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This Vegan Cinnamon Rolls recipe is the BEST cinnamon rolls recipe of all time. They’re ultra fluffy, perfectly sweet, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. If you’re looking for a vegan classic cinnamon roll with cream cheese frosting, you’ve come to the right place!

Vegan Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

These Vegan Cinnamon rolls are inspired by my cousin, Nathan’s recipe. He absolutely nailed it with these cinnamon rolls and I am so excited to share it with you on the blog. If you’re a cinnamon roll lover like we are, you’ll also need to check out our other cinnamon roll recipes.

For example, if you’re super short on time, we highly recommend our 30-Minute Cinnamon Rolls that requires NO rising. Or, if you’re making cinnamon rolls during the fall season, you can’t go wrong with our Fluffy Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls or these Golden Milk Cinnamon Rolls. Finally, if you’re looking for a chocolate twist, you’ll love these 5-Ingredient Puffed Pastry Cinnamon Rolls.

labeled ingredients for vegan cinnamon rolls are gray board

Ingredients You’ll Need 

  • Dairy-free milk: We used homemade almond milk, but opt for any unsweetened or lightly sweetened plant milk. Both oat milk or soy milk would be good creamy choices. 
  • Sugar: You’ll need granulated cane sugar for the cinnamon roll dough and light brown sugar for the cinnamon sugar filling. If needed, you could also substitute coconut sugar or brown sugar in the filing. 
  • Vegan butter: Cinnamon rolls are traditionally made with dairy butter in both the dough and the filling. The easiest swap is vegan butter. We used the brand Melt Organic, but you can use any vegan butter sticks. 
  • Active dry yeast: Both active dry yeast and instant dry yeast will work. Active dry yeast needs to be hydrated with warm water before adding to the dough, and instant yeast does not. Regardless of what yeast you’re using, we do recommend “blooming” it first. Replacing the yeast with alternate ingredients like arrowroot will not work and is not recommended. 
  • Flour: We’ve only tested these vegan cinnamon rolls with all-purpose flour and, unfortunately, can’t recommend alternatives. If you are gluten-free, you might enjoy our 3 Ingredient Raw Vegan Cinnamon Rolls.
  • Cream cheese: We used Kite Hill’s cream cheese, but any vegan cream cheese brand will work. Reader’s have also shared luck using Miyoko’s! 

Equipment Needed

single cinnamon roll on dish

How to Make Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

  1. Activate the yeast. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond milk, sugar, and melted vegan butter. You want this mixture to be warm, but not hot or it will kill the yeast. Once well combined, sprinkle the dry active yeast over top, stir, and let it sit in a warm place for 10 minutes. Add in the vanilla extract and mix until combined. 
  2. Add in the flour. Add 4 cups of flour to the mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and place the bowl in a warm place to rise for 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size. 
  3. Knead the dough for 10 minutes. Once the dough has risen, remove the plastic wrap or towel and add the remaining cup of flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir well until combined, then turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes, adding more flour as necessary, until it is no longer sticky. When sufficiently kneaded, the dough should spring back when poked. 
  4. Roll the dough into a large rectangle. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 1/2″ thick large rectangle. This does not have to be perfect! 
  5. Prepare and spread the filling. In a small bowl, combine the light brown sugar, softened butter, and ground cinnamon. Using a spatula, evenly spread this mixture onto the dough in an even layer. 
  6. Roll and cut the dough. Starting on the long side, roll the dough into a tight log, then place the seam-side down to prevent the log from unrolling. Then, using a sharp knife, cut the log into 12 even pieces. Arrange them evenly in the greased baking dish. 
  7. Second rise. Cover the vegan cinnamon rolls with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm area to rise for 1 hour. 
  8. Bake. Once the rolls have risen, bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and fluffy. 
  9. Prepare the vegan cream cheese frosting. While the cinnamon rolls bake, prepare the frosting. Sift the powdered sugar into a medium bowl, then add in the vegan cream cheese, vegan butter, and vanilla extract. Whisk well to combine until completely smooth. 
  10. Frost and serve. When the vegan cinnamon rolls are finished, allow them to cool for about 10 minutes, then generously drizzle with the frosting. Serve and enjoy!

