I once drove 2 hours before work at 5:30 in the morning in the pitch black just to get a cinnamon roll at an Amish bakery. That’s how much I love cinnamon rolls, and apparently how unwilling I am to make them myself. Go figure.
Why doesn’t anyone make cinnamon rolls? They’re complicated, difficult and time consuming. That’s why.
But these cinnamon rolls are different:
7 ingredients
No complex steps
No difficult methods
Practically fool proof
Just straightforward, fluffy, gooey goodness in cinnamon-roll form.
Oh yeah, and they’re vegan. Holy friggin’ delicious.
I was able to keep the ingredients to a minimum by narrowing down what you really need in a cinnamon roll and forgetting the rest. And then I went a step further and tested the true need for “scalding the milk” and letting them rise a second (sometimes third) time.
Turns out? Not necessary. And they turned out JUST AS DELICIOUS as bakery fresh cinnamon rolls. This, my friends, is my new go-to cinnamon roll recipe and it just so happens to require 7 ingredients and one lazy morning’s preparation. Behold, the World’s Easiest Cinnamon Rolls.
When I pulled these beauties out of the oven I was mesmerized. I couldn’t believe how fluffy and perfect they looked despite minimal ingredients and time.
Although a glaze isn’t really necessary or within the 7-ingredient limit, it’s an easy last-minute addition that will send them over the top. In other words, highly recommended for pure cinnamon roll bliss.
Origins of Cinnamon Rolls
Cinnamon rolls are believed to have originated in Sweden in the 1920s. But it wasn’t until the 1950s that they became popular. In Sweden, they’re commonly served for fika, which is a gathering time that includes a cup of coffee or tea. Sweden even has a National Cinnamon Bun Day. We’re on board for that!
FAQs
Can I prep these cinnamon rolls the night before?
Yes. Follow through step 5, then refrigerate overnight and let the pan “rise” on top of the oven while the oven is preheating so they don’t get shocked from cold to super hot.
Can I use a different type of milk?
Yes. Most milks should work. Find our recipes for homemade dairy-free milks here.
Can I use dry active yeast?
Yes. Use the same measurements and just let it rise longer until almost doubled in size.
Can I use coconut oil instead of vegan butter?
Coconut oil doesn’t provide the same flavor and fluffiness/tenderness. But it should be okay.
These vegan cinnamon rolls are:
Fluffy
Soft
Sweet
Tender
Cinnamon-y
Easy
& Satisfying
In other words, perfection. Hooray for easy cinnamon rolls, finally!
More Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
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!
The World’s Easiest Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
DOUGH
- 3 Tbsp vegan butter* (such as Earth Balance)
- 1 packet instant yeast* (or use rapid-rise yeast // 1 packet yields ~ 2 1/4 tsp)
- 1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk*
- 1 Tbsp organic cane sugar*
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour*
FILLING
- 3 Tbsp vegan butter* (such as Earth balance // melted)
- 1/4 cup organic cane sugar*
- 1/2 – 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon (to taste)
TOPPING
- 2 Tbsp vegan butter* (such as Earth balance // melted)
ICING optional
- Simple Powdered Sugar Glaze (see step 8)
- Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions
- DOUGH: In a large sauce pan (or in a bowl in the microwave at 30-second increments), heat the almond milk and vegan butter until warm and melted, never reaching boiling. Remove from heat and let cool to 110 degrees F (43 C) or the temperature of bath water. It should be warm but not too hot or it will kill the yeast.
- Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl and sprinkle on yeast. Let activate for 10 minutes. Then add 1 Tbsp sugar and the salt and stir.
- Next add in flour 1/2 cup (68 g) at a time, stirring as you go (you may not add it all). The dough will be sticky. When it is too thick to stir, transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for a minute or so until it forms a loose ball (be careful not to overmix). Rinse your mixing bowl out, coat it with avocado or olive oil, and add your dough ball back in. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size (see photo).
- FILLING: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a thin rectangle (the thickness of the dough should be about 1/4-inch). Brush with melted vegan butter and top with sugar and desired amount of cinnamon.
- Starting at one end, tightly roll up the dough and situate seam side down. Then with a serrated knife or a string of floss, cut the dough into 1.5 – 2 inch sections and position in a well-buttered 8×8-inch square or comparable sized round pan (you should have about 10 rolls as original recipe is written). If preparing the cinnamon rolls the night before, stop here, cover the pan, and refrigerate overnight, then proceed with the next step in the morning.
- TOPPING: Brush with vegan butter (melted) and cover with plastic wrap. Set on top of the oven to let rise again while you preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C).
- Once the oven is hot, bake rolls for 25-30 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes and then serve immediately.
- Optional: Frost with dairy-free cream cheese frosting or a simple mixture of 1 cup (112 g) organic powdered sugar and 1-2 Tbsp (15-30 ml) almond milk.
- Best when fresh, though they will keep covered at room temperature for ~2-3 days.
- FREEZING: You can make the rolls up to the point of putting in a baking dish (step 5), and instead, freeze them in a freezer-safe container. Then, thaw the night before in the fridge. Once completely thawed, proof covered with a towel in a greased baking dish as your oven preheats, then bake as instructed.
Video
Notes
*YEAST: You can use regular or dry active yeast, but it will require more time to let them rise properly.
*MILK: Most milks should work. Find our recipes for homemade dairy-free milks here.
*GLUTEN-FREE: For gluten-free cinnamon rolls, see this recipe.
*I have not tested this recipe with other sweeteners, but it may work! Let me know in the comments if you have success.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without frosting.
Jamie says
I have made this multiple times (and always double it now) and it’s the easiest to make with great results. I use a little less flour than what’s called for and sometimes put 1/2-1 cup of whole wheat flour. To make the dough more fluffy, I use bread flour, use my fingers to spread the dough instead of using a rolling pin, and keep space between the rolls to give them room to expand during the second rise and cook steps.
