Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

These vegan cinnamon rolls are soft, fluffy, and swirled with cinnamon sugar, then finished with a simple vanilla glaze while they are still warm. The dough uses plant milk and vegan butter, rises twice, and bakes into rolls with tender centers and lightly golden edges.

If you know our original easy homemade cinnamon rolls, this is the same weekend ritual with plant based ingredients. Nothing about the texture gives the swap away.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Rise Time: About 1 hour 30 minutes in total
Bake Time: 22 to 25 minutes
Total Time: About 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 12 rolls
Oven Temperature: 350°F (175°C)
Pan: 9 x 13 inch baking dish

Quick Ingredients: plant milk, granulated sugar, vegan butter, active dry yeast, all purpose flour, salt, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, powdered sugar, vanilla extract.

Quick Steps: Bloom the yeast in warm plant milk. Mix and knead the dough, then let it rise for 1 hour. Roll it out, spread with vegan butter and cinnamon sugar, and roll it into a log. Cut 12 rolls, let them rise again, bake, and glaze while warm.

Ingredients for Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

For the Dough

• 1 cup plant milk, soy or oat, warmed to about 110°F
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup vegan butter, melted
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast, one standard packet
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

For the Filling

• 1/3 cup vegan butter, softened
• 2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

For the Glaze

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 to 3 tablespoons plant milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of fine salt

How to Make Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

Step 1: Bloom the Yeast

Whisk the warm plant milk, granulated sugar, and melted vegan butter in a large bowl. The mixture should feel warm, not hot, at about 110°F. Sprinkle the yeast over the top, stir it in, and leave it for 10 minutes until it turns foamy. If it never foams, the yeast is dead or the milk was too hot, and it is better to start again than to push on.

Step 2: Mix and Knead the Dough

Stir in 3 1/2 cups of flour and the salt until a shaggy dough forms. Knead by hand for 8 minutes, or in a stand mixer with the dough hook for 5 to 6 minutes, adding more flour a spoonful at a time only if the dough sticks badly. The finished dough should be soft, smooth, and slightly tacky, never stiff.

Step 3: First Rise

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it, and leave it in a warm spot for about 1 hour, until doubled in size. A switched off oven with the light on gives a steady, draft free rise.

Step 4: Roll Out and Fill

Roll the dough on a floured surface into a rectangle about 16 x 12 inches, with a long side facing you. Spread the softened vegan butter over the whole surface, right to the edges. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle it evenly over the butter, then press it down lightly with your palm so it sticks.

Step 5: Roll and Cut

Roll the dough up from the long side into a tight log and pinch the seam closed. Cut the log into 12 even rolls. Unflavored dental floss or a sharp serrated knife gives clean cuts without squashing the spiral.

Step 6: Second Rise

Arrange the rolls in a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish with a little space between them. Cover and leave for 30 to 45 minutes, until the rolls look puffy and are touching each other.

Step 7: Bake

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) during the second rise. Bake the rolls for 22 to 25 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden and the centers look set. Pull them a minute early rather than a minute late if you like a softer middle.

Step 8: Glaze While Warm

Whisk the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of plant milk, vanilla, and salt until smooth and pourable. Add the last tablespoon of milk only if the glaze sits in ribbons. Spread the glaze over the warm rolls and serve within the hour for the best texture.

Why These Vegan Cinnamon Rolls Stay Soft

Softness in a roll comes from moisture and gentle heat, not from eggs. The plant milk and melted vegan butter keep the dough supple, and baking only until the tops color keeps the centers tender. The biggest mistake with vegan cinnamon rolls is adding too much flour during kneading to fight stickiness. A slightly tacky dough is the whole point, because that tackiness bakes up into softness.

The filling ratio matters too. Softened butter spread on the dough, rather than melted butter brushed on, stays in the spiral instead of leaking into the pan. That is what gives each roll a defined swirl and a gooey middle.

Ingredient Notes

Plant milk. Soy milk rises the most reliably because of its protein. Oat milk is a close second and tastes neutral. Warm it like bath water: hot milk kills yeast on contact.

Vegan butter. Use a block style vegan butter for both the dough and the filling. Soft tub spreads contain more water and can make the filling run out during baking.

Yeast. This recipe uses active dry yeast that needs blooming. Instant yeast works in the same amount and can skip the blooming step, mixed straight into the flour.

Flour. All purpose flour gives the softest roll. Bread flour works too and adds chew, which some people prefer. Measure loosely or weigh it, aiming for a soft dough rather than an exact cup count.

Tips for Soft, Fluffy Rolls

• Keep the dough tacky. Add flour by the spoonful during kneading, never by the handful.
• Cut with floss for spirals that stay round instead of pinched.
• Give the second rise its full time. Under risen rolls bake up dense, no matter how good the dough was.
• Glaze while the rolls are warm but not hot, about 10 minutes out of the oven, so it melts into the swirls without vanishing.
• For a cream cheese style topping, beat 4 ounces of vegan cream cheese into the glaze and add plant milk until it spreads.

For a full plant based brunch spread, bake these beside our vegan banana pancakes and let people pick their favorite.

Storage and Make Ahead

Store leftover rolls covered at room temperature for 1 day, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Warm a roll for 15 seconds in the microwave or 5 minutes in a low oven to bring back the soft texture.

To make ahead, assemble the cut rolls in the dish, cover, and refrigerate overnight instead of doing the second rise. In the morning, let the dish sit at room temperature for 45 minutes, then bake as usual. Baked rolls also freeze for up to 2 months. For safe storage times, follow the USDA leftovers and food safety guidelines.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make vegan cinnamon rolls without a stand mixer?

Yes. The dough kneads easily by hand in about 8 minutes. Use a large bowl for mixing and a floured counter for kneading, and add flour only when the dough sticks to your hands in sheets.

Why did my vegan cinnamon rolls turn out dense?

The usual causes are too much flour, milk that was hot enough to kill the yeast, or a second rise that got cut short. Keep the dough soft, bloom the yeast in warm rather than hot milk, and let the rolls get visibly puffy before baking.

Can I freeze vegan cinnamon rolls before baking?

Yes. Freeze the cut, unrisen rolls on a tray, then store them in a bag for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the baking dish in the refrigerator, let them rise at room temperature for about 1 hour, and bake.

What glaze works best on vegan cinnamon rolls?

The simple powdered sugar glaze in this recipe is the classic choice. For a richer topping, beat vegan cream cheese and a little vegan butter into the glaze until it spreads like frosting.