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Take our classic cinnamon rolls to the next level with these Vegan Creme Brûlée Cinnamon Rolls! Soft, fluffy cinnamon rolls filled with creamy custard, then torched until caramelized and golden on top. It’s the perfect decadent breakfast for holiday brunch!

Creme Brûlée cinnamon rolls on a blue plate

When we think of the holidays, ooey gooey, freshly baked vegan cinnamon rolls always come to mind. They’re the perfect breakfast, brunch, or even dessert!

This year, we’re taking it up a notch (even beyond our beloved Giant Cinnamon Roll Cake!). We’re confident these cinnamon rolls are like nothing you’ve ever had.

They’ve got the same fluffy dough and cinnamon sugar filling, but are then filled with a homemade creme brûlée custard, coated in crispy sugar, and torched until crunchy and golden – everything you love about cinnamon rolls and a Vegan Creme Brûlée combined!

flour, non-dairy milk, brown sugar, non-dairy heavy cream, granulated sugar, coconut milk, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, vanilla extract, cinnamon, vegan butter, active dry yeast

Ingredients You’ll Need

Vegan cinnamon rolls: We recommend making our Classic Vegan Cinnamon Rolls for this recipe. It makes enough custard for one batch or 12 cinnamon rolls.
Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the creme brûlée custard and is sprinkled on the cinnamon rolls right before torching. Opt for an organic brand to ensure your sugar is vegan.
Cornstarch: The primary thickening agent used to thicken the custard and help it firm up during refrigeration.
Non-dairy milk: Any plain or lightly sweetened milk will work well. Our Homemade Almond Milk would be great.
Coconut milk: Adds rich creaminess to the custard and contributes to its thicker consistency. For the best results, you want to use canned full-fat coconut milk.
Vegan butter: Adds additional richness and a smooth mouthfeel. Any store-bought vegan butter of choice will work!
Vanilla extract: Enhances the vanilla flavor in the cinnamon rolls and adds depth of flavor.
Non-dairy heavy cream: Makes the custard filling light and fluffy, similar to frosting, and easy to pipe in between each cinnamon roll. Country Crock Plant Cream is what we prefer!

overhead of Creme Brûlée cinnamon roll on blue plate with a fork

Equipment Needed

How to Make Creme Brûlée Cinnamon Rolls Vegan

Bake a batch of our Classic Vegan Cinnamon Rolls (without frosting!). Once the cinnamon rolls are baked and cooled, separate them from each other and place them on a baking tray or heatproof work surface. Set aside.
Begin the custard. Combine the cornstarch and sugar in a medium-sized saucepan (over no heat). Add half of the non-dairy milk and whisk until the cornstarch and sugar are completely dissolved and no clumps remain. Then, whisk in the remaining non-dairy milk plus the coconut milk.
Heat until thickened. Set the saucepan over medium heat and cook for 4-6 minutes, mixing constantly. When ready, the consistency should be slightly thinner than that of condensed milk. At this point, add the vegan butter, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir through until the butter is melted and the custard is completely smooth.
Chill the custard. Pour the mixture into a heatproof bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent skin from forming. Place the custard in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Make the whipped cream. Once the custard mixture has sufficiently chilled, add the non-dairy heavy cream and granulated sugar to a separate large bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, whip the cream to stiff peaks.
Add the whipped cream to the custard. Remove the custard mixture from the fridge and briefly beat it with an electric mixture at low speed to loosen it. Add the whipped cream and beat together until combined.
Fill the cinnamon rolls. Transfer the creme brûlée custard to a piping bag. Generously pipe the cream into the spiral of each cinnamon roll. You might need to slightly separate the spirals to create more space for the cream mixture.
Coat in sugar. Once all of the cinnamon rolls are filled with the creme brûlée custard, begin to prepare to torch them. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of sugar on top of the first cinnamon roll. Some of the sugar will likely roll off, but try to coat as much of the top as possible.
Caramelize the sugar. Using a culinary torch, caramelize the sugar until hardened and golden. Repeat for the rest of the cinnamon rolls. Enjoy!

Creme Brûlée cinnamon roll on a blue plate

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make these cinnamon rolls in advance?

Yes! The cinnamon rolls and custard can be made up to 24 hours in advance and assembled/caramelized right before serving. If you prepare the cinnamon rolls in advance, store them tightly covered at room temperature until ready to fill and serve.

I don’t own a kitchen torch. Can I still make these cinnamon rolls?

Though a culinary torch or kitchen torch is best, you may be able to caramelize the sugar under the oven broiler.

To do so, place the separated cinnamon rolls on a large baking sheet, pipe in the custard, coat in sugar, then place directly until the broiler for a couple of minutes. Observe to prevent burning.

Will this work with any base cinnamon rolls?

We developed this recipe with our Easy Vegan Cinnamon Rolls as the base recipe, but we don’t see why it won’t work with any of our other cinnamon rolls! It should also work well with our 30-Minute Cinnamon Rolls, and even our Giant Cinnamon Roll Cake.

You could even try it with our Ube Cinnamon Rolls for a twist on our Ube Brûlée.

overhead of vegan Creme Brûlée cinnamon roll on blue plate

Storage Instructions

These cinnamon rolls are best enjoyed fresh while the tops are crunchy and caramelized, but leftovers will keep at room temperature for up to 48 hours.

close up of a Creme Brûlée cinnamon roll on a blue plate

More Vegan Cinnamon Roll Recipes You May Enjoy:

Dessert