Easy Vegan Cinnamon Rolls (Overnight Option!)

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!

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.

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

• Mixing bowls
• Wooden spatula and baking spatula
• 9×13 baking dish
• Rolling pin
• Sharp knife or dental floss
• Fine mesh sieve or sifter

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. 

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: 

• Vegan breakfast proteins like vegan breakfast sausage, Tofu Bacon, Vegan Rice Paper Bacon, or Homemade Tempeh Bacon.
• Vegan egg scrambles like Vegan Filipino Scrambled Eggs, Chickpea Scramble, or this Basic Tofu Scramble.
• Fresh fruit like Fresh Grapefruit, mixed berries, or one of these amazing looking fruit displays perfect for parties and birthdays. 

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! 

More Vegan Breakfast Recipes You May Enjoy: 

• Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal – a cozy, sweet breakfast bake that’s a spin on the classic oatmeal.
• Classic Vegan Crepes – making crepes from scratch is so much easier than you think!
• Vegan French Toast – our absolute favorite classic French toast recipe.
• Vegan S’mores Baked Oatmeal – enjoy dessert for breakfast with this baked oatmeal with a s’mores twist.
• Fluffy Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls (vegan) – the BEST pumpkin rolls to enjoy during the colder months!

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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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!