Healthier Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Watch the recipe video here:
INGREDIENTS
Dough
2 cups almond milk, warm to the touch
½ cup coconut oil, melted
¼ cup brown sugar
1 pack active dry yeast
4½ cups whole wheat flour, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
Filling
½ cup applesauce
¼ cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Frosting
4 ounces light cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
2 tablespoons almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons maple syrup
PREPARATION
1. Generously butter a 9-inch cast iron or cake pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together warm almond milk, melted coconut oil, and sugar. The mixture should be just warm, registering between 100-110˚F (40˚C). If hotter, allow to cool slightly.
3. Sprinkle the yeast evenly over the warm mixture and let sit for 5 minutes.
5. Add 4 cups of whole wheat flour to the milk mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until just combined.
6. Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.
7. Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
8. Remove the towel and add an additional ½ cup of flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir well, then turn out onto a well-floured surface.
9. Knead the dough lightly until the dough just loses its stickiness and does not stick to the surface.
10. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about ¼-inch thick. Fix corners to make sure they are sharp and even.
11. In a small bowl combine the applesauce, brown sugar, and cinnamon, and stir to combine.
12. Spread the filling mixture evenly over the rolled out dough, spreading right to the edges.
13. Gently roll the dough into a large log and slice it into 1-inch pieces.
14. Place the cinnamon rolls in the greased cake pan, leaving some space between them, and bake for 30 minutes.
15. While the cinnamon roll is baking, prepare the frosting. In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together the light cream cheese, coconut oil, vanilla extract, almond milk, and maple syrup, until smooth.
18. Remove the cinnamon rolls from the oven and let cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes. Once cool, remove from pan and drizzle frosting over the rolls before serving.
19. Enjoy!