If you have a sweet tooth and are craving traditional cinnamon rolls, but want a quicker and healthier version (without having to make a whole batch of cinnamon rolls), try this Healthy Cinnamon Roll in a Mug! It's made with 2 ingredient dough, which consists of Greek yogurt and self-rising flour, so it's lower fat and less calories. This can be made in your oven or air fryer!
Unlike many other recipes out there, this heathy cinnamon roll is actually a cinnamon roll - not a cinnamon roll mug cake!This recipe is popular all year long, but extra popular in the winter months. It was inspired by my 2 Ingredient Dough Cinnamon Rolls on this site. This is the perfect way to get your cinnamon roll fix!
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Initially, I tried to make this as microwave and the 2 ingredient dough is just too gooey. So I recommend making it in your oven or air fryer!
🥘Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients for this single-serving dessert:
- ½ cup self-rising flour (see Top Tip)
- ¼ tsp butter extract
- ½ cup non-fat Greek yogurt
- ¼ tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp light butter
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tablespoon light spray whipped cream ( I use Dairyland and Gay Lea Light whipped cream- they are brands that are only 1 WW point for 4 tbsp)
- 3 tbsps confectioners sugar/powdered sugar (or icing sugar as we call it in Canada)
- 3 tsps milk * I use 1%
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
🔪Instructions
Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/176 degrees C.
Step 1: Add the self-rising flour and Greek yogurt, butter extract lemon zest and mix until combined
Step 2: Once the dough is combined place on a clean and lightly floured surface. Then use a small rolling pin to flatten the dough into a rectangle (about ⅛ inch thick))
Step 3: Spread the butter over the dough rectangle .
Step 4: Mix the cinnamon and brown sugar together. Then sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Step 5: Add whipped cream to the top of the brown sugar mixture on dough rectangle.
Step 6: Spread whipped cream, as evenly as possible, over brown sugar cinnamon mixture.
Step 7: Cut into 2 strips and cut off uneven cinnamon roll dough edges.
Step 8: Then roll up one long strip. *If it's sticking to the surface then use a sharp knife to loosen it
Step 9: Keep rolling strip of dough all the way up.
Step 10: Pinch the end of the rolled strip of dough to the end of the unrolled strip of dough.
Step 11: Roll the strips of dough together all the way to the other end.
Step 12: Spray a large oven-safe mug (I use a Corningware meal mug) with non-stick spray. Then place the roll in the greased mug.
Step 15: Bake at 350 degrees F/176 degrees C (uncovered) for 30-35 minutes.
Step 14: Glaze: In a separate small bowl, stir confectioners sugar, vanilla, and milk together in a bowl until smooth.
Brush on or pour glaze over warm cinnamon roll in the mug or invert the roll onto a plate and pour glaze over top.
You can also make this in the air fryer!
Step 1: Follow previous #1-12, place the cinnamon roll in the meal mug in your air fryer drawer or basket (uncovered)
Step 2: IF you have the BAKE function on your air fryer, bake at the same temperature and for the same time (350 degrees F/176 degrees C for 30-35 minutes.
If you don't have the bake function, set on air fry setting at 300 degrees F/148 degrees C for 20-25 minutes.
Then add glaze.
Tips for Success!
- Roll the dough out to about a ⅛ inch thick -any thinner and it will tear
- Leave a ¼- ½ inch border around the edge of the rectangle
- Roll the cinnamon roll up 'snugly' but it doesn't have to be too tight
📖Variations & Substitutions
- Lactose- free - use lactose- free Greek yogurt, lactose-free milk, and vegan margarine (instead of butter). You can use butter extract/flavoring as it contains no lactose
- Self-rising flour- see Top Tip for substitution
- Milk - you can use your milk of choice (1%, 2%, whole milk or non-dairy milk like almond milk)
- Glaze/frosting - you could use a fat-free cream cheese and make a cream cheese frosting
🥗 Pairing
These are my favorite meals to serve with this cinnamon bun for dessert:
🍽Equipment
You will need a large mug (20 oz) for this fluffy cinnamon roll. I like to use a Corningware meal mug because it fits this bun perfectly. You could use another oven-safe large mug, but what I love about this mug is that it's also a microwave-safe mug that goes from oven to fridge, to freezer, to microwave to dishwasher! And you can use it for so many recipes lke my Personal Chicken Pot Pie in a Mug , other mug desserts (see bottom of post) and individiual serving recipes. You'll also need a cutting board, sharp knife, and pizza cutter comes in handy, as well. *See recipe card for recommended equipment photos and links
🌡️Storage
This cinnamon bun can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. If you use a Corningware meal mug, it can go from the oven to the oven to the fridge to the freezer to microwave.
