinnamon coconut sugar filling evenly over the rectangle.
5. Roll the dough up, starting with one long side and working towards the other long side. Once rolled up, pinch the long edge of the dough to the roll to help the cinnamon rolls not unwind/separate. Using thread or dental floss, cut the cinnamon roll dough log into 12 individual equal-sized rolls and place in a greased 9×13 inch baking dish. Cover and allow to rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours.
6. When the cinnamon rolls are almost risen, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Once preheated, bake the fresh milled cinnamon rolls for about 30-35 minutes, or until just lightly golden. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
7. For the cream cheese icing, add the softened cream cheese and butter to a small mixing bowl and combine until creamy. Add the maple syrup and pinch of salt and mix. Once the icing is well mixed with no clumps, spread on the warm fresh milled sourdough cinnamon rolls and enjoy.
Sample Baking Routine
2:00 PM – Feed sourdough starter
7:00 PM – Mix up cinnamon roll dough; cover and ferment at room temperature overnight
7:30 PM – Mix up cinnamon filling and icing and store overnight
7:00 AM – Roll out dough, add filling, and divide rolls; place in baking dish to proof
8:15 AM – Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
8:30 AM – Bake cinnamon rolls
9:10 AM – Ice and enjoy!
More Fresh Milled Recipes
Looking for more fresh milled flour recipes? Check these out!
Easy Fresh Milled Sourdough Garlic Knots
can the dough be put in the fridge overnight to roll out the next day?
Sure! What I typically do is mix up the dough in the evening, and then let it ferment at room temperature overnight. The next morning, I roll it out and add the filling, let it proof a little bit, and then bake them. If your house is really warm, though, you could certainly put them in the refrigerator overnight instead of leaving them at room temperature. I’m sorry I didn’t include a sample baking schedule. I’ll add that to the post! Hope this helps.
Hi Megan! I just added a sample baking routine near the bottom of the post. Hopefully that gives you a better idea of what I do so you can adjust it for your home and schedule. Have a great day!
I wish I could give the recipe more, in your recipe I wish it said room temp or warm milk but it’s in later notes so my milk was cold and it caused the dough to seize up. Such a bummer.
Thank you for taking the time to comment, Lauren. I’ll add a note regarding the warm milk in the recipe. I’m sorry for the inconvenience!