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.
Samantha Burns says
THESE ARE SO GOOD. OMG. I just made these for the first time (first cinnamon rolls since being vegan for about a year) and they turned out absolutely fantastic! I subbed Coconut Oil for the Earth Balance and used a little less for brushing on (3.5 tbsp instead of 5). I also subbed quinoa milk for almond milk, and it worked fine! I did the icing sugar to top it, just with a mix of veggie milk and icing sugar and they are fantastic! Thanks for the awesome recipe, I will definitely be making again!
Hanna says
Can you use margarine instead of vegan butter?
Hi! That should work!
Frieda says
Hi there! I am so excited to make these today on this snowy day. I’m just wondering if they freeze well?
Hi! They are best fresh, but you can freeze them! Check out this article!
Vesna says
100% success!! I am so happy these came out perfect, with no eggs or butter! They are fluffy and very tasty. I added more sugar to the dough and removed some from the brush-on part.
Thank you, this recipe is a keeper.
Jenna says
Had anyone tried making these with a liquid sweetener? (Agave, maple, honey?). Let me know, thanks so much!
Hi Jenna, another reader mentioned using maple syrup with success. Hope that helps!
Andrea says
Can coconut oil be used to sub the vegan butter?
Hi! I would recommend up to 1/2 substitution with coconut oil. I wouldn’t recommend omitting the butter altogether though! Good luck! :D
SOLAILEE says
Thank you so much for this recipe! My daughter and I made these. They were light, fluffy and delicious! I am so proud of myself because I’ve never been a good baker. Your recipe gave me confidence!
Maria Melbrown says
you were like WHOAGINA? Seriously ? XD
Karen says
Awesome! I made it exactly as the recipe but multiplied by 1.5 so I’d have half as much more. They were light, fluffy, and rose perfectly. This will be my go to cinnamon roll recipe for now on.
Lindsie says
This recipe is delicious! The cinnamon rolls came out of the oven looking scrumptious! I made my own icing by combining a cup of powdered sugar with some soy milk. I had to substitute soy milk for almond milk due to my fiancee’s allergies to free nuts. I had to add extra soy milk to achieve the right consistency. I also added a tablespoon of earth balance and approximately a half tsp. Of cinnamon to the icing. It added a delicious cinnamony flavor to the cinnamon rolls. Thanks for the awesome recipe, Dana!
tracey agnew says
Worked really well – thank you!
Courtney says
SO excited about this recipe! I don’t currently have an 8×8 square pan but rather a 13″ cast iron circle pan, a 9×13 square, and an 8″ circle. Which would work best? Thanks!
Hi! Your 9×13 pan will work!
Fatsam says
Just made them, they are dope and so easy to make, dont think its possible to mess them up! Thanks for sharing the recipe :)
Emma says
Absolutely delicious
Zo says
Oh good lord! Dana, these are INCREDIBLE and also easy! Subbed with plain milk and butter but followed the measurements and recipe as written and they have turned out lovely BOTH times I have made them….yup, made twice in the space of 4 days! Gluttonous? Oh for sure….but with something this good, who cares! Thank you for this brilliant recipe x
Kayla Cardenas says
I’m making these right now and they’re not rising at all. They’ve been left to rise for about 40 minutes and I’m not seeing any change at all. I used whole wheat flour and non- vegan ingredients. Does anyone know why this is happening?
S says
Excited about this recipe and the video was really helpful, thanks very much!
krista wiebe says
This was a great recipe.These were easy to make and tasted delicious! This is a beautiful looking design and the content is so clear and well written. Great job and everything here! Thanks for the recipe :)
stephanie vick says
For the love of cinnamon rolls – make a double batch of these! So easy I see alot of these in my future.
Ellie says
We made these cinnamon rolls when we woke up. We had to substitute cane sugar for coconut sugar and used a separate icing recipe. They turned out delicious!! We were amazed that we could make such a lovely, vegan dish from such a simple recipe! Thank you, Minimalist Baker!
Raelene says
Thanks again for another wonderful, easy recipe! We replaced all sugar with maple syrup and it turned out great, also used spelt flour. Kids loved them:) Thanks
Laurie says
Could I make the dough in my bread machine? I do understand I would have to remove it to let it rise the second time.
Hi! You sure can! I don’t have a bread machine but others left comments saying that they had success with their machines!