Overnight Option 

If you’re prepping these delicious vegan cinnamon rolls for guests, you may want to make them the night before to keep the morning easy and stress-free. To do so, follow the recipe as written in step 9. Instead of rising the cinnamon rolls at room temperature, cover them tightly with lightly greased plastic wrap and place in the fridge to “slow rise” overnight. 

The next morning, allow the cinnamon rolls to come to room temperature for 2-3 hours, or uncover and place them directly into the oven while it preheats. This will help them warm up faster, then bake as recommended in recipe step 10. 

Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

Serving Suggestions 

Homemade cinnamon rolls are delicious served on their own with your favorite morning beverage like Homemade Cold Brew or a Hot Vegan Matcha Latte, but it can also be paired with a number of breakfast side dishes to make a more well-rounded meal. If you’re serving these vegan cinnamon buns for holidays like Christmas morning, Valentine’s day, or other special occasions, here are a few of our favorite sides to consider: 

Storage Instructions

These Vegan Cinnamon Rolls will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

If freezing, we recommend placing them in a freezer safe container, such as a disposable aluminum pan covered with parchment paper, then a layer of aluminum foil to seal. Thaw completely in the refrigerator then bring to room temperature or reheat until warmed through. 

After a couple of days, these cinnamon rolls won’t be as soft as freshly baked. We like to pop ours in the microwave for about 15 seconds to soften them up and make them fluffy again. This will slightly melt the frosting, but it will still be delicious! 

Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

More Vegan Breakfast Recipes You May Enjoy: 

Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you recreate any of our recipes, we love to see your photos!

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Vegan Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

Easy Vegan Cinnamon Rolls Recipe


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 4 reviews

  • Author: Jasmine @ Sweet Simple Vegan
  • Total Time: 2 hours 37 minutes
  • Yield: 12 cinnamon rolls

Description

This Vegan Cinnamon Rolls recipe is the BEST cinnamon rolls recipe of all time. They’re ultra fluffy, perfectly sweet, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. If you’re looking for a vegan classic cinnamon roll with cream cheese frosting, you’ve come to the right place!


Ingredients

Dough

  • 2 cups unsweetened almond milk, warm to the touch
  • 1/2 cup organic sugar
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) vegan butter, melted (we used Melt Organic)
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 5 cups all-purpose flour, divided
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Filling

  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) vegan butter, softened (we used Melt Organic)
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Frosting

