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!
🥘Ingredient Notes
You will need the following ingredients for this single-serving dessert:
- Self-rising flour and Non -fat Greek yogurt. 2 ingredient dough is comprised of these 2 ingredients. If you don't have self-rising flour or can't get it, it's easy to make yourself! -(see Top Tip). Try it with my Weight Watchers Pizza!
- Butter extract. Butter extract is a great way to get butter flavor without the calories or fat!
- Lemon zest. Lemon zest adds a nice zing to the cinnamon roll dough and balances the sweetness of this cinnamon bun. I also use it in my Gruyère Apple Pie Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls!
- Light butter. Using light butter keep the calorie count lower.
- Light Spray whipped cream (in a can). I use Dairyland and Gay Lea Light whipped cream- they are brands that are only 1 WW point for 4 tbsp)
- Milk. I use 1% to keep the calories and fat at a minimum.
*See recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities
📖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
🔪How to Make Healthy Cinnamon Roll in a Mug
There are 2 ways to make cinnamon roll in a mug - by baking it or air frying it.
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
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.
🥗 Pairing
My favorite meals to serve with this cinnamon bun for dessert are Shepherd's Pie with Ground Turkey, Grilled Greek Chicken Burgers, Baked Chicken Cacciatore, and Cajun Chicken Avocado Mango Salad!
🌡️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.
❔ Recipe FAQs
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.
If you're looking for a delicious and healthy mug dessert or have a cinnamon roll craving, you'll love this easy recipe!
Looking for more single-serving desserts?
☕More Mug Desserts
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📋 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
- 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
-
- 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
Terri Gilson
This Healthy Cinnamon Roll in a Mug recipe is my answer to those cinnamon roll cravings without the fuss ( or the temptation!) of making a whole batch. Using Greek yogurt and self-rising flour keeps it light, but still so satisfying.
What I love most is that it's a real cinnamon roll, not just a mug cake pretending to be one. And you can make it in the oven or air fryer, whichever you prefer. It's such a fun way to treat yourself without going overboard!
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