The Best Fluffy Plant Based Cinnamon Rolls

These Plant Based Cinnamon Rolls are made with simple ingredients like an easy yeast dough, cinnamon filling, softened vegan butter, and a vegan cream cheese frosting. They are the perfect breakfast for Christmas morning or whenever you have family coming to town who want a delicious vegan cinnamon roll recipe.

The best plant based cinnamon rolls EVER! It’s always been a tradition in my family to make cinnamon rolls on Christmas day.

My Memere, (French grandmother), always made the best cinnamon rolls, (dare I say, better than Cinnabon). I remember making them with her as a little girl, kneading the dough, rolling them out, and letting them rise.

My Memere is actually the reason I got into baking in the first place. She loved it so much and inspired me a little bit every time we baked together.

If you love homemade indulgent desserts you need to try my Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies and my 4 Ingredient No Bake Peanut Butter Fudge.

She always used real whole foods in all her baking and cooking and was so strong from all the kneading and beating she did.

DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED TO MAKE THESE IF YOU’RE NOT A BAKER!!! Follow the recipe exactly, and they should come out flawless.

You have never had a REAL cinnamon roll till you’ve had these plant based cinnamon rolls!

WHY THESE ARE THE BEST HOMEMADE CINNAMON ROLLS

1. THE COCONUT BROWN SUGAR GLAZE

2. THE CREAMY VEGAN CREAM CHEESE ICING

3. VERY GOOEY

4. MUCH MORE HEALTHY THAN YOUR TRADITIONAL STORE-BOUGHT CINNAMON ROLL

THE INGREDIENTS FOR THE BEST VEGAN CINNAMON ROLLS

You will need the following ingredients listed below to make these delicious cinnamon buns (the exact measurements, nutrition information and full recipe are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post):

• TRADITIONAL ACTIVE DRY YEAST
• WHITE SUGAR
• ALMOND MILK – any type of plant-based milk should work such as oat milk, soy milk, etc.
• VEGAN BUTTER
• PASTURE-RAISED EGGS (OPTIONAL)
• SALT
• ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
• WATER
• BROWN SUGAR – this combined with the cinnamon makes the best cinnamon sugar filling.
• CINNAMON
• FULL FAT COCONUT MILK
• VEGAN CREAM CHEESE
• POWDERED SUGAR

FOOL-PROOF CINNAMON ROLL INSTRUCTIONS

1. ACTIVATE THE YEAST

Start by warming water on the stove, or simply add lukewarm water from the tap, approximately 115 degrees F. I rarely use a thermometer, I just ensure that the water is warm to the touch.

If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast. If the water is too cold, it won’t activate the yeast.

In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar into the water. Add both packages of active dry yeast to water (do not mix).

Put the bowl in the oven with light on (without heat) or in another warm place, and let stand until foamy. If it does not foam up, throw it away and start again.

2. BEGIN MAKING THE DOUGH

Add the melted vegan butter to a large mixing bowl. Then add sugar, warm water, warm milk, and salt.

Add eggs, ensuring the mixture is not too hot or the eggs will begin to cook (this step is optional). Then add the yeast mixture.

Begin adding one cup of flour at a time. Once you have added about 5 cups, the mixture may be too tough to mix with a spatula.

Switch to using your hands, and begin kneading the cinnamon roll dough. Knead for approximately 8 minutes, until the dough looks smooth and doesn’t fall through your fingers while holding it.

3. LET DOUGH RISE

Grease a large bowl all around the sides (bowl must be at least 3 times the size of the dough). Put a clean tee towel over the bowl and put in the oven with the oven light on (again, no heat).

Let rise for 1.5-2 hours, until doubled in size.

4. ROLL OUT BALL OF DOUGH

Flour the surface and rolling pin. Cut the dough into 2 equal sections.

Roll out the dough into a thin rectangle (the thickness of the dough should be about 1/4-inch).

