Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

Okay, so here's the thing about me. I love pizza. I also love cinnamon rolls. It's a toss up between the two. So that's why I felt like a genius when I came up with my Pizza Cinnamon Rolls. But enough of all that. I'm just here to tell you, that I used to make the best cinnamon rolls. You know, back before I went to no sugar, and no white flour. Since then, I have been more than a little bit scared to make cinnamon rolls. There is absolutely no way I was going to mess with something that "sacred".:)

But. I love cinnamon rolls.

I can honestly say that I have never posted a recipe so hesitantly. Just because of the way cinnamon rolls are. Make them good, or don't make them at all. I know I'm not the only person with those feelings. But, I have finally decided that I have a recipe good enough to share. They aren't the same. I will admit that. I have to be honest. But, I can tell you that they will be the best cinnamon rolls of their kind you have ever tasted. They are definitely worth making, and definitely a keeper. They are 100% whole wheat. 100% sugar free...and 100% delicious. They are gooey, and moist...everything a cinnamon roll should be, without the junk, or the guilt.

Recipe

1 1/14 cups of hot water
1/4 cup of cold milk
2 Tablespoons of instant yeast
6 Tablespoons of melted butter
1/2 cup of honey
1 egg
1 teaspoon of salt
3 Tablespoons of wheat gluten* (optional)
4 - 4 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour*
[I always use fresh ground whole wheat flour, which acts differently than when you buy it pre-ground. So I apologize if you have to end up messing with this measurement a bit.]
Filling

1/2 cup of softened butter
1/2 cup of honey
3 Tablespoons of cinnamon
(or more, I generally dump til it tastes right)
3 teaspoons of whole wheat flour

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, Combine water and milk, add yeast  and dissolve.  Blend in butter, honey, egg and salt. Add 2 cups of flour and gluten. [*the gluten definitely makes the dough smoother, but I have done the recipe both ways, and it's delicious both ways.] Beat until smooth. Gradually add enough of the remaining flout  to make a sticky, yet manageable dough. [you don't want to add too much flour...because the stickier the dough, the moister the roll. Also, keep in mind that whole wheat flour makes the dough "thicker" the more you knead it.] Knead 10-12 minutes. Place in a warm greased bowl, turning to coat the top, Cover and let rise 20-30 minutes.

For the filling: in a small bowl beat together butter, honey, cinnamon and flour, until creamy and combined.

[These cinnamon rolls are a lot messier to make than other cinnamon rolls because of the filling. So here's a tip: Lay down 2 sheets of wax paper, making sure they're overlapping, and grease them. The dough doesn't stick, and you don't have to worry about cleaning the mess up afterwards...just pick it up and throw it away. You can thank me later.] Roll out dough into a rectangle, and spread the cinnamon mixture on top...to about a half inch from the edges of the rectangle. Use all of the filling. Roll up the dough, and cut into 1-1 1/2 slices. Depending on how big you want your rolls. I generally use a serrated knife for this. Just make sure to have some paper towels on hand, or something to wipe the blade off...because the filling sticks to everything. It also helps to grease the knife.

Place rolls in greased pan and let rise until doubled. Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Remove from oven and butter tops. Add icing of choice and enjoy!
This recipe makes 16 rolls.


Here is the recipe I use for the icing. But feel free to use whatever you like best. 
Coffee Maple Glaze

1/2 cup of milk
1 1/2 Tablespoons of Corn Starch
1/3-1/2 cups of honey
(I don't know the exact measurement, I just add honey until it's as sweet as I want.)

combine everything in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and cool. Add 1/2 cup of softened butter, 1/2 teaspoon of coffee flavoring, and 1/4 teaspoon of maple extract. (You can also add in cream cheese if you want.) Beat until well combined. Spread over cinnamon rolls.

So there you go. I hope you Enjoy!
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