Maddie says
Do I have to use the specific brand of butter mentioned here or can I use any vegan butter that I have?
Hi! You can use any brand that you have on hand! Happy baking!
Rachel says
I’m really interested in making these, but there is like a 0% chance I’ll be awake early enough to make them before my kids wake up and demand breakfast. Would it work to let the second rise occur overnight in the refrigerator so they can be more ready to go? I’m imagining letting them warm up for 30 minutes while the oven pre-heats before baking, so there’s a maximum of one hour before they are ready after getting out of bed. Has anyone tried this?
Hi Rachel, 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.
Dr. Yvonne says
I made these with half almond flour and half regular organic all purpose flour and they rose beautifully and tasted delicious.
Debbie Snyder says
These look amazingly delicious and easy peasy ! Can you help me modify the recipe using a blend of coconut flour and garbanzo bean flour? Do you think they would work?
Hi Debbie, we aren’t sure about using those flours, but here’s our gluten-free version: https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-gluten-free-cinnamon-rolls/
Laura K Zielinski says
This is a wonderful recipe! I am vegan and refrain from artificial sugar, thus I made these with papaya puree. I simply substituted the coconut sugar 1:1 with papaya puree. About a quarter of a large papaya will do with about a teaspoon of xantham gum added.
I used the leftover papaya puree (2 tbs) for the glaze along with six dates, 1 cup of coconut milk, and 1/4 cup of water.
Additionally (and aside from the papaya), I had to add more coconut milk (1/4 cup) to my dough because 3 cups of flour was too much. Perhaps because I used active dry yeast?
If using the papaya, I would suggest possibly adding applesauce to sweeten the dough a little more; I haven’t tried this, but I plan to soon. They were delightful without the applesauce, but for sweet tooths, I think it would be better. Great job Dana!
Shaneyqua says
Hi !!! Can you use active dry yeast in this recipe ?
Yes. Use the same measurements and just let it rise longer until almost doubled in size.
Yvette says
I made this with coconut milk because my daughter can’t have nuts so almond milk is off limits for us. It was amazing, and everyone loved it. I added more cinnamon though. I think that even 2 teaspoons wasn’t enough. I’m making them again tonight, thanks so much for the recipe!
Sandypas76 says
Hi, I hope someone can enlughteb me on the type of yeast required fir this recipe. Whst is intended by “instant (or rapid rise) yeast”? I live in Ireland so I’m not familiar with the products available in the US. Would “essicated beer yeast” used for pizzas, bread, focaccias and some baked cakes be equivalent? I have a sachet of essicated beer yeast and the instructions say it’s not necessary to mix it with water, just add it to flour with 2 teaspoons of sugar. Then, I have another product for pizzas and focaccias (doesn’t say cakes), this one is actually a raising agent. So again not sure if it’s right for the rolls (probably not…). Thanks!
Hi! Hmm I am not sure if either of those will work for this recipe. Try and get your hands on some instant/rapid rise yeast! You can purchase it online, so if you cannot find it in store, that may be your next best option. Happy baking!
Karin Evans says
I just made it, but added chopped walnuts & raisins. I used half coconut & half almond milk. Came out fabulous. I had too much to fit into the 8×8 pan so I put extra into muffin tin. Came out really nice. Used icing made with confectioners sugar & coconut milk. That didn’t blend well. It tasted good though.
Emily says
These were amazing! This was my first time making cinnamon rolls, and they came out very well. But you say it serves 10? I beg to differ – my bf and I ate almost the whole pan! There goes the vacation diet… :D
Thanks for the recipe!
Emily says
These are the BEST cinnamon rolls! They are devoured in no time when I bring them for my coworkers, and none of them can believe they’re vegan! I replace half of the flour with whole wheat pastry flour and it works out great. Thank you so much for this recipe :)
Ryan Carlson says
Thanks for the recipe! They were great.
Jeannette says
I’ve made this twice already. The second time I let it rise a little bit longer as my house was cold and it came out even better! I used the powdered sugar glaze as I didn’t have any vegan cream cheese, and I think next time I may incorporate orange or lemon juice into the glaze. Thank you so much for this recipe! It’s a perfect vegan substitute for Alton Brown’s overnight cinnamon rolls that I used to toil over! This is much easier and just as delicious!
