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This easy vegan cinnamon roll recipe is sure to be your new favorite! You will love them for holidays, weekend brunch, or any time you’re craving a sweet treat. Even better, they are way easier than you would think to make them! That’s a win-win in my book!

completed These Homemade Vegan Cinnamon Rolls on a white plate

Now you can make fresh gooey delectable cinnamon rolls that are vegan at home! That means you can enjoy them any time you want. They’re perfect for special occasions and are the ultimate brunch sweet fresh-baked treat!

Whether you make them just for yourself or for a group of friends and family coming by for brunch, they go great with eggless benedicts, a veggie tofu scramble, and cinnamon orange quinoa porridge.

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Why This Recipe Works

I won’t pretend that these are healthy or remotely good for you.  But it’s perfectly ok to have a sweet break now and again. These homemade vegan cinnamon rolls are sure to be a hit!

  • Simple and easy. From preparing the ingredients to making the icing and doing the dishes while they cooked, to eating – they’re so simple to prepare!
  • Budget-friendly. In total, I spent under $6.00 for everything I needed, which means this cost about .60 cents a roll. 
  • Fluffy, soft, and gooey texture that everyone will love.
  • Perfect for all types of eaters – Even non-vegans are going to LOVE these!
  • Make ahead – So you can have them hot and delicious for brunch!

What Goes Into This Recipe

Before we get started making the BEST vegan cinnamon rolls, let’s take a look at what you will need to have to make them. The ingredients are pretty simple and you should be able to easily pick them up on a trip to the grocery store.

ingredients for These Homemade Vegan Cinnamon Rolls spread out on a white surface
  • All-purpose flour: This essential ingredient provides structure and texture to rolls.
  • Sugar: You will need regular granulated sugar, brown sugar, and powdered sugar for the different parts of this vegan cinnamon roll recipe.
  • Instant yeast: Make sure you are using instant yeast rather than active dry yeast. Active yeast must be activated first but in this recipe, we are mixing the yeast directly into the dough.
  • Flax meal: A vegan substitute for the egg in most cinnamon roll recipes.
  • Plant-based milk: Use your favorite but make sure it is unflavored for best results.
  • Vegan butter: Adds flavor but also helps the cinnamon and sugar mixture stick to the dough inside the cinnamon rolls.
  • Cinnamon: The classic flavor for cinnamon rolls.
  • Dairy-free yogurt: This recipe uses vegan vanilla Greek-style yogurt for the glaze.
  • Pure Vanilla Extract: For the best flavor. 

For the full list of ingredients and their quantities, check the recipe card further down the page.

How To Make Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

There are a few stages to making this recipe. Let’s look at what goes into making these vegan cinnamon rolls.

Step 1: Make the Dough

  • 1) Combine the dry ingredients. Place the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk together.
  • 2) Make the flax egg. Combine the flax meal with six tablespoons of warm water. Whisk until it becomes gelatinous. 
  • 3) Melt the vegan butter. Combine the water, plant-based milk, and vegan butter in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until the vegan butter melts (about 30 seconds). Remove the heated plant-based milk and melted vegan butter from the microwave and add to the flax meal mixture. Whisk everything together thoroughly. 
  • 4) Combine the wet and dry. Stir the liquid mixture into the bowl with dry ingredients. Mix together until well-combined, about 3 minutes. Once it forms into a smooth dough, let it rest in the bowl covered in tin foil for 10 minutes.

Step 2: Shape the Cinnamon Rolls

  • 5) Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
  • 6) Roll the dough. Lightly sprinkle your work surface with flour and then roll out the dough into a thin rectangle.
  • 7) Add the filling. First, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Then spread the softened vegan butter on top of the dough, followed by a sprinkle of the brown sugar mixture all over the dough.
  • 8) Roll it up. Tightly roll the dough from the long edge and cut it into 9 even pieces. Place each roll in a well-greased 9-inch square pan and cover with tin foil. 
  • 9) Let them rise. Turn off the oven and place the covered cinnamon rolls in the oven for 20 minutes to rise.
  • 10) Bake in the oven. Remove the tin foil from the cinnamon rolls, turn oven temperature to 375 degrees F, and bake for 20 minutes, or until slightly golden brown.

