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    Home » Desserts » Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

    Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

    Published: Dec 20, 2021 · by Nico

    Jump to Recipe

    Our vegan cinnamon rolls are easy to make, lightly toasted on the outside, soft and moist on the inside, and with a tad of caramelized sugar underneath.

    vegan cinnamon rolls
    On this page:
    • Ingredients and substitutions
    • How to make vegan cinnamon rolls
    • Dough
    • Proofing
    • Filling
    • Shaping and cutting
    • Second proofing and bake
    • Icing on top
    • Variation for healthier cinnamon rolls
    • Storage
    • Similar Recipes
    • Recipe

    The frosting goes between all the layers of the roll, all the way down to the bottom. When you taste them, they are super fluffy, slightly gooey, and then melt in your mouth.

    vegan cinnamon roll drizzled with icing

    And for the most health-conscious of you out there, we even made a version without any added refined sugar.

    vegan cinnamon roll covered in vanilla icing

    Ingredients and substitutions

    Dough

    • Plant-milk: we use oat or almond milk, but any other plant-milk will do.
    • Sugar: we use brown sugar here. You can replace sugar with date paste in the same amounts.
    • Yeast: instant dry yeast is our favourite, but you can also use fresh yeast. If you use fresh yeast you need three times as much as instant dry yeast.
    • Fat: we use vegan butter here, but you can also use either a neutral vegetable oil, sunflower oil, or canola oil.
    • Flour: all purpose or bread flour.
    • Salt: to enhance the other flavors. We like to use sea salt.
    opened up vegan cinnamon roll

    Filling

    • Vegan butter: needs to be softened.
    • Brown sugar: to give sweetness and colour to the vegan cinnamon rolls.
    • Cinnamon

    For a healthier filling, you can replace the sugar and the vegan butter with date paste. Date paste will add enough sweetness and moistness to the rolls.

    sugar free cinnamon roll with date paste
    sugar-free cinnamon roll with date paste

    Icing

    • Powdered sugar
    • Plant milk (oat, almond, soy)
    • Vanilla extract

    Optionally you could add a couple of tablespoons of vegan cream cheese. In this case, to adjust the consistency, also add a little more plant milk.

    a baking tray full of freshly baked vegan cinnamon rolls

    How to make vegan cinnamon rolls

    Dough

    In a large bowl put lukewarm plant milk, I usually use almond milk or oat milk, sugar, and instant dry yeast.

    Mix with a whisk and let the yeast sit there for 1 minute.

    mixing the yeast with the liquids

    In the meantime, prepare the fat component, which can be a neutral vegetable oil, such as sunflower oil, or melted vegan butter.

    In this case, I chose vegan butter with no palm oil and no hydrogenated fats. Mine has a 50% fat component but up to 80% is fine.

    Melt it in a saucepan, then make sure that it is lukewarm and not hot, and add it to the bowl with the liquids.

    adding vegan butter to the liquids

    Give it another stir then add flour and salt.

    Mix with a wooden spoon or a silicone spatula until you get a dough ball that you can then transfer to a lightly floured work surface.

    transferring the dough on a lightly floured worktop

    Knead vigorously for at least 5 minutes, and until the dough is elastic and smooth. It may take up to 10 minutes.

    If you want, you can also use a standing mixer to knead the dough.

    The dough should be as soft as possible without sticking to your hands. So try not to add more flour. In the case of brioche dough, the wetter the better.

    kneading the dough of the cinnamon rolls

    As always in doughs, however, doses of flour and water may change slightly according to the type of flour you use, how old the flour is, or even according to altitude, temperature, and humidity of your kitchen.

    So if it really sticks to your hands, add a sprinkling of flour at a time, always remembering that a soft and moist brioche dough is preferable to a hard and dry one.

    shaping the dough into a ball

    Proofing

    Now put the dough to rise in a large bowl that is well oiled. I use the same bowl as before. Then cover the dough with a damp cloth or a lightly oiled plate and put it on top of the bowl upside down.

