These Vegan Cinnamon Rolls are soft, fluffy, and gooey, with a buttery brown sugar cinnamon filling and thick cream cheese frosting that melts into the warm spirals. Make them the same day or prep the pan the night before for an easier morning bake.
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Notes for First-Time Cinnamon Roll Makers
Cinnamon rolls can be hit or miss – the dough can turn out dense, tough, or dry. The secret to this recipe is a soft, slightly sticky dough and allowing it enough time to rise properly before baking. Also make sure to use very soft vegan butter for the filling so it spreads easily without tearing the dough or sliding out as you roll. Frost them while warm so the cream cheese frosting melts into the cinnamon swirls, or let them cool longer when you want a thicker layer on top. This creates light, fluffy rolls with gooey brown sugar-cinnamon spirals, finished with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting – all without requiring a stand mixer.
Instructions
Follow along with this step-by-step guide to make your Vegan Cinnamon Rolls. You’ll find all the exact times, temperatures, and measurements in the recipe card below.
Step One: Stir the warm soy milk, yeast, and sugar together, then set aside until the mixture looks slightly foamy.
Step Two: Mix in the remaining dough ingredients, then knead until the dough is smooth, elastic, soft, and still a little sticky.
Step Three: Let the dough rise until doubled in size and noticeably puffy.
Step Four: Roll out the dough, spread over the soft vegan butter and cinnamon sugar, then roll up gently and cut into even spirals.
Step Five: Arrange the rolls in the baking dish, let them puff up again, then bake until lightly golden and cooked through in the center.
Step Six: Spread the cream cheese frosting over the warm rolls for gooey cinnamon swirls, or let them cool longer for a thicker frosting layer.
Storage
Store leftover cinnamon rolls covered at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm individual rolls in the microwave until soft and the frosting is lightly melted before serving.
Expert Tips
Do not add the full amount of extra flour unless the dough truly needs it. A slightly sticky dough bakes into softer cinnamon rolls, while too much flour can make the centers dense.
FAQ
This usually happens when too much flour is added or the shaped rolls have not risen enough before baking. Keep the dough slightly sticky and wait until the rolls look puffy before putting them in the oven.
The outer rolls will brown first, so check the middle of the pan. The centers should look set rather than doughy, or reach about 190°F with an instant-read thermometer.
Yes. Shape the rolls, refrigerate them before the second rise, then let them come to room temperature until puffy before baking the next morning.
More Recipes
For another cozy homemade roll, try these Lemon Blueberry Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting with a soft yeasted dough and tangy frosting. My Vegan Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls are a good pick when you want the same gooey spiral texture with a chocolate filling, while these Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Buns are a useful option for using up active sourdough discard.
Vegan Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup unsweetened soy milk warm but not hot (240 ml)
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast 7 g
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar 50 g
- 3 cups all-purpose flour plus more as needed (360 g, plus up to 30 g more)
- 3/4 teaspoon fine salt 4 g
- 5 tablespoons vegan butter melted and slightly cooled (70 g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 ml
Cinnamon Filling
- 6 tablespoons vegan butter very soft (85 g)
- 3/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar 150 g
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon 16 g
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt 1 g
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces vegan cream cheese softened (225 g)
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter softened (58 g)
- 2 cups powdered sugar 240 g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 ml
- 1/16 teaspoon fine salt about 0.4 g
- 1 to 2 tablespoons unsweetened soy milk as needed (15 to 30 ml)
Instructions
- Warm the soy milk until it feels like bath water. It should be warm, not hot.
- Add the warm soy milk, yeast, and sugar to a large bowl. Stir, then set aside until slightly foamy.
- Add the flour, salt, melted vegan butter, and vanilla. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.
- Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, elastic, and soft. The dough should stay slightly sticky, but not wet. Add extra flour only if needed.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and leave in a warm spot until doubled in size.
- Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl.
- Roll the risen dough into a large rectangle. Spread the very soft vegan butter over the surface, leaving a small border along one long edge.
- Sprinkle over the cinnamon sugar and gently press it into the butter. Roll the dough up from the long side, keeping the log snug but not overly tight.
- Place the log seam-side down and cut into 12 even rolls using a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss. Arrange in the prepared baking dish.
- Cover and let the rolls rise again until puffy and nearly doubled.
- Bake until lightly golden and cooked through in the center. The middle rolls should reach about 190°F if using a thermometer.
- Let the rolls cool briefly. Beat the vegan cream cheese and vegan butter until smooth, then beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Add soy milk a little at a time only if needed.
- Spread frosting over the warm rolls for a gooey finish, or let them cool longer for a thicker frosting layer.
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