I think a lot of people are intimidated by making yeast breads and rolls. These kinds of breads take a while to make, are some what time consuming, but 100% worth your effort.
Cinnamon rolls fall under the category of yeast breads that take a while. This dough has to rise twice, so if you are craving a cinnamon roll when you wake up, just know its gonna be a while before you get to eat one.
For this reason we often bake them the evening before, and wait to ice them until the next morning. They will reheat just fine.
Vegan cinnamon rolls are easy to make, and do not even require a stand mixer. We personally like to mix some orange zest into the dough and icing but you don’t have to. We also make a vegan cream cheese icing for these vegan cinnamon rolls, because I will put cream cheese icing on anything and everything that I can.
So if you have been looking for a basic, delicious, vegan cinnamon roll recipe, look no further. Also, this recipe makes a double batch, so you will be eating cinnamon rolls for days, and days, and days!!! See, this time the wait will totally be worth it!
INGREDIENTS:
5 cups all purpose flour, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup melted vegan butter
2 cups almond or oat milk,
1/2 cup sugar
optional 1/2-1 teaspoon orange zest
THE FILLING:
3/4 cup vegan butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
THE ICING:
1/2 cup vegan cream cheese
2 tablespoons vegan butter
2 tablespoons almond or oat milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
optional, 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat milk in a microwave safe container to about 100-110 degrees. Any warmer and It will kill the yeast. It should feel warm but not scalding hot.
In a large bowl mix the heated milk, butter and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the mixture and let it sit for a few minutes. (don’t stir it in, just sprinkle)
Add 4 cups of the flour to the wet mixture, and mix until well combined. Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and allow the dough to double in size. This should take about an hour.
Once the dough has doubled in size, add the last cup of flour, baking powder, and salt. If adding orange zest, add that now as well. Mix well until a soft dough has formed. Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface. Lightly knead the dough, adding extra flour as needed until the dough is no longer sticky. The dough should be soft, but you should be able to handle it without it sticking to your hands.
Roll the dough out into a rectangle that is about 18 inches by 12 inches, and 1/2 inch thick, give or take.
Mix the softened butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Spread the mixture evenly over the surface of the dough, leaving 1/2 inch around the edges free from the butter sugar mixture. This will allow the rolls to seal properly
Roll the dough tightly, forming a log. Cut log into 12- 14 equal pieces. Place the cinnamon rolls into 2 buttered pie pans or round cake pans. Cover each pan in plastic wrap and allow the cinnamon rolls to rise for another half hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Once the cinnamon rolls have risen, place the pans on the middle oven rack and bake for 30-35 minutes.
To make the icing, mix the cream cheese, butter, and milk until creamy and smooth. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar and stir until everything is well incorporated and smooth. Divide the icing and drizzle it over both pans of cinnamon rolls.
Store left over cinnamon rolls in an airtight container at room temperature.
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