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!
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!
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!
Find the full printable recipe here: Vegan Creme Brûlée Cinnamon Rolls
