I grew up with my grandma’s cinnamon rolls and now that I unfortunately don’t live very close to her anymore, I was so happy when I found out that my favorite bakery not far from our place has vegan cinnamon rolls. It’s a regular bakery, but their cinnamon buns just happen to be dairy and egg-free. How great is that?! I’ve always thought making them at home would be quite complicated and time-consuming and I especially worried about the yeast rising component.
A couple of days ago, I was buying groceries and I was in a total cinnamon mood, but unfortunately the bakery was out of cinnamon rolls, so I decided to just make some at home as it couldn’t be this difficult. I ended up with these delicious vegan cinnamon rolls with apples that were even better and also a lot healthier than the ones I intended to buy. And I can assure you it’s so much easier than I first thought.
How to Make Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
I made a simple yeast dough with spelt flour, almond milk, brown sugar, vegan margarine, and cinnamon. Instead of the brown sugar, you can also use coconut sugar and sub the spelt flour with whole-wheat flour if you want. First, dissolve the yeast in warm almond milk with some sugar and add it to the flour. Let it sit for a couple of minutes. In the meantime, you can melt the margarine and then also add it to the flour together with the remaining almond milk, sugar, and cinnamon. Then knead the dough for about a minute or two. I used a hand mixer with dough hooks, but of course you can also use a classic stand mixer or just use your hands.
Let the dough rise in a warm place for about half an hour. Then make the filling. I used three small apples, some more margarine, sugar and cinnamon.
Roll the dough into a rectangle (about 12 by 6 inch) and spread the melted margarine. Then sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, and equally spread the apples. Roll up the cinnamon rolls and seal the edges. I decided to make mini vegan cinnamon rolls. So I just put them into muffin cups. If you want to do this, make sure to cut them up into exactly 12 pieces. But of course you can also use any other baking form.
Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes (or until very slightly golden). In the meantime make the frosting: Combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar, with half a teaspoon vanilla extract and about 1/2 teaspoon almond milk. If it’s too thick add some more almond milk.
All in all, the vegan cinnamon rolls come together in less than an hour, the baking time being included, which is pretty quick for cinnamon rolls.
I hope you enjoy this vegan cinnamon roll recipe and have a cinnamon apple-scented weekend. As always, I love to hear from you guys. :-)
| Servings |
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- 2 1/4 cup spelt flour
- 1/3 cup almond milk
- 0,7 oz yeast
- 1/4 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup vegan margarine
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 small apples (about 7 oz)
- 1 teaspoon vegan margarine
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon margarine
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2-1 teaspoon almond milk
Ingredients
For the vegan cinnamon rolls:
For the filling:
For the frosting:
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- First dissolve the yeast in warm almond milk (use about 2 tablespoons from the amount named in the ingredient list) and sugar (1 tablespoon from the amount named in the ingredient list). In a bowl, combine the yeast-milk mixture with the flour. Let it sit for a couple of minutes, in which you can melt the margarine and then also add it to the flour together with the remaining almond milk, sugar, and cinnamon.
- Then knead the dough for about a minute or two. I used a hand mixer with dough hooks, but of course you can also use a classic stand mixer or just use your hands.
- Let the dough rise for about half an hour. Then make the filling: Cut the apples into small pieces. In a small pan, heat one teaspoon vegan margarine. Cook the apple for about 3 minutes and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Set aside. Then melt the remaining margarine (1 tablespoon).
- Roll the dough into a rectangle (about 12 by 6 inch) and spread the melted margarine. Then sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, and equally spread the apples. Roll up the cinnamon rolls and seal the edges.
- With a sharp knife, cut the roll into exactly 12 pieces. Put them into muffin cups and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes (or until very slightly golden).
- In the meantime make the frosting: Combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar, with half a teaspoon vanilla extract and about 1/2 teaspoon almond milk. If it's to thick add some more almond milk.
