Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

3 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup  unbleached flour

2 teaspoons yeast

2 Tablespoons Vital Wheat Gluten

1tsp. salt

3 Tablespoons honey

3 Tablespoons olive oil (can use other types of oil)

11/4 cup of water

This recipe has been made for a bread machine, but only for the purpose of mixing it up and letting it rise once.  Place  all the ingredients in the bread machine and set it on  the homemade setting. While the dough is mixing it is good idea to check and see if the dough has formed a nice soft dough...not too dry or not too wet. If it seems too dry add a few drops of water at a time until the dough comes together into a soft dough. If the dough is too wet add a Tablespoon of flour as it mixes until you reach the desired soft dough. Allow the dough to rise once in the machine.  Melt 1/4 cup of Earth Balance (or another type of margarine spread)Set aside. Next, mix 1/2 cup of brown sugar or raw sugar with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 After the dough  has risen, place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll the dough out using a rolling pin and shape  into a rectangle. The dough should be about a 1/2 inch thick. Spread the margarine  over the rolled out dough leaving 1/2 inch at one end free of margarine. Then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar leaving the 1/2 inch at the same end free of the cinnamon sugar. You can add raisins, nuts, or dried cranberries at this point if you so desire. Begin rolling from the longest end of the rectangle and roll in a tight roll ending where you have allowed the 1/2 inch dough free of the margarine and sugar mixture. At the end of the roll pinch the dough together to help keep the dough together once the rolls  are cut. Cut the rolls into 1 inch pieces and place on a lined baking sheet(parchment paper) or lightly oil a baking sheet. Place the cut rolls side by side and cover with a light weight towel in a warm place until the rolls have risen almost double. 

Place in oven. Check at  20 minutes to see if the rolls have begun to brown, if so continue to cook until the rolls are a light golden brown around the edges and tops. Remove from oven and cool. You can add a powdered sugar glaze by mixing 1 cup of powdered sugar with 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract and add 1 Tablespoon of water and mix and continue adding a few drops of water until you reach the desired consistency of the icing. I like for it to easily pour off the end of a spoon and then I drizzle it over the cooled rolls. Enjoy!