Kar says
Do you think that I can juste do the cinnamon rolls, but cook them the next day? And how long can we keep the cinnamon rolls after there cook? Are there gonna be as good the next day?
Hi Kar, these are best when fresh, but will keep covered for 2-3 days.
Priscilla O'Reilly says
Thank you so much for this wonderful and easy recipe. My daughter and I have made it twice–so far, and found that by placing the bowl of dough by our small gas fireplace, we cut the rising time by about half…which is great as we can hardly wait for these buns to be ready. Again, thanks so much and happy new year!
Frances says
Thank you for this recipe. I found that the flour amount is VERY generous. Ive made it twice now and find I leave about 3/4 c out and the dough ball is anything but sticky. I also substituted brown for white sugar and was much more generous with the cinnamon and margarine–I mean, if youre gonna eat this stuff, why not make it decadent? The first time I made it, I went exactly by recipe and it was good but the sweetness was shallow and didnt have the depth of flavor that brown sugar has (along with generous margarine). All that extra fat and sugar makes for the frosting to be VERY OPTIONAL… Thank you though. So appreciate who you are and all you do!
Margaret says
Thank you for this fabulous recipe! I am on a very low fat vegan diet, so I subsituted apple butter for oil based butter in exact amounts and the result is perfect! I am in heaven!
Catherine Gelinas says
I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU !!!!!!!!!!
THANKS FOR EXISTING !
Alissa says
Ever since Bob Evans took their cinnamon roll off their menu, I’ve been missing it. And being vegan now felt like I was limited. I made this for Christmas brunch. I tweaked a little and added some brown sugar to the cinnamon mix. I also made my own icing with 1/2 c earth balance, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla, juice from half a lemon, 3 tablespoons of plain almond milk, and 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar.
The cinnamon rolls are perfect. Firm on the outside, gooey in the middle. It’s everything I’ve wanted!
Christina MacDonald says
forgot to rate before posting :-)
Christina MacDonald says
Great recipe, easy to follow and turned out fabulous. I added some walnuts but am sure they would have turned out just as good without. Made them for Christmas morning and they were a success with all.
Thanks, it is nice to have vegan options
Melissa says
Made these with cream cheese frosting for Christmas dinner. I was surprised what a huge hit they were!
Thanks for all your amazing recipes!
Bobbie says
Two successful batches. One for my neighbors for holiday gifting and one for my Christmas morning breakfast. I cheated though and had to sample one roll on the Eve! Used about 1/2 cup less than the 3 cups of flour.
Amy says
Could I make this the night before and put it in the fridge till I bake it?
Hi! I haven’t tried it myself but others have left comments here saying they left the rolls in the fridge overnight. Let me know how it goes!
Amanda says
You can generally make cinnamon rolls the night before. Cut the rolls, get them in the pan, cover and refrigerate. The next morning take them out and let rest on the counter or warm stove for about an hour or so before baking. Piece of cake! Or… roll. Happy Christmas!
Rita says
Hello!
Any idea if these would bake at altitude? I’m in the Rocky Mountains, and am worried that they won’t be the same as when I used to make them back at sea level. Thanks!!
Hmm, they should! Maybe try letting them rise a little longer.
Edan says
Have you ever tried making ahead of time and freezing the unbaked rolls? If not, do you think that would work out ok with this recipe?
Check the comments! This is possible.
Gigi says
Did anyone make these GF? I am wondering if there are any tips for this, and I don’t have time to read all 10,000 comments. ;) In my house we can’t have: gluten, nuts, dairy, egg, legumes! I am trying to find a recipe for Christmas morning. H-e-l-p!!
Gigi
I haven’t made these GF yet but am working on a recipe!
Dr. Yvonne says
Have you tried buckwheat flour? it is gluten free and bakes very similar to regular wheat flour. Bob’s Red Mill sells it.
vicki says
hi im just trying to make these .. but confused where the other half of the butter ( dairy free butter) goes at the begining it says melt 3tbsp into milk .. but where is the rest used ..?
thanks vicki
I note that in the instructions! Half goes in the dough, half goes when rolling / sprinkling on cinnamon sugar + a little more for brushing on top.