- Allow the cinnamon rolls to cool down a bit. Spread or pour the frosting over the cooled cinnamon rolls.
These are a fall breakfast dream come true!!! Baking them in muffin tins is so smart, so they are all perfect little circles no weird square squashed shapes. The little appley bits, and the abundance of cinnamon, and that frosting drizzle, I could devour at least 3 right now! Love them so much <3
Thanks, Natalie! I absolutely love their smell! I wish I could make them every day, so our apartment would always smell this delicious. :D Unfortunately, they were gone waaaay too fast, but they were just too yummy! ;-)
This sounds like the perfect fall breakfast or treat! I’m going to try this recipe!
Thanks! :-) I hope you enjoy!
These look amazing! Like cinnamon roll muffins!!! Must try them GF ;)
Thanks, Rebecca! :-) I’m sure you could just sub the spelt flour with gluten-free flour. If you give them a try, let me know how they turned out. ;-)
This looks a-mazing!!! I haven’t had a cinnamon roll in forever. I love that you’ve made this with apples too – perfect for fall!!
Thanks, Chrissa! I just love cinnamon rolls, but it was the first time I made them at home. :-)
YUM! These look sooo good and perfect for the season. And your photography is beautiful!
Thanks so much for your kind words, Mandi! :-)
I want cinnamon rolls now!!! Why do your pictures have to look so delicious?
Haha! Sorry, Stacey, for making you hungry! ;-)
I love cinnamon anything. This looks like a perfect recipe to make this weekend. Thanks for sharing!
I do too, Kam Kay! Cinnamon is sooo delicious and could eat in like every dessert! :-)
Okay these look amazing! I love the chunks of apple!!
Thanks, Evi! :-)
I may have just drooled on myself a little looking at this! YUM!
Haha! Sorry about that, Annmarie! ;-)
These look so yummy! I love the inclusion of apples, too.
Thanks, Trish! Yeah, cinnamon and apples is a perfect combo. :-)
You are so clever Sina. For putting them in the muffin liners. Love it!
Thanks, Ilona! It’s so convenient. :-)
these look amazing! I love cinnamon rolls!
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Thanks, Tianna! Glad you like them! :-)
Umm Holy Vegan Heaven is right! These looks amazing! Great pictures too!
Thanks so much, Kate! :-) Glad you like them!
These look so good! I love the individual muffin tin sizes. That would keep me from eating the whole tray at once. I haven’t worked with spelt much but your pics are so light and fluffy looking I think I may have to try it! Yum!
Thanks, Michaell! Haha! Same thought, but let me tell you they didn’t keep me from eating way too many at once. ;-) They’re just so small and delicious, so you can’t stop. :D
Great idea turning these rolls vegan. And apples are perfect for this fall weather.
Thanks, Julia! :-) They really are perfect right now.
I can almost smell these amazing cinnamon rolls through the computer! They look so good!! And that icing….
Thanks, Jenn! Oh yeah, that smell! I wish our apartment could always smell like cinnamon rolls. :D
Those look amazing! I need to grab some apples at the farmers market this weekend and then I’ll make a batch of my own!
Thanks, Kathy! If you try them, let me know how you liked them. :-)
I do love a good cinnamon roll and these are perfectly seasonal. Just wonderful.
Thanks, Helen! So glad you like them! :-)
Oh my stinking goodness! This sounds SO good!!!!
Thanks, Susannah! :-) So glad you like them!
These cinnamon rolls look perfect, Sina! I love that they’re vegan and the apples make these even more irresistible!
Thanks, Kelly! :-) Cinnamon and apple is such a yummy combo!
These are the cutest cinnamon rolls, Sina! I love that you made them in a muffin tin. Sounds like the perfect breakfast or dessert!
Thanks, Gayle! :-)
Love the apples in these, so good!
Thanks, Fabiola! :-)
These vegan and dairy-free apple cinnamon rolls look incredibly yummy, Sina. Absolutely divine!
