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
- 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.
- Sprinkle the yeast evenly over that mixture, stir, and let sit in a warm place for 10 minutes.
- Add in the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- 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.*
- Generously grease 1 large baking dish and set aside.
- Prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the filling, mix well, and set aside.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Once the rolls have risen, bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.
- 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.
- 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
