Protein Cinnamon Rolls

5 from 5 votes

These Protein Cinnamon Rolls are soft, fluffy, and filled with a gooey cinnamon center, all topped with vanilla protein frosting. Made with simple ingredients and no yeast or eggs, they’re the perfect macro-friendly treat for your diet.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: High Protein, Low calorie, Vegan

Keyword: baking, Greek yogurt, protein powder

Servings: cinnamon rolls

Ingredients

Protein cinnamon rolls

1 ½ cup (190 g) all purpose flour or whole wheat flour
½ cup (50 g) protein powder or more flour (see notes*)
3 tbsp granulated sweetener I used monk fruit
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 cup (240 g) Greek yogurt minimum 2% fat recommended

Cinnamon roll filling

2 tbsp melted coconut oil replace with melted butter/nut butter
3 tbsp granulated sweetener I used monk fruit
2 tsp ground cinnamon

High protein frosting

⅓ cup (80 g) Greek yogurt minimum 2% fat recommended
1 scoop protein powder vanilla
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 to 2 tsp milk if necessary (see notes*)
1-2 tbsp granular sweetener optional if protein powder is unflavored

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and prepare a baking dish by lining it with parchment paper or lightly greasing it with oil.

Cinnamon roll filling

In a small bowl, whisk together the granulated sweetener and cinnamon. Set aside for later.

Protein cinnamon rolls

In a large bowl, combine the flour, protein powder (or more flour), baking powder, sweetener, and salt.
Add Greek yogurt to the dry ingredients and mix until a dough forms. Use your hands to knead the dough for about 2 minutes, until smooth.
Note: Depending on the protein powder and yogurt, you may need to adjust the dough. If it’s too sticky, add more flour; if too dry, add more yogurt.
On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a large rectangle, about ¼-inch thick.
Brush the rolled-out dough with melted coconut oil (or butter/nut butter).
Evenly sprinkle the cinnamon-sweetener mixture over the surface of the dough.
Cut the dough into strips about 1 to 1 ½ inches wide. Starting from one end of each strip, tightly roll the dough into a spiral to form a roll.
Place each roll into the prepared baking dish with the spiral side facing up. Leave a little space between each as they will expand during baking.
Bake the rolls for 20 minutes, or until golden on top. Let them cool in the baking dish for at least 5 minutes before adding frosting.

High protein frosting

In a bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, protein powder, and vanilla extract. If the frosting is too thick, thin it with 1-2 teaspoons of milk.
Note: Optionally, sweeten with additional granulated sweetener if your protein powder is unflavored.
Drizzle or spread the frosting over the cinnamon rolls just before serving.

Notes

Protein powder: Casein and vegan vanilla protein powder work best in the dough as they tend to be thicker and less likely to dry out the rolls. If using whey protein, you may need to adjust the moisture level by adding a little more yogurt.
Frosting: Whey protein is preferred for a smooth frosting, but any vanilla protein powder will work. If you're using casein or plant protein powder, you may need to thin the frosting with 1-2 teaspoons of milk to reach the desired consistency.

Nutrition