The Fluffy Vegan Cinnamon Roll Recipe I Make Every Weekend
Our vegan cinnamon roll recipe is so fluffy and good, you'll never suspect it's a healthier version of the classic that'll sustain you for hours. Make it this weekend!
The cinnamon roll, which is thought to have originated in Sweden, is a breakfast or dessert pastry widely enjoyed across Northern Europe and North America. It’s also one of those baked goods that is super satisfying, and can easily serve as a perfect brunch dish, or snack when you just want a sweet bite. A vegan cinnamon roll recipe is the slighter newer girl on the block, but she’s just as tasty.
Be sure to slather them with our vegan cinnamon rolls frosting recipe for that signature, finger-licking sweetness. Make this favorite for your brunch or breakfast-in-bed this Mother’s Day!
Are Vegan Cinnamon Rolls Healthy(er)?
Our vegan cinnamon roll recipe has everything you love about the classic: It’s fluffy, gooey, and cozy. However, with a few simple swaps, we’ve layered in some actual nutrients.
Vegan Cinnamon Roll Recipe Swaps:
- Whole wheat pastry flour: We’ve swapped out some of the white flour with whole wheat. This was you get the best of both world, the nutrients and fiber from the whole wheat, while maintaining that fluffy texture that the white flour affords.
- Coconut oil: We’ve swapped out the butter for coconut oil, which not only makes this cinnamon roll recipe vegan, it also adds a dose of antimicrobial benefits.
- Plant milk: Unlike dairy milk, most plant milks contain fiber. Be sure to check the ingredients on your plant milk, as many contain emulsifiers and added sugars. Organic is always best.
PS. If you care about health, you’ll 100% want to forego PFAS (aka “forever chemicals”) and pervasive microplastics in your kitchen. See our wellness expert and chef-vetted list of favorite non-toxic bakeware.
How to Make Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Vegan Cinnamon Roll Recipe Preparation
- Heat the milk until warm and add about 3 tablespoons of melted coconut oil to the liquid. Let cool, and once the mixture is lukewarm, add the yeast to it to bring it to life (if you add the yeast when the mixture is too hot, the yeast will die). Let the yeast activate for about 2 minutes, stir until smooth, and then transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Next, sprinkle in the salt and about 1 tablespoon of the sugar and mix until dissolved. After this you’ll begin adding the whole wheat flour gradually, and then start adding the white flour. Once the mixture is too tough to stir, begin kneading it with your hands either in the bowl or on a lightly floured, clean surface.
- Once you have kneaded the dough to a pliable consistency, clean the mixing bowl and coat both the bowl and the ball of dough in melted coconut oil, and place it in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour (or until double in size).
- Lightly flour a clean surface, and use a rolling pin or a water bottle covered in plastic wrap to roll out the dough into a thin rectangle. Brush the rolled-out dough with melted coconut oil, and sprinkle the remaining sugar and cinnamon evenly on top of the oil. Starting at one end of the rectangle, make a tight roll of the dough so that you end up with a long cylinder. Then use a serrated knife or pastry cutter to make 2-inch-long pieces of dough from the roll.
- Oil a baking pan and then place the pieces of the roll in the pan, brush the tops of the cinnamon rolls with the remaining coconut oil, then cover with a cloth and let sit while you preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Bake the cinnamon rolls for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top. Let them cool for a few minutes before serving.
- If you wanted to try a unique flavor in your cinnamon rolls, you can add cardamom to the dough while you are kneading it.
Vegan Roll Glaze Recipe
Enough for 8-10 cinnamon rolls
Preparation
Using an electric mixer, combine softened butter, cream and powdered sugar, cinnamon and vanilla bean paste, or extract, until smooth and thick. Using an offset spatula spread the glaze over the hot cinnamon rolls and allow to cool for 20 minutes before serving.
