You will never believe that these Vegan Cinnamon Rolls are better for you and under 200 calories! Soft, tender and perfectly sweet and spicy!
PIN Easy Dairy Free Gluten Free Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
When I asked Grandma FFF for her cinnamon rolls recipe, you know what she said?
“I don’t have one. I just go by feel.”
I’m pretty confident that cinnamon rolls are one of the best memories about childhood, right? Whether you ate them in the form of POPPIN from a can or, like me, your grandma made them for every single breakfast gathering and you ate your weight in them, only to feel AWFUL but also AMAZING afterwards because, so much cream cheese icing, we all have memories of swirly, spicy-sweet rolls.
Why You Will Love These Cinnamon Rolls
- They are pillowy soft, with strong cinnamon taste and a gooey centers!
- My husband ate 4 of these vegan cinnamon rolls at once.
- Your teeth munch through the fluffy, airy spirals of soft bread while your tongue tingles with each fleck of spicy-sweet cinnamon and coconut sugar that is coming at it from every angle.
INGREDIENTS
- 6 tbsp dairy-free cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup sugar-free powdered sugar (or regular)
- 2 tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk
For The Cinnamon Rolls:
- 1 1/4 cups non-GMO cornstarch (176g)*
- 1/2 cup oat flour, GF if needed (60g)
- 6 tbsp white rice flour (56g)
- 2 tsp xantham gum (make sure it’s a vegan brand)
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp Red Star platinum yeast (almost one package – don’t use the whole package)
- 6 tbsp water
- 3 tbsp agave
- 2 tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 3 tbsp dairy-free butter
- 1/4 cup dairy-free plain yogurt, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, at room temperature
For The Filling:
- 4 tbsp dairy-free butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 tbsp coconut sugar
- 1 tbsp monk fruit (or sugar)
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
For The Frosting:
- 6 tbsp dairy-free cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup sugar-free powdered sugar (or regular)
- 2 tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk
How to make vegan cinnamon rolls
Making vegan cinnamon rolls is exactly like regular cinnamon rolls, except we’re using dairy-free versions of key ingredients like butter, cream cheese and yogurt!
You need to mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Then, the wet ingredients into a measuring cup and microwave it until it’s JUST 110-120 degrees. DO NOT GO HOTTER or you will KILL your yeast and then your dairy free cinnamon rolls won’t rise and you will BE SAD.
Mix it all together and let it sit for a bit before rolling it out, spreading it with a thick layer of buttery goodness and crusting it with the perfect balance of sweet sugar and spicy cinnamon.
Cut-cut-cut time! I like to use dental floss to cut these dairy free gluten free vegan cinnamon rolls, because it’s makes PERFECT slices.
You’re almost there! Just give that dough a little rise time in a warm place and then you can bake, frost and EAT.
Top Tips to Make Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
- Use a scale: Weighing flour is an integral part of baking but especially when dealing with gluten-free recipes.
- Use a thermometer: Water needs to 110-120 F when mixing it with other ingredients. If it isn’t, you risk killing your yeast.
- Don’t be kneady: If you knead too long, your cinnamon rolls won’t be as fluffy.
- Use dental floss to cut the dough: It cuts slices perfectly.
- Turn your oven to 200 degrees, then turn it off and stick this vegan cinnamon roll recipe in there. PERFECT temperature for MAXIMUM fluffy, soft RISING action.
How To Store Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
To store a cinnamon roll, you can wrap it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or place it in an airtight container. This will help keep it fresh and prevent it from drying out. You can store the cinnamon roll at room temperature for a few days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. To reheat the cinnamon roll, you can microwave it for a few seconds, or warm it in the oven at a low temperature until it is heated through.
Can You Freeze Them?
Yes, you can freeze vegan cinnamon rolls. First, allow them to cool. Then wrap them in plastic or tinfoil. Like this, the rolls can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. When it comes time to eat them, let them thaw first in the fridge overnight. The next day, preheat your oven to 350-360 F and bake the rolls at 350-360 F until they are slightly crispy on the outside and nice and gooey on the inside (it should take 10 to 15 minutes). You can also microwave the rolls for 30-60 seconds to warm them up but you sacrifice that crispiness.
Ingredients
For the cinnamon rolls:
- 1 1/4 Cups Non GMO cornstarch (176g)*
- 1/2 Cup Oat flour, GF if needed (60g)
- 6 Tbsp White rice flour (56g)
- 2 tsp Xantham gum (make sure it’s a vegan brand)
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 tsp Red star platinum yeast (almost one package – don’t use the whole package)
- 6 Tbsp Water
- 3 Tbsp Agave
- 2 Tbsp Unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 3 Tbsp Dairy-free butter
- 1/4 Cup Dairy-free plain yogurt, at room temperature
- 1/4 Cup Unsweetened applesauce, at room temperature
For the filling:
- 4 Tbsp Dairy-free butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 Tbsp Coconut sugar
- 1 Tbsp Monkfruit (or sugar)
- 1 Tbsp Ground cinnamon
For the frosting:
- 6 Tbsp Dairy-free cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 Cup Sugar free powdered sugar (or regular)
- 2 Tbsp Unsweetened vanilla almond milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200 degrees. Once heated, turn it off. This will be where you let your buns rise.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients – the cornstarch, oat flour, rice flour, xantham gum, salt and yeast.
- In a microwave safe, measuring cup, heat the water, agave, almond milk and butter until it reaches 110-120 degrees F. You don’t want it hotter than that or it will kill the yeast. Add the mixture into the bowl with the flour, along with the yogurt and applesauce. Stir until the yogurt is well mixed and the dough is soft, and pretty sticky.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface (I use cornstarch) and knead for 3-4 minutes, until it just comes together. You'll need to keep adding cornstarch to the surface, a little at a time, so the dough doesn't stick. Don't knead too long, or they won't be as fluffy! Spray the bowl that it was in with cooking spray and place it back inside to let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Once the dough has rested, roll it on a lightly floured surface to a 14×8 inch rectangle. Spread the butter from the filling all over it.
- In a small bowl, mix together the coconut sugar, monkfruit and cinnamon. Spread all over the dough using your fingers to really rub it in.
- TIGHTLY roll the dough up and cut into 11 bigger buns, or 12 smaller. You can use a very sharp knife or, my favorite, dental floss. Just slide the floss under the dough, and then cross each side over top of each other at the top of the roll and pull down to make a smooth slice.
- Spray a 9 inch circular baking dish (I used a pie dish) with cooking spray and place the rolls inside. Cover lightly with tinfoil and let the buns rise in the heated oven for 90 minutes.
- Once risen, remove the buns from the oven and heat the oven to 375°. Bake the rolls for 20-22 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Then, lightly cover with tinfoil to prevent too much browning, and bake for an additional 6-10 minutes.
- While the buns bake, whisk together the softened cream cheese, vanilla, powdered sugar and almond milk until smooth.
- Pour the glaze over the buns and serve immediately!
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Info:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS PER SERVING: FREESTYLE POINTS: 8 POINTS+:6 . OLD POINTS: 5
(based off this recipe making 12 buns. If you use regular sugar/powdered sugar, add 35 calories and 10g of carbs per bun)
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