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Home » Recipes » Vegan Breakfast Recipes

Fluffy Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

Published: Mar 26, 2021 · Modified: Mar 9, 2025 by Emily · 6 Comments

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This recipe for Fluffy Vegan Cinnamon Rolls is ready in under 2 hours and is full of cozy cinnamon sugar flavor! Made with just 8 ingredients, it's perfect for brunch or an evening dessert.

tray of quick cinnamon rolls swirled with icing next to a spoon
Jump to:
  • Ingredients Needed for Fluffy Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
  • How to Make Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls
  • How can I make sure my cinnamon rolls rise?
  • Can I substitute active dry yeast for instant yeast?
  • How to Easily Slice Pretty Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls
  • How long do cinnamon rolls last? What is the best way to store them?
  • How to Freeze Cinnamon Rolls + How to Reheat
  • Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls
  • Pin these Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls for later:

Cinnamon sugar is one of my favorite flavor combinations. I've used it in Cinnamon Toast Crunch, French Toast Sticks, Cinnamon Sugar Fig Toast, and Peach Crumble. Today's recipe for fluffy cinnamon rolls may be one of the most classic iterations of this flavor. It's a recipe my grandma is famous for, so today's post is an inspired take on a food I grew up loving!

Ingredients Needed for Fluffy Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

  • Butter, like Miyoko's Dairy-Free
  • Active dry yeast
  • Unsweetened plain almond milk
  • Salt
  • All-purpose or bread flour
  • Brown sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • Optional: Powdered sugar, for glaze

How to Make Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls

1. Combine melted butter with yeast, sugar, and salt.

2. Next, add flour and knead for 30 seconds inside the bowl so that a loose ball forms.

3. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover it, and let it rise for one hour in a warm place.

4. Roll out the dough into a rectangle. Melt more butter in the microwave and brush it on top of the dough. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.

5. Roll the dough in a tight spiral. Complete this until you have a log shape, with the seam side facing the counter. Indent slightly with a knife at the halfway point, and then two times on each half for a total of eight rolls.

6. Slide a piece of unflavored dental floss underneath the roll of dough at the first indentation. Pull the floss up through the dough, crossing into an "X" to slice roll shapes through the log. Alternatively, slice with a sharp knife (though this will compress your spiral). Place in an oiled pie pan or 8x8 dish.

7. Set the roll dish on top of the oven and cover once more for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Once your oven preheats, bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. While the rolls are baking, feel free to make a cheaters glaze with 1 cup powdered sugar + 1-2 TBS almond milk. Glaze rolls soon after they come out of the oven and enjoy.

overhead shot of not iced cinnamon rolls in a circular dish

How can I make sure my cinnamon rolls rise?

First, make sure your yeast is relatively fresh. Old yeast that was improperly stored will not produce the necessary reactions needed to bring the best texture to these buns.

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Next, be sure to let the dough rise for the entire time allotted (about 1.5 hours in total). Rising lets the dough relax and build up gas. I know it can be tempting to shorten this time, but it is worth it!

Can I substitute active dry yeast for instant yeast?

Yes! This post from The Spruce Eats has some helpful tips. Here are the conversions you need to know:

  • 1 teaspoon instant yeast = 1 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast.
  • 1 teaspoon active dry yeast = ¾ teaspoon instant yeast
  • 1 package instant yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons or 7 grams) = 1 ¼ package active dry yeast (2 ⅘ teaspoons or almost 9 grams).

So in this recipe, if you want to use active dry yeast, add 2 and ⅘ teaspoon to Step 1, when we combine the yeast with milk, butter, and sugar. Keep in mind that active dry yeast needs to be "activated" in liquid, so you'll want to let it sit in the milk mixture for 5-10 minutes before proceeding to Step 2.

side view of cinnamon roll on a white plate with a plate of more in the background

How to Easily Slice Pretty Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls

Slide a piece of unflavored dental floss underneath the roll of dough at the first indentation. Pull the floss up through the dough, crossing into an "X" to slice roll shapes through the log. Alternatively, slice with a sharp knife (though this will compress your spiral).

How long do cinnamon rolls last? What is the best way to store them?

These vegan cinnamon rolls will last 4-5 days. The best way to store cinnamon rolls is right in their baking dish, tightly wrapped, on the counter at room temperature. If you live in a very warm area, you may consider refrigerating them, but this can dry out the texture.