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Jamie! Thank you for sharing your experience and modifications! xo
Carla B says
These are so good! My family really enjoyed them! I made the dough the night before and covered it and then let it rise all night instead of 1 hour, rolled them out and baked them in the morning. I used active dry yeast and not instant yeast. They where the smallest bit dry but turned out great otherwise. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Carla B says
My family loved theses cinnamon rolls! Thank you so much for this recipe. I made the dough the night before I was planing to cook them and I let it rise all night instead of one hour, rolled them out in the morning and baked them. I used active dry yeast too. They where the smallest bit dry but they turned out great otherwise!
We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed them, Carla! Thank you for sharing! xo
Georgie says
Could I use dates instead of sugar in the filling?
Possibly! We’d suggest making them into a paste, similar to this. Hope that helps!
Sabine says
These are SO good. I can’t imagine a better cinnamon roll. SO grateful to have this recipe.
Yay! So glad you enjoy this recipe, Sabine!
Katherine M says
I scrolled down a bit, so I may have missed it. Would oat milk work ok without affecting the flavor too much? I have all the other ingredients here on a daily basis except for the almond milk. Thank you!
Oat milk will work perfectly!
Shelby says
This recipe is amazing! It’s my go to recipe for cinnamon rolls. Could I double the recipe to make more rolls or would that mess things up?
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Shelby! Thank you for the lovely review! We’d suggest using a 9 × 13 pan if doubling it.
Eli says
I am making these right now! They are my favorite vegan cinnamon rolls. Today, I am experimenting with an apple, cranberry nut filling. I chopped a handful of fresh cranberries and flash cooked in a splash of orange juice and a few teaspoons of sugar. Then I added the earth balance, an overflowing cup of crushed walnuts and pecans, brown sugar and three apples, diced. I cooked on low briefly to combine. These rolls are so versatile.
Woohoo! So glad you enjoy this recipe, Eli! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Vanessa says
I made these with 2 parts whole spelt and white whole wheat, 1 part white flour. They turned out tiny, but I think I cut them too narrow. Thank you!
Ooo, the spelt sounds like a great addition. Thanks so much for the review, Vanessa!
mith says
Could I use this recipe and cut the
into little mini ones and bake them free form? (tucking the little ends underneath so they won’t unravel?)
We haven’t tried that, but we think it would work! We’d suggest baking for less time so they don’t dry out. Let us know if you try it!
Rachel says
As others have requested, it would be very helpful to have the dimensions of the rectangle you roll the dough into (length x width, not just thickness). I love this recipe but I always get confused at this step and it can be hard to get the right shape/size/number of rolls without knowing this.
Thanks so much for sharing, Rachel! We will add this to our retests list and add some measurements!
Casey says
Whenever I click the link for the cream cheese frosting, it takes me here https://minimalistbaker.com/gluten-free-zucchini-cake/.
Yep! If you look at the recipe on the zucchini cake, there is a recipe for cream cheese frosting in addition to the cake.
Diamantina says
Thank you for this excellent recipe! I love it and the cinnamon rolls even more!
I thought I would try making some savory rolls using this recipe and they were delicious!
I added a bit of fresh rosemary to the dough. When it was time to roll it out, I spread the dough with vegan cream cheese instead of butter and sprinkled finely chopped kalamata olives and vegan parmesan cheese, then rolled it up into the log and cut into six rolls, placed in the pan to rise. I brushed the tops with good quality olive oil and baked as directed. A few minutes before the rolls were done, I sprinkled more parmesan on top and finished baking.
I’m sorry that I didn’t measure things exactly – I tend to just throw in spices and herbs without measuring (most of the time, it works!)
WOW! That sounds soo delish! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your wonderful modifications!
Tabitha says
I just made these (followed recipe exactly) and they didn’t last a day in my house. Thank you for such a simple and delicious vegan recipe!
Woohoo! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed them! Thank you for the lovely review, Tabitha! xo
Kristal says
Yumm I have to try this! Trying the cinnamon rolls tomorrow morning on Thanksgiving! Can’t wait!
Yay! Hope you love it, Kristal! xo
Chloe says
I love this recipe and have been making these cinnamon rolls for years!
Every time I’ve made these recently, I’ve meant to comment on one thing that makes the whole process much easier.
I follow the instructions exactly, but instead of spreading melted butter over the dough I spread room temperature butter using an off-set spatula. I think this makes it so much easier to roll these up, and is much less messy, as I always had a problem of the melted butter oozing out as I cut the rolls before.
Also, sometimes I like to add about 1/2tsp of cardamom- yum!
I have also had success with using maple syrup as a sweetener in the dough, and adding a bit less liquid.
Thank you Dana for this amazing recipe!
Yumm! Cardamom sounds like a dreamy addition. Thanks so much for the lovely review, Chloe! So glad you enjoy the recipe!
Jenna says
Hi! Tried this and loved it but have a question- is there a way to make the cinnamon buns taste less yeasty? I used a packet of imstant dry yeast and followed the steps exactly. Thanks :)
Hi Jenna, is it possible that they rose a little too long? That could cause it! If not, you can slightly reduce the amount of yeast, but they won’t rise quite as much.
Andy says
Very amateur baker here. Made these several times now for the dairy-free parts of the family and they are a huge hit – especially with my smallest, keeps asking when we’ll be making them next!
Very easy, have stopped going down the road to buy cinnamon rolls from the bakery as these are just as good (better?) and 1/10th the price.
Thanks for the recipe!
Amateur Andy
We love to hear this! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Andy. We are so glad you all enjoy them!
Tahira says
As a beginner vegan baker my question is why it is necessary to put the almost ready rolls to the fridge before baking it? Cannot we put it in the oven immediately?
Thank you so much 🥰
Hi Tahira, you don’t need to put them in the fridge! That’s only if you’re planning to prepare them the night before and then bake in the morning. Hope that helps!
Tahira says
Yes thank you I prepared it is wonderful ❤️
Yay!
