Vegan Cinnamon Rolls Recipe: Soft, Fluffy Homemade Rolls

Table of Contents

• Why you’ll love this family favorite recipe!
• Cinnamon Roll Ingredients
• How to Make Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
• Erin’s Tips and Tricks
• Perfecting The Rise
• Vegan Cinnamon Rolls FAQs
• Storage
• More Vegan Breakfast Recipes
• Vegan Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

These cinnamon rolls are warm, fluffy, and full of cinnamon sugar with a choice of maple glaze or vegan cream cheese frosting. They’re perfect for brunch, holiday mornings, or making ahead for an easy bake the next day. Even non-vegans will love them.

Cinnamon Roll Ingredients

Yeast – Use active dry yeast; instant yeast should also work.

Butter – A quality dairy-free butter, such as Earth Balance, gives the best flavor and texture.

Milk – Any plant milk works: almond, oat, or soy.

Cinnamon sugar – Brown sugar mixed with cinnamon forms the filling. White sugar or cane sugar can be substituted.

Cream cheese icing – Vegan cream cheese, vanilla, milk, and powdered sugar. Soften the cream cheese before mixing for a smooth frosting.

Maple icing – A simple maple glaze of real maple syrup, vanilla, milk, and powdered sugar is a cozy alternative.

See the recipe card below for exact measurements and the full ingredient list.

Variations

• Gluten-free option – Try a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour if you need a gluten-free version (untested in this recipe).
• Vegan butter substitute – Softened coconut oil can replace vegan butter but may add a subtle coconut flavor.
• Double frosting – Make both icings and decorate different rolls with each for variety.

How to Make Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

Step 1: Bloom the yeast. Stir yeast and sugar together, then slowly add warm water and let sit for 10 minutes until bubbly.

Step 2: Melt the butter. Gently melt the dairy-free butter with plant milk on the stove and set aside to cool slightly.

Step 3: Start the dough. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Mix the butter-milk mixture with the yeast mixture, add to the dry ingredients, and knead until smooth.

Step 4: Let it rise. Grease a bowl lightly, place the dough inside, cover, and let it double in size at room temperature.

Step 5: Make the filling. Mix cinnamon and brown sugar in a small bowl and set aside.

Step 6: Roll. On a lightly floured surface, roll the risen dough into a rectangle.

Step 7: Add the filling. Spread softened butter over the dough, sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly, then tightly roll the dough starting from the long edge.

Step 8: Cut and rise. Slice the log into even rolls with a sharp knife (flouring the blade helps), place them in a baking dish, cover, and let rise for about 30 minutes.

Step 9: Bake. Brush with melted butter and bake until golden, about 20–25 minutes.

Step 10: Make the glaze. While the rolls bake, whisk together the ingredients for either the cream cheese icing or the maple glaze until smooth.

Step 11: Decorate and serve. Let the rolls cool a few minutes, then drizzle or spread the glaze and enjoy warm.

Erin’s Tips and Tricks

• Don’t skip the second rise. Let the cut rolls rise 30 minutes before baking — it makes them much fluffier.
• If your dough doesn’t rise, the yeast may be old. Try fresh yeast and ensure liquids are warm, not hot.
• For clean slices, flour the knife between cuts so it doesn’t stick. Dental floss can also be used to slice rolls evenly.

Vegan Cinnamon Rolls FAQs

Storage

Room temperature: Store baked rolls in an airtight container for best freshness within 24 hours; they keep up to 3 days.

Refrigerator: Covered, rolls stay good up to 5 days.

Freezer: Unbaked rolls freeze well up to 1 month. Baked rolls (without frosting) freeze for up to 3 months.

4.86 from 41 votes

Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

By Erin Alvarez

Servings: 14 rolls

Prep: 1 20

Cook: 25

Total: 1 45

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These Vegan Cinnamon Rolls are airy, filled with cinnamon sugar, and finished with maple glaze or vegan cream cheese icing. Make ahead and bake fresh the next day for best results.

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Ingredients 

• 1 packet, 2 1/4 tsp dry active yeast
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 6 tbsp dairy free butter, I used Earth Balance
• 1 1/4 cup almond milk
• 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt

For the filling:

• 3 tbsp butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cinnamon

Glaze:

Cream cheese icing option:

• 1/2 cup vegan cream cheese, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp milk, or more as needed
• 2 cups powdered sugar

Maple icing option:

• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp almond milk, or more as needed
• 2 cups powdered sugar

US Customary – Metric

Instructions 

• Combine yeast and sugar, slowly add warm water while stirring, and let sit for 10 minutes until bubbly.
• Melt butter and plant milk together on medium heat, stirring until the butter melts. Don’t let it boil; set aside to cool slightly.
• In a large bowl, mix flour and salt. Combine the butter mixture with the yeast mixture, add to the dry ingredients, and knead by hand for about 3 minutes.
• Grease a separate bowl with a little coconut oil, place the dough inside, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise about 1 hour until doubled. Alternatively, place the covered bowl in a turned-off oven preheated to 200°F for a warm rise.
• While the dough rises, prepare the filling by mixing cinnamon and brown sugar.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Add 1/4 cup flour to the dough to reduce stickiness, roll it into a rectangle about 9×14 inches, and trim thin edges if needed.
• Brush melted butter over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly, then tightly roll the dough lengthwise.
• Slice into 1.5-inch rolls with a floured knife or dental floss and place cut-side down in a greased baking dish or two 10-inch cake pans.
• Cover with a towel and let rise at room temperature for 30 minutes for a softer texture.
• Brush with a bit more melted butter and bake for about 20 minutes until golden.
• While baking, whisk together ingredients for your chosen glaze until smooth.
• Remove rolls from the oven, let cool 5 minutes, then drizzle or spread the glaze.
• Enjoy warm.

Notes

*Substitutions: Cane sugar can replace brown sugar; any dairy-free milk works.

*Calories are an estimate per serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 382kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g

Did you make this?Leave a comment and star rating below!

UPDATE NOTE: This post was originally published in December 2016 and updated with new text and photos in December 2025.