These classic cinnamon rolls are soft and delicious. They’re also extremely versatile since they can be baked immediately, prepped the night before, or frozen and baked later. Can be made oil-free with applesauce or traditional with vegan butter.
Oh!! You’re gonna love this recipe post! Who doesn’t enjoy delicious ooey-gooey icing topped fresh-out-for-the-oven cinnamon rolls? No one, ever!! That’s who! Everyone loves cinnamon rolls. The sticker and gooier, the better. Am I right?
I personally love cinnamon rolls. I don’t make them very often because they’re quite indulgent and I have a habit of eating all of them… I know, I know…
So for me, they’ve always been a special treat for holidays and birthdays. And I’ve made dozens and dozens of cinnamon rolls over the years. I know all about the ooey-gooey goodness of a warm cinnamon roll. Yum!!
There are so many recipes for cinnamon rolls. And many of them result in delightful swirled treats with tons of butter and cream cheese frosting. This is not one of those recipes. I mean, it’s similar, but not enough. It’s really not.
I say this because I purposely revised my recipe to be more healthy. More like eating bread containing wholesome ingredients and cinnamon. That way, when I do make them, I wasn’t indulging in something that would sabotage my health.
In fact, this recipe is for all of those who are trying to avoid sugar, as well as those trying to eat a more whole food plant-based no oil diet, but still want to enjoy delicious favorite foods ad classic favorites. So, yeah, it’s for me trying to be healthier and take care of my body. And if you’re trying to do the same, this recipe is for you!!
I still recommend using an unsweetened plain plant milk for the liquid; though I do completely replace the traditional vegan butter with apple sauce. And in fact, I replace it twice – once in the dough and once in the cinnamon filling. And it may not be as buttery as a cinnabon, but there’s still enough ooey-gooey goodness that these cinnamon rolls are quite satisfying. Pinky swear.
If you aren’t trying to avoid oil, feel free to substitute vegan butter for the applesauce. Your cinnamon rolls will be more classic and delicious, but still a bit healthier than many traditional recipes out there.
But I don’t stop with substituting the butter. I also recommend using a 50-50 flour blend. I enjoy using white whole wheat flour along with all-purpose flour. This increases the nutritional profile of these cinnamon rolls while maintaining the soft texture and mild flavor that cinnamon rolls typically contain.
I prefer kneading the cinnamon roll dough in a stand mixer on the lowest speed until it leaves the side of the bowl. You can certainly knead by hand, it’s just that my wrists appreciate this thoughtful gesture quite a bit.
Just a word of caution about the dough. Try really hard not to add more flour you truly need. This will ensure a soft tender dough. When you add too much flour, the dough gets tough and dry. That’s the opposite of what we want with these cinnamon rolls.
Once the dough is well combined, cover the bowl with a couple of dense towels or plastic wrap and allow to rise in an undisturbed place until the dough doubles in size, one to one and a half hours.
Then roll it out in a large rectangle, spread the applesauce-cinnamon-sugar blend evenly over the dough and roll it up. At this point you can slice the roll in ten to twelve segments using a serrated knife, depending on how thick you want your cinnamon rolls.
Though I do have a little tip I’d like to share with you. Instead of using a knife, I like using a long piece of dental floss. By sliding the floss underneath the roll, then bringing both ends tougher and pulling tightly, it creates perfect slices without smooshing them at all.
Transfer each cinnamon roll to a greased casserole dish, spacing them about 1 inch apart to allow expansion. Cover the cinnamon rolls with two clean kitchen towels or plastic wrap.
At this point, you have three options – bake immediately, proof overnight in the refrigerator, or freeze for later enjoyment.
Options
- To Bake Immediately, heat the oven to 350° F while the rolls rise. After the oven has reached temperature, bake the cinnamon rolls for 25-30 minutes, until slightly golden.
- Overnight Proofing. If you want to bake the cinnamon rolls in the morning, place the cinnamon rolls in refrigerator to rise overnight. When ready to bake in the morning, take the pan out of the refrigerator while heating the oven to 350° F. Once the oven has reached temperature, bake the cinnamon rolls for 25-30 minutes, until slightly golden.
- To Freeze, cover the pan immediately with plastic wrap, foil, or a lid; and place the entire pan into the freezer. Alternatively, you can place the cinnamon rolls on a baking sheet until frozen; then transfer to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. The day before you want to bake the cinnamon rolls, transfer them to the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Once thawed completely, remove the plastic wrap and cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow the rolls to come to room temperature. Heat the oven to 350° F and bake the cinnamon rolls for 25-30 minutes, until slightly golden.
While the cinnamon rolls are baking, make the icing, if using. In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Set aside.
Remove the cinnamon rolls from the oven and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before drizzling with icing and serving. These are best enjoyed the same morning/day they are made, but can be stored at room temperature for up to three days. They can be reheated for 20-30 seconds in the microwave or in a toaster oven until warm.
I hope you enjoy this Healthier Vegan Cinnamon Rolls as much as I do.
I would love to see your results! Please leave a comment and rate it down below, tag a picture @pebblesandtoast and #pebblesandtoast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook! Enjoy!!
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Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour*
- 1½ cups white whole wheat flour*
- 2¼ tsp instant yeast**
- 1¼ cup unsweetened plain non-dairy milk, heated to 100° F
- 3 Tbsp applesauce (or vegan butter, melted)***
- ¼ tsp salt
Cinnamon Filling
- 3 Tbsp applesauce (or vegan butter, room temperature)***
- ⅓ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar, packed
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- ½ raisins or currants (optional)
Icing (optional)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp non-dairy milk
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a stand mixer bowl, combine the flour and yeast.
- Pour in the warm almond milk, apple sauce (or melted butter), and salt.