How to Freeze Cinnamon Rolls + How to Reheat

To freeze cinnamon rolls, let them cool completely and do not add any icing. Tightly wrap the container in plastic wrap (or reusable food wrap if you have it), and then add a layer of foil. Freeze for up t0 3 months. To reheat, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Unwrap the rolls and sprinkle a few drops of water on top (this will of course, help add more moisture back into the dough). Bake for 10 minutes, until aromatic and soft. Add icing just before serving.

overhead shot of one cinnamon roll on a white plate

I hope you enjoy this recipe for fluffy cinnamon rolls! Please leave a rating + review if you try it, as I love hearing what you think.

side view of quick cinnamon roll on a white plate with more in the background

Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls

Emily
These Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls are ready in under 2 hours and full of cozy cinnamon sugar flavor! Made with just 8 ingredients, they're a perfect recipe for brunch or an evening dessert.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 2 hours hrs
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 8 rolls
Calories 310 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 7 TBS vegan butter
  • 1 cup unsweetened nondairy milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
  • 1 packet instant yeast*
  • 1 TBS organic cane sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2.5 cups all purpose or bread flour
  • Neutral oil for the inside of the rising bowl (or more butter)
  • 6 TBS brown sugar divided
  • 2 TBS cinnamon
  • 1 cup powdered sugar for optional glaze

Instructions
 

  • In a microwave-safe bowl, heat 3 TBS butter and almond milk in 30-second increments until melted. Set aside to cool slightly. Add melted butter mixture and optional vanilla to a large mixing bowl and sprinkle yeast* on top. Add in 1 TBS of sugar and stir. See note below for active dry yeast substitute.
  • Next add flour and salt gradually, stirring as you go until incorporated. Once cohesive but sticky, knead for 30 seconds inside the bowl so that a loose ball forms.
  • Remove the dough, rinse out your bowl and lightly oil the inside. Place dough in oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let rise for one hour. I like doing this in an oven that is not on but has a lightbulb for slight heat. It should expand a lot.
  • On a clean floured surface, roll out dough into a 8 x 12 rectangle. Melt 3 more TBS butter in the microwave and brush on top of dough. Sprinkle with  5 TBS brown sugar and 2 TBS cinnamon.
  • Start rolling the long end of the dough (the part that's closest to you) in a tight spiral. Completely this until you have a log shape, with seam side facing the counter. Indent slightly with a knife at the halfway point, and then two times on each half for a total of eight rolls.
  • Slide a piece of unflavored dental floss underneath the roll of dough at the first indentation. Pull the floss up through the dough, crossing into an "X" to slice roll shapes through the log. Alternatively, slice with a sharp knife (though this will compress your spiral). Place in an oiled pie pan or 8x8 dish. It's OK if the pan is not filled, the rolls will expand.
  • Set roll dish on top of oven and cover once more for 15 minutes. Preheat to 350 degrees. The heat from the preheated oven will help with another rise. Once your oven preheats, bake rolls for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. While rolls are baking, feel free to make a cheaters glaze with 1 cup powdered sugar + 1-2 TBS milk. Glaze rolls soon after they come out of the oven and enjoy.

Video

Notes

If you want to use active dry yeast, add 2 and ⅘ tsp. Keep in mind that active dry yeast needs to be "activated" in liquid, so you'll want to let it sit in the milk mixture for 5-10 minutes before proceeding to Step 2.
These fluffy vegan cinnamon rolls will keep on the counter, lightly covered, for 4-5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1rollCalories: 310kcalCarbohydrates: 51.8gProtein: 4.2gFat: 9.4gSaturated Fat: 7.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2.3gSodium: 155mgFiber: 1.2gSugar: 21.6g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Pin these Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls for later:

This Fluffy Cinnamon Roll recipe is ready in under 2 hours and full of cozy cinnamon sugar flavor! Made with just 8 ingredients, it's perfect for for brunch or an evening dessert.

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Comments

  1. Trina says

    September 09, 2023 at 2:51 pm

    5 stars
    These are my go-to cinnamon rolls! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Emily says

      September 13, 2023 at 5:20 pm

      Thank you, Trina!

      Reply
  2. Sarah says

    September 09, 2018 at 3:32 pm

    I’m drooling...looks so delicious. Can you come over and make me some? 🙂

    Reply
    • Emily says

      September 10, 2018 at 1:18 pm

      Thanks AS--I wish! 💜

      Reply
  3. Susannah Weis Frigon says

    September 09, 2018 at 2:06 pm

    These look fabulous - must try for these cool, fall-ish mornings.

    Reply
    • Emily says

      September 10, 2018 at 1:17 pm

      ❣️❣️

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Emily! I have been a plant-based food blogger since 2017. Garlic Head is a recipe website for anyone who wants to easily, affordably, and sustainably incorporate more vegetables into their diet. I am a lifelong vegetarian and 10+ year vegan.

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