Claire says
This recipe is the real deal! It’s stupid good. I used the bread hook on my Kitchen Aid and the bread proofing function on my stove which made light work of the whole process. I didn’t need the full 3 cups of flour, just watched how the dough came together. I have deleted the other cinnamon roll recipes after I ate one.
Wow, love to hear this! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Claire!
Jordan says
We LOVE this recipe! Wanting to take them out of town: how long will they last in the fridge before rising/baking? (I know it says night before, but would 2 nights suffice?)
Hi Jordan! We haven’t tried it but we think it would work to refrigerate them for two nights, let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
Martha says
I made this using oat milk, they turned out so light and fluffy!
Yay! Thank you for sharing, Martha! xoxo
Sammi Paige says
I absolutely love this recipe. The dough is soft and fluffy, bakes somewhat crisp. I made mine with cannasugar in place of brown sugar. But this is my new go to recipe. I also made a batch that used whole wheat flour in place of regular. I liked them, but not as much as the regular batch lol
Ooo – love that idea, though! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your experience, Sammi!
Mary says
Is it possible to freeze these? And if so, would it be better to bake before freezing or immediately freeze the rolled raw dough?
Hi Mary, see step 10 for freezing instructions!
Ciera says
Hello, is it common for the dough not to rise during the second proof if they have been frozen? Mine didn’t seem to do much. I left them in the fridge over night to thaw and even tried leaving them to proof a little longer than it took the oven to heat in case the yeast just hadn’t gotten warm enough out of the fridge yet
Hi Ciera! It depends, but that is probably fine! How did they bake up?
Serena says
So easy and comes out so fluffy. Made this nut free and used rice milk. Definitely a win!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Serena! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Alex says
I’ve been making these for years and they have never let me down! I swap the vegan ingredients for normal dairy and they are absolutely divine!
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoy them, Alex! Thank you for the lovely review! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Steph says
Absolutely LOVE this recipe and have used it for well over a year now. Every time someone comes over and tastes one, they’re obsessed! A few times I’ve also added in a cup or so of dark chocolate chunks, just for that little bit extra, and it works a treat!
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe, Steph! And YUM to the chocolate addition! Thank you for the lovely review! xoxo
Tanita says
Hi there,
I’ve been cooking your recipes for years now and love them! My number one page to go to for inspiration and cooking ideas ☺
I recently moved to Iceland and it is very hard to find fresh yeast so I was wondering if you have a tipp on how to bake with dried yeast? I tried the substitution 7 gr dry for 21gr fresh yeast for a few times now but neither bread dough nor cake or these cinnamon rolls dough became fluffy or rose as much as dough with fresh yeast would.
Thank you so much ☺
Aw, we’re so glad you enjoy our recipes, Tanita! Unfortunately we haven’t experimented with fresh yeast, so we’re not sure! We’d suggest doing a search in the comments to see what other readers have tried. If you press “ctrl+f” on a PC or “command+f” on a mac, a find bar should pop up that allows you to search for specific words in the post and comments. Hope that helps!
Raynn says
these were literally the BEST cinnamon buns i’ve ever made i used vegan becel and oat milk and proofed in the oven with hot water and they turned out so lovely crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside what more could you ask for i will have to make these again!!
Woohoo! We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Raynn. Thank you so much for sharing! xo
Artur says
They are great. Do you have by chance the calculation for how much kcal would it be per 100g ?
We’re so glad you enjoy them! ~300.
Vicky says
Fantastic recipe!!! I made these today. I used full cream milk & butter placed all ingredients for the dough in my bread machine. Super easy to make & absolutely delicious!!! Thank you for the recipe.
So glad you enjoyed it, Vicky! Thank you for the lovely review and sharing your modifications! xo
Rebecca says
So fluffy and delicious! I substituted regular dairy and the rolls turned out so lovely! Mine are usually so tough but this recipe was foolproof. Thanks!
Woohoo! So happy to hear this. Thanks so much for the lovely review and 5 stars, Rebecca!
Joana says
I’ve made these cinnamon rolls countless times – they are absolutely fantastic! <3
Is it possible to make the dough the night before and refrigerate or does this ruin the dough?
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoy them, Joana! That’s fine! Follow through step 5, then refrigerate overnight and let the pan “rise” on top of the oven while the oven is preheating so they don’t get shocked from cold to super hot.
Kevin Handy says
Any reason why no bread machine version? Seems like the bread machine would simplify this. I hate versions that force you to mess with the yeast because I store mine in the fridge and sometimes these methods fail probably because of my ineptitude. I would guess a bread machine would do a perfect kneading job.
Hi Kevin, we don’t have a bread machine. A few readers have used one with success!
Kieran says
This is hands down my favorite cinnamon roll recipe, it’s the easiest I’ve made so far and makes much fluffier and more tender (?) Cinnamon rolls than every more involved recipe I’ve tried. Everyone I’ve made them for has given me compliments, the non-vegans too :)
I’ve tried some different milks throughout the years so i thought I’d list the results for each here:
Soy: rises really well, makes a fairly dense and sticky center and browns well in the oven, 8/10
Oat: my personal fave, the flavor worked really nicely and it rises well 10/10
Whole milk: makes a lumpy dough that doesn’t rise nearly as well as the others and doesn’t brown on the oven 4/10, they’re edible but i wouldn’t recommend (I’ve also tried scalding the milk, with no noticable improvement)
Buttermilk yielded similar results as whole milk with better flavor
Even of you aren’t vegan, plant based Milk substitutes are definitely the way to go!
Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your experience with different variations, Kieran! SO helpful! xoxo
Casey says
I know you say coconut oil “should be okay” but I’ve made this recipe 5x now (using coconut oil instead of vegan butter) and it’s INCREDIBLE with coconut oil. Unbelievable.
This is great to know! Thanks for the review and for sharing your experience, Casey! xo
Vanessa says
For the earth balance vegan butter, are you using the regular salted butter? Or do they sell an unsalted version?