Take 1/4 cup vegan butter, and slab it on the dough spreading evenly. Then sprinkle 3/4 cup packed brown sugar evenly over the butter.

Finish by sprinkling 2 tsp cinnamon over the brown sugar.

5. ROLLING UP CINNAMON ROLLS

Starting at the long end, roll the dough up as tight as possible. Once it is tight, pinch the ends so the rolls stay together.

For bigger cinnamon rolls, like seen below, cut into 2.5 inch pieces and for smaller cut into 1.5” pieces. You can also use dental floss for this step to tie around the vegan cinnamon buns and make the perfect slices.

I use a tape measure for this step as well so make sure they are even as possible and typically use a very sharp serrated knife. Follow these same steps with the other half of the remaining dough.

6. LET RISE AGAIN

Grease a few baking dishes. For the bigger buns I use one round baking cake pan, and one 9 x 13 baking dish.

Leave lots of room in between the buns (as seen here) as they will rise a lot. Cover with tee towel or paper towel and put back into the oven for a second rise with oven light on.

Let them rise again for 60 minutes. They will double or triple in size again.

7. MAKE THE GLAZE AND CREAM CHEESE ICING

In a medium-size bowl, whisk the full-fat coconut milk, brown sugar, and cinnamon, then set aside. In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the vegan cream cheese and vegan butter.

Add in the icing sugar and vanilla. Put frosting in the refrigerator till the cinnamon buns are cooked.

8. BAKE THEM BABIES!

Preheat oven to 350F. Pour the coconut milk glaze mixture evenly over the cinnamon rolls.

Uncovered, bake the cinnamon rolls for 18-20 minutes. If you like them gooier, like me, bake them for 18 minutes in the preheated oven.

9. INVERT, ICE AND INHALE!

Let cool in the pan for 3 minutes, then invert onto a serving platter. Scrape remaining filling from the pan onto the rolls.

Lather on the cream cheese icing, then force your friends to try them. This was an all-day baking affair and you should be BRAGGING about these plant based cinnamon rolls.

HEALTHY CINNAMON ROLLS SUBSTITUTIONS

MILK

I used almond milk for the bread dough, but any non-dairy milk will work. As for the glaze, I highly recommend using full fat coconut milk.

My grandmothers’ original recipe called for thick whipping cream, so I knew it was important that the non-dairy milk was thick and creamy.

FLOUR

You can substitute whole wheat flour for all-purpose flour if you desire. That is the only other flour I have ever tested, so I would not recommend using any other type.

SUGAR

You can also substitute the white sugar with coconut sugar or cane sugar.

NOTES

Be careful when purchasing yeast. This recipe is much quicker and easier when using quick-rise yeast, rather than traditional yeast.

It will take much longer for the dough to rise if you use traditional. If your yeast doesn’t bubble or foam, make sure you restart!

Your water may have been too hot and would have killed the yeast. Or too cold which would have not activated the yeast.

I’d also check your yeast packages for the expiry date, to ensure they have not gone bad.

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER CINNAMON ROLLS

These plant based cinnamon rolls do not have a great self life. They stay good at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

You can also store them in the freezer for up to 2 months by wrapping them in plastic wrap and putting them in an airtight container. Warm them in the microwave when ready to serve, keeping in mind they will not be as good as fresh from the oven.

OTHER DELICIOUS HOLIDAY SWEET TREAT RECIPES

• No Bake Peanut Butter Balls (5 Ingredients)
• 30 Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes With Few Ingredients
• Christmas Chocolate Peppermint Truffles
• Heart Shaped Jam Thumbprint Cookies
• Gluten Free Dairy Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Easy Christmas Sugar Cookie Fudge (5 Ingredients)

IF YOU TRIED THESE PLANT BASED CINNAMON ROLLS PLEASE LEAVE IT A COMMENT AND STAR RATING. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR CREATIONS! YOU CAN PIN THIS RECIPE ON PINTEREST OR SHARE ON INSTAGRAM BY TAGGING @basicswithbails and #basicswithbails