Description
These Ube Cinnamon Rolls are filled with a sweet ube filling, baked until light and fluffy, then drizzled with an ube cream cheese frosting. Enjoy as an indulgent holiday breakfast, or as a sweet Filipino dessert.
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 cups unsweetened non-dairy, warm to the touch
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) vegan butter, melted
- 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
- 1 packet (2¼) teaspoons active dry yeast
- 6 cups (720g) all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Filling
- 3/4 cup (155g) brown sugar
- 1 cup cooked and mashed ube
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) vegan butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ube extract
Icing
- ¾ cup (90g) powdered sugar
- 2 ounces vegan cream cheese, softened
- 1½ tablespoons melted vegan butter
- 1/4 teaspoon ube extract
- Non-dairy milk, as needed to thin
Instructions
- Activate the yeast. In a large bowl, whisk together the non-dairy milk, granulated 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 flour. Add in 4 cups of flour and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and place the bowl in a warm place for a first rise, or until the dough has doubled in size.
- Prepare the filling. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the brown sugar, mashed cube, vegan butter, ground cinnamon, and ube extract. Using a hand mixer or fork, mix until smooth and set aside.
- Knead the dough for 10 minutes. After the dough has doubled, uncover and add the remaining cups 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. Once sufficiently kneaded, the dough should be soft (not sticky) and spring back when poked.
- Roll the dough into a large rectangle. Generously grease a 9×13” (or similar-sized) baking dish and set aside. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 1/2″ thick large rectangle. Using a spatula, evenly spread this mixture onto the dough in an even layer.
- 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 or thread, cut the log into 12 even pieces. Arrange them evenly in the greased baking pan.
- Rise for 1 hour. Cover the rolls with a clean kitchen towel or a piece of plastic wrap and place the baking dish in a warm area to rise for 1 hour.
- Bake. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Once the rolls have risen, bake in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Prepare the ube icing. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the softened vegan cream cheese, butter, and ube extract. Using a hand mixer or immersion blender, mix until well combined and smooth. Sift in the powdered sugar and whisk together again. Add the non-dairy milk as needed until your desired consistency is reached.
- Drizzle with icing and serve. Once the vegan ube rolls are golden and fluffy, let them cool for about 15 minutes, then generously drizzle with the ube icing, as desired. Enjoy immediately while fresh!
Notes
- Ube: If using frozen ube, defrost and add to a kitchen towel and squeeze the excess liquid out. We haven’t tested it, but mashed purple sweet potatoes (Okinawan sweet potato) will add a similar color and texture to the ube filling. The flavor won’t be the same, but it’s a good option when in a pinch! Alternatively, ube jam (ube halaya jam) can also work, but we’d reduce the brown sugar to 1/4-1/3 cup, as jam contains added sugars.
- Rising: If you need a warm space for the dough to rise, you can place it into an oven with the oven light on.
- Storage: Cinnamon rolls are best served fresh, but can be stored for up to 3 days at room temperature. When reheating, we microwave for about 15 seconds, to soften them up and make them fluffy again.
- Freezing raw ube cinnamon rolls: To freeze before baking, follow the recipe through placing the cut ube cinnamon rolls in a greased baking pan (when freezing, we recommend using a disposable freezer container such as an aluminum pan). Tightly cover the pan with a sheet of parchment paper followed by a layer of aluminum foil, then freeze for up to 2 months. Then, when ready to bake, thaw the cinnamon rolls in the refrigerator overnight. Once thawed, let come to room temperature on the kitchen counter, then bake as usual.
- Freezing baked cinnamon rolls: Baked rolls can be frozen for up to 1 month (without icing). Place the cooled rolls 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
- Baking Dish: If you do not have a large baking dish, a large baking sheet will work. Just be sure to line it with parchment paper or a silicone mat and keep in mind that the rolls expand.
- Overnight Option: 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 in the refrigerator, for up to 24 hours. 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.
- Prep Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 27 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven