Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

UM...yeah, I'm letting you in on our family secret here! I've been making these for a couple of years, and thought one day "hey, why not use fresh flour instead" and thus, the fresh milled cinnamon roll was born. Amen.

This would be the PERFECT first day of school breakfast, just make the dough at night, place in pan, and stick in fridge. In the morning, bring it out and let rise in a warm place for about an hour before baking.

Ingredients

Dough:

• 1 1/4 cup warm milk
• 1/2 stick melted butter
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups whole wheat flour (fresh milled or King Arthur White Whole Wheat)
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tablespoon yeast (I use commercial yeast)

Filling;

• 1/2 stick melted butter
• Brown Sugar and Cinnamon (your preference on amount)

Icing:

• 1/2 stick softened butter
• 1/2 block softened cream cheese
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions;

1. Melt butter with milk on medium in saucepan
2. Mix together ALL dough ingredients, kneading for about 4 minutes
3. Let dough rest for ten minutes (IF YOU USE REGULAR YEAST, allow a 30 minute rise, punch down, and continue)
4. Roll dough out into rectangle (about 18 inches long) and spread with melted butter and brown sugar/cinnamon)
5. Roll up and cut into 12 pieces, placing each into a greased 9x13 pan, cover, and let rise 30 minutes (it will continue to rise in oven)
6. Bake at 400 for 16 minutes
7. While rolls are in oven, beat together icing ingredients, while rolls are still hot, spread icing and serve

Just a note: These are a little more "dense" than cinnamon rolls made with all white flour, but nothing that my kids notice. My husband and I LOVE these, whole wheat or not. Because whole wheat flour is a little heavier than white flour, the rise won't look like a normal doubling. 

Here's the dough fresh in the pan

This is after 30 minutes right before sticking in oven

And this is straight out of the oven

Happy Monday!!!