Easy Healthy Cinnamon Rolls
If you are on the hunt for easy and healthy cinnamon rolls, look no further! Not only are these cinnamon rolls incredibly easy to make, but they are gluten free, plant based and vegan, paleo, and refined sugar free. The secret? Sweet potato! Sweet potato cinnamon rolls only require a few ingredients, are gooey in the center with a fluffy exterior, and make a great option for anyone with specific diets.
Ingredients
Cinnamon roll dough
- 2 cups mashed sweet potato (2-3 medium sweet potatoes) - do not use canned sweet potato. *White, orange, or purple work!
- 3/4 cup cassave flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- pinch sea salt
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar *optional
Cinnamon sugar filling
- 1/4 cup coconut oil or vegan butter, ghee, etc. *melted
- 1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar or golden monk fruit sweetener
Icing/glaze
- 3/4 cup powdered monk fruit sweetener or regular powdered sugar
- 3-4 tbsp regular or plant-based milk as needed
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract *optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F and grease a muffin tin.
- Peel and cube the sweet potatoes and add to a large pot of water (make sure the water comes at least an inch above the potatoes). Bring the water to a boil and let the potatoes to cook until they are super tender (usually takes 10-15 mins). You should be able to mash the chunks between your fingers (if they aren't tender enough, your dough could turn out dry). Drain the potatoes in a strainer.
- The easiest method to measure the potatoes - Add the cubed potatoes to a 1 cup measuring cup and use a fork to mash them, pressing them into the bottom of it. Add more, using the same technique until it fills the measuring cup. Repeat for the second cup.
- Place the potatoes in the food processor, processing until there are no large chunks. Then add in the remaining dough ingredients, processing once more until the dough forms and holds together. The dough should not be wet or sticky, but workable. If the dough feels too moist, add another tbsp of flour at a time until it's moist, but doesn't stick to your fingers.
- Place the dough onto a large piece of parchment paper, pressing it out into a large rectangle (about 8×11 & 1/4" thick). In a small bowl, mix together the filling ingredients and spread over the dough, keeping about an inch from the edges. Use the parchment paper to help roll the dough up into a tight log. Then cut the log into 8-9 rolls.
- Place the rolls in the muffin tin and bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden and the centers are firm to touch. Depending on your oven, you may need to cook them a few minutes longer. The rolls will seem as though the oil/liquid all went to the bottom of the muffin pan - that's normal! Remove them and let them cool for 10-15 minutes. The rolls will reabsorb the oil and cinnamon sugar.
- Once completely cool, remove the rolls from the pan. I like to place them on a plate with the bottom side up, as thats where most of the cinnamon sugar was reabsorbed.
- Mix together the icing ingredients, using 2 tbsp of milk at first and adding one more at a time until you reach a glaze consistency. Glaze each one.
- Store in an air-tight container in the fridge and reheat 20-30 seconds prior to eating!