Hi Vanessa, we don’t think they make an unsalted version. We’ve used both the regular and soy-free buttery sticks with success. Hope that helps!
Katie says
These turned out amazing!! I followed the recipe, using oat milk and less flour, and they were a big hit. My 4 year old is allergic to eggs and dairy so she was pumped to eat some safe cinnamon rolls. My only complaint is that they didn’t stick around too long.
Woohoo! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed them =) Thank you for sharing, Katie! xo
Ale says
These were so easy to make and delicious!
We used Miyokos butter and it worked great! Thank
Yay! Thank you for sharing, Ale! xo
Izzy says
I’ve searched heaven and hell for a vegan cinnamon rolls recipe that didn’t come out dry, and I’ve finally found it. Thank you for sharing your recipe! I’ll definitely use it in the (near) future!
Aw, yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Izzy! Thank you so much for sharing! xo
SHRUTI Gupta says
ohh they turn out so delicious and perfect!!!! thanks for the easy recipe. with the continued lockdown here in India, this recipe was a blessing… thanks :)
We love to hear this! So glad you enjoyed the cinnamon rolls, and thank you for the lovely review! xo
Natasha says
Hello, just about to make these
I was wondering if I could just substitute the flour to gf flour and use this receipe ?
Look forward to trying
Natasha
Hi Natasha, unfortunately, they won’t be as fluffy. We’d suggest our GF cinnamon rolls recipe for best results!
Kgalalelo Rakgokong says
Wow, I just made these today and they’re gorgeously delicious! I’m newly vegan and wanted a treat and these are so delicious! Thank you so much!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Debbie says
These were absolutely delicious and so easy to make. Turned out perfectly.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Debbie! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Maria Sosa says
Can you use almond or oat flour?
Hi Maria, we don’t think that would work, unfortunately. But check out our gluten-free cinnamon rolls (they include almond flour). Hope that helps!
Niamh says
I have made this recipe more times than I can count and oh my goodness, you won’t find a more delicious, easy to make recipe anywhere!! Vegans and non vegans adored them. I’ve made these rolls using almond, soy, and oat milk and each time they were perfect!
We’re so glad to hear it, Niamh! Thank you for the lovely review and sharing your modifications! xoxo
Eliza says
I made these with half butter/half coconut oil for the dough and the filling, as well as used coconut sugar for the filling. Even with my beginners knowledge of dough-making/kneading, the texture of these turned out so tender and lovely – honestly one of the best textured cinnamon rolls I have ever had! I prepped them the night before and baked them the next morning. It took me 30 minutes to bake them, but my oven tends to run a little cold. I love that they weren’t overly sweet, and honestly were so simple to make!! Thank you so much! Looking forward to making them again in the future and experimenting with fun flavor additions.
Woohoo! Thanks for sharing your experience in such a lovely review, Eliza! So glad you enjoyed! xo
Rapunzel says
Hey, really appreciated your comment about these! Just wondering, for prepping the night before, did you refrigerate the dough at all?
Maggie says
We love this recipe and have made it many times! Can the dough be made in a stand mixer?
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Maggie! Other readers have mentioned using a stand mixer with success.
J says
I tried them tonight but they were not light and fluffy. The taste was still good but also didn’t rise enough either. Any tips for me?
Sorry to hear that! Did you make any modifications? Is it possible your yeast was expired or didn’t active properly?
Hannah says
I made these for my husband’s vegan aunt while she was in town and they turned out perfectly! She was so happy with them, along with the rest of us. This is going to be my go-to recipe for cinnamon rolls from now on, and I’m not even vegan. Thank you for the simple and easy to follow instructions!
Yay! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed them. Thanks for the lovely review, Hannah! xo
Kati says
The first time I made this recipe it came out FLAWLESSLY, but each re-attempt has never been the same! I find that my dough is always too loose, the rolls not holding their shape. Are all vegan butters not the same, maybe some with lower melting points? Should the dough be chilled before rolling? Would love to achieve this recipe again!
Vegan butters have a lot of variation. I have best luck with Earth Balance (it’s the closest texture in baking to the real thing), and Myoko’s is much runnier. That may be why?
Elizabeth A. Whaley says
I halved the recipe, used stevia for the dough and brown sugar stevia for the filling, and only cooked one (froze the rest individually). I get cravings for fresh cinnamon rolls every once in a while but it’s just me so making a whole batch and cooking them everytime feels like such a waste. I’ve tried mug cake versions of cinnamon rolls, and while I’ve found one that’s super healthy and some what good, they are just not the same. This was a fun little way to “treat myself” and reduce the work for future me when I cook the others.
To cook 1 roll I cooked it at 350 for 13 minutes in a Pyrex 2 cup glass container.
Awesome!! Thank you for sharing, Elizabeth!
Adriana Hess says
Tried this recipe and used oat milk instead of almond. So easy to follow and I also let the dough rise again after it was rolled and cut in the baking pan. It made super fluffy and delicious.
Yay! Thanks so much for sharing, Adriana! xo
Linda says
Hi! Does the flour have dairy in it? Is this recipe dairy free? Thank you
Hi Linda, This is dairy-free!
Bri says
I’m going to try this tomorrow! Do you think I could bake in a cast iron skillet?
That might work! The edges might get a little more browned. Turn down the oven temp as needed.
Jennifer says
Hi! Do you know if these can be made with gluten free flour? Thanks!
Hi Jennifer, unfortunately, they won’t be as fluffy. We’d suggest our GF cinnamon rolls recipe for best results!
Laticia says
Ive made these in my cast iron skillet with good results. They did caramelize on the bottom though so recommend dumping them out while warm or they glue to the pan haha.
Faith says
Can you replace the vegan butter with dairy butter. We have a cow in milk so that’s what I have.
Thank you for The beautiful recipes
Faith
Yes!