    For proofing, my advice, especially in the winter, is to let the dough rise in a warm oven, that is, turned on for 30-40 seconds, then turned off and kept with the light on.

    In this way we will create the optimal conditions for leavening, that is a temperature around 30 C or 85F and a draft-free environment.

    proofing in the oven

    Let the dough rise for about one hour, one hour and a half until it has doubled in size.

    While the dough is rising, let's prepare the filling for the cinnamon rolls.

    dough has doubled in size

    Filling

    In a bowl, put softened vegan butter, sugar, and cinnamon.

    Incorporate with a fork until the ingredients are well mixed together, then put in a cool place, and if you see that the vegan butter melts too much, you can also put it in the fridge to keep the mixture with a consistency that is not too liquid, and that is easy to spread.

    filling of the cinnamon rolls

    Shaping and cutting

    At this point, the dough should be double in size, transfer to a work surface trying not to add flour, or at least add a little flour at a time if necessary.

    Fold the dough over 5 or 6 times, then roll it up into a ball by using the edges of your hands.

    These two movements will give structure to our dough and it will also make it easier to shape the cinnamon rolls.

    folding the dough on itself to create structure

    Now dust the work surface with a dusting of flour, and begin to roll out the dough, first with your hands, then with the help of a rolling pin, trying to make a rectangle of about 12 x 16 inches or 30 x 40 cm.

    Make the corners as square as possible.

    rolling out the dough

    Now spread the filling on it. You can spread it with a spoon, or even better with a silicone spatula. Spread it all over the rectangle leaving just a quarter of an inch at the edges.

    spreading the filling on the rolled out dough

    Now roll the dough on itself. My advice is to start from the shorter side, trying to form a nice compact roll.

    rolling the dough

    Before cutting the roll, choose a shape to bake it. I prefer square shapes, but a round pan is fine too.

    We used a 10 inch by 10 inches (25cm by 25cm) square baking pan. Grease it well with vegan butter, then you are ready to cut the roll.

    Take a piece of dental floss, wrap it around the roll, and tighten it as if you wanted to tie a knot.

    cutting the dough into cinnamon rolls with dental floss

    This way the roll will be cut evenly maintaining a round shape.

    Alternatively, you can use a bread knife, but the rolls will squish a bit at the base.

    Here I cut each roll to a thickness of just over an inch (3 centimeters). Then transfer each roll to the baking sheet. This 10 x 10 inches (25 x 25 cm) square pan will fit 9 rolls at most.

    Don't worry if they aren't perfect, they look better if they are a little different from each other.

    9 rolls in a squared baking tray before baking

    Second proofing and bake

    Then if we have some leftovers we can place them on another baking sheet and leave them in the fridge to be baked the next day, or we can even freeze them to be baked later.

    Once the vegan cinnamon rolls are arranged on the baking sheet let them proof for another 40 minutes before baking them.

    Preheat the oven to 350F or 180C and in the meantime brush the rolls with a little bit of plant milk. Then when the oven is hot bake them for about 20 - 25 minutes.

    just baked vegan cinnamon rolls

    One important thing: if you use a low-sided pan like this one here, then the cinnamon rolls will bake in about 20 minutes. If you use a high-sided pan the rolls will take around 25 minutes.

    At this point, with the house filled with the scent of brioche and cinnamon, we can take the cinnamon rolls out of the oven and let them cool for 15 minutes before devouring them.

    Icing on top

    open up cinnamon roll

    To go all-in we serve them with an easy vanilla frosting, which in my opinion is mandatory to have a complete experience.

    To make the frosting, we mix together powdered sugar, plant milk, and vanilla extract.

    icing made with powdered sugar, plant milk and vanilla

    If you want you can also add a few spoonfuls of vegan cream cheese. In this case, adjust by adding a little more milk.

