100% Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Rolls

Tender, pull-apart bread that beckons to bakery fresh. A subtly sweet, warm flavor that stands alone or partners beautifully with your favorite buttery spread. Say hello to my whole wheat cinnamon raisin rolls recipe.

I relapsed with my baking addiction when I started collecting REVOL Les Naturels Bakeware, piece by piece. These whole wheat cinnamon raisin rolls were baked in the 9-inch Square Baking Dish in Sesame Grey. All of the gorgeous pieces in the Les Naturels collection are made in France, have an advanced nonporous ceramic design (extreme thermal-shock resistance); are made only from environmentally-friendly, natural components (no heavy metals or toxins; PTFE-free); have a naturally nonstick enameled surface (seriously, they clean up like a dream!); and are microwavable plus freezer and dishwasher safe.

In addition to this hefty multi-purpose baker, I now have the Les Naturels Cake / Loaf Pan (used to make this Spiced Pear Breakfast Bread Recipe) and the Tartlet Pans (used to make my Skinny Gluten-Free Hamburger Buns Recipe). AND I’m pretty hung-up on REVOL’s pretty porcelain dishes, too …

Wholesome plant-based Cinnamon Raisin Rolls served in a stunning, sustainable REVOL Arborescence Bowl with Color Lab Gourmet Boards and Tea Cups.

But back to those naturally dairy-free, vegan, healthy, jumbo cinnamon raisin rolls. As noted, they’re made with 100% whole wheat (no overly-processed stuff here!), yet have a soft, pillowy texture that is oh-so addictive. The secret is in the touch of added gluten (see recipe for options), kneading the dough for a few minutes to develop the gluten (very therapeutic!), and activating the yeast with a double rise.

The image above shows the dough after the first rise in the bowl; shaped into balls and placed in a 9-inch Revol Les Naturels baking dish; the dough after the second rise, see how they’ve expanded to double in size and touching; and the freshly baked whole wheat cinnamon raisin rolls.

Yes, though bread, in general, does take some time to make, the prep is quite easy. It’s mostly hands-off time while the dough fills your home with the heavenly scent of sweet bread. It’s the perfect recipe for weekend baking, and the result is a bowl full of wonderful whole wheat cinnamon raisin rolls that can be enjoyed throughout the week – slathered with nut or seed butter for breakfast or with a cup of tea for an afternoon treat.

This post is sponsored by REVOL, a family-owned company, and the makers of my new favorite eco-friendly bake ware. Honestly, there is no going back to horrible non-stick pans now!

Special Diet Notes: Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Rolls

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan / plant-based, and vegetarian.

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100% Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Rolls

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

50 mins

 

These naturally dairy-free, vegan, healthy rolls beckon to bakery fresh with a tender, pull-apart texture. They are easy to make, but please note that the Prep time listed does not include the hands-off rising time. I created this recipe for REVOL bakeware.

Author: Alisa Fleming

Serves: 9 whole wheat rolls

Ingredients

• ½ cup raisins
• 3¼ to 3½ cups white-wheat flour (see note below)
• ½ cup coconut sugar (can sub brown sugar or granulated sugar of choice)
• 1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten (see option below)
• 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 .25-ounce package; see note below)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsweetened dairy-free milk beverage, plus additional for brushing
• ⅓ cup melted coconut oil (can sub favorite baking oil)
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce

Instructions

1. Place the raisins in a bowl and cover with hot water.
2. Place 1½ cups of the flour, the sugar, gluten, yeast, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
3. Heat the milk beverage until very warm - about 115ºF to 130ºF. Add it to the flour mixture along with the coconut oil and applesauce. Blend until smooth (I use a hand mixer).
4. Drain the raisins and stir them into batter. Add the remaining flour, ½ cup at a time, until nice soft dough forms. It should be a little tacky, but not sticky.
5. Kneed the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 to 7 minutes, to develop the gluten.
6. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover and let rise in a warm area until double in size, about 1 hour.
7. Punch the dough down. Divide the dough into 9 pieces and roll each into a ball. Place them in a greased 9-inch baking dish with room to rise. Cover and let rise until double in size and touching, about 1 hour (see image in post above).
8. Preheat your oven to 400ºF.
9. Brush the tops of the rolls with a little milk beverage, if desired. Bake the rolls for 18 to 22 minutes, or until browned on top and relatively firm to the touch.
10. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Cover leftovers and store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Can be individually wrapped and frozen.

Notes

White-Wheat Flour: This is actually 100% whole wheat flour, but it has a lighter color and milder flavor than traditional red wheat.

Gluten Option: Wheat flour naturally contains gluten, but adding a touch more helps make this dense flour more workable for a lighter result. If you can't locate gluten (sold at most grocers in the baking section), I recommend replacing 1½ to 2 cups of the wheat flour with all-purpose or bread flour.

Active Yeast: If there is any doubt that your yeast is active, proof it first in the warmed milk beverage. It should foam - if not, your yeast may be inactive - discard, get new yeast and start again. If you opt to proof, then add the yeast with the milk beverage rather than whisking into the dry ingredients. I store yeast in the freezer, which seems to preserve it well. Flat yeast will cause flat rolls!

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