Bonnie says
Long time vegan but not much of a baker. After viewing your video on IG, couldn’t resist giving these a try. Everything you claim is true: easy, fluffy, cinnamony, etc. Perfectly fabulous, really!! My minor tweaks: used part brown sugar/part reg sugar for the inner cinnamon/sugar sprinkling; did not need the last 1/2 c. of flour for the right dough texture; used a dash of vanilla in the glaze. Thanks so much.
So kind! Thanks for sharing!
Meredith says
Thinking about making these on Christmas morning so my son with milk, egg, and peanut allergies can enjoy them (along with the rest of the family)! Would it be possible for me to do all the prep the night before and bake in the morning? Or would that mess up the yeast/rising/etc? Thanks!
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.
Ramona says
Loved these, made them, followed the recipe since im vegan. I didnt have enough flour so cut the recipe in half. By accident i forgot to put the sugar in half too, but it tasted wonderful, so maybe i just like a lot of sugar lol
Thank you so much!
(although my clothes wont thank you because they’ll be tight if i make this too often haha)
Juliana Biscardi says
Hi, i love the idea of cinnamon rolls, however I can’t have access to the vegan butter since I don’t live in the States. Does anyone will happen to know a vegan replacement to it? Thanks, have a lovely day.
I think coconut oil works!
Melinda says
Good Lord. This are delicious.
Katrin says
It was super easy to make and they taste nice, but were a little dry. Maybe my oven is different or I should have used more butter :-/
Thank you for the recipe
Tiffany says
Hi Dana,
I made this recipe exactly as written and it turned out perfectly! Thank you so much!!
J M says
Hi the recipe is amazing! The one part that i have trouble with is the size of the rolled out dough. sometimes my rolls are too thin, sometimes too thick. Could you please provide the dimensions of the rolled out dough. Many many thanks for the many many hours you give to test and perfect your recipes!
Signed,
A grateful beginner Baker
Kate says
OMG I feel *blessed* to have found this recipe and your website! I will be using real milk and butter, but regardless, I’VE BEEN CRAVING THESE FOR WEEKS NOW! THANK YOU!
Uhura says
I used pink sea salt, vanilla almond milk and brown sugar. They turned out delicious.
Kendra says
I see some tips on making the night before and keeping in fridge. What about freezing the dough? Would I prep all the way through placing in pan and then freeze? Any tips on going from freezer to oven? Would you thaw dough ahead of time? Just trying to simplify prep for Christmas ! Thanks for the yummy recipe!
Hi Kendra, You can freeze them before baking. And then thaw slightly and then bake until fluffy and golden brown
Teresa says
I made these for Thanksgiving yesterday and they were a huge hit! Everyone was very impressed and surprised they were vegan.
I was really nervous about working with the yeast, but your recipe got me through it and everything worked out well. Thank you!
Danielle says
Hi there! Is it possible to sub the vegan butter with coconut oil?
I think others have tried that with success. Check the comments!
Katie Mee says
Hello! Is there a step I can stop at and store overnight in the fridge? After I roll and put in the pan?
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.
Kaela says
This recipe is amazing!!! So tasty and straight forward to make. I first had cinnamon buns on holiday in Denmark and these definitely rival them!
I’m not vegan so I used what I had indoors – ‘regular’ butter and semi-skimmed milk.
I didn’t need quite as much flour as the recipe stated (I used strong white bread flour), and I tripled the cinnamon/sugar filling. Topped it with unrefined cane sugar for an extra sweet kick!
Thanks!
Stacey says
These were lovely. Tasted great and looked beautiful. My family loved them and I’d make them again as is. Even so, is there a way to make the dough more dense? They came out very light and fluffy…not unpleasant but I enjoy the doughy texture of traditional cinnamon rolls too. Any input is appreciated!
Hi there! If you need the dough a little more it will make it more dense. But don’t go overboard or it will get too hard!
Stacey says
Oh perfect! Thanks for the response. I did use my bread machine so next time I’ll do it by hand. I love your blog….the simplicity of the yummy recipes are life saving for a busy family.
Jasmine says
This recipe worked perfectly, and it was very easy. I’m not vegan, but made it vegan this time so my vegan friends could eat it. The Earth Balance butter has an odd taste by itself, but all the sugar offsets it and makes for a delicious cinnamon roll :) 10/10 will make again.
Lauren says
Great little recipe!! I substituted soy milk for almond and half brown sugar for half the regular. I also added raisins.