Alexa A. says
I have made these cinnamon rolls so many times that my friends will pre request them before we hang out! This time though, I tried a few new things and loved the results. I used homemade vegan butter, swapped an equal ratio brown sugar for the cane sugar in the filling, and then I made a cinnamon-glaze with 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tbs non dairy milk and 1/4 tsp cinnamon. Adding the extra cinnamon to the glaze made it taste so delectable, as cinnamon is my favorite spice!
Whoop! We’re so glad you and your friends enjoy them, Alexa. Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Erin says
Hello! I’ve made these before and they’re aways a hit! I recently made ahead of time and froze. Do you have instructions for baking after freezing? Do they need to thaw before baking or can they go straight from oven to freezer? Thank you!
Yes, Erin! You can make them up to the point of putting in a baking dish, and instead freeze them in a freezer-safe container. Then, thaw the night before in the fridge. Once completely thawed, proof covered with a towel in a greased baking dish as your oven preheats, then bake as instructed!
Michala says
Love this recipe!! I’ve made it at sea level and altitude and it works great at both. To keep them moist (I live in CO where it’s super dry) I top with melted butter and a bit a of milk (maybe 1/4 cup?) before baking.
Amazing! Thanks for sharing, Michala!
Anna says
Wow! My son and I just made these and they were so good and easy to make! For the filling we used brown sugar instead of the regular sugar and it was delish! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Amazing! Thanks for sharing, Anna! xo
Gabe says
This recipe was the best recipe for a novice! Super easy to follow and very quick prep time. I didn’t use the vegan butter but opted for coconut oil as I always have that on hand and it seems to have worked out just as well for me. I also omitted the topping as I can use a little less calories in my life. All in all, this will definitely be my go to recipe and I will become a regular cinnamon roll maker. LOL
We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Gabe! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Courtney says
Could I use whole wheat flour instead? What would be the result?
They would be more hearty, less fluffy, and more dense. I’d go for a 1/2 and 1/2 blend if I were you!
Joni says
I loved this recipe! It turned out so well. They were soft and cooked perfectly. I will definitely be making it again. I was also sure to recommend this recipe to everyone I know. I posted my experience, review of the recipe, and final product on my blog.
Amazing thanks for sharing, Joni!
Estefania Guerra says
Hi! Thank you so much for your recipe. It was the first time for me making cinnamon rolls and they came out great. My parents loved them. Here in Peru I don’t find a healthy vegan butter easily and it’s kind of expensive. So I just used coconut oil. Do you know the difference in the results between using coconut oil vs vegan butter? Thank you so much 🤩🙏🏼
We’re so glad they turned out well! They won’t be quite as fluffy with coconut oil, but do still work. Thanks for sharing, Estefania!
Yussef says
This is a fantastic recipe on the whole but I question the decision to add the sugar after letting the yeast proof, in every baking manual I’ve ever used you add the sugar with the yeast to help encourage it.
Wonderful! You can add the sugar on the front end, too!
Marina C says
I’ve made these three times now and they come out delicious every time! Such a simple, easy to follow recipe! :)
So great! Thanks for sharing, Marina!
Rachael Mayer says
So these didn’t really work for me. I’m wondering if it was my yeast type. I used regular yeast instead of the rapid rise and regular butter. Those were my only two subs. They still doubled and then rose again after rolled. They were just very flat after I baked them and they weren’t sweet enough for my taste. My family enjoyed them still though.
Hi Rachael, thanks for sharing your experience! For more sweetness, you can certainly add more sugar to the filling for next time and don’t skip the glaze. For the texture, it could be the yeast type or perhaps it wasn’t as active or fresh. Hope that’s helpful for next time!
Aimee Gordon says
Mine turned out great! I added 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg to the dough. For the filling I also added 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla to the butter and added 1/4 cup of brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of all spice to the sugar mixture.
They turned out incredible!
Yay! Love your additions, Aimee. Thanks for sharing! xo
robin lowes says
I have found that is you don’t have active rise yeast, I pulse reg yeast in a processor ( I have a mini food processor) a few times and viola.. active yeast.. pretty sure this is all the makers of yeast do
Karis Funk says
It could also be the altitude you baked them at. I live at extremely high altitude (11,000 feet). It causes my baked goods to rise rapidly and collapse while baking in the oven. King Arthur Flour has good tips on adjusting your baking when at high altitude.
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking
Jaimee says
Can I make these today and have them for tomorrow? How would you recommend doing that?
Yes. Follow through step 5, then refrigerate overnight and let the pan “rise” on top of the oven while the oven is preheating so they don’t get shocked from cold to super hot.
FJ says
Hi Rachael, Usually, dough that seems well risen before baking and is flat afterwards has been over-proofed (i.e. left to rise too long). For a couple of reasons, it causes the dough to collapse during baking. Best to watch the dough and not clock, and proof for a shorter time if you do it again :)
Amanda O says
These sound and look delicious. I was so excited to try this, but my dough didn’t rise :( I bought a new packet of instant dry yeast and sued AP flour. Not sure what went wrong.
Hi Amanda, sorry to hear that! Did you make sure to let the liquid cool to 110 degrees F (43 C) before adding the yeast?
Amanda Ocampo says
Tried it again– and it worked! It was delicious!
Great! Thanks for the update!
Karson says
I LOVE this recipe! I am wanting to make it for a friend’s bachelorette that is one week away– I see that they are freezer friendly, but how do I go about this? Fully make the cinnamon rolls all the way until you put them in the oven, then freeze them? Do you take them out the night before to thaw out and then bake the next morning? Thanks!!
We’re so glad you enjoy this recipe, Karson! You can make them up to the point of putting in a baking dish, and instead freeze them in a freezer-safe container. Then, thaw the night before in the fridge. Once completely thawed, proof covered with a towel in a greased baking dish as your oven preheats, then bake as instructed!
