This Vegan Cinnamon Rolls recipe is easy to make and completely eggless! They are soft, full of cinnamon and brown sugar, and are topped with a delicious vegan cream cheese frosting. And if making yeasted dough is intimidating to you, don't worry! I walk you through it step by step.
Usually, I go for a quick and easy breakfast like Banana Chocolate Chip Overnight Oats or Vegan Blueberry Oat Flour Pancakes or even Vegan Mini Monkey Bread. But, when I have the time, there is just nothing that beats a fresh warm homemade Vegan Cinnamon Roll that is topped with plenty of cream cheese frosting.
The first time I gave these to my friends, they insisted that I open a bakery that only sold cinnamon buns. So, basically, this recipe is perfect.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This recipe is easy and requires no mixer!
- These Cinnamon Rolls are vegan and eggless, so anyone can enjoy them.
- The cream cheese frosting is quick and easy and so delicious.
- If you are a beginner at yeasted doughs, no worries! I walk you through what the dough should look like at each step.
- And most importantly they, they bake up soft, gooey, and absolutely delicious!
Ingredient Notes
Non-Dairy Milk: I used oat milk, but almond milk, soy milk or even coconut milk will work!
Sugar and Brown Sugar: Granulated sugar feeds the yeast and enriches the dough, which makes it super soft. And brown sugar is rolled up with cinnamon into the dough.
Vegan Butter: I prefer Soy-Free Earth Balance Sticks or Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks, any vegan butter is fine.
Yeast: I used active dry yeast in this recipe. And make sure your yeast isn't expired or your dough won't rise!
Cinnamon: They wouldn't be cinnamon buns without a hefty dose of cinnamon!
Vegan Cream Cheese: I used Kite Hill Cream Cheese this time, but I also like Tofutti!
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1. To make the Vegan Cinnamon Roll dough, combine warmed non-dairy milk, sugar, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Allow the yeast to bloom for 5 minutes.
Step 2. Next, add melted vegan butter, 3 ½ cups of all-purpose flour and salt. Stir until a sticky dough forms. Then, flour a surface and knead the dough for 5 minutes, adding up to ½ cup more flour during the kneading process to keep the dough from sticking to the counter.
Step 3. Next, place the cinnamon roll dough into an oiled bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.
Step 4. Once the dough has risen, lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough into an 11-inch by 16-inch rectangle.
Step 5. Brush the dough with melted vegan butter, and top with brown sugar and cinnamon. Then, roll the rectangle into a log and cut 12 vegan cinnamon rolls.
Step 6. Place the rolls into a well-greased 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow the buns to rise until the are all touching each other- about 45 minutes.
Step 7. Once the buns have risen, preheat the oven to 350*.
Step 8. And bake for 30-33 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
Step 9. While the Vegan Cinnamon Rolls cool slightly, make the cream cheese frosting by mixing vegan cream cheese, powdered sugar, a dash of vanilla and non-dairy milk together until completely smooth.
Step 10. Finally, frost the buns with cream cheese frosting and serve!
Instructions for Overnight Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
Since this Vegan Cinnamon Rolls recipe takes a while to make, I usually make them one day and bake them the next morning. Here is how to do that:
After placing the cinnamon rolls into the baking pan, cover with plastic wrap and immediately place the pan into the refrigerator fridge overnight.
The next morning, remove the pan from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature. This will take 1 hour.
Then, preheat the oven to 350* and bake for 30-33 minutes or until the rolls are lightly brown across the top.
Recipe FAQs
To store, wrap them tightly with plastic or transfer them to an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to 3 days.
I think brown sugar tastes better in cinnamon rolls. And since it sticks to itself, it makes rolling the dough up much easier!
Nothing! Powdered sugar and confectioners sugar are the same product.
If it is stored in an airtight container it can last for years! But, if it is exposed to moisture, it will clump up and can be very hard to work with.
Expert Recipe Tips
Be careful when warming the milk. You do not want to exceed 100* Fahrenheit. Yeast is a living organism and can be killed with too much heat.
When you add the flour to the liquid ingredients of the Vegan Cinnamon Roll dough, the dough will be very sticky! That's okay.