I wanted to try this as a slow rise, so I refrigerated them overnight and then baked the next morning, and they came our pretty well! Definitely will need to make it all in one sitting to see how that compares, but I love that this is not hugely complicated and it’s vegan.
Thanks!!
M.A says
Your recipes are lovely.
I already followed a few of your recipes and I found them deliciously tasty to eat, and easy to follow instructions.
I will be recommending your page to friends and family.
Jessica says
I love this recipe! My husband has been searching for the perfect recipe and is so thrilled with how these turned out. Thank you for posting!
Bethany Richetti says
I’ve made this recipe three times now. It was actually the first vegan recipe I ever intentionally made (I’m not vegan, but over the last 6 or so months I’ve gained a huge appreciation for vegan food and make it fairly frequently now).
The recipe works great and quickly as written, though I usually use instant yeast and so throw all the dry ingredients together first and then dump the liquids in. This time, though, I tried something new and it was pretty great and I wanted to share. I added 2 flax eggs in place of part of the non-dairy milk. It made the dough smoother and richer and I’m really pleased.
(I also added orange zest to the dough and cranberries to the filling as per this Smitten Kitchen recipe: https://smittenkitchen.com/2013/11/cranberry-orange-breakfast-buns/ , which was a delicious autumny addition.)
Vicki says
Hi Dana
I tried to use the ‘Print’ link for the cinnamon biscuits and it came up blank. Any idea why?
Thanks. These look so good I’m going to give them a try.
Thanks Vicki
Melinda says
I added pumpkin to the sugar and cinnamon in the middle. So good!
lauren says
Do you think I could use the dough recipe for savoury scrolls or is the dough recipe itself quite sweet? Thanks :)
I think you could actually, yes! Use this recipe for rolls.
Jenny says
how should i freeze them overnight to bake in the morning? do i make the dough and leave it as a ball and refrigerate that or make the dough, rise for an hour, assemble in pan, and then refrigerate overnight and bake in the morning? i saw you said you can refrigerate then overnight to bake in the morning and was wondering how you do it? just curious because of the yeast. Thank you!
You can make them up until baking, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. In the morning, set on the oven and drape with a towel while the oven is preheating. Then bake as instructed!
Jenny says
NEED AN ANSWER ASAP!!! Can i make this dough tonight and do the 1 hour rise and then refrigerate it tonight and bake it tomorrow morning?
Hi Jenny, we haven’t tried this but I think it could work! See previous comments about other readers who have tried this, a few have shared some great tips!
Autumn says
This was my first time making cinnamon rolls and they turned out perfect! Very soft, sweet, and sticky, just like cinnamon rolls should be. I did change a few things to use what I had on hand.
*I used whole dairy milk
*I used brown sugar for the filling
*I spread softened butter on the dough for the filling
My family can’t wait for me to make these again!! Thank you for a fantastic recipe!!
Lovely. Thanks for sharing!
Rachel Schneider says
I teach FACS and we only have 48 minute classes. Any suggestions on how to keep the dough til the next day so they can finish them?
Thank you!
Rachel Schneider
Hi Rachel, other readers had success making them the day before and then baked them off the next day! We haven’t tried it, but check out other reader comments for other info!
Gwen Burrows says
Amazing recipe! I’m not vegan so I used regular milk and butter and they came out great! My whole family LOVED them so I’m making a double recipe next time!
Nathan says
Hey Dana. Absolutely love your blog and am a complete sucker for cinnamon roles myself. I have been a runner for the past 25 years and can baloon up in weight on my time off. I usually run between 50 to 120 miles a week training for marathons. My wife knows my sweet spot is cinnamon roles. Of all posts to land on hahahaha Have a great day and continued success in your blog and writing.
Teanna says
I’m really sad me and my girls attempted this twice followed every instruction each time and it was dry crumbly mess both time we even had other people come help to see what we were doing wrong and nothing just a big dry crumbly pile :( there’s no way this could even be close to being sticky following these instructions :( :( the picture looks so good
Oh no! So sorry it didn’t work out for you Teanna, it’s hard to say what went wrong without knowing more!
Gwen Burrows says
I had the same problem at first, but then I found that I didn’t need all 3 cups of flour. Make sure to add it a little bit at a time just until it’s to thick to stir easily.