Virginie Levesque says
This recipe looks so good. Unfortunately, the metric measurement is off for the flour. This was way too much flour. The mix of flour, butter and milk was chalky. I always use a scale when baking to avoid mistake. After researching, I believe that the measurement you used was for bread flour which is totally different from all purpose flour. I will probably give it another try with proper measurements. Still, the simplicity of this recipe deserves 5 stars!
Hi Virginie, We’re so glad you enjoyed them! And thanks for letting us know about the flour. The amount of flour needed can vary based on climate and other factors, which is why we suggest adding 1/2 cup or 68 grams at a time and only using as much as is needed. If you added in 68 g increments and still had issues, another idea is perhaps the weight by brand? The brand we used (Bob’s Red Mill Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour) says 1/4 cup = 34 grams, so 3 cups = 408 g.
Nekeisha Brown says
I have made this so many times and always a success. A family favorite.
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Nekeisha! xo
Jorden says
Would i be able to make these the night before and bake them in the morning? Maybe get it to the step of putting it in the oven, but instead place it in the fridge over night and just pop it in the oven in the morning? If so, would the same temperature and cook time still apply?
Hi Jorden, Yes. Follow through step 5, then refrigerate overnight and let the pan “rise” on top of the oven while the oven is preheating so they don’t get shocked from cold to super hot.
Simon says
These are the best buns ever! We love them. My partner thinks that sugar is the devil though, organic or not. We overcome this by using a date paste as the filling. Either buy the paste, or literally blitz pitted dates with a dribble of hot water and the cinnamon. They don’t hang around for long…
Awesome! Thanks for sharing, Simon!
UleyGirl says
I made this recipe for the first time today and they were so easy to make. They turned out perfectly and were completely delicious. A lovely treat for everyone at coffee time this morning. 😄This recipe is a keeper! Your website is one of my main go to places for vegan inspiration and this one did not disappoint. Thank you so much for all the great recipes – you make vegan cooking fun and easy!
Aw, yay! We’re so glad you enjoy our recipes. Thanks so much for your kind words and lovely review! xo
Isabelle says
This is the easiest and most crowd-pleasing cinnamon roll recipe on the internet. I always add some crushed cardamom and orange zest to the filling, and the flavor combination is just incredible.
Whoop! Amazing additions, Isabelle. Thanks so much for sharing!
Esmee says
I think it was my expired yeast that made this a fail for me. I needed to add quite a bit more vanilla soy milk than in the recipe when mixing in the flour and the dough still came out gritty. Otherwise the taste was fine. I’ll try it again when I have more people to feed. It makes a bunch.
Sorry to hear that, Esmee. Let us know when you give it another try!
Marie says
I love your recipes! I stumbled across your site when I was looking for a a vegan Parmesan and every recipe I have tried has been amazing! My family thought these cinnamon buns were from a bakery! Love this one.
Aw, yay! We’re so glad to hear it. Thanks for sharing, Marie! xo
Jane says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I’ve made it 3-4 times for my aunt and sister and they love the cinnamon rolls! I’ve made it 2-3 times with coconut sugar for my aunt with zero issues and my sister said they tasted great. I’ve made them a couple of times for my sister with regular sugar and she loves them. I’ve used oat milk and soy. So happy to have an easy, fast vegan recipe that I can make for my aunt and sister! Thank you!
Love that! Thanks so much for the sharing, Jane! xo
Megan says
I made these Christmas morning and they were amazing! So simple! I’ll start making them the night before from now on to avoid the mess on Christmas, but my husband doesn’t want another christmas without them :D
Yay! We’re so glad you both enjoyed them =) Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
KD says
These buns are so good. I’ve made them at least a dozen times and everyone always enjoys them! I usually put them in the fridge over night or in the oven (while off) and make them first thing in the morning .
Question: If I were to make this recipe with non vegan ingredients would I used the same measurements ?
Yes, same ingredients! Thanks for sharing, KD!
Jen says
Perfection! I just realized this is probably the only time in my life that I’ve eaten a fresh, right out of the oven cinnamon roll. I will probably never desire one from a bakery or wherever, because they could never be as good as these. And, I made them! Thank you for the easy recipe!
I was nervous a few times while preparing these… I added all 3 cups of flour (1/2 cup at a time), and the dough was still sticky and kind of hard to work with. I was nervous about adding too much flour, so I did not add any more… I did not wait 1 hour for the dough to rise, because I was tired and ready for bed. I prepped these the night before, and it was late. I waited probably 40 minutes. It’s hard to tell if the size has doubled. It looked close enough, so I went for it… I did not measure my cinnamon. Just sprinkled until it was covered. Definitely used more than 1 tablespoon… Everything was quite floppy while trying to slice and place in pan. It was NOT looking pretty! Definitely not like your perfect photos. However, I was pleased in the morning to see the rolls looking much better and bigger when I took them out of the fridge. I followed the instructions of placing them on the stovetop while the oven preheated… Nervous again when the 2 tablespoons of Earth Balance on top looked like too much liquid. But, these came out just absolutely perfect! Spread on the easy frosting after they had cooled for a few minutes. I will feel super confident the next time I make them. Thanks again!
Yay!!! Thanks for sharing, Jen!!
Reenie says
These are AMAZING! Hubs didn’t believe they could be good vegan and I’m glad to say we proved him wrong. Thanks so much to previous posters for suggestions; here’s what I did:
*We only had dry active yeast but I put the dough next to my new Himalayan salt lamp in a warm corner of the living room (because the lamp itself gets pretty warm when it’s on) and it rose just fine in an hour!
*Used milkademia vegan milk because that what we had.
*Subbed some whole wheat pastry flour (3/4 c) for APP. Only needed a little more than 2 c total to get the dough as recipe describes. I was a little worried about the dough because of this but it was fine–wonderful, even!
*Subbed unsweetened applesauce for vegan butter in the filling. I premixed the applesauce with less sugar than called for and a lot more cinnamon (to our taste) and brushed it on the rolled out dough
*Made the cream cheese frosting linked here but as suggested, halved it and for our taste, used less confectioner’s sugar.