Step 3: Make the Vegan Icing for Cinnamon Rolls 

  • 11) While cinnamon rolls are baking, combine the powdered sugar, vegan yogurt, and vanilla extract in a small bowl and mix together until smooth and creamy.
  • 12) When the cinnamon rolls are done cooking and the tops are slightly golden brown, remove the pan from the oven. Let them cool down for about 5 minutes, and then add the glaze.
  • 13) Serve up warm and enjoy!

Expert Tips 

  • Roll the dough tightly. This keeps your cinnamon rolls from falling apart when baked. For best results go slowly to make sure it’s rolled up plenty tight.
  • Use a sharp knife to cut the dough. You don’t want to squish the rolls or have all the filling come out when cutting. 
  • Serve up the vegan cinnamon rolls right away! They taste best when warm and soft.

FAQs

What’s the best way to store leftover vegan cinnamon rolls?

The best way to store leftovers is in an airtight container on the counter. They will last at room temperature for up to three days. I don’t recommend placing them in the fridge because it dries them out more quickly.

What can I substitute for vegan butter in cinnamon rolls?

You can use a vegan butter substitute or make them with coconut oil. Coconut oil has a texture similar to butter though it doesn’t have the flavor. I prefer to use a flavorless coconut oil when baking with it.

completed These Homemade Vegan Cinnamon Rolls on a white plate

How to Cinnamon Rolls Make Ahead

Now, you might think these take a lot more time and work than you have in the morning, but that’s okay because you can make them ahead of time so that all they have to do is bake in the morning. Let’s look at how easy it is!

Make the Night Before

Make the recipe all the way up until cutting the cinnamon rolls and placing them in the baking dish. Then cover the dish well with aluminum foil or an airtight lid and store in the fridge overnight.

In the morning, remove them from the fridge and let them sit on the counter for an hour to warm up a bit. To speed this up, you can also preheat the oven and let them sit on top of it for 15-20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and when it’s hot, place the vegan cinnamon rolls in the oven to bake.  

While they are baking, mix up the glaze and continue with finishing up the cinnamon rolls as directed in the recipe.

Can you freeze unbaked vegan cinnamon rolls? 

Yes, you can. This works great for smaller households who don’t want to bake all 9 cinnamon rolls at once. This may also be a good idea if you need more than one batch and want to make them further ahead of time.

To freeze, make the dough, roll out the cinnamon rolls, and cut them as instructed in the recipe. Once they are cut you can store them.

TOP TIP: I suggest placing them in an airtight container lined with parchment in a single layer. If you want to stack, place a piece of parchment paper between the layers.

When you want to bake, remove the desired amount from the freezer and place them in a greased baking dish. Let them thaw out in the fridge or on the counter. Then continue baking them per the recipe instructions.

More Sweet Brunch Recipes

Photos by Alfonso Revilla

Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

5 from 50 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Rest and Rise: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 9 rolls
Making warm and gooey vegan cinnamon rolls doesn’t get much easier than this! This recipe is fairly simple to make and the rolls bake up to be big, fluffy, and bursting with cinnamon sugar. Slathered with vanilla icing on top, they’re the perfect treat for special breakfasts and brunches! 

Ingredients 

Dough:

  • 1 cup unsweetened plain soy milk
  • 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon of sugar
  • 2 ¼ teaspoon (1 packet) of rapid yeast
  • ½ cup of plant-based butter, melted
  • 3 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons of neutral oil

Filling:

  • ¼ cup of packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of cinnamon or more to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg (optional)
  • 3 tablespoons of plant-based butter, melted

Icing:

  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of plain soymilk
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions 