Thanks, Anu! :-)
Baking these in the cups is genius!! I always end up with misshapen rolls when I try and squeeze them into a pan. Loving the flavours here too, I need these in my life!
Thanks, Annie! :-) I didn’t have a good pan to photograph them in, so I came up with the idea of baking them in muffin cups and I just loved it! It’s so easy! :-)
these rolls look so good, I can never resist cinnamon rolls!!
Thanks, Manali! Me neither! ;-)
Oh it’s been far far too long since I’ve had cinnamon rolls! My goodness these look fantastic! Love the apples!
Thanks, Ashley! I absolutely love cinnamon rolls! :-) And I wish our apartment would always smell like cinnamon. ;-)
omg … these look and sound amazing! Loving your vegan version of cinnamon rolls … and putting them on the to-make list ASAP!
Thanks, Kimberly! So great to hear! Let me know how you liked them. :-)
pinned! these look awesome! I really want to try these! I never have luck with sinnamon rolls but it’s a GREAT idea to put them in cupcake liners! ;-) YUMMM!!!
Thanks for sharing, Michele! :-)
Can I use a different non dairy milk like rice milk? I’m allergic to almonds
Hi Jill, Absolutely no problem, just sub the almond milk with another non dairy milk. I would prefer soy or oat milk, however, because rice milk is often very thin. Let me know how you liked them. :-)
These look so amazing Sina! I absolutely love that you baked them in muffin liners like muffins, such an incredible idea!! They are beautiful and I love that you added apples! Beautiful!
Thanks, Brandi! :-) I actually didn’t have a good pan to photograph them in, so I came up with the idea to put them in muffin cups and I just loved it!! ;-)
If I used coconut milk instead of the almond milk do you think it would make much of a difference?
Hi Sarah, I guess it depends on what kind of coconut milk you’re using. I wouldn’t use the thick and creamy part of the coconut milk. I haven’t tried using coconut milk for baking yet, I usually use soy, almond, or oat milk. If you give it a try, let me know how it turned out. :-)
Oh my, these are just stunning. I love how you rolled and sliced them full of apples. Mmmm. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks, Steph! Glad you like them! :-)
How fortunate to find a bakery with vegan cinnamon rolls. It isn’t very often you find vegan rolls unless it is a specialty bakery so that is awesome. Your version looks amazing though. I must try it!!
I guess it really is pretty fortunate, Amanda! :-) They have other vegan baked goods as well, for example apple turnovers. If you give them a try, let me know how you liked them. ;-)
These look so delicious! I’m cinnamon obsessed and put it on everything, and I usually eat an apple a day because I love them so much. I don’t see how I couldn’t love these cinnamon rolls! :)
Hi. I want to make these for Thanksgiving but am unsure about the yeast. Tt says 0,7 oz. Is that .7 oz? That is almost 3 packets of yeast and seems like too much for this size recipe. Thanks.
Hi Nancy, sorry for the confusion. I used half a cube of fresh yeast (not dry yeast!), which is 0.7 oz. You’re right 3 cubes would be way too much. I hope that helps! :-) Happy Thanksgiving!
I’ll make these for Christmas for sure, finally a cinnamon recipe without vegan butter. :) (really expensive where I live compared to margarine)
Can I sub the almond milk for soy milk?
Hi Veerle, So glad you like them. :-) Yes, using soy milk instead of almond milk should totally work. Do you mean Earth Balance? I think you can sub the vegan butter with margarine in most recipes. I know it can be quite expensive! Let me know how they turned out. And happy holidays! :-)
Hi Sina,
Do you know the conversion for this recipe if I was using active dry yeast? Thanks!
Hi Amaylah,
I usually use one package of dry yeast, but I guess this depends on where you live. I’m from Europe and here one package dried yeast weighs 7 grams, which is about 0.25 oz or 2 teaspoons. Hope that helps. :-)