Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

4.99 from 105 votes

Treat yourself to the most delicious breakfast! These homemade vegan cinnamon rolls are so easy to make and are wonderfully fluffy and sweet.

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These easy vegan cinnamon rolls are the perfect homemade breakfast to enjoy with family. So simple to make, they are wonderfully sweet and totally plant based too.Make them the night before for a delicious breakfast that everyone will love!

Spoon glazing vegan cinnamon rolls in white pan

Recipe video tutorial

How to make vegan cinnamon rolls

  1. Combine the flour, sugar, yeast and salt.
  2. Add the coconut oil and almond milk to the dry ingredients.
  3. Stir to combine. It will be wet and a little sticky, but that’s fine.
  4. Knead the dough until it is smooth and stretchy – my daughter’s favorite part!
  5. Place in an oiled bowl and cover with wrap.
  6. Allow to rise until the dough is doubled in size.
6 image collage to show how to make the recipe
  • Roll the dough out and sprinkle of the cinnamon filling.
  • Roll the dough up and cut into 12 equal sections.
  • Place in a greased baking dish, cover with plastic wrap and allow to double in size again.
2 image collage to show the rolls in pan after cutting and then after rising
  • Bake until golden brown.
  • Drizzle with the glaze and serve.
2 image collage to show the rolls after baking and then after glazing

Tips for making the best cinnamon rolls

  1. Make sure the kitchen is warm to help the dough rise faster. It helps to have the heat on to assist the rising time. Just make sure it’s not too hot, which can kill the yeast.
  2. Add the glaze only when you’re ready to eat them. The glaze will harden as it hits the warm cinnamon rolls and you want it to look glossy and soft instead. For best appearance, glaze just before serving.
  3. Make a pan sauce for a deeper flavor. To simplify the recipe, I like to just use melted coconut oil in the pan. However, you can whisk the coconut oil with some almond milk and brown sugar to make the sauce.
  4. Cut the rolled dough from the inside out. The first time I made cinnamon rolls, I cut like a rookie from one end to the next. But overtime, I learned that the most even cuts come when you precisely measure and cut from the inside out. The ends will always look wonky though, so don’t fret!
  5. Create a richer topping by making a thick icing. Instead of the glaze I include below, try mixing together: ¾ cup vegan cream cheese, ¼ cup softened vegan butter, ¼ cup maple syrup, 2/3 cup powdered sugar, ¼ tsp salt.
Large pan of 12 cinnamon rolls at an angle and one roll served on small dessert plate nearby

Frequently asked questions

How long do they keep?

Once you have baked the rolls, let them cool to room temperature, then place them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days. If you are planning on storing them this way, I recommend not to glaze them. I then warm them in the oven before serving and add the icing.

Can you make them the night before?

You can easily make these rolls the night before for an effortless and delicious breakfast the next morning. Make up the rolls as per the recipe, right up to cutting them and placing in the baking dish. Then, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to allow them to rise.

Take them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you want to bake them, so that they come up to room temperature, and then carry on with the recipe.

Can you freeze them?

Yes, these vegan cinnamon rolls freeze really well. Bake the rolls, let them cool and don’t add the glaze. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. You can reheat them in the oven from frozen, or let them thaw in the fridge overnight. Add the glaze to the warmed rolls to serve.

How do you keep cinnamon rolls from getting hard the next day?

The best way to keep your cinnamon rolls moist is to store them airtight. I recommend two layers of plastic or foil to ensure they are airtight and all the moisture stays in the pan or container. You can heat them by wrapping in moist paper towel in microwave for extra soft rolls

Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast?

Just mix with the milk and honey to activate the yeast for 10 minutes and then add in all the other ingredients.

Spatula removing one cinnamon roll from pan

These vegan cinnamon rolls are such a delicious homemade breakfast treat and they are more than ideal to serve on Christmas morning. I love that you can easily make these ahead of time, and I promise you there won’t be any leftovers!

More vegan desserts to try:

If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Vegan Cinnamon Rolls recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!

Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

Treat yourself to the most delicious breakfast! These homemade vegan cinnamon rolls are so easy to make and are wonderfully fluffy and sweet.
5 from 105 votes
Servings 12 rolls
Course Breakfast
Calories 263
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients
  

Dough:

Filling:

Glaze:

Instructions

Prepare the dough:

  • In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Whisk together the melted coconut oil and warmed almond milk and pour over the flour mixture. Stir until the dough comes together and all the flour is incorporated.
  • Knead for 3-5 minutes on a lightly floured surface until the dough is smooth and stretchy.
  • Place the dough ball in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm place and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Assemble the rolls:

  • Turn out the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a rectangle about 14” x 20”.
  • Brush the melted coconut oil onto the dough surface. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir until evenly distributed. Sprinkle into an even layer over the surface, getting all the way to the edges.
  • Starting at one of the short ends, roll the dough up gently but tightly. Turn the dough so the seam is underneath.
  • Cut dough into 12 even segments with a very sharp knife. Place them in a very generously greased 9×13” baking pan, so that they are evenly spaced.
  • Cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise again until doubled (about 45 minutes).
  • During the last rise, preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Once risen, remove the plastic and bake for 25-30 minutes until just starting to get golden on top.
  • Remove from the oven and cool for 15 to 20 minutes before adding the glaze.

Make the glaze and serve:

  • Combine powdered sugar and milk in a small mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Drizzle the glaze on the cinnamon rolls when ready to enjoy.
  • Slide a knife around the edge of the pan. Remove the rolls one at a time, pulling them apart.

Notes

Storage: Baked rolls can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days or freezer if un-iced for up to 3 months, and reheated in the oven before icing and eating.
Make Ahead Instructions: To prepare the rolls ahead of time for easy morning consumption, proceed with the instructions up until the second rise the night before. Before allowing the second rise to happen, cover the pan tightly and place in the fridge overnight. In the morning, remove the rolls from the fridge and allow them to come to room temperature before baking.

Nutrition

Calories: 263kcal, Carbohydrates: 41g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Sodium: 131mg, Potassium: 62mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 17g, Calcium: 47mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Cuisine American
Course: Breakfast

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Comments

  1. Honestly 10/10. It was my first time doing these and they turned out AMAZING, even better than the ones bought at any store. In love with this recipe, plus it’s so easy to follow with the thorough description and video! My friends tried them out and were literally stunned! Will do more another time for sure.

    I’m a college student (not an expert in cooking at all) and I’ve been following your page for awhile now for healthy, easy to make meals and I cannot be happier! Everything that I try turns exactly like the pictures and so so good!! Thank you so much.

    1. You’re so welcome, Sabrina! So happy to hear that they turned out well for you and that you’re experimenting with cooking!

  2. I’m so sad, these turned out really hard. I’ve made cinnamon rolls many times before but wanted to try a new recipe and these seemed too small to need 25-30 minutes so I baked for 22 and they still came out hard from the oven 🙁 I’ll try them again another time

    1. I haven’t had an issue with these turning out hard. Could it be that too much flour was added?

      1. I use a scale when I bake so unfortunately no. They weren’t to my liking unfortunately, I’m used to softer rolls. Thanks anyway!

        1. I’m not sure what might’ve gone wrong. I’ll have to do another test to see how if I can figure that out!

          1. That is so kind. I’ll give it a go another time, too! Thank you so much for your responses and I’m looking forward to trying different recipes from your blog 🙂

  3. Wonderful recipe and easy to follow. The cinnamon rolls came out very nicely — and not too sweet. Thanks so much! (I used oat milk with no problems.)

  4. Making these tomorrow, can’t wait!! Two questions: 1) can I use oat milk instead of almond milk and 2) currently not a fan of coconut oil (pregnancy woes!), can I replace it with another vegetable oil for the dough and with butter for the glaze?

  5. Having some issues with this recipe. Have made it twice now and both times they do not rise or get bigger in the oven. I let the dough ball rise and then do the rolling out and cutting and then put them on the tray under plastic wrap and let them sit another 40 minutes but they still barely get any bigger at all and come out crunchy. Not ideal and frustrating cause this recipe looks so good! What am I doing wrong?? Should I make the dough slightly more moist or add more yeast?? :/

    1. I’m so sorry to hear that. Is it too hot where you’re letting the dough rise? Because that can kill the yeast.

    2. Oh that’s good that it’s rising the first time in the bowl. I recommend trying to leave it in longer for an additional 30 minutes to see if that works. And if that doesn’t work it’s possible that the yeast you’re using is no longer active. To test if the yeast you’re using is still active, mix one envelope of yeast with a teaspoon of sugar and 1/4 warm water. Wait 10 minutes and the mixture should bubble and you should smell the yeast. I hope that helps. By the way, what brand flour and kind are you using?

    3. Hmmm, that is really particular. It’s possible you left it too long to rise the second time or it may have something to do with the flour you’re using.

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