    That's it, after 15 minutes we can serve them, leaving the glaze aside at the discretion of your guests.

    applying the glaze on top of the cinnamon roll

    These cinnamon rolls are fluffy, slightly toasted on the edges, and super soft inside, with the sugar and cinnamon melted and slightly caramelized underneath.

    Then the frosting goes between all the layers of the roll, all the way down to the bottom. When you taste them, they are super fluffy, slightly gooey, and then melt in your mouth.

    Eating something like this is truly an almost transcendental experience at least for me especially when I think that these cinnamon rolls are 100% plant-based.

    Variation for healthier cinnamon rolls

    sugar-free cinnamon rolls made with date paste
    sugar-free cinnamon rolls made with date paste

    Here at The Plantbased School, we believe that these recipes are important for special occasions, for partying, for letting loose, and not being too hard on yourself.

    But we also want to emphasize that in everyday life we believe in eating healthy, with less sugar, and with foods a little less refined.

    So in order to enjoy these cinnamon rolls a little more often, we made a light version, without added sugars.

    All you need to do is replace the sugar in the dough with equal amounts of date paste.

    For the dough mix the date paste with the plant milk, vegan butter, and yeast till the date paste is fully dissolved in the liquid.

    Then add the flour and salt and continue as described above.

    Easy right? Thanks to the smooth and spreadable texture, and the very sweet flavor, date paste is particularly suitable for the filling of our cinnamon rolls as well and will replace vegan butter and sugar in one fell swoop.

    So the only thing you need to do for the filling of these sugar-free cinnamon rolls is to mix date paste and cinnamon together and your filling is ready. Continue the recipe as described previously.

    sugar-free cinnamon rolls in a round baking tray

    These also turned out super cute, nice and tall, and super fluffy. Since we're eating these without frosting on top, we immediately brush them with a little water to keep them soft longer. These are perfect for breakfast or as a snack.

    And despite the fact that there are no refined sugars, these vegan cinnamon rolls are perfectly sweet and soft.

    vegan cinnamon roll opened up
    with date paste and cinnamon filling

    Storage

    If you don't eat your vegan cinnamon rolls right away then I recommend storing them in plastic bags, airtight so they don't dry out too much.

    You can also freeze the cinnamon rolls. To do so, after cutting them, put them on a tray, wrap them with film and freeze them before the second proofing.

    Let thaw in the refrigerator before cooking them in a preheated oven at 350F or 180C for 20-25 minutes.

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    Recipe

    tray full of vegan cinnamon rolls

    Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

    Author: Nico
    Our vegan cinnamon rolls are easy to make, lightly toasted on the outside, soft and moist on the inside, and with a tad of caramelized sugar underneath.
    Then the frosting goes between all the layers of the roll, all the way down to the bottom. When you taste them, they are super fluffy, slightly gooey, and then melt in your mouth.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe
    5 from 7 votes
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Proofing 2 hrs
    Total Time 2 hrs 30 mins
    Course Breakfast, Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 9 rolls
    Calories 300 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    DOUGH

    • 1 cup plant-milk (oats, almond, soy)
    • ¼ cup sugar
    • 2½ teaspoons instant dry yeast
    • ⅓ cup vegan butter melted
    • 3⅓ cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    FILLING

    • ¼ cup vegan butter
    • ½ cup brown sugar
    • 4 teaspoons cinnamon

    ICING

    • ¾ cup powdered sugar
    • 1½ tablespoons plant milk (oat, almond, soy)
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

    Instructions
     

    DOUGH

    • To a bowl, add lukewarm plant milk, melted vegan butter, sugar, and instant yeast. Mix with a whisk and let the yeast bloom for 1 minute.
      The mixture must be lukewarm before adding the yeast. If it's too hot, let cool down for a minute.
    • Combine with a whisk, then add flour and salt, and mix with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula till you get a dough.
    • Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured worktop and knead with your hands for 5 minutes.
    • When the dough is smooth and elastic, shape it into a ball and put into a large, oiled bowl.
      Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or with an upside down plate and let proof in a warm place for 1 to 1½ hours, or until the dough doubles in size.
    • TIP: I like to proof the dough in a slightly warm oven. Turn the oven on for 30 seconds, then off, and put the dough in it to proof. If your oven allows it, keep the light on. This will keep the oven slightly warm.

