Protein Cinnamon Rolls

These incredible protein cinnamon rolls are the perfect high-protein breakfast or dessert. From the pillowy soft rolls to the ooey gooey icing, you'd never guess they were made with protein powder and packed over 10 grams of protein!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Taste just like "real" cinnamon rolls. They're soft, fluffy, and perfectly chewy with a melt-in-your-mouth cinnamon brown sugar filling topped with rich yogurt icing. 

Packed with 10 grams of protein. These protein cinnamon rolls are a delicious way to add to your daily protein intake. They taste just like regular cinnamon rolls but with an added boost from your favorite protein powders.

Versatile. You can eat them for breakfast, dessert, a mid-day snack, or after a workout. Trust me, you'll be finding excuses to eat them all day long!

Family-friendly. These sweet and gooey cinnamon rolls are a huge hit with both kids and adults! It's the perfect way to serve a healthier sweet treat that everyone will love.

Easy to make. While the process might seem intimidating at first, there's really not a lot to making these cinnamon rolls. The actual prep time is only about 15 minutes, with breaks in between to let the dough rise. 

Ingredients You'll Need

For the protein cinnamon roll dough:

• Instant yeast - essential for creating the most pillowy rolls and gives them that delicious bready flavor and aroma.
• Warm water - activates the yeast and helps the dough rise.
• Flour - forms the structure of these cinnamon rolls. Bread flour is great for producing extra soft rolls, but all-purpose flour will work well here too.
• Protein powder - your favorite one! Vanilla protein powder or plain protein powder would be great here. I also have a couple of guides for the best low calorie protien powder and protein powder for weight gain, depending on your goals.
• Sugar - to add some sweetness and help speed up the fermentation of the yeast
• Melted butter - makes a richer and fluffier dough

For the cinnamon sugar filling:

• Softened butter - for adhering the cinnamon sugar filling to the dough
• Brown sugar - a balanced sweetness with molasses undertones.
• Cinnamon - adds warming spice notes.

For the icing:

• Greek yogurt - makes the icing creamy and adds a rich tanginess reminiscent of cream cheese frosting but with more protein. You can check out my list of protein yogurts for the most high protein options.
• Protein powder - you can use the same one or switch it up. I used vanilla protein powder for mine.
• Powdered sugar - for that sweet flavor and frosty glazed look.
• Milk - to thin down the icing to your desired consistency.

How To Make Protein Cinnamon Rolls

1. Prepare the dough: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare an 8-inch baking dish greased with butter. In a small bowl, combine the yeast with the warm water and a pinch of sugar. Set it aside for 5 minutes to activate. In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, protein powder, and the rest of the sugar together. Add the activated yeast and melted butter, then stir until you've formed a dough. Knead it on a floured surface until smooth, then cover it with a damp cloth and let it sit for 1 hour to rise.

2. Roll them up: Once the dough has risen, roll it out to form a 13x13-inch square sheet. Brush the softened butter over the flattened dough and evenly sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll the dough into a firm log, and use a thread or sharp knife to gently slice the log into 9 cinnamon rolls. Arrange the cinnamon rolls in an even layer in the greased baking dish. Cover and let them rise for 30 minutes.

3. Bake: Uncover the dish and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until they're lightly golden brown. Take them out of the oven and cool for 20 minutes before getting started on the icing.

4. Glaze and serve: When they're almost cooled, combine the icing ingredients together in a bowl. Drizzle the icing on top of the protein rolls, then serve alone or with this vanilla protein ice cream and enjoy!

Tips To Make The Best Recipe

• Use a plant based protein powder and dairy free yogurt to make this recipe dairy free.
• Leave some space around the border of the dough when adding the cinnamon sugar so the filling doesn't melt out of the rolls while they bake.
• If you're planning to save some leftovers to enjoy later, wait to add the frosting until after you've reheated them.
• Add milk to the icing to thin it out until it reaches your desired consistency.
• Keep your warm water for the yeast at around 110° to 120°F. Try not to go any higher than this, as hot water can actually kill the yeast and stop your cinnamon rolls from rising.

How To Store Leftovers

In the fridge: Transfer any leftovers you have to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a week.

In the freezer: Let them cool completely, then wrap each one in plastic wrap or a double layer of aluminum foil. Stash them in a freezer-safe airtight container or freezer bag and freeze them for up to 2 weeks.

Reheating: They're actually delicious right out of the fridge, but they can also be served warm. Individual rolls can be heated up in the microwave in 10-second increments. If you want to warm up multiple, place them in a baking dish and heat at 350°F for about 10 minutes.

More Protein Recipes

• Protein waffles
• Protein brownies
• Protein donuts
• Protein pancakes
• Blueberry protein muffins
• Protein pudding
• Protein mug cake

Continue to Content

Protein Cinnamon Rolls

Yield: 9 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

These incredible protein cinnamon rolls are the perfect high-protein breakfast or dessert. From the pillowy soft rolls to the ooey gooey icing, you'd never guess they were made with protein powder and packed over 10 grams of protein!

Print

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 2 teaspoon instant yeast
• ½ cup warm water, or add more if needed
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 scoops protein powder (I used vanilla flavored)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoon melted butter

For the filling:

• 2 tablespoon butter, softened
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon

For the icing:

• ¼ cup Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoon protein powder (I used vanilla flavored)
• 2 teaspoon powdered sugar
• Milk, to thin down the icing

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch baking dish with some butter.
2. Make the dough; combine yeast with water and a pinch of sugar in a bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes.
3. In another bowl, add flour, protein powder, and remaining sugar. Whisk to combine.
4. Add yeast mix and melted butter to the bowl. Stir until the dough comes together, then knead on a floured surface until smooth. 
5. Cover the dough with a damp cloth in a bowl and let it rise for 1 hour.
6. Roll the dough to a 13x13-inch square.
7. Brush the melted butter over the dough, then sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
8. Roll the dough into a firm log. Cut the dough into 9 cinnamon rolls using a kitchen thread or a very sharp knife.
9. Arrange the cinnamon rolls into the baking dish and let them rise, covered, for 30 minutes.
10. Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool them for 20 minutes before icing. 
11. Make the icing; combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Add milk if needed to thin it out.
12. Drizzle the cinnamon rolls with the icing and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1 cinnamon roll
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 220Total Fat: 6.5gSaturated Fat: 3.6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 64mgCarbohydrates: 29.5gFiber: 1gSugar: 6.8gProtein: 10.3g