No-Bake Cinnamon Roll Bites

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No-bake cinnamon roll bites on a cutting board

Craving cinnamon rolls but not ready to commit to the hours of wait time? SOLUTION: no-bake cinnamon rolls! These naturally sweetened treats combine the ease of energy bites with the flavor of cinnamon rolls. Not to mention, how cute are they?!

They’re the perfect treat for lunch boxes and mid-day energy slumps. Just 8 ingredients, 20 minutes, and 1 food processor required! Let’s get rolling.

Water, oat flour, almond flour, cinnamon, coconut oil, dates, vanilla, maple syrup, and salt

Whether it’s a classic or no-bake version, cinnamon rolls need dough! For a safe-to-eat-raw batter, we combine homemade oat flour and almond flour with just a touch of sea salt. Coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla add sweetness and bring the “dough” together.

No-bake cinnamon roll dough in a food processor

Then, after a brief chill, it’s time to roll out the “dough” and add the filling. This delectable no-bake filling has dates for sweetness and structure plus cinnamon (you knew that!), coconut oil, vanilla, salt, and a splash of water for easy spreading.

Spreading a cinnamon-spiced date filling onto no-bake cinnamon roll dough

Next, it’s (cinnamon) roll time! After rolling, simply slice ’em up and enjoy right away! Why wait?!

Slicing no-bake vegan cinnamon rolls

We hope you LOVE these no-bake cinnamon rolls! They’re:

Soft
Buttery
Chewy
Nutty
Perfectly sweet
with BIG cinnamon flavor!

Enjoy as an after-meal treat or sweet snack — or to quickly fulfill the cinnamon roll craving!

More No-Bake Treats

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

No-bake cinnamon rolls surrounded by ingredients used to make them

No-Bake Cinnamon Roll Bites

These no-bake cinnamon rolls are the perfect quick snack or healthier treat. Naturally sweetened, vegan, gluten-free, and made in a food processor in 20 minutes!
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Slicing no-bake vegan and gluten-free cinnamon rolls
4.62 from 21 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 12 (Cinnamon rolls)
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 1 month
Does it keep? 1 Week

Ingredients

NO-BAKE “DOUGH”

  • 3/4 cup oat flour (ground from gluten-free rolled oats)
  • 3/4 cup almond flour*
  • 1/8 tsp sea salt
  • 2 ½ Tbsp coconut oil*, softened or melted
  • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 3/4 tsp vanilla extract

FILLING

  • 1 cup packed pitted dates (11 medjool dates yield ~200 g or 1 cup // measured after pitting)
  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil*, softened or melted
  • 1 ½ Tbsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 – 1 Tbsp water

Instructions

  • NO-BAKE “DOUGH”: To a food processor add oat flour, almond flour, and salt. Pulse 3-4 times to combine. Next add the coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Pulse again to distribute the liquid and then run the food processor for about 10 seconds until it starts to come together.
  • Place the dough on a piece of parchment paper and gently knead it into a ball. Shape the ball into a rectangle. Cover the top of the rectangle with more parchment and use a rolling pin to shape it into a ~7-inch square, about 1/6 of an inch thick. If you don’t have a rolling pin, it’s quite forgiving if you need to shape it into a square with your hands. Place the rolled-out "dough" in the refrigerator while you make the filling.
  • FILLING: To the now empty food processor add dates, coconut oil, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, and water (starting with the lesser amount). Let the machine run until a thick, cohesive paste is achieved. This should take a few minutes. If the food processor is having trouble blending, add the remaining 1/2 Tbsp water.
  • Once you have a smooth paste, retrieve the cinnamon roll dough from the refrigerator and spread the cinnamon filling over the dough. If your dates were super sticky, spreading will be easier if you lightly grease your spatula with coconut oil before you begin. Once the filling is spread evenly, roll up the cinnamon roll starting from the bottom, peeling the parchment away from the dough as you go.
  • Slice into 12 rolls – each should be about 3/4-inch thick. We recommend using either a sharp knife or sliding a long piece of dental floss under the dough, wrapping it around the top, and pulling tightly in opposite directions to pull the floss through the roll. Enjoy at room temperature or let refrigerate for about 30 minutes if you prefer them cold!
  • Leftover cinnamon rolls will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for 1 month.

Video

Notes

*Coconut oil sub: we haven’t tested this recipe without coconut oil, but you could try leaving it out of the filling (it will probably be a bit stickier). In the dough, we’d suggest replacing it with a neutral nut butter like raw cashew butter.
*Almond flour sub: We haven’t tried this recipe without almond flour, but you could try more oat flour. We’d suggest adding a little at a time until the right consistency is reached. Check out the photos above to gauge it! 
*See comments for other flour sub questions.
*Inspired by Meet the Source.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.

