Cinnamon rolls are an easy recipe to make for weekend brunch. These vegan cinnamon rolls are a step-up!
So, I don’t normally cook vegan. I don’t dislike vegan foods, and I have found that in the last decade it has become much easier to cook vegan. This is especially the case with sweet treats. There are so many great substitute ingredients out there for things like eggs and butter. I thought I’d start with something simple, and it doesn’t get any simpler than making cinnamon rolls vegan. They don’t need eggs. They take vegan butter, which is extremely easy to find these days. Earth Balance even graces the shelves of Walmart. If you are thinking of getting into the vegan baking game, this recipe is the perfect recipe to start with!
With Easter weekend literally happening this weekend, and since we are in prime brunch season, I think these cinnamon rolls are the perfect way to celebrate! Add this recipe to your brunch menus ASAP!
Beer It’s funny how as soon as we get into the spring season, I want to all of a sudden pair everything with porters. Porters are definitely more of a “cold weather beer,” but that’s OK. I couldn’t think of a better pairing for these vegan cinnamon rolls than with a good porter. This cinnamon rolls have a sweetness like most cinnamon rolls, but they aren’t overbearing, and a porter will compliment the sweetness just perfectly. I also happen to adore cinnamon and porters. I hope you guys find this pairing just as amazing as I do!
Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
Servings:
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Cinnamon Rolls
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 9 tbsp vegan butter divided
- 1 packet instant, rapid-rise yeast
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour more as needed
- 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp organic cane sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
Glaze and Toppings
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar
- 2 tbsp almond milk more as needed
- pinch of salt
- Suggested toppings: toasted chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds
Instructions
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the almond milk and 3 tablespoons. Place it in the microwave and heat on 30 second increments, stirring after each increment, until the butter has melted. Let the mixture cool just a tad and then sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow the yeast to activate for ten minutes (it will start to foam slightly) and then sprinkle on the sea salt and 2 tablespoons sugar.
- Add a cup of the flour to the mixture and stir together. Add the second cup of flour and stir together. The dough will become significantly hard to stir. The dough should be sticky. If you find that the mixture is still too wet that you can't form it into a ball, add more flour until you get this sticky consistency. Once the dough becomes extremely difficult to stir, roll it out onto a floured surface. Knead the dough, adding flour as needed, for about 2 minutes, and then form it into a ball.
- Transfer the dough to a well-oiled bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Place it in a warm place to rise for an hour. After an hour, the dough should have doubled in size. If it hasn't doubled, let it rise for a longer amount of time.
- Melt the rest of the butter (6 tablespoons) in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and brush a 10 to 12-inch pan with a tablespoon of the butter. Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out to a thin rectangle (about 1/2 inch thick). Taking 3 tablespoons of the butter, brush it onto the dough. Sprinkle the remaining sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom on top. Roll the dough into a log and place the seam down. With a sharp knife cut 8 equal pieces out of the dough. Place them evenly spread apart in the prepared pan.
- Brush the remaining melted butter on top and place it on top of the stove to rise for about 5 minutes. Place it in the oven and bake the cinnamon rolls for about 25-30 minutes or until puffy and brown on top. Remove from heat and set aside to cool just slightly.
- While the cinnamon rolls are baking, prepare your glaze. Combine the confectioner's sugar, almond milk, and salt in a small bowl. Whisk together until smooth. Add more confectioner's sugar or almond milk as needed.
- Drizzle the glaze on top of the rolls and sprinkle with nuts if desired. Enjoy immediately!