Linze says
Hi Dana. Great cinnamon rolls. FYI the symbol for degrees can be found on word by going to Insert, then select Symbol (far right hand side of tool bar), then scroll through the symbols until you find it. Once you use it, it will remain handy every time you use it.
Lissie says
I think I have the solution for gluten free soft cinnamon rolls. For the butter, I used half real butter and half coconut oil. Flour was one cup less somehow as the dough was done even before I managed to add in the 3rd cup. I used Schär Gluten Free Bread Mix flour. As for proofing the years, I added the sugar to the cashew milk and butter/coconut oil mix after it’s been warmed up, stir, then sprinkled the yeast and waited under 10mins. Then I added the salt and followed the recipe for the dough kneading just a little until it became a smooth ball. Pre heated the oven to 100c, turned it off and then let the dough rise in the oven. In the meantime , I mixed brown sugar, powdered cinnamon and nutmeg to thinly sliced apples and left aside. When dough was done, I rolled it out, brushed with butter/coconut oil, sprinkled cinnamon, brown sugar and apples and rolled it up. Brushed it with the remaining butter and leftover juices from the apples. Baking time was 25minutes with a fan assisted oven. Poured icing (1tbsp cashew milk and 3tbsp powdered sugar) over it when it came out of the oven. It tasted even better the next morning when the flavours seeped in.
Lou says
These are fantastic! Thank you for this great recipe. I made them even easier for me by putting the ingredients in my bread machine (in the order that the bread machine likes, so the liquid first, then salt, sugar with flour on top and make a little dent in the flour for the yeast). I put it all in, set it to ‘dough’ and when it was all done, took out the dough and put on the earth balance butter and brown sugar (I was out of granulated) and rolled them up, let them rise again and baked them. They were great! :D Thank you.
Lou says
It was the end of our month, so I was out of few things. I used:
*soy milk instead of almond milk
*coconut oil with a bit of Earth Balance instead of all Earth Balance
*brown sugar instead of granulated
Unrelated to the month and more to do with lack of confidence with yeast:
*used the bread machine set to ‘dough’ instead of the first part of the process, then I took it out and did the rolling and second rising, etc.
They still came out great, even after all of those shenanigans!
Jo says
As my sister has a severe egg alergy it was good to find this recipe. I used milk and normal butter. As the weather was very hot I had to use a dash more milk. And as I was feeling lazy, I used a hand blender with a dough hook before giving the dough a light kneading by hand. I also sifted a tablespoon of cocoa in the cinnamon and finished it off with a light glaze of icing sugar mixed in vanilla extract and hot water. The end result was absolutely yummy, not to mention the glorious aroma wafting around in my kitchen! I’ve saved this recipe in case a cinnamon roll craving hits me again! BTW, this was my first attempt at cinnamon rolls.
Melanie says
Is it possible to prep this recipe the night before? I want to make for a group of college kids but will only have an hour to cook and set up the dining area among other things. It would be perfect if I could just pop it in the oven in the morning.
Thanks!
Another reader, Simon, had success making them the night before, check out earlier comments for more information!
Neci J says
Hello MB,
Thank you for dedicating your time and energy to making these awesome yet simple recipes. I apprciate your creativeness.
I have made these cinnamon rolls twice and absolutely a fan as you can tell. I also checked out your oat bar recipe, and the newton fig recipe I am going to make those in the future.
Thank you again for your awesomeness.
Lisa says
I tried these with your gluten free flour mix and they came out delicious. A sure keeper.
Allie says
Great recipe, the dough turned out great, I used original ceylon cinnamon powder I got from a seller in Sri lanka and it tasted awesome. Just search for “premium Ceylon cinnamon powder Mccurrie” on ebay. I bought some packets from a trip over there, the ceylon cinnamon really does make a difference.
Caroline says
Would this recipe work with coconut sugar and 1:1 GF flour blend (possibly Bob’s Red Mill) or brown rice flour?
Hi Caroline, other readers have used coconut sugar with success. And here’s our gluten-free version: https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-gluten-free-cinnamon-rolls/
Peyton says
These are absolutely wonderful, I am having a hard time not eating the whole pan in one sitting! Very pleased with this! I substituted soy milk for the almond milk, because that’s what I had on hand and they still came out perfect. Everything else I followed the directions exactly as they are written, though the dough rising to double size did not take the full hour, only about 40 minutes. Also, I only used about a cup and a half of four, despite the directions calling for 3 cups, I just stopped adding flour when it wasn’t possible to stir any longer.
