Desserts

On this whole grain bread journey I have discovered that it is completely possible to get ooey-gooey cinnamon rolls using the nutritionally dense fresh milled flour! Continue reading for tips on how to get the best result when using fresh milled grains!

Whole grain flour is very different from store bought sifted flour, but it doesn’t mean you can’t get results that are just as delicious (and I would argue even more yummy)!

When people use whole grain flour they find the flour to be heavier and their end result crumbly or more dense. This is true IF you treat your flour the same way you would conventional flour. Whole grain flour greatly benefits from being soaked, also known as an autolyse. I have also found adding lecithin to be beneficial and I do this by using an egg! Adding lecithin to your dough improves the gluten network and can also reduce your kneading time.

Another way to improve your whole grain dough is by adding vital wheat gluten. Vital wheat gluten is made from the protein found in the endosperm of the wheat berry. I get organic vital wheat gluten through Azure Standard. This is an optional ingredient. With proper kneading it is not necessary, but can speed up the process.

The last thing to keep in mind when working with 100% whole grain flour is that it needs to be kneaded enough! I have never met a person in my life that has over-kneaded their whole grain dough. It is a pretty difficult thing to do. If you’re kneading by hand, you can count on the process taking 15-25 minutes to get a windowpane effect in your dough. If you have a heavy duty mixer, it may be 6-10 minutes and for a mixer not adept to working with whole grains, making 8-15 minutes.

whole grain cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting

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Delicious whole grain cinnamon rolls your family will love!

Ingredients

• 392 grams of hard white wheat berries
• 1/4 cup + 1/2 cup sugar reserved
• 1 1/4 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup + 1/4 butter, melted and cool to the touch
• 1 TBSP yeast
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1 TBSP vital wheat gluten (optional)
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 block of cream cheese (8 oz)
• 2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Grind wheat berries fine. Add vital wheat gluten to flour if you are using it. Mix 3/4 of the flour with warm water and the yeast.. Let this sit covered for 20-40 minutes.
2. In a seperate bowl, combine 1/4 cup of butter, 1/4 cup of sugar, and egg. Stir so the egg is combined throughout.
3. Add your egg mixture to your dough that has autolysed (rested) as well as the remaining flour. Let this knead well. I currently had an old 5 quart KitchenAid. It takes 10 minutes kneading at the lowest setting to knead well. Cover and let rise 45 minutes or until doubled.
4. Meanwhile, mix your brown sugar and cinnamon. When your dough has doubled, roll it out on a floured surface into a rectangular shape.
5. Spread your remaining butter on your dough. Add your brown sugar and cinnamon mixture. Starting with the side closest to you, roll the dough up on itself away from you. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough in slices about 1 1/2 inches thick,
6. Place them in a baking pan or lined cast iron. Let them rise another 30-45 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
7. Combine the cream cheese with the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and vanilla. Whip it with a spatula until it feels light and creamy. Spread this over the top of your cinnamon rolls. Enjoy!