Healthier Cinnamon Scrolls
8 People
287 Cals
Healthier Cinnamon Scrolls
8 People
287 Cals
About the recipe
Small Batch • No Yeast • No Proving • Naturally SweetenedIf you love cinnamon scrolls but don’t want to spend half the day making them, these Healthier Cinnamon Scrolls are about to become a favourite. Soft and delicious, they’re made with a simple kefir dough, filled with creamy almond butter and cinnamon, and ready to enjoy without yeast or hours of proving.Think of them as the quick, wholesome cousin of a traditional cinnamon bun.The secret ingredient is kefir. Its natural acidity gives the dough a lovely subtle tang reminiscent of sourdough, while reacting with the baking powder to help create a soft, tender scroll. You get that wonderful fermented flavour without maintaining a sourdough starter or waiting for dough to rise.And unlike many store-bought cinnamon scrolls that can be loaded with refined sugar, butter and overly sweet icing, these are made with a handful of simple ingredients. The filling combines almond butter, maple syrup and cinnamon for a rich, gooey centre that tastes indulgent without being excessively sweet.Best of all, this is a small-batch cinnamon scroll recipe, making just 6–8 scrolls. Perfect when you want a freshly baked treat without having a dozen leftovers calling your name from the kitchen.They take around 30 minutes from mixing to oven, and because each strip is rolled individually, you get beautiful little spirals with cinnamon filling running through every layer.Enjoy them warm from the oven as they are, or finish with a little maple cream cheese or whipped cottage cheese frosting.
Nutrition Per Serving
287
Calories
11g
Fat
1g
Saturates
10g
Sugars
240mg
Salt
10g
Protein
38g
Carbs
6g
Fibre
Ingredients
Dough
- 250 g spelt flour or all-purpose flour or 1:1 flour (Bob's Red Mill)
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- Pinch sea salt
- 250 ml natural kefir
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Milk for brushing
Cinnamon Filling
- 120 g almond butter cashew butter or tahini
- 30 ml maple syrup or honey
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Optional Maple Frosting
- 120 g cream cheese or whipped cottage cheese
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Method
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F) fan-forced. Line a small baking dish with baking paper.
- Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl.
- Add the kefir, maple syrup and vanilla and gently mix until a soft dough forms. If there are any dry pockets of flour, add a little more kefir, a splash at a time. If using gluten free flour like Bob's...some applies.
- The dough should be soft and slightly tacky, but not wet or overly sticky.
- Combine the almond butter, maple syrup and cinnamon in a small bowl and mix until smooth and creamy.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured bench and gently bring it together. Don't knead it as you would a traditional bread dough — treat it more like a scone dough and handle it lightly to help keep the scrolls tender.
- Roll the dough into approximately a 20 × 30 cm rectangle. Trim the edges if you like for more evenly shaped scrolls.
- Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the dough, going almost to the edges.
- Cut the dough lengthways into 6–8 even strips, depending on how large you'd like your scrolls.
- Roll each strip up individually to create your cinnamon scrolls.
- Arrange the scrolls fairly snugly in your prepared baking dish. Brush the tops generously with milk.
- Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, or until puffed and lightly golden. You can also glaze at this point with maple syrup when it comes out of the oven if not using frosting.
- If making the frosting, combine the cream cheese or whipped cottage cheese with maple syrup and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
- Allow the cinnamon scrolls to cool slightly before spooning over the frosting.
- Serve warm or at room temp and enjoy.