    FILL and SHAPE

    • To a small bowl add softened vegan butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Mix with a fork till your have a thick paste. This is your filling.
    • When the dough has doubled in size, transfer it back onto the worktop and fold it of itself 6 times, pulling the edges and bringing them back to the centre of the dough.
    • Shape into a ball, then with the help of a rolling pin, roll it out into a rectangle shape that is about 12 x 16 inches (30 x 40 cm).
    • Spread the filling to cover the whole surface of the dough, leaving only ¼ of an inch (½ cm) around the edge without filling.
    • Roll up the dough starting form the short side of the rectangle, forming a log. Trim the uneven ends, then cut the log into at least 9 and max 12 rolls.
      Each piece should be around 3 cm (1½ inches) thick.
      Cut the dough with dental floss, like if you were trying to tie a knot around each roll, then pulling the ends of the knot cutting through the dough. Alternatively, use a sharp bread knife.

    BAKE

    • Arrange 9 cinnamon rolls into a well buttered cake pan. You can use either a 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pan or a 10x10 inch (25x25 cm) squared one.
      Personally, I think the rolls look better if baked into a squared pan.
    • Let the rolls proof a second time for about 30 to 45 minutes, then bake in a preheated oven at 350F (180C) for 20 to 25 minutes.
    • Let cool down for 10 minutes before drizzling with the icing.
      To make the icing, mix together the powdered sugar, plant milk, and vanilla extract.

    Video Recipe

    CINNAMON ROLLS in 2 modi | Ricetta classica e ricetta light.

    Notes

    No-added sugar version

    To make a sugar free version of this recipe you can use date paste instead of sugar. Date paste is made with blended pitted dates that have previously been softened in hot water. 
    For the dough you can simply substitute date paste for the sugar in the same quantities. 
    For the filling you can substitute date paste for vegan butter and sugar, so in this recipe you'll need 160 grams (5.6 oz)of date paste to mix with the cinnamon.

    Nutritional Values

    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 300 Calories from Fat 81
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 9g14%
    Saturated Fat 2g13%
    Trans Fat 2g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
    Monounsaturated Fat 4g
    Potassium 109mg3%
    Carbohydrates 50g17%
    Dietary Fiber 2g8%
    Sugar 21g23%
    Protein 5g10%
    Vitamin A 87IU2%
    Vitamin B6 1mg50%
    Vitamin C 2mg2%
    Vitamin E 1mg7%
    Vitamin K 8µg8%
    Calcium 51mg5%
    Folate 129µg32%
    Iron 2mg11%
    Manganese 1mg50%
    Magnesium 10mg3%
    Zinc 1mg7%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you like this recipe?We are not much on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Leave us a comment below instead, it would mean the world to us 🙂

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sue

      March 24, 2022 at 4:00 pm

      5 stars
      Hello Nico
      Another GREAT recipe!! Made these many several times and they always came out perfect and so yummy!!! It's such an easy recipe to follow with simple ingredients. Thank you for yet a winner recipe!! Keep up the great work you are doing :)))

      Reply
    2. erica

      March 07, 2022 at 9:19 pm

      5 stars
      Such an easy recipe to follow, and they came out better than I could've expected!! So light and fluffy, will definitely make again

      Reply
      • Nico

        March 08, 2022 at 5:59 am

        Hi Erica, I am delighted to hear!! Thanks for making the recipe and for taking the time to comment! Cheers. Nico

        Reply

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