The Cinnamon Roll That Won’t Ruin Your Day

(Yes, You Can Still Lose Weight)

Summer holidays always pull me back into the kitchen. It’s the time of year where I experiment, test ideas, and remind myself (and my clients) of one simple truth:

You don’t have to give up the foods you love to lose weight.

You just have to be smarter about them.

One of my all-time favourite treats is a classic cinnamon roll. Warm, sticky, comforting. But here’s the part most people don’t realise… A regular cinnamon roll, like the kind you get at Cinnabon contains around 880 calories.

That’s not a snack.That’s an entire day’s worth of calories for many people, and when you still plan to eat breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner, it becomes very clear why weight loss feels so hard. It’s not lack of discipline. It’s hidden calories.

Why “Treats” Can Stall Your Progress

That one cinnamon roll can quietly:

• Use up your full daily calorie allowance

• Leave you feeling hungry later

• Make consistency feel impossible

This is where most diets fail. Not because people eat too much food, but because they’re eating very calorie-dense foods in small portions. So instead of cutting treats out completely, I prefer a better approach.

A Cinnamon Roll That’s Actually Worth It

I wanted something that still felt indulgent, tasted good, and fit into a balanced lifestyle.

The result? A homemade cinnamon roll that comes in at around 110–130 calories per roll, without feeling like “diet food”.

Low-Calorie Cinnamon Roll Recipe

(Makes 10 rolls)

Approximate Nutrition Per Roll

• Calories: ~130 kcal

• Protein: ~2.4 g

• Carbohydrates: ~20 g

• Fat: ~4 g

  
  

Ingredients

Dough

• 150 g self-raising flour

• 125 g plain Greek yogurt

• 40 g butter

• 60 g brown sugar

• 5 g ground cinnamon

Cream Cheese Glaze

• 40 g cream cheese (softened)

• 20 g icing sugar

• 5–10 ml water or milk (to thin)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. In a bowl, mix the Greek yogurt and self-raising flour until a soft dough forms.

3. Roll the dough out flat using a rolling pin.

4. Spread the butter evenly over the dough, then sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.

5. Roll the dough into a log and cut into 10 small scrolls.

6. Place on a lined baking tray and bake for 15–20 minutes, or until lightly golden.

7. Mix the cream cheese, icing sugar, and liquid until smooth, then drizzle over warm rolls.

The Bigger Picture

Weight loss isn’t about cutting everything out. It’s about making choices you can repeat.

When you:

• Control portions

• Reduce unnecessary calories

• Still enjoy food

  
  

Consistency becomes easy and results follow. This cinnamon roll is proof that balance beats restriction every time.