  • 3/4 cup organic powdered sugar
  • 4 oz. vegan cream cheese, softened (we used Kite Hill)
  • 3 tablespoons vegan butter, melted (we used Melt Organic)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the almond milk, sugar, and vegan butter. The mixture should be just warm to the touch but not too hot as that may kill the yeast.
  2. Sprinkle the yeast evenly over that mixture, stir, and let sit in a warm place for 10 minutes.
  3. Add in the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
  4. Add 4 cups of flour to the mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and place the bowl in a warm place to rise for 1 hour, until doubled in size.*
  5. Generously grease 1 large baking dish and set aside.
  6. Prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the filling, mix well, and set aside.
  7. Once the dough has risen, remove the plastic wrap and add the remaining cup of flour along with the baking powder and salt. Stir until well combined. Flour a clean work surface and then turn the dough out onto it. Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes, adding more flour as necessary, until it is no longer sticky and is soft. The dough should spring back when poked.
  8. Roll the dough out into a 1/2″ thick large rectangle (it does not have to be perfect). Using a spatula, evenly spread the filling over the dough.
  9. Roll up the dough (the long side) into a tight log and then place the seam-side down. Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 12 even pieces and then arrange them evenly in the greased baking dish. Cover the rolls with a clean towel and place it into a warm area to rise for 1 hour.
  10. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Once the rolls have risen, bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.
  11. While the cinnamon rolls are baking, prepare the frosting: In a medium bowl, sift in the powdered sugar (to prevent clumps) and then add in the remaining ingredients. Whisk together until smooth.
  12. When the cinnamon rolls are finished, allow them to cool for about 10 minutes and then generously drizzle with the frosting (we used it all). If necessary, you can use a spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the frosting. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Adapted from Tasty Recipes.
  • If you need a warm space for the dough to rise, you can place it into an oven with the oven light on.
  • Store the cinnamon rolls in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days. Please note that the rolls will harden the longer they sit. We like to pop ours in the microwave for 15 seconds to soften them up.
  • We baked ours in a baking dish but if you do not have one, a large baking sheet will work as well. Just be sure to line it with parchment paper or a silicone mat and keep in mind that the rolls expand.
  • The cinnamon roll dough can be made up to 24 hours in advance. After placing the cinnamon rolls in the baking dish, instead of setting them in a warm place to rise, cover the cinnamon rolls with a lightly greased plastic wrap and place them into the refrigerator. They will actually do a “slow rise” in there. You can keep them in there for up to 24 hours (they may start to seep liquid and get weird if you let them sit longer). The next day, remove the dish from the refrigerator and allow the cinnamon rolls to come to room temperature, which will take about 2-3 hours depending on the temperature of your home. Lastly, bake them for the amount of time called for in the recipe. I have read that you can also pop them in the oven while it preheats to speed up the process of bringing them to room temperature and then when the oven is preheated, to still bake it for the amount of time the recipe calls for. I have not tested that but from other recipes I have seen online, they claim it works!
  • Prep Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 27 minutes
  • Category: Dessert, Baked Goods
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: Vegan

Nutrition facts label provided by Nutri Fox.

Disclaimer: The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional’s advice. This page may contain affiliate links, which simply means that we earn a commission if you purchase through those links, but your price remains the same. Thank you for supporting Sweet Simple Vegan!

Meet The Bloggers

hey there! we’re jasmine & chris.

Hi, we’re Jasmine and Chris! We share fresh and fun recipes to show you that vegan cooking is easy, approachable and delicious. When we’re not blogging, you will probably find us enjoying live music, tending to our backyard garden or playing with our dogs Berry and Louie

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12 Comments

  1. I just LOVE these. I’ve made them several times for my family. I ended up not doing a cream cheese icing and adapted one from the internet to make it vegan. I do have a question… for the dough – it asks to add in vanilla, yet there is no quantity listed? How much? I’ve been doing a teaspoon, but didn’t know if I should be adding more. Thanks!






  2. They look good, smell great and taste delicious. They are sooo soft and fluffy thank you so much! Going on 3 years being plant based and you guys have been such a great help. Now all I need is for you guys to make a vegan panettone so I can make my french toast with it. ????






    1. We haven’t tested this recipe with any other flours, but I would not recommend replacing yeast with arrowroot!

  3. Tried this today and this is hands down the softest dough I’ve had so far. LOVE these. Now to try not and eat them all in 2 days.

  4. These cinnamon rolls look magnificent! I cannot believe how easy this recipe is. It’s perfect because I have a container of Miyoko’s Kitchen plainly classic vegan cream cheese and I need ideas on what to create with it. A batch of cinnamon rolls with a vegan cream cheese icing sounds PERFECT!

    1. Yes, you totally can! I will add a note to the recipe as well. So after placing the cinnamon rolls in the baking dish, instead of setting them in a warm place to rise, cover the cinnamon rolls with a lightly greased plastic wrap and place them into the refrigerator. They will actually do a “slow rise” in there. You can keep them in there for up to 24 hours (they may start to seep liquid and get weird if you let them sit longer). The next day, remove them from the refrigerator and allow them to come to room temperature, which will take about 2-3 hours depending on the temperature of your home. Lastly, bake them for the amount of time called for in the recipe.

      I have read that you can also pop them in the oven while it preheats to speed up the process of bringing them to room temperature and then when the oven is preheated, to still bake it for the amount of time the recipe calls for. I have not tested that but from other recipes I have seen online, they claim it works!