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. :-)
Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the vegan cinnamon rolls:
- 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
For the filling:
- 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
For the frosting:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2-1 teaspoon almond milk
Instructions
- 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.
The Vegan 8
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!
Sina
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!! ;-)
Jill Van Vlack
Can I use a different non dairy milk like rice milk? I’m allergic to almonds
Sina
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. :-)
Michele @ Two Raspberries
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!!!
Sina
Thanks for sharing, Michele! :-)
Kimberly
omg … these look and sound amazing! Loving your vegan version of cinnamon rolls … and putting them on the to-make list ASAP!
Sina
Thanks, Kimberly! So great to hear! Let me know how you liked them. :-)
Ashley
Oh it’s been far far too long since I’ve had cinnamon rolls! My goodness these look fantastic! Love the apples!
Sina
Thanks, Ashley! I absolutely love cinnamon rolls! :-) And I wish our apartment would always smell like cinnamon. ;-)
Manali @ CookWithManali
these rolls look so good, I can never resist cinnamon rolls!!
Sina
Thanks, Manali! Me neither! ;-)
Annie @ Annie's Noms
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!
Sina
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! :-)
Anu-My Ginger Garlic Kitchen
These vegan and dairy-free apple cinnamon rolls look incredibly yummy, Sina. Absolutely divine!
Sina
Thanks, Anu! :-)
fabiola@notjustbaked
Love the apples in these, so good!
Sina
Thanks, Fabiola! :-)
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice
These are the cutest cinnamon rolls, Sina! I love that you made them in a muffin tin. Sounds like the perfect breakfast or dessert!
Sina
Thanks, Gayle! :-)
Kelly
These cinnamon rolls look perfect, Sina! I love that they’re vegan and the apples make these even more irresistible!
Sina
Thanks, Kelly! :-) Cinnamon and apple is such a yummy combo!
Susannah
Oh my stinking goodness! This sounds SO good!!!!
Sina
Thanks, Susannah! :-) So glad you like them!
Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours
I do love a good cinnamon roll and these are perfectly seasonal. Just wonderful.
Sina
Thanks, Helen! So glad you like them! :-)
Kathy Hester
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!
Sina
Thanks, Kathy! If you try them, let me know how you liked them. :-)
Jenn
I can almost smell these amazing cinnamon rolls through the computer! They look so good!! And that icing….
Sina
Thanks, Jenn! Oh yeah, that smell! I wish our apartment could always smell like cinnamon rolls. :D