Einkorn Cinnamon Roll Muffins

What is Einkorn Flour?

If you’ve been around Live Simply for a while, you probably know all about einkorn flour. It’s my go-to choice for baking. It’s not a common flour or something you’ll just find on any store shelf so let’s talk about a few key things to know about einkorn flour and where to find einkorn to make this recipe.

Noteworthy Einkorn Facts…

• Einkorn is known as the oldest variety of wheat making it an ancient grain. The ancient grain is believed to have originated in the Tigris-Euphrates region and is possibly the main grain referenced in the earliest accounts of the Bible. Einkorn is said to be the wheat men were eating in the earliest days before modern day wheat varieties. While modern wheat has undergone hybridization, einkorn still holds true to its original properties.
• Einkorn is a sweet grain with a lighter texture and taste than modern day wheat.
• Einkorn is the only wheat that’s missing certain types of gluten proteins that some people are sensitive to. Einkorn is not gluten-free, but many people who have gluten sensitivities tolerate einkorn well (NOT Celiacs, do not consume einkorn if you have celiacs).

The flavor, texture, and nutritional aspects of einkorn make it a fantastic flour to use for baking, particularly lighter baked goods like muffins. I shared an einkorn 101 post here, it’s definitely worth a read and listen (there’s a podcast episode included at the bottom of that post) if you’re new to einkorn.

Where to Buy Einkorn Flour

You can find einkorn at Whole Foods and health food stores, Vitacost (an online shop), and on Amazon. Definitely shop around as prices can vary based on the retailer. My favorite brand is Jovial Foods since finding their products is fairly easy, and I’ve come to respect this brand as a leader in the real food movement (check out my podcast episode with Carla, the founder, here). Another fantastic source for einkorn (flour and berries) is einkorn.com.

How to Make Einkorn Cinnamon Roll Muffins

• To start, make the muffin batter which is basically the same recipe as the Master Einkorn Muffins (a super popular and well loved blog recipe). That recipe is naturally-sweetened with maple syrup and applesauce and is the perfect base recipe for customizing with all sorts of flavor options.
• Once the muffin batter has been whisked together, spoon half the batter into a muffin tin.
• Next, make a cinnamon roll topping by combining brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, vanilla, and my favorite spice…cardamom. Spoon a small amount of the cinnamon roll topping on top of the batter in the muffin tray.
• Add the remaining batter over the top of the cinnamon roll topping.
• Finally, top off the muffins with more cinnamon roll topping.
• Bake the muffins for about 22 minutes. As the muffins bake, the cinnamon roll topping melts and the sugar crystalizes in the batter creating the iconic cinnamon roll flavor that we all love.

Tips for Making Einkorn Cinnamon Roll Muffins

• Sift the einkorn flour: I know, it’s an extra step none of us want to take, but sifting the flour by placing it in a fine mesh sieve and then gently shaking it into a bowl means you won’t end up with flour clumps in the muffins. And trust me, no one wants flour clumps in a muffin. Einkorn, in particular, seems to get a bit clumpy so I find sifting the flour solves this issue. Sifting flour also helps to make a lighter baked good.
• Sub whole wheat einkorn: If you want to use whole wheat einkorn instead of the all purpose einkorn flour called for in this recipe, reduce the flour by about 1/4 cup. The batter should be thick once all the ingredients are incorporated. If you find the batter is too runny, add in additional flour until you reach a thicker consistency.

Time-Saving Food Prep Tip

Muffins are one of my favorite foods to make because they’re so versatile (they work for the lunchbox, snack, dessert, or breakfast) and can be prepped in advance without any special considerations.

I like to prep a batch of muffins on the weekend to enjoy for breakfast and store extras in the fridge or in the freezer. I think you could also make a double batch of this recipe and freeze the extra for future enjoyment–saving a ton of time and your morning sanity well into the future. This is what I call “cooking once, eating twice.”

On a busy morning, pull a few muffins from the freezer, pop them in the microwave for a few seconds and make scrambled eggs (how to make scrambled eggs fluffy and without milk). <–A quick and nourishing breakfast in just minutes!

Love Einkorn? Try My Favorite Einkorn Muffin Recipes

This recipe is just one of many favorite einkorn muffin recipes that we make in our home. I like to have a variety of simple recipes like this to choose from and rotate.

All of the recipes below are naturally sweetened with either honey or maple syrup (my preference for something we will consume on a regular basis) and call for einkorn flour.

• Master Einkorn Muffin Recipe: One Recipe, Multiple Possibilities
• Einkorn Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
• Einkorn Banana-Maple Muffins 
• Einkorn Sourdough Banana Muffins
• Einkorn Lemon Poppy Muffins 
• Einkorn Mini Pancake Muffins