Name: Quick Fresh Milled Cinnamon Rolls (One Rise)
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 105 min
Ingredients: 4 1/2 cups freshly milled flour (from hard white wheat berries); 1 1/4 cup whole milk; 1 tsp unrefined salt; 2 eggs; 1/4 cup raw honey; 4 tsp instant yeast; 6 tbsp softened butter; 1/2 cup half & half or heavy cream (optional, for topping the rolls before baking); 3/4 cup cane sugar; 1 tbsp molasses; 3 tbsp cinnamon; 6 tbsp softened butter; 5 oz softened cream cheese; 4 tbsp softened butter; 1/4 cup real maple syrup; 1-2 tbsp half & half or heavy cream (optional)

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These irresistibly soft cinnamon rolls are made with fresh milled flour, and are the perfect treat without being overly sweet. With only one rise, you can whip them up anytime you want to enjoy a delicious homemade pastry, it doesn’t have to be a special occasion! This recipe has become one of my family’s favorites. The filling uses molasses for a delicious twist on a traditional cinnamon roll flavor.

Top view of a pan of fresh milled cinnamon rolls next to cinnamon sticks.

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If you enjoy cooking with fresh milled flour, check out some of my other favorite fresh milled recipes:

Reasons to love Fresh Milled Cinnamon Rolls

I never met a cinnamon roll I didn’t like, but these sweet rolls are one of my absolute favorites, and here’s a few reasons why.

Made with 100% fresh milled flour – baking with fresh milled grains makes these rolls nutrient dense, hearty, and easier to digest than traditional store-bought processed flour.

Soft & fluffy, not dense – These cinnamon rolls are really light and fluffy, and not dense like you might think of when thinking of whole grains.

Only one rise – This is probably my favorite part about these cinnamon rolls. After kneading and shaping the dough, you only need one rise. I love to make a batch in the evening and put them in the fridge to rise overnight – they are ready so much faster than other cinnamon rolls that need additional rise time.

Make ahead friendly – These rolls freeze really well, so you can make them ahead of time for holidays, brunch, or weekend breakfast. They also make a great gift for a postpartum Mom!

Real food ingredients – we love using real food ingredients around here. These rolls are decently low in sugar, and use healthy ingredients you can feel good about feeding your family.

Benefits of Fresh Milled Flour

Fresh milled flour isn’t just about better flavor—it also preserves more of the grain’s natural nutrition. A whole wheat berry acts like nature’s storage container, protecting the bran, germ, and endosperm until it’s milled. Once the grain is ground into flour and exposed to oxygen, light, and heat, some delicate nutrients, healthy fats, and antioxidants begin to break down over time. In fact, after just 24 hours of being milled, up to 45% of the grain’s nutrients are gone (source). Milling your own flour just before baking allows you to use the grain at its freshest, giving your baked goods a richer flavor and retaining more of the vital nutrients found in the original wheat berry.

Partially eaten cinnamon roll on a blue plate with a fork.

Ingredients in Fresh Milled Cinnamon Rolls

You only need a a few real ingredients for these delicious rolls!

For The Dough

Hard white wheat berries, or fresh milled flour – for the best nutrition, mill the wheat berries right before you plan to make cinnamon rolls. A hard wheat berry will yield the best results, I would not recommend using a soft wheat variety as you won’t get a good enough rise. Hard wheat berries have a higher protein content which will result in a better rise and fluffy rolls.

Milk – I like to use raw, whole milk in this recipe, but you can use whatever milk that you drink. In a pinch, water will work too.

Butter – I love kerrygold grass-fed butter for all my cooking & baking. I primarily use salted butter because that’s what I buy and always have on hand.

Eggs – I always try and use pasture-raised eggs in my home for the best nutrition & quality! Eggs can vary so much based on how the chickens were treated and what they eat.

Honey – I love to find local, raw honey to use in my home. If you want to learn more about raw honey and what you should know, I’ve got a post here.

Salt – Did you know that salt can be refined, bleached, and processed? Always look for unrefined mineral salt. I love redmonds real salt.

Instant Yeast – Make sure your yeast is fresh for best results.

Half & Half or heavy cream (optional) – We pour this over the rollls right before baking to make them perfectly ooey gooey.

For The Filling

Butter – these rolls do not skimp on the butter and thats one of the reasons they are soooo good.

Organic Cane Sugar + molasses – I love making my own brown sugar for cinnamon rolls. It give them unreal flavor – just trust me and give it a try. Of course you can always substitute brown sugar instead!

Cinnamon – using a high quality cinnamon can really take your rolls to the next level. I love to use organic ceylon cinnamon that I buy in bulk from Azure standard.

For the Frosting

Cream Cheese

Butter – More butter, yes please

Maple Syrup – Whenever I can, I like to use maple syrup to sweeten my recipes. I love the flavor, and maple syrup is one of nature’s best unrefined natural sweeteners.

Half & Half

Other Supplies You Will Need

Grain Mill – If you are going to mill the flour yourself you will need a mill. I have really loved my MockMill 100.
Stand mixer with dough hook attachment
small sauce pan
9 x 13 glass baking pan
Rolling pin
parchment paper
pizza cutter or sharp knife
measuring cups and spoons

Vertical image of a hot melty cinnamon roll with frosting on a plate.

How To Make the Perfect Cinnamon rolls with fresh milled flour

Buckle up and I’ll tell you just how easily these rolls are going to come together. Try and plan ahead slightly so that you can set out the butter and cream cheese to soften. Otherwise, these rolls are super easy.

