The BEST Freshly Milled Flour Cinnamon Rolls
Fluffy, flavorful, and bakery-style soft —and 100% whole wheat!
If you’ve ever thought whole wheat cinnamon rolls couldn’t be soft, gooey, and indulgent, think again.
These freshly milled flour cinnamon rolls are everything you want in a cinnamon roll: light, fluffy, buttery, and filled with swirls of cinnamon-sugar goodness — all made from freshly milled hard white wheat flour!
Whether you’re looking for quick cinnamon rolls that can be made in about an hour, or overnight cinnamon rolls perfect for Christmas morning, this easily adaptable recipe truly delivers the best cinnamon rolls ever!
Why You’ll Love These Cinnamon Rolls
- Soft and fluffy – Instant potato flakes make these jumbo homemade cinnamon rolls tender and bakery-style.
- 100% whole wheat – Made with freshly milled hard white wheat, they’re wholesome and satisfying without being heavy or dense.
- Flexible timing – Make them same-day for easy cinnamon rolls in an hour, or prep the night before for Christmas morning cinnamon rolls that are ready to bake.
- Freezer-friendly – Perfect for make-ahead treats or quick breakfasts.
- Cream cheese icing – Sweet, tangy, and perfectly balanced.
Freshly Milled Flour Cinnamon Rolls (makes 12 jumbo rolls)
Ingredients
Dough:
1 ¾ cups warm water
6 Tbsp sugar
¼ cup neutral oil or melted butter
3 Tbsp yeast
1 ½ tsp salt
2 eggs
2 ½ Tbsp instant mashed potato flakes
Approximately 5 ¼ to 5 ½ cups freshly milled hard white wheat flour (start lower; add as needed until the dough is soft and tacky)
*Mill approximately 3 ⅔ cups hard white wheat berries
Filling:
1 cup white sugar
3–4 Tbsp cinnamon
Softened butter for spreading
Cream Cheese Frosting:
7 Tbsp salted butter, softened
3 oz cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
¼ tsp salt
3–4 splashes lemon juice (start with one and add to taste)
Instructions
1. Bloom the Yeast
In a large bowl or mixer, combine warm water, sugar, oil, and yeast. Let sit 10–15 minutes until foamy.
2. Mix the Dough
Stir in salt, eggs, and potato flakes. Add 5 cups flour and begin kneading (8–10 minutes), adding more flour ¼ cup at a time until dough is soft, smooth, and slightly tacky.
The dough should feel a bit softer than usual — potato starches continue to absorb moisture as it rests.
3. Rest or Refrigerate
Cover and let sit 20–25 minutes to hydrate the bran and potato flakes.
Overnight option: Cover and refrigerate 8–10 hours for a slow rise and easy overnight cinnamon rolls.
4. Shape the Rolls
Roll into a rectangle. Spread with softened butter, sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar, and roll up tightly.
Cut into 12 large rolls.
(Tip: For tight, even spirals, I like to cut long strips and roll each one individually — see photo below.)
5. Rise
If making same day: Cover and rise 25–30 minutes until puffy.
If refrigerated overnight: You can bake straight from the fridge — no need for another rise.
6. Bake
Bake at 375°F for 16–18 minutes, watching for over-browning. Rolls are done when their internal temp is around 190°F.
7. Frost
Cool slightly before spreading with cream cheese frosting.
These whole wheat cinnamon rolls are everything we love about homemade comfort food — but with a nutritious, freshly milled twist. You will never want another cinnamon roll recipe!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely. These fresh milled wheat cinnamon rolls freeze beautifully.
You can freeze them iced or uniced:
Uniced: Cool completely, then store in freezer bags. Add a small tub of icing in the bag for a ready-to-warm treat.
Iced: Cool completely before freezing to avoid condensation.
To reheat, thaw overnight and warm gently in the oven or microwave.
There are two easy ways to make these for Christmas morning cinnamon rolls:
Refrigerate the dough: Mix the dough, cover, and let it rise slowly in the fridge overnight. Roll, shape, and bake in the morning.
Refrigerate after shaping: Roll and cut the rolls, place them in the pan, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, bake straight from the fridge — no second rise needed.
This method makes your Christmas or birthday breakfast easy, warm, and still wholesome — not pure sugar and white flour.
Instead of slicing a long log, I prefer to cut long strips of dough and roll each one individually.
This method gives more even spirals and perfectly uniform giant cinnamon rolls that bake evenly.
On the counter: Up to 3 days, covered.
In the fridge: Up to 5 days — warm before serving for best texture.
In the freezer: Up to 3 months.
More Baking Recipes
If you love these fresh milled flour cinnamon rolls, try a few more fresh milled flour breakfast recipes:
- Freshly Milled Flour Sourdough Banana Bread
- Pumpkin Pie Pop-tart with Maple Glaze
- Blueberry Biscuits
Printable Recipe:
Freshly Milled Flour Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- 1 electric mixer
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1 ¾ cups warm water
- 6 Tbsp sugar
- ¼ cup oil or melted butter
- 3 Tbsp yeast
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 2 ½ Tbsp instant mashed potato flakes
- 5 ¼ to 5 ½ cups freshly milled hard white wheat flour start lower; add as needed
- Mill approximately 3 ⅔ cups hard white wheat berries
Filling:
- 1 cup white sugar
- 3-4 tbsp cinnamon
- Softened butter for spreading
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 7 Tbsp salted butter softened
- 3 oz cream cheese
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3-4 splashes lemon juice start with one and add to taste
Instructions
- Bloom Yeast: Combine warm water, sugar, oil, and yeast. Let sit 10–15 minutes until foamy.
- Mix Dough: Stir in salt, eggs, and potato flakes. Add 5 cups flour and knead 8–10 minutes, adding flour ¼ cup at a time until dough is soft, smooth, and slightly tacky.
- Rest or Refrigerate: Let dough rest 20–25 minutes to hydrate the bran and potato flakes.
- Overnight option: Cover and refrigerate 8–10 hours for a slow rise.
- Shape: Roll dough into a rectangle. Spread with softened butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Roll tightly and cut into 12 rolls.
- Rise: If baking immediately, cover and rise 25–30 minutes. If refrigerated overnight, bake straight from the fridge.
- Bake: Bake at 375°F for 16–18 minutes, until golden and the internal temp reaches about 190°F.
- Frost: Cool slightly and spread with cream cheese frosting.