The kitchen smelled amazing while they were baking and they are simply incredible! Thank you so much for this wonderful treat!!
Amazing! Thanks for sharing, Reenie! So helpful!! Glad everyone enjoyed it!!
Rae says
I love cinnamon rolls, but refuse to pay the price to buy them pre-made. I made a batch and planned on reviewing them today, but all I can say is my children and husband said they were good and I am now making a double batch to hopefully get a taste of them this time. I used traditional yeast and the consensus was that it came out soft and fluffy and very tasty.
We’re so glad they enjoyed them! We hope they save some for you this time =)
Julie says
Hi! These are a family favorite! My daughter is asking for a chocolate version of these. How would you go about it? Would you keep the cinnamon-sugar filling with chocolate chips? Or just go with chocolate chips alone? Thanks so much!!!
Hi Julie, we haven’t experimented with a chocolate version, but it sounds delicious! We’ll add it to our ideas list. In the meantime, maybe reducing the flour slightly and adding cocoa powder and more sugar? Then probably just chocolate chips in the filling? Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Shellie says
To the commenter asking about a chocolate version: I would keep the dough as-is, and for a chocolate filling, I would look up a recipe for chocolate babka and use that filling. I recently made one that called for melted vegan butter, melted chocolate, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar. It comes out a nice spreadable consistency and would be perfect here!
Julie says
Stop looking for a recipe right now! These are the best and easiest cinnamon rolls! Been doing them for years now! So yummy and fluffy. I recommend putting the full amount of cinnamon and mixing sugar and cinnamon together first :). Kids love to roll this dough it is sooo fluffy and bouncy.
Whoop! We’re so glad you and your family enjoy them, Julie. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
aleks says
THESE ARE A MUUUUST!!!!!!! SO GOOD, SO EASY, AND AMAZING RECIPE FOR BEGINNERS! now, if I were to make these in the morning (without baking them) and store them in the fridge overnight, would it be good for the following day to deliver to a friends house?
Thanks!
So great! As for storing them in the fridge overnight, yes that should work! Just let them rest / proof on the oven while it heats (covered with a towel or parchment) before baking!
Matt says
This recipe did not work for me at all. I followed it to a T and found the rolls brittle and dense.
Hmm, sounds like it was possibly over kneaded?
Caroline Kivinurk says
These were absolutely amazing! So easy to make and have already shared the recipe with friends. I really find it annoying when there are millions of ingredients and especially when they are specialist things that you only use for one thing so these were perfect. Thanks so much!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Caroline. Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Jessica says
I use dairy free holiday nog in replacement for the almond milk to give them a little bit of extra “holiday flair” and they always turn out amazing – this is my go-to treat recipe when I’m wanting something sweet!
Woah, sounds amazing! Thanks so much for sharing, Jessica! xo
Rachel says
I thought these were great! They were super fluffy and moist and really easy to make! Highly recommend!
Yay! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Rachel! xo
Ed says
Hi. I am curious which earth balance they are not all created equally. I don’t mind the soy just wondering to get close to the same Results. Thanks in advance.
Hi Ed, we recommend the Earth Balance buttery sticks. We typically use the soy-free ones, but either work!
Gwen says
Made these today, used regular butter and milk and forgot the sugar/salt step and they were still SO GOOD!
Used SAF instant yeast (tip for you all, buy some good yeast like this it makes a huge difference over the little packets for everything!)
Never thought homemade cinnamon rolls could be this easy!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Gwen! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Carol says
I made these and made them small and got about 2 dozen maybe? i had no almond milk and only almond creamer, so i used half creamer and half water in place of the almond milk. Def will make them again, thanks! :)
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Carol. Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Makayla says
I prepared these on Christmas Eve for the next morning, and they turned out really good! My family enjoyed them 😊 thank you!
Amazing! Thanks for sharing, Makayla!
Carol says
Oh i also used brown sugar instead of white, and penzy’s vietnamese cinnamon, about 1 and a half tbsp. Lots of filling was left over so now i will make more in the next day or so lol
Courtney says
Any tips on keeping them from falling in the fridge overnight? I prepped and covered them in a glass dish and put them in the fridge after they had risen substantially. Overnight, they lost some of their rise. Still excellent but would love to have them huge and fluffy, thanks!
Let them have another rise after pulling out of the fridge (on the oven as it heats, with a towel on top) until puffy!
dorothy says
These really are great AND easy compared to a traditional cinnamon bun. One of the commenters used apple sauce in lieu of butter for the filling- I tried this as well and thought it was absolute genius!
Other modifications I made- I used a bit of whole wheat pastry in lieu of all APP flour (probably about 1/4 of the total amount), used coconut sugar instead of cane sugar, and only used 1-1/2 tsp yeast instead of 2-1/4 (one packet). I did the overnight method and just popped the rolls in the oven once the oven got to temperature.
PERFECTION!
This one is definitely a keeper.
Thank you so much!!
Whoop! Thanks for sharing, Dorothy!!
Jacki says
I am not a baker. I’m not good at it, therefore I don’t really enjoy doing it. But everyone seemed to be making Cinnamon Rolls for Christmas morning so I jumped on the train.
There were so many times I thought I messed it up. Thought the yeast didn’t “activate” because it just set on the top. Thought I added too much flour because it was a tad dry (I just added a splash of milk and kneaded it). Thought I mixed it too much (I mixed this in my kitchenaid because I’m lazy). But they still turned out!!!
I will make these again! I have another recipe for cream cheese frosting that I could make with ingredients I already have at home so I used that recipe instead for the frosting. (Vegan cream cheese is hard to come by here).
DEFINITELY a winner!
Amazing! Thanks for sharing, Jacki!
Kaitlyn says
We make these cinnamon rolls every year for Christmas and they are easy and delicious. Thank you so much! We put them in the fridge overnight before baking and let come to room temp before putting them in the oven- they are perfect every time.