Nutrition (1 of 12 servings)

Serving: 1 cinnamon roll Calories: 153 Carbohydrates: 20.3 g Protein: 2.5 g Fat: 7.8 g Saturated Fat: 3.6 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g Monounsaturated Fat: 2.6 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 26 mg Potassium: 197 mg Fiber: 2.9 g Sugar: 13.5 g Vitamin A: 4 IU Vitamin C: 0 mg Calcium: 44 mg Iron: 0.7 mg

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Reader Interactions

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My Rating:




  1. Lani says

    Hi, i made this and it was delicious. What turned it even more delicious though was baking it in the oven for 20-25 min at 195 degrees! The almonds in the dough turn golden and taste a little roasted. Thanks for sharing :)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Beth! That should work, but you will most likely need less of it. We suggest starting with half and checking the consistency as you slowly add more!

  2. Kim says

    These are really really good!

    I used butter instead of coconut oil, and added a tbsp of water to the dough.

    I found I couldn’t get a smooth paste in my processer, I might try the smoothy blender next time. But that didn’t really change much, so good!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoy them, Kim! A few things that could cause it to not become a paste: 1) if the dates are too dry, 2) a food processor that’s not powerful enough, 3) a food processor that’s too large, or 4) making a smaller amount. We hope one of those ideas or the blender helps for next time!

  3. Beth Ann Simpkins says

    I have made this recipe over a dozen times, love love love it. Smaller dates work better.. too much filling makes them a bit messy. The last 2 times I have added a tbsp of ground flaxseed to the filling and it helps them keep their shape better. I always roll into parchment and chill in the fridge before slicing.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Claire! Before you roll them up you can let them come to room temperature! You can also try adding a bit of water to the dough if it doesn’t seem sticky enough!

  4. Rozalyn Oliver says

    I have made these twice, & they are my husbands new favorite! The second time I added just a tiny smidge of water to the dough so I could roll it out super thin. I use the parchment paper to roll the dough super tightly & I refrigerate the dough in between handling it. I cut the rolls with a serrated knife while still rolled in the paper & they turned out beautifully & individually wrapped 🥰

  5. Mina says

    Amazing! So easy and definitely satisfies my sweet tooth, will be a repeat for me. I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out great, my roll wasn’t as perfect as the pictures but not bad for first time.

  6. A says

    This recipe was laughably bad. I usually love Minimalist Baker too! First off unless you want to break your food processor, should probably soak your dates first – not sure why that wasn’t included. Secondly, the dough cracked as soon as I took it out of the fridge and did not hold up at all after cutting. Couldn’t even pick up one “roll” without it falling apart.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      So sorry this one didn’t work out for you. We find that our food processor can handle dates very well. However, if your dates aren’t fresh we could see how it could be a bit harder to blend them. Did you make any modifications in the crust? This is usually a reader favorite!

    • Renee says

      I agree with you as far as not, letting people know that you should soften up the dates. I opted to not refrigerate it because I knew that it would not be though that would be really easy to work with in the first place so even not refrigerating it it cracked, but it still worked really well after I use the rolling pin on it quite a few times. Other than that I’ve had great luck with it. It freezes well in pieces once you cut it up and I’ve made it multiple times in the last couple months.

    • anthony says

      No need to be so negative bra. didn’t like it, move forward and try another. thank the author for trying to share some love with you. we are all just doing our best. negativity never made anyone feel better, right?

  7. Nicole says

    Neat recipe! Like another reviewer I found these more like cinnamony fig newtons than cinnamon rolls but still a nice treat.

  8. Valerie says

    Wow, these were fantastic. I followed your instructions and they came out great. I messed up later putting them in the refrigerator and it got hard but once left out they were fine. My only issue is making myself stop eating them!

  9. Atara Dahan says

    I made this twice.
    Both times it turned out looking nowhere near as nice as yours, you couldn’t see where the dough and cinnamon part met, they kind of mushed together when I cut. They were also oval shaped because they got squished when I cut them no matter how delicate I tried to be.
    They were a bit crumbly, but after sitting in the freezer for a bit were perfectly fine.
    Taste was 10/10, although they were very too heavy for me. Very dense.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Atara! We’re so glad you enjoyed them overall. Next time we suggest using the floss method to cut them! It might help them hold their shape better. xo

  10. The Vegan Goddess says

    I made this tonight and it was delicious.

    However, the dough was dry and crumbly and hard to work with so I added water to help.

    It still didn’t roll easily for me and wasn’t a pretty looking log when it was rolled up like your pics; however, when I sliced it, it looked fine and tasted great which is what really counts.