  • In a medium microwave safe bowl, add the plant milk and apple cider. Mix well until it begins to thicken like buttermilk. Place the bowl in the microwave and heat up the mixture in 30 seconds increments until lightly warm to touch. Do not overheat or it will kill the yeast that will be added. If you have a food thermometer, it should be about 110 degrees F. Once the buttermilk is warm, add the sugar and mix well. Then add the rapid yeast and mix well. Cover with a warm damp kitchen towel and let it rest for 5 minutes.
  • In a large bowl, add the buttermilk mixture and slowly add and mix the flour 1 cup at a time. Gently mix well until all ingredients are fully incorporated, but do not overmix. The dough will be very flaky and broken apart. Using your hands, start knitting the dough until it becomes one dough ball (do not over knead).
  • Remove the dough from the bowl and add two teaspoons of neutral oil to the bowl. Using your hands oil the bowl really well. Place the dough ball back in the oiled bowl and cover with a warm damp towel or plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a warm area and let it sit for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
  • While the dough is rising, in a small bowl, add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Using your fingers or a fork, massage the sugar and spices until the sugar becomes sandy. Set aside.
  • Prep a 8×8 deep baking dish and oil it really well. Set aside.
  • Once the dough has doubled in size, lightly flour a large surface on which you will be able to use a knife on. Roll the dough into a rectangle about ¼ inch thick. My rectangle was about 20 inches long by 12 inches wide.
  • In a small microwave safe bowl, melt the vegan butter for the filling and have the brown sugar and spices mixture ready next to you.
  • Using a brush, start evenly brushing the melted vegan butter on the dough. Once you have used all of the vegan butter, evenly distribute the sugar spices mixture.
  • To roll the dough, start very gently lifting the sides (lengthwise). If it is not stuck, start tightly but gently rolling and tucking the dough. If it stuck, very gently using a spatula, scrape the dough from the surface as your roll. Work little by little and slowly to achieve an evenly tight roll. If you try to roll it fast, it will be too loose.
  • Once the dough is rolled up, measure up and divide the dough into 9 rolls. Mine came to about 2 inches. Once you know where to cut to achieve even rolls, using a sharp knife or string floss, cut one roll and immediately place it on the prepared baking dish. Then cut another one and place it on the baking dish leaving about half and inch in between the other rolls. Repeat the process until you end up with 9 rolls in the baking dish. They should not be touching each other.
  • Cover the baking pan with plastic wrap and allow it to sit in a warm place for 10 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • By this time, the rolls should have risen and are now touching each other and there should not be any space between them. If they are still not touching each other, let them keep rising in a warm place.
  • Place a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil in the bottom row of your oven to catch the butter that will spill when baking. This will make the cleaning process easier.
  • Remove and discard the plastic from the baking pan. Place the baking pan in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until the rolls are all evenly lightly golden brown.
  • While the rolls are baking, make the frosting. In a medium bowl add the powdered sugar, plant milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Whisk until the sugar is fully dissolved. Set aside.
  • Once the rolls are ready, remove them from the oven and place them on a cooling rack. Allow them to cool for 10 minutes and frost them.

Notes

  • A tight roll is key: This keeps your cinnamon rolls from falling apart when baked.
  • To avoid squishing the dough, use a very sharp chef’s knife to cut the rolls.
  • For the easiest cleanup, place a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil on the bottom rack of your oven. It will catch any vegan butter that may spill out of the pan.
  • Decorate and serve them warm: Decorate the rolls with the icing after letting them cool for 10 minutes. Plate ‘em up and pass them around to everyone at breakfast or brunch while they’re still warm!

Nutrition

Calories: 323kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 10gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.003gSodium: 82mgPotassium: 111mgFiber: 4gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 121IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 106mgIron: 3mg

Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.

Additional Info

Author: Jake
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Method: Oven
Diet: Vegan
Tried this recipe?Please tag us at @PlantBasedOnABudget! 🙂
About

Jake

Jake switched to a plant based diet in 1996 and quickly realized he had no idea how to cook. All these years later and he’s still trying to figure it out…

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  1. 5 stars
    I have been looking for a good vegan cinnamon roll recipe to make with limited success. These were it! I made a couple changes, I used oil in the dough instead of butter and in the filling I used maple syrup, applesauce and cinnamon. Rave comments from the vegans, flexitarian and the one who doesn’t try any vegan recipe (couldn’t resist the smell).

      1. We at plant-based on a budget haven’t tried out a GF version yet to this recipe so can’t guarantee the results. Please let us know if you end up giving it a try! 🙂