Amazing! Thanks for sharing, Kaitlyn!
Astrid says
I love it! I use coconut sugar and perfection!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Astrid. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Dominique says
If I make these with active dry yeast, could i let it rise overnight? I have never made cinnamon rolls so i’m somewhat of a newbie!!
Hi Dominique, with dry active yeast, you can use the same measurements and just let it rise longer until almost doubled in size. Once doubled in size, we’d suggest baking or transferring to the fridge until ready to bake so it doesn’t proof too much.
Taylor says
If I make the dough at night can I bake them in the morning?
Hi Taylor, Yes. Follow through step 5, then refrigerate overnight and let the pan “rise” on top of the oven while the oven is preheating so they don’t get shocked from cold to super hot.
Matylda says
These are best cinnamon rolls ever, super easy, always turn out fluffy and delish :)
Every now and then when I feel like shaking things up a bit I add a little bit of lemon extract to the dough and sprinkle them with some lemon zest – highly recommended!
Happy Holidays, everyone! :)
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoy them, Matylda. Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Sarah says
This sound delicious. Can I sub with regular butter?
Yes. Enjoy =)
Alex says
Question: I’ve been using Bob’s Red Mill’s 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Flour and was wondering if I could just swap this 1-for-1 in this recipe. My biggest question is if the yeast is still a thing. Thanks!
Hi Alex, they won’t be as fluffy. We have a GF cinnamon roll recipe here. Hope that helps!
Kristi Hensley says
I am looking for a recipe tbat may work as a sweet bread ring…like stollen.Has any one tryed it?
Haven’t tried it that I know of! Let us know if you do!
Rachel S. says
These truly are easy cinnamon rolls! I made these last week and am so happy with how they turned out. I followed the recipe through step 5 and let them set overnight in the fridge for 8+ hours. It was incredibly pleasing to see them rise so much.
The only changes I made to the recipe was to the filling -> instead of melted vegan butter, I used unsweetened applesauce mixed with the cinnamon and sugar.
The rolls baked very well and turned out light, soft and fluffy. Tasted great with a “cream cheese” frosting. Leftovers kept well in the fridge for a couple days after too. Highly recommend!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Rachel. Your modifications sound lovely too! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
dorothy says
Using applesauce for the filling (instead of butter) was absolute genius! I’m definitely doing this from now on. It made the cinnamon rolls taste better than regular ones! Thank you for the suggestion!
Amazing idea!!
Jenna says
Can you use spreadable earth balance or is a stick best?
The buttery sticks are best.
Makayla says
Hi, I was wondering if I could make this the night before then bake it the following day? I was thinking of preparing everything up until step 5, then finishing it in the morning, but I’m not sure if that will affect the rising/baking times.
Thank you,
Makayla
Yes, exactly! Follow through step 5, then refrigerate overnight and let it “rise” on top of the oven while the oven is preheating so they don’t get shocked from cold to super hot.
Maria says
Looking forward to making these to pass around to my loved ones for some Christmas cheer! Would it be reasonable to put these in the fridge for a day or two before baking them? I’d like to get them ready all at once and then bake and hand out fresh on different days..
Yes! Follow through step 5, then refrigerate overnight and let it “rise” on top of the oven while the oven is preheating so they don’t get shocked from cold to super hot.
Morgan says
Is it possible to make the dough the day/night before? I want to make these on Christmas morning and want to pop them in the morning.
Thanks for the help!
Yes! Follow through step 5, then refrigerate overnight and let it “rise” on top of the oven while the oven is preheating so they don’t get shocked from cold to super hot.
Carlos Jimenez says
I made this recipe tonight.. it was fairly easy and my wife enjoyed it. I tend to try and be more health conscious when it comes to flour, even with the sweets so I decided to add some whole wheat flour to the recipe. I used a 1/2 cup but will probably reduce it to 1/4 cup because the whole wheat absorbed the milk much faster and caused me to add more milk to the recipe. I recommend this recipe to anyone! It beats having to buy expensive cinnamon rolls.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Carlos! Thanks so much for sharing!
Jas says
This was my first time making cinnamon rolls and I’m not a baker but these were delicious!
For the filling, I only added about 2.5-3tbsp sugar and it was plenty since I planned on using cream cheese frosting recipe. 1 tbsp cinnamon was lovely! I wouldn’t do any less.
I used active dry yeast (not instant)and it activated just fine in 15 mins. Less butter was needed for the filling (I just had lots leftover). Part of my flour was bread flour because I ran out of all purpose but It worked out great.
For the cream cheese recipe linked, only half of it is needed for these 10 rolls. So for half of the cream cheese recipe, one cup of powdered sugar is recommended but I only needed one four to one third.
When waiting for the dough to rise, no plastic wrap is needed. Take a paper towel, wet it, squeeze excess liquid so it doesn’t drip, and cover your bowl with it. I put one butter knife on each edge to keep paper towel taut. Just a small way to reduce plastic waste :)
Thanks for sharing, Jas!
Vanessa says
This might be my first time ever leaving a comment on a recipe, but these cinnamon rolls are AMAZING! They are seriously so, so delicious and were really easy to make. My little family of three devoured the entire pan in less than 24 hours. I’ve decided to prep a batch on Christmas Eve and throw them in the oven on Christmas morning, and I can’t wait!
Aw, yay! We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed them, Vanessa. Thanks so much for the lovely review!
946797576 says
these rolls look absolutely amazing! i’m exited to give this recipe a try, but i have a few questions. firstly, can i use bread flour? how many grams is in the packet of yeast? also, if i’m using sweetened soy milk, would you recommend reducing the sugar in the dough? thank you beforehand :)
I would only slightly reduce the sugar. The grams of yeast is 7 g. The bread flour should be fine!
Pavla says
Looks delicious! Has anyone used gluten-free flours with this recipe?
Hi Pavla, we have a gluten-free cinnamon roll recipe here.
Pavla says
Thank you!