Angela says
Have made these before and they are easy and taste great! I used coconut oil instead of vegan butter and added a splash of vanilla.
MrsDLA says
Hi! Love the site and the recipes I have tried so far. My husband just started a paleo diet. Is it possible to use coconut or almond flour and coconut sugar or is that too much subbing? Thanks!
Glad you’re enjoying the site! I haven’t tested the cinnamon rolls with other flours and I’m doubtful that will work, sorry!
Emmy says
Hi all, I was wondering if anyone could help me.
I am currently at school and for our cooking lessons we are doing about puff pastry. Pretty much, the question is, can I use puff pastry for this recipe and just do something with the cinnamon to make it cinnomy. Let me know if you have any suggestions.
Emmy
Shelby says
My boyfriend and I made these last night and baked them this morning so that we could have warm, fresh cinnamon rolls for breakfast…I think it’s a new Memorial day tradition! I LOVED how easy the dough is to work with :) Thanks Dana, you’re awesome!
Dianna Spagnola says
Shelby, At what point did you stop and finish in the morning? I want to make them for my husband’s birthday tomorrow morning but don’t want to wake up too early! :)
Shelby says
Hi Dianna! We made them right up until the point that they were ready to go in the oven! We sliced the rolls, fit them into a baking pan, and covered them with plastic wrap. I suggest getting them out of the fridge 20-30 minutes before baking them in the morning so that they can rise a little more :)
KC says
AMAZING!!!
This was my first time trying cinnamon rolls & they came out great! I love the vegan ingredient options, cuz the hubby can’t have to many fats(butter) or commercial refined sugar and he loves sweets. The recipe is super user friendly and I will definitely make them again soon. My hubby ate 2 right away and would of went for a third except he said he was trying to pace himself, haha.
Can you double the recipe & just cut the dough in half before letting rise if you want to make a double batch??
Thanks for the great recipe!!!!
Natalia says
I’m slowly working my way through your recipes and these were UNBELIEVABLE!! Please make a vegan dessert cookbook!!
Maggie says
Made these before and they are wonderful! I want to make them to take on a trip this weekend… so don’t want to cook them until a few days later… should I cook and then refrigerate or freeze before I cook?
Julie says
I really want to try these as I am an avid cinnamon roller myself! I was wondering if I could use 2% milk, regular stick butter, and plain sugar? I didn’t know if these ingredoents were the key to perfection or not. Thank so much.
Julie
Cathy says
Julie
Having made them just as the directions stated, they WERE perfect. Gooey, sweet, and just like regular cinnamon rolls you’d find in your favorite coffee house. It was the best vegan dessert I had ever made. I have been a vegan for about a year, and have tried a lot of new things, many of which are so-so, but this blog and these rolls are bar none amazing.. Give it a try- what do you have to lose? But FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS esp on the yeast part and the kneading and being patient to let them rise twice!!!! You won’t go wrong!!
Katrina says
I am not a vegan but wanted to make these so I subbed for regular butter, whole milk with unbleached white all purpose exact measurements are the same, and they came out amazing! I even doubled the recipe and we are pulling them out of the oven momentarily
Hi Julie, we think those substitutions would be fine. Though we haven’t tried it!
Cathy Chase says
I made the cinnamon rolls exactly as is and THEY TURNED OUT AWESOME! Just as good as cinnabon…and my kids just LOVED them! They have zero animal products! Dana you are amazing! I will purchase a book from Amazon, and also live in Beaverton, OR and plant-based is great. I am a three year breast cancer survivor and my health care touts veganism (or plant-based). So I have been experimenting. The mac salad was great too but the cinnamon rolls were the best thing I think have ever baked in my life!!!! I want to become a blogger as I am an English teacher by trade and during the summer I have the time, but am unsure how to. I saw your resources on that, but I don’t want to use any recipes of other bloggers, so that’s the thing I want to make sure about too! You are amazing! Thanks for liking my post on Twitter!!! I am going to make the quinoa tacos next!!! YUM! Also the “Cheap” factor- these foods are super inexpensive!! I want to upload the pics of how they look so your viewers can see them!!!