- Mix on low speed until combined until dough forms and leaves side of the bowl, about 1-2 minutes total. Add in 1-2 Tbsp flour of flour, 1 at a time, if needed (if it’s humid). Alternatively, knead the dough by hand for 2-3 minutes.
- Cover with plastic wrap or 2 kitchen towels and allow the dough to rest at room temperature until doubled, about 1 to 1½ hours, depending on your yeast and room temperature.
- In a small bowl, combine the butter, sugar, and cinnamon.
- Roll the dough out on a clean lightly floured surface using a rolling pin to create a large rectangle shape about 15 inches wide x 20 inches long and about ¼ inch thick.
- Spread a thin even layer of the cinnamon-sugar-applesauce mixture over the dough. Sprinkle raisins evenly over top, if using.
- Starting with a shorter end, tightly roll the dough to create a log.
- With the seam facing down, use dental floss (or a serrated knife) to cut the dough in 1¼ inch sections. You should have 10-12 pieces, depending on the size of roll cut.
- Transfer each cinnamon roll in a greased casserole dish with about 1 inch between each roll to allow expansion.
- Cover the cinnamon rolls with plastic wrap or two clean kitchen towels.
- Baking Options
- To Bake Immediately, heat the oven to 350° F while the rolls rise, about 30 minutes. After the oven has reached temperature and the rolls are double in size, bake the cinnamon rolls for 25-30 minutes, until slightly golden.
- Overnight Proofing. If you want to bake the cinnamon rolls in the morning, place the cinnamon rolls in refrigerator to rise overnight. When ready to bake in the morning, take the pan out of the refrigerator while heating the oven to 350° F. Once the oven has reached temperature, bake the cinnamon rolls for 25-30 minutes, until slightly golden.
- To Freeze, cover the cinnamon rolls immediately with plastic wrap and place the pan into the freezer. The day before you want to bake the cinnamon rolls, transfer them to the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Once thawed completely, remove the plastic wrap and cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow the rolls to come to room temperature. Heat the oven to 350° F and bake the cinnamon rolls for 25-30 minutes, until slightly golden.
- While the cinnamon rolls are baking, make the icing, if using. In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Set aside.
- Remove the cinnamon rolls from the oven and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before drizzling with icing and serving.
- These are best enjoyed the same morning/day they are made.
Notes
* I like using 1½ cups King Arthur white whole wheat flour and 1½ cups all-purpose flour; but feel free to use any whole grain flour or all-purpose flour. If you use different flours, you may need to use less/more milk.
** I use SAF instant yeast. This recipe uses one packet or 2¼ tsp instant yeast. If you can’t find it in your local grocery store, you can use rapid-rise or order yeast on Amazon via subscribe and save. I keep a small portion of yeast in the refrigerator; the rest is stored in a freezer bag or jar in the freezer. Yeast stores and keeps extremely well in the freezer.
*** You can substitute vegan butter for the apple sauce if you prefer.
Healthier Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- oven
- mixer (optional)
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour*
- 1½ cups white whole wheat flour*
- 2¼ tsp instant yeast**
- 1¼ cup unsweetened plain non-dairy milk heated to 100° F
- 3 Tbsp applesauce or vegan butter, melted***
- ¼ tsp salt
Cinnamon Filling
- 3 Tbsp applesauce or vegan butter, room temperature***
- ⅓ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar packed
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- ½ cup raisins or currants (optional)
Icing (optional)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp non-dairy milk
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a stand mixer bowl, combine the flour and yeast. Pour in the warm almond milk, apple sauce (or melted butter), and salt.
- Mix on low speed until combined until dough forms and leaves side of the bowl, about 1-2 minutes total. Add in 1-2 Tbsp flour of flour, 1 at a time, if needed (if it's humid). Alternatively, knead the dough by hand for 2-3 minutes.
- Cover with plastic wrap (or 2 kitchen towels) and allow the dough to rest at room temperature until doubled, about 1 to 1½ hours, depending on your yeast and room temperature.
- In a small bowl, combine the butter, sugar, and cinnamon.
- Roll the dough out on a clean lightly floured surface using a rolling pin to create a large rectangle shape about 16 inches wide x 20 inches long and about ¼ inch thick.
- Spread a thin even layer of the cinnamon-sugar-applesauce mixture over the dough. Sprinkle raisins evenly over top, if using.
- Starting with a shorter end, tightly roll the dough to create a log. With the seam facing down, use dental floss (or a serrated knife) to cut the dough in 1¼ inch sections. You should have 10-12 pieces.
- Transfer each cinnamon roll in a greased casserole dish with about 1 inch between each roll to allow expansion. Cover the cinnamon rolls with two clean kitchen towels.
Baking Options
- To Bake Immediately, heat the oven to 350° F while the rolls rise, about 30 minutes. After the oven has reached temperature and the rolls are double in size, bake the cinnamon rolls for 25-30 minutes, until slightly golden.
- Overnight Proofing. If you want to bake the cinnamon rolls in the morning, place the cinnamon rolls in refrigerator to rise overnight. When ready to bake in the morning, take the pan out of the refrigerator while heating the oven to 350° F. Once the oven has reached temperature, bake the cinnamon rolls for 25-30 minutes, until slightly golden.
- To Freeze, cover the cinnamon rolls immediately with plastic wrap and place the pan into the freezer. The day before you want to bake the cinnamon rolls, transfer them to the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Once thawed completely, remove the plastic wrap and cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow the rolls to come to room temperature. Heat the oven to 350° F and bake the cinnamon rolls for 25-30 minutes, until slightly golden.
- While the cinnamon rolls are baking, make the icing, if using. In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Set aside.
- Remove the cinnamon rolls from the oven and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before drizzling with icing and serving. These are best enjoyed the same morning/day they are made.