Delicious Cinnamon Scroll Variations
Apple Cinnamon Scrolls
Scatter finely diced apple over the cinnamon filling before rolling. Keep the pieces quite small so the scrolls roll easily. A little extra cinnamon is gorgeous here too. Sticky Date Cinnamon Scrolls
Use a sticky date paste in place of the maple syrup and mix into the almond butter. Tahini Cinnamon Scrolls
Swap the almond butter for tahini. Its slightly savoury, nutty flavour works beautifully with maple and cinnamon. Add a little extra maple or honey if your tahini is particularly bitter. Cashew Cinnamon Scrolls
Cashew butter makes a beautifully mild, creamy filling and is a great choice if you want the cinnamon flavour to really shine. Almond + Orange Scrolls
Add finely grated orange zest to the almond butter filling. Cinnamon, almond and orange together are sensational. Pear + Cinnamon Scrolls
Add a small amount of finely diced pear to the filling. Pear is naturally sweet and wonderful with almond butter and cinnamon. Chai-Spiced Scrolls
Add a pinch each of ground ginger, cardamom and nutmeg to the cinnamon filling for a warming chai-inspired version. Chocolate Cinnamon Scrolls
Scatter a small handful of finely chopped dark chocolate over the filling before rolling. Cinnamon + dark chocolate is always a good idea. Raisin Cinnamon Scrolls
For a more traditional cinnamon-scroll feel, scatter a small handful of raisins or sultanas over the filling before rolling. Extra Protein Frosting
Blend cottage cheese until completely smooth, then add maple syrup and vanilla. You get a light, creamy topping with extra protein and less richness than traditional cream cheese icing. Teresa's Notes Don't overwork the dough. This isn't a yeast bread dough. Gentle handling gives you softer, more tender cinnamon scrolls. Add the kefir gradually if needed. Different flours absorb liquid differently, particularly spelt. Start with 200 ml and add only enough extra to create a soft dough. Roll them individually. Cutting the dough into strips first and then rolling each one gives you lovely, neat scrolls and makes portioning incredibly easy. Keep them snug. Nestling the scrolls fairly close together helps keep the sides softer as they bake. Enjoy them warm. They're at their absolute best freshly baked. Leftovers can be gently reheated before serving. Make them your own. Almond butter is my favourite, but cashew butter and tahini both work beautifully. These are exactly the kind of cinnamon scrolls I love to make — simple ingredients, easy method, small batch and absolutely delicious. No yeast. No waiting. Just warm homemade cinnamon scrolls in around 30 minutes.
Scatter finely diced apple over the cinnamon filling before rolling. Keep the pieces quite small so the scrolls roll easily. A little extra cinnamon is gorgeous here too. Sticky Date Cinnamon Scrolls
Use a sticky date paste in place of the maple syrup and mix into the almond butter. Tahini Cinnamon Scrolls
Swap the almond butter for tahini. Its slightly savoury, nutty flavour works beautifully with maple and cinnamon. Add a little extra maple or honey if your tahini is particularly bitter. Cashew Cinnamon Scrolls
Cashew butter makes a beautifully mild, creamy filling and is a great choice if you want the cinnamon flavour to really shine. Almond + Orange Scrolls
Add finely grated orange zest to the almond butter filling. Cinnamon, almond and orange together are sensational. Pear + Cinnamon Scrolls
Add a small amount of finely diced pear to the filling. Pear is naturally sweet and wonderful with almond butter and cinnamon. Chai-Spiced Scrolls
Add a pinch each of ground ginger, cardamom and nutmeg to the cinnamon filling for a warming chai-inspired version. Chocolate Cinnamon Scrolls
Scatter a small handful of finely chopped dark chocolate over the filling before rolling. Cinnamon + dark chocolate is always a good idea. Raisin Cinnamon Scrolls
For a more traditional cinnamon-scroll feel, scatter a small handful of raisins or sultanas over the filling before rolling. Extra Protein Frosting
Blend cottage cheese until completely smooth, then add maple syrup and vanilla. You get a light, creamy topping with extra protein and less richness than traditional cream cheese icing. Teresa's Notes Don't overwork the dough. This isn't a yeast bread dough. Gentle handling gives you softer, more tender cinnamon scrolls. Add the kefir gradually if needed. Different flours absorb liquid differently, particularly spelt. Start with 200 ml and add only enough extra to create a soft dough. Roll them individually. Cutting the dough into strips first and then rolling each one gives you lovely, neat scrolls and makes portioning incredibly easy. Keep them snug. Nestling the scrolls fairly close together helps keep the sides softer as they bake. Enjoy them warm. They're at their absolute best freshly baked. Leftovers can be gently reheated before serving. Make them your own. Almond butter is my favourite, but cashew butter and tahini both work beautifully. These are exactly the kind of cinnamon scrolls I love to make — simple ingredients, easy method, small batch and absolutely delicious. No yeast. No waiting. Just warm homemade cinnamon scrolls in around 30 minutes.