  11. Lisa says

    I love this recipe! It was easy to make and tasted delicious. I had to use about 3 tablespoons of water in order to get the filling to a smooth spreadable consistency. I will definitely make these again.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Lisa. Thanks so much for the lovely review! Depending on the moistness dates you may need more or less water. Hope this helps!

  12. Jeanette says

    I am a fan of no bake recipes. They are usually quick and easy to do with my kids and this recipe was no different. It reminder me more of a fig newton than a cinnamon roll. This is why I gave it 4 stars- plus four out of five of my family wanted seconds. When rolling up, mine did start to crack some, but it was still moist enough to fix along the way. The recipe is already added to one to repeat.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thank you for sharing your experience, Jeanette! Glad to hear they were a hit with most of the family!

  13. Kristen Bianco says

    Hi! I tried to make this recipe, but I’m having some trouble. The dough came out kind of dry and crumbly, and wasn’t wet or stick enough to roll out. Any suggestions?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Kristen, sorry to hear this! Did you make any modifications to the ingredients? It’s possible that more oil would help!

  14. Elena says

    delicious recipe! very simple if you have a decent food processor.

    I felt that I had extra date paste and could’ve potentially increased the amount of dough (~x1.5) because I wished I had more! 😋

  15. Ally says

    This looks delicious! I was wondering if there is something I could use in place of dates?
    Also, I really love your vegan cream cheese frosting; it’s amazing and tastes almost exactly like dairy frosting!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you love that recipe, Ally! We haven’t tried replacing the dates with another fruit, but possibly dried figs, raisins, or prunes. The flavor might be slightly different and depending on the freshness of the dried fruit, you may need to soak it a little. Let us know if you do some experimenting!

  16. Judith Cullugan says

    Made these yesterday. They’re wonderful. I sprinkled a handful of chopped walnuts over the date filling before rolling the dough, which I really liked. I also found that the dough hardened a lot while sitting in the fridge while I made the date filling (because of the coconut oil probably), so the dough cracked when I tried to role. No problem. I just let everything sit for fifteen minutes or so till it softened a bit. Then it rolled up fine. I was thinking it might be fun to try this dough with your filling for healthy fig Newton’s from a few years ago. Thanks for the great recipe.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Laura! You could try using more almond flour and a bit of coconut flour. We suggest checking the consistency of the dough in the videos and photos to gauge how much flour to add!

  17. Emma says

    I made this today subbing oat flour for the almond flour using the exact gram measurements + added an extra tablespoon of maple syrup to get it to the consistency I wanted. It did not disappoint and I’m going to be making these bites all the time!! They tasted so incredible and my family loves them. Perfectly amount of sweetness and the cinnamon really comes through. Thank you for the recipe!!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed them, Emma! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo

  18. Irene says

    Is there a way to turn off the hearts thing? It keeps messing up the browser and making viewing the content impossible on certain pages. I literally have to use the back button to exit the page to make it stop freezing the page. I’d send you a screenshot if I could.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Sorry for the trouble, Irene! We’ll look into it and try to fix ASAP. In the meantime, we’d suggest trying a different browser, device, and/or clearing the cache on your browser.

  19. Wendy says

    I just made them with my daughter.
    They are delicious, we will definitely make them again.
    Thank you for sharing .❤️🥰

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you and your daughter enjoyed them, Wendy. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Kim, we use coconut oil because it hardens when refrigerated so we don’t think olive or avocado oil would work here!

  20. Casie Mair-Miley says

    The recipe looks lovely, hoping to try it. (Wish I had it when we were trapped in the blizzard without yeast to make our cinnamon roll Christmas breakfast!) I would like to commend your patience with your audience who are happy to ask a question without reading previous comments! Wow!! (Maybe you should put an asterisk in the recipe about coconut oil and flour substitutions ;op). Thank you for sharing your work!!!

  21. maria says

    I REALLY WANT TO TRY THIS YUMMY RECIPE BUT I AM, SADLY, ALSO SENSITIVE TO ANYTHING COCONUT AND CASHEWS. IS THERE ANOTHER NEUTRAL NUT BUTTER OTHER THAN THE CASHEWW YOUR SUGGESTED? MAYBE WALNUT NUT BUTTER, OR ALMOND?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Maria, you could try almond butter! It will change the flavor slightly. Let us know if you try it!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Joanna! Protein powder might change the texture a bit, but you could try lowering the flours and replacing them with protein powder! Let us know if you try it. xo

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Tiffany! We haven’t tried it with other dried fruit but it should work. The flavor might be slightly different and depending on the freshness of the figs you may need to soak them a little. Let us know if you try it!

