Easy Cinnamon Rolls
I’ve always had it in my head that homemade cinnamon rolls are tricky. There’s the whole yeast/dough rising component, and the filling, plus rolling out the dough, and making the icing. Add the vegan requirement to that and it just sounds like too much work.
This is why I set out to create a vegan cinnamon roll recipe that’s SIMPLE. Only the essential ingredients (9 total!), easy techniques, and less sugar, because no one likes a sugar hangover, especially first thing in the morning.
I am positively giddy to say that these cinnamon rolls check ALL those boxes. With the exception of the icing, they’re even low glycemic because I successfully used coconut sugar (and just a little) in the dough and cinnamon sugar filling. I also went with light spelt flour in place of all-purpose and unrefined coconut oil in place of vegan buttery spread. The texture of the dough is perfectly light and much more wholesome.
Yes, you still need to make the dough, let it rise, roll it out, sprinkle in the filling, etc, etc. But I promise you that each step is easy. Surprisingly easy because this dough is not in the least bit finicky. The hardest part will be waiting for your cinnamon rolls to bake up, although even that takes only 20 minutes, tops. I have to warn you though—the smell is deliciously intoxicating. Of all the many, many baked goods to come out of my kitchen, these are the most difficult to resist.
I was learning about home staging a while back and I read that you should bake brownies or pumpkin pie prior to showing your house (or buy a scented candle, but that’s much less fun) because those scents are the most alluring to people in general. I have to say I disagree: the smell of freshly baked vegan cinnamon rolls would be the way to go, hands down.
Trust me, you want to make these stat. Waiting for the dough to rise is also a pretty great excuse to relax and watch a movie. Also, the smell of them baking will make you weak in the knees. If only we could bottle up that scent…
*You can trim off the messy cinnamon roll ends for neater and more uniform-looking rolls, but I find them oddly adorable and also, why waste dough?
Easy Cinnamon Rolls
Easy Cinnamon Rolls
Serves: 9 to 11 cinnamon rolls
Prep Time: 2 hours 15 mins
Cook Time: 18 mins
EASY vegan cinnamon rolls that are whole grain, lower glycemic, and irresistibly good! The smell alone is worth baking these.
Cuisine: Vegan Servings: 9 to 11 cinnamon rolls
Prep Time: 2 hours 15 mins Cook Time: 18 mins
EASY vegan cinnamon rolls that are whole grain, lower glycemic, and irresistibly good! The smell alone is worth baking these.
Instructions
- Lightly oil a large mixing bowl with coconut oil and set it aside. Add the flour, coconut sugar, active dry yeast, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Mix until combined. Add the warmed non-dairy milk and melted coconut oil, then mix again on medium speed for 5 minutes. If the dough is too sticky (it should pull away from the sides of the bowl), you can add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Transfer the dough to the oiled mixing bowl, cover it with a towel, and set it aside in a warm place for 1 hour to rise.
- Lightly oil an 8 inch square baking pan and set it aside. Line your counter with a piece of parchment paper and sprinkle it with flour. Roll the dough out into a rectangle that is about 16 x 12 inches, with the 16 inch length parallel to you. Combine the coconut sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Brush the dough with the melted coconut oil, then sprinkle it with the coconut sugar and cinnamon mixture. Very tightly roll the dough into a log, rolling it from bottom to top, then cut it into 9 to 11 even rolls depending on how large you want them (you can trim off the messy ends before cutting into rolls if you like). Transfer the rolls to your greased baking pan, spacing them apart evenly. Cover the pan with a towel and allow the rolls to rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until the rolls double in size (they should expand to fill the baking pan). Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F, then bake them for 18-20 minutes, or until golden. Allow the rolls to cool in the pan.
- While the rolls are cooling, prepare the icing by whisking together the powdered sugar, non-dairy milk, and vanilla. Drizzle the icing over the cinnamon rolls. Serve immediately.
Notes [1]
If you ever find yourself short on vegan powdered sugar, it’s easy to make more at home! Simply add 1 cup of vegan granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon of tapioca starch or corn starch to your blender. Blend for 1 minute or until the texture is super fine. Do this in batches for the best results.
Copyright © 2023 Amanda Maguire for Pickles & Honey