👪 Serving Size
This easy cinnamon roll recipe makes 1 giant cinnamon roll which is a large serving; it's actually enough for 2 people. You can share it or save some for later (see storage). You can also half the recipe or double it, by clicking on the serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust.
🔢WW Points
If you were to eat this entire giant cinnamon roll in 1 sitting it is 20 ww points for the whole thing. Without the glaze it's 11 points. But as I said it can be shared or split in 2 and saved for 10 points. If you use monkfruit instead of sugar, it's 17 ww points (8.5 split in 2) and 10 without the glaze.
Top tip
How to make self-rising flour
Self-rising flour is all-purpose flour with baking powder and salt added.
To make your own:
PER ½ CUP: Combine ½ cup of all-purpose flour with ¾ teaspoons of baking powder and ¼ teaspoon of salt.
🦺Food safety
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
- Never leave cooking food unattended
❔ Frequently Asked Questions
If you have the bake setting, use the same baking directions as you use for the oven. But because the heat in the air fryer is more intense than a standard oven, reduce the temperature on air fry to 300 degrees F/148 degrees C and reduce the cooking time to 20-25 minutes.
⭐ COMMENTS & REVIEWS
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If you're looking for a delicious and healthy mug dessert or have a cinnamon roll craving, you'll love this easy recipe!
📋 Healthy Cinnamon roll in a mug recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup self-rising flour
- ¼ teaspoon butter extract
- ½ cup non-fat Greek yogurt
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon light butter
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 3 tbsps light whipped cream (spray bottle) *Dairyland and Gay Lea Light whipped cream- they are brands that are only 1 WW point for 4 tbsp)
Glaze
- 3 tablespoon milk
- 1l4 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 tbsps confectioners sugar
Instructions
- NOTE: The photos in this recipe card will NOT print unless you set them to print by selecting "recipe image"
- Make the dough: Add the self-rising flour and Greek yogurt, butter extract lemon zest and mix until combined.
- One the dough is solid, place onto a clean and lightly floured surface (I use a cutting board).Use your hands or a small rolling pin to flatten dough into a rectangle.
- Spread butter evenly over dough rectangle.
- Mix the cinnamon and brown sugar together, then sprinkle over the dough, leaving at least a ¾ inch to 1 inch border.
- Add whipped cream on top of brown sugar cinnamon mixture.
- Spread whipped cream as evenly as possible.
- Cut into 2 strips.
- Then start rolling up one strip. *If it gets stuck to the surface, loosen it with a sharp knife.
- Continue rolling strip to the end.
- Attach it to the other strip: Pinch the end of the rolled strip of dough to the end of the unrolled strip of dough
- Roll both strips together all the way up to the end.
- Spray mug with non-stick cooking spray and gently place the roll into an oven safe mug.
- Bake in preheated oven (uncovered) at 350 degrees F/176 degrees C for 30-35 minutes.
- Glaze: Stir confectioners sugar, vanilla and milk together in a bowl until smooth.
- Brush on or pour glaze over warm cinnamon roll in the mug OR invert the roll onto a plate and pour glaze over it or brush on.
Make it in your air fryer!
- Follow previous #1-12, place the cinnamon roll in the meal mug in your air fryer drawer or basket
- IF you have the BAKE function on your air fryer, bake at the same temperature and for the same time (350 degrees F/176 degrees C for 30-35 minutes.If you don't have the bake function, set on air fryer setting at 300 degrees F/148 degrees C for 20-25 minutes.Then add glaze.
Notes
Nutrition
☕More Mug Desserts
Looking for more single-serving desserts?
Arts
Can’t try this because the ingredients list is incomplete. The instructions mention whipped cream, but it’s not in the ingredients list?
Terri Gilson
Hi,
Thanks so much for pointing that out! Sorry about that - I can't believe I missed that! It's fixed now. Hope you'll give it a try!
Terri