When you knead the dough, add a little bit of flour at a time to keep it from sticking to your work surface and it will come together.
You want the dough to be tacky but not sticky.
And if you want a fun and delicious twist in cinnamon rolls, make my Cinnamon Roll Focaccia!
Looking for More Vegan Brunch Recipes?
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- 1 9"x13" Baking Pan
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- 2 Small Bowls
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Knife
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Cups Non-Dairy Milk
- ¼ Cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoon Active Dry Yeast
- 6 tablespoon Non-Dairy Butter, melted and cooled
- 3 ½-4 Cups All-Purpose Flour I used 3 ¾ Cups
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Cinnamon Sugar Filling
- 3 tablespoon Non-Dairy Butter, melted and cooled
- ¾ Cup Light Brown Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Cinnamon
Cream Cheese Frosting
- ¼ Cup Non-Dairy Cream Cheese Room Temperature
- 1 ⅔ Cups Powdered Sugar, Sifted
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla
- 1-3 teaspoon Non-Dairy Milk
Instructions
- Warm non-dairy milk to approximately 100* F. Add the milk into a large bowl, and add the granulated sugar. Mix together, then add the yeast and mix. Allow the yeast to bloom for 5 minutes.1 ½ Cups Non-Dairy Milk, ¼ Cup Granulated Sugar, 2 ½ teaspoon Active Dry Yeast
- Next, add melted non-dairy butter and stir.6 tablespoon Non-Dairy Butter, melted and cooled
- Then, add 3 ½ cups of the flour and salt and stir. The dough will be really sticky.3 ½-4 Cups All-Purpose Flour, 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- Flour your work surface and scrape the dough out of the bowl. Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic, using up to ½ cup more flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking. This will take about 5 minutes.
- Place the dough into an oiled bowl and cover with a dish towel. Allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size, about 1 ½ to 1 ¾ hours.
Mix the Filling
- While the dough is rising, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.¾ Cup Light Brown Sugar, 1 tablespoon Cinnamon
Shape the Cinnamon Rolls
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll out into a 16"x11" rectangle.
- Brush the rectangle with 3 tablespoons of melted non dairy butter, then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly across the rectangle.3 tablespoon Non-Dairy Butter, melted and cooled
- Roll rectangle toward you into a 16" long cylinder. Using a sharp knife, cut rolls 1 ½" thick. You should get 12 rolls.
- Place rolls into a well-greased 9"x13" inch pan. You will be able to fit 3 across and 4 down. Cover the pan with a kitchen towel.
To Bake the Same Day
- Allow the cinnamon rolls to rise for 40 minutes or until the rolls are all touching each other. Then, heat the oven to 350* F.
- Bake the rolls for 30-33 minutes or until they are lightly brown across the top.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 20 minutes, then evenly spread the cream cheese frosting across the whole pan. Serve.
Make Cream Cheese Frosting
- While the cinnamon rolls are cooling, in a small bowl, combine cream cheese and powdered sugar. Then add the vanilla and stir well. Then add 1-3 teaspoons of non-dairy milk, stirring well in between each addition until you reach the desired texture. Spread over the slightly cooled cinnamon rolls and serve.¼ Cup Non-Dairy Cream Cheese, 1 ⅔ Cups Powdered Sugar, Sifted, ½ teaspoon Vanilla, 1-3 teaspoon Non-Dairy Milk
To Bake the Next Day
- After shaping the rolls and placing them into a well-greased 9x13 pan, cover with plastic wrap and immediately place the pan into the refrigerator overnight.
- The next morning, remove the pan from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. This will take 1 hour.
- Then, preheat the oven to 350* and bake for 30-33 minutes or until the rolls are lightly brown across the top.
- Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before spreading evenly with cream cheese frosting and serve.
Amanda
These look amazing!! Do you happen to have a good gluten free swatch for this? My daughter can’t have dairy or gluten.
Megan Calipari
Thank you so much! I don't. Gluten free swaps are often not 1:1, so I'd recommend using a recipe that is written to be gluten free. I know minimalist baker has a recipe for GF cinnamon rolls!