  22. Melody Sieglitz says

    HI there these look fabulous as do all of your recipes! Can i just use oat flour solely as allergy to all nuts ? ALso hmmm wonder if I could bake them anyway LOL I love a hot cinnamon bun VEGAN of course? thanks

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thank you, Melody! The texture will be different if you use all oat flour but it could work. You might need a bit less of it because oat flour is more absorbent than almond flour. We don’t think these will bake well, but we do have a gluten-free, vegan cinnamon roll here.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Sandra! We haven’t tried it, but you could try leaving the coconut oil out of the filling (it will probably be a bit stickier) and replacing it in the dough with a neutral nut butter like raw cashew butter!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hey Sandy! You could try adding more almond flour and some coconut flour. You will need quite a bit less coconut flour so we suggest adding a little at a time until the correct texture is reached. Check out the video or photos above to help gauge the consistency!

  23. Alyssa Chase says

    These look amazing! Any ideas for substituting the coconut oil? I’d love to make these oil free. Thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Alyssa! We haven’t tried it, but you could try leaving the coconut oil out of the filling (it will probably be stickier) and replacing it in the dough with a neutral nut butter like raw cashew butter! Hope this helps. xo

  24. Atara Dahan says

    Why do you put vanilla in when there are other stronger flavors like chocolate or cinnamon?
    Does it really make so much of a difference?
    Can I leave it out?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hey Atara! Vanilla helps balance flavors in baking which is why we use it so much! You could leave it out, however, we really prefer the flavor of the bites with it!

  25. Lisa Z says

    Hello, I’m curious…. is there an option to coconut oil in this recipe? I would love to make this but have coconut allergy. Thank you!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Lisa! We haven’t tried it, but you could try leaving the coconut oil out of the filling (it will probably be stickier) and replacing it in the dough with a neutral nut butter like raw cashew butter! Hope this helps. xo

  26. Jess says

    Can I sub something else for the coconut oil? I avoid using coconut oil due to its impact on my cholesterol/health.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Jess! You could leave the coconut oil out of the filling (it might be harder to work with) and you could also try adding a neutral nut butter like raw cashew butter in the dough. We haven’t tried it this way but it might work! Let us know how it goes. xo

  27. Lucy Series says

    These look great! Can you suggest an alternative to oat flour, for allergic reasons. Perhaps coconut flour? Thanks.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Lucy! If using coconut flour, we suggest upping the amount of almond flour slightly and adding a little coconut flour at a time until the right consistency is met. Check out the photos above for the correct texture!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Anne! We haven’t tried it , but you could probably leave the coconut oil out of the filling (it might be harder to work with) and replace it in the dough with a neutral nut butter like cashew butter!

  28. Sam says

    Can I make my own oat flour if I have rolled oats? Is there a substitute for coconut oil? I’m not a fan of an overly coconut flavor in baked goods. Thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Sam! You can definitely make your own oat flour in a blender. As for the coconut oil, if you use refined coconut oil it is flavorless. We haven’t tried the recipe without coconut oil, but you could probably leave it out of the filling and use a neutral nut butter like raw cashew butter in the dough!

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Glad you found your answer Rachel! Another reader also suggested blending shredded coconut until it looks like flour if you don’t mind the flavor of coconut!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Carey! We haven’t tried this recipe without coconut oil and can’t guarantee results, but you could try leaving the coconut oil out of the filling and use a neutral nut butter like raw cashew butter to the dough. Let us know if you try it!

  29. Stacy says

    This sounds delicious! Do you have a substitution for the coconut oil in both pieces? We are trying very hard to limit/exclude added oils.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Stacy! We haven’t tried this recipe without coconut oil and can’t guarantee results, however we think you could leave the coconut oil out of the filling and try adding a neutral nut butter like cashew butter to the dough. Hope you enjoy!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Sara! We haven’t tried this recipe without coconut oil and can’t guarantee results, but you could try a neutral nut butter like raw cashew butter. Let us know if you try it! xo

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Jessica! We haven’t tried this recipe without almond flour and can’t guarantee results, but you could try more oat flour. We suggest adding a little at a time until the right consistency is reached. Check out the photos above to gauge it! Hope this helps. xo

      • Mista says

        That is always my question too on these recipes that use almond flour. I have used unsweetened coconut that I blend until its a flour. It seems to work best even though I often ask too… just in case the author of the recipe has tried/recommends something else. Coconut can add a flavor that doesn’t benefit the recipe.

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Hi Mista, that is a great suggestion! Especially if you like the flavor of coconut, thank you for sharing!

      • Ann says

        I’m just wondering…. wouldn’t the oat flour not have enough fat? Maybe a seed flour would be a good alternative, like sunflower seeds ground to the consistency of almond flour? Just a thought.

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Hi Ann! The flour is just there to give the mixture body. If you don’t mind the flavor of ground sunflower seeds that could work too! Thanks for sharing!

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Hi Elizabeth! If you don’t mind the flavor of sunflower seeds you could definitely blend them into a flour!