Make The Dough

Step 1: Mill your hard white wheat berries on your mill’s finest flour setting. Set aside.

Close up view of hard white wheat berries in a container.

Step 2: Warm up the milk in a small saucepan over low heat until it is warm to the touch but not hot.

Step 3: To the bowl of your stand mixer, add the warm milk, eggs, honey, salt, flour, and instant yeast. With the paddle attachment, mix the ingredients together until combined.

Step 4: Next add the softened butter a little bit at a time.

Step 5: Switch the dough hook attachment, and knead your dough until it is smooth and elastic, and pulling away from the sides of the bowl. You know the dough is ready when you can achieve a nice windowpane. Depending on your mixer, this can take a while. In my kitchen aid this often takes between 20-30 minutes.

Prepare The Filling

Step 1: While the dough is kneading, prepare your filling. In a small saucepan (don’t turn the stove on yet), add the cane sugar and molasses and mix it together with a spoon until all of the lumps are gone and you have a light and fluffy brown sugar.

Spoon with sugar and molasses in a saucepan.

Step 2: Add the butter and cinnamon, and turn the heat on your stove to low.

Step 3: Heat just until the butter softens and you can mix it all together. If you heat it too long, the mixture will be too liquid and messier when you go to spread it on your dough. Set the filling mixture aside.

Make The Rolls

Step 1: Once your dough is ready, line a 9 x 13 baking pan with parchment paper.

Step 2: Lightly oil a work surface with olive oil or coconut oil.

Step 3: Remove the dough from the bowl, and gently roll it into a large rectangle, about 12 x 20″, as even as you can.

Cinnamon roll dough spread out with a rolling pin on top.

Step 4: Spread the cinnamon filling out on the dough rectangle, trying to get it evenly spread and as close to the edges as possible.

Step 5: Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut the dough into 12 even strips across the shortest distance of the dough.

Cutting cinnamon roll dough into strips with a pizza cutter.

Step 6: Using your hands, carefully roll each individual strip into a roll and place it into the prepared pan. I like to do it this way to make really pretty rolls that aren’t squished.

Step 7: Finish rolling the rest of the cinnamon rolls, and place them evenly in the baking sheet. Cover them with plastic wrap to allow them to rise.

Close up view of cinnamon rolls ready to rise.

Rise & Bake The Rolls

Step 1: Allow the rolls to rise in a warm place for 30-45 minutes until slightly puffy.

Step 2: While the rolls rise, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Step 3: Once the rolls are puffy, gently pour the half and half or heavy cream over the tops of the rolls. This is an optional step, use it if you like perfectly gooey rolls!

Step 4: Bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes, or until they are golden brown and cooked all of the way through.

Step 5: While the rolls bake, make the frosting by combining the cream cheese, butter, and maple syrup in a mixer and whipping on high speed until it is really creamy and no lumps remain. Add 1-2 tbs of half and half if needed to thin it out.

Step 6: When the rolls come out of the oven, spread the icing over the warm rolls and enjoy!

How to Make Fresh Cinnamon Rolls Ahead of Time

Want to make these cinnamon rolls ahead of time to freeze or overnight? They are so easy to make ahead of time!

To freeze fresh milled cinnamon rolls, after rolling them up freeze them individually on a baking sheet, then store in a ziplock bag. When you are ready to bake them, first thaw the rolls for 90 minutes and then bake as usual.

To make overnight: This is my preferred method! After shaping the rolls and putting them in the parchment lined pan, cover with plastic wrap and put them in the fridge. The next morning, set them out at room temperature for 30 minutes and then bake. This is a really easy way to have cinnamon rolls for breakfast!

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! Freshly milled hard white wheat makes soft, fluffy cinnamon rolls without using all-purpose flour that are much more nutritious and have amazing flavor. Because fresh flour absorbs more liquid than store-bought flour, your dough may need a little extra milk or slightly longer kneading time to achieve a soft, elastic texture.

Hard white wheat is a favorite for cinnamon rolls because it produces a light and fluffy roll. Hard wheat will produce the best results because of the higher gluten content. Hard red wheat also works but has a nuttier, more robust flavor.

Rise times depend on the temperature of your kitchen, but these rolls usually only take 30–45 minutes after shaping. The dough just needs to be slightly puffy before baking.

Absolutely! This is my preferred way to make them. After shaping the rolls, cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes while the oven preheats, then bake as directed.

Yes. You can freeze the shaped, unbaked rolls or freeze them after baking. For best results, wrap them tightly to prevent freezer burn. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking or at room temperature for 90 minutes (before baking).

Several factors can affect the rise, including old or inactive yeast, milk that was too hot, or a kitchen that’s too cold. Freshly milled flour also benefits from adequate kneading to properly develop the gluten needed for a good rise. In my kitchen aid mixer, I have to knead the dough for about 25 minutes before shaping the rolls.

My number one tip for soft cinnamon rolls is to avoid overbaking, and then store cooled rolls in an airtight container. Warming them for a few seconds in the microwave or oven before serving helps restore their soft, fresh-baked texture.

Yes. If using active dry yeast, dissolve it in warm milk with a little sugar first and let it become foamy before mixing the dough. Rise times may be slightly longer than with instant yeast.

Store leftover rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat individual rolls for 15–20 seconds in the microwave or for 8 minutes at 250 degrees in the oven for the best texture.

Fresh milled cinnamon rolls have a different flavor than rolls made with store-bought white flour. They have a richer, nuttier flavor and are more filling. The depth of flavor is delicious, you have to try it!