Stopping by the mall is an incredibly dangerous task. I’m not talking about blowing my money on clothes or unnecessary iPhone cases at the nifty kiosks, but the SMELLS. I do not understand how any one can walk into a mall and not be immediately drawn to Cinnabon. Unfortunately, eating one of those delectable rolls is probably the caloric equivalent of my Thanksgiving dinner. I have been on a mission to nail my own version at home, with a few substitutions so I do not have to experience quite as much food guilt. After SEVERAL failed attempts, I have established a blissful Cinnamon Roll recipe. The worst part of my failed attempts was that the rolls were depressingly dry. Not these though! I believe I have recreated the ooey gooey, rip apart softness of the Cinnabon. This will probably be one of the messiest doughs you work with, but I promise you the end results will pay off.
I made such subs as whole wheat flour, skim milk, and even Stevia for the dough. I, of course, didn’t skimp on the brown sugar for the filling because that would just be blasphemous. The best part, however, is the cream cheese frosting. I would be licking it out of the bowl if I lived alone and there was no one to witness my shame.
Many people will bake their cinnamon rolls packed together in a dish. Unfortunately, that just doesn’t cut it for these whole wheat versions. I instead spread them out on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. It allows the rolls to expand out while baking and gives the illusion of being a massive roll. This dough is super fluffy, so it really does expand quite a bit. Also, you might be surprised by the relatively low baking time of only 10 to 11 minutes at 375 degrees. They will be just barely done but this is key to keeping the rolls soft. It’s typical with rolls made of white flour to let them brown nicely. Waiting for that to happen with the whole wheat rolls, however, would just cause them to dry out.
There are many steps involved but if you have any questions along the way, I would be happy to help 🙂
COMMITTING CARBICIDE 