Grab yourself a napkin because you might be drooling a little while reading this recipe. I’ve got Easy Vegan Cinnamon Buns for you today, and this recipe is a game changer. I hacked this recipe so these vegan cinnamon rolls are as easy as possible to make. No yeast. No rising. Only 10 ingredients. No weird ingredients. Freezable. Completely addictive ← you have been warned.
I figured out a way to make tender, moist, pull apart, vegan cinnamon buns without messing around with yeast. Sure, these cinnamon rolls have several steps to prepare them (that’s the nature of cinnamon rolls I’m afraid), but I made sure to include lots of pictures of each step so that you can see for yourself that every step is actually pretty easy.
And then you get to eat these ↓↓↓
Drooooooool…
To make easy vegan cinnamon buns: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add in the vegan butter cubes and use a pastry cutter or fork to cut the butter into the flour until you reach a grainy texture.
Pour in the non-dairy milk and combine to make a shaggy dough.
Either in the bowl or on a clean work surface use your hands to knead the dough together incorporating any leftover dry ingredients until it all comes together into a nice ball. Let the dough rest in the bowl for 10 – 15 minutes before proceeding. Resting allows the dough to get stretchy which is a must for gorgeous pull apart cinnamon buns!
Once the dough has rested, lightly flour a clean work surface and roll the dough with a rolling pin until you get a rectangle about 19″ x 14″.
Pour the melted vegan butter over the rolled out dough and use a pastry brush or the back of a spoon to spread evenly over the dough. In a small bowl mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the melted butter.
Starting from a longer side of the dough rectangle, use your hands to gently roll the dough up.
Once rolled, use a sharp knife to cut 12 cinnamon rolls by gently sawing with the knife.
*I like to mark out each bun by lightly scoring the surface of the roll before doing the final cuts, to ensure even sized cinnamon buns.
Place the cinnamon buns in the baking dish, swirl side up, and bake for 24 – 28 minutes until puffed up and lightly golden. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
If making the icing (and you should make the icing), combine the powdered sugar, vegan butter, vanilla extract, and lemon juice or non-dairy milk in a small bowl.
*I like using lemon juice to add a little bit of tang to the icing- similar to cream cheese frosting, but if you want an all sweet icing opt for non-dairy milk.
Spread the icing roughly over the still warm cinnamon buns. The icing will melt into the cinnamon buns a little. YUM!
No yeast. No rising. Only 10 ingredients. No weird ingredients. Freezable. Completely addictive!! No one will know they're vegan.
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup vegan butter, cut into small cubes
- 1 1/4 cup non-dairy milk (such as soy or almond)
- 1/4 cup vegan butter, melted
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 teaspoons lemon juice or non-dairy milk*
Preheat your oven to 400F (200C). Line with parchment paper or grease a 9"x 12" baking dish.
Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add in the vegan butter cubes and use a pastry cutter or fork to cut the butter into the flour until you reach a grainy texture. Pour in the non-dairy milk and combine to make a shaggy dough.
Either in the bowl or on a clean work surface use your hands to knead the dough together incorporating any leftover dry ingredients until it all comes together into a nice ball. Let the dough rest in the bowl for 10 - 15 minutes before proceeding for the best dough texture. Resting allows the dough to get stretchy which is a must for gorgeous pull apart cinnamon buns!
Roll the dough: Once the dough has rested, lightly flour a clean work surface and roll the dough with a rolling pin until you get a rectangle about 19" x 14".
Cinnamon sugar filling: Pour the melted vegan butter over the rolled out dough and use a pastry brush or the back of a spoon to spread evenly over the dough. In a small bowl mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the melted butter.
Roll your cinnamon buns: Starting from a longer side of the dough rectangle, use your hands to gently roll the dough up. Once rolled, use a sharp knife to cut 12 cinnamon rolls by gently sawing with the knife. I like to mark out each bun by lightly scoring the surface of the roll before doing the final cuts, to ensure even sized cinnamon buns.
Bake: Place the cinnamon buns in the baking dish, swirl side up, and bake for 24 - 28 minutes until puffed up and lightly golden. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Optional icing: Combine the powdered sugar, vegan butter, vanilla extract, and lemon juice or non-dairy milk together in a small bowl. *I like using lemon juice to add a little bit of tang to the icing- similar to cream cheese frosting, but if you want an all sweet icing opt for non-dairy milk. Spread the icing roughly over the still warm cinnamon buns. The icing will melt into the cinnamon buns a little. YUM!
Store leftover cinnamon buns covered at room temperature for 2 - 3 days. Cinnamon buns can be frozen (with icing and all) in an air-tight container, then let thaw completely at room temperature.
*Make sure you use an 9" x 12" pan or equivalent. For the cinnamon buns to stay soft they need to expand into each other. If they have too much room around each bun, they can end up getting crispy. I used the one from this baking set.
Nutrition
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Bon appetegan!
Sam.
Hi! Instead of butter can we use margarine?
Thanks 🙂
Vegan butter and vegan margarine are the same thing really, so whatever your store sells will be great! I use Earth Balance brand.
Can the dough be frozen before baking? Like if you assemble them ahead of time and put them in a freezer bag to pop in the oven at a later time? Has anyone tried this?
I’ve never tried freezing them before baking, but they freeze wonderfully after baking with frosting and all 🙂
I just made these. They are so amazingly delicious! Thank you so much for this yummy easy recipe!
You’re most welcome, Karen! So happy you enjoyed them 🙂
Do you think this would bake well if fully prepped at night then refrigerated until baking the next morning?
I think ti should work just fine. Enjoy!
Is there a way I could use a gluten free flour with these? Or would it not work for gluten free?? Very excited to try these either way!
Gluten-free baking is not my expertise so I have nothing to recommend. Sorry I can’t be more help!
Yum!!!! I’m planning on making these this week as I am rostered on for the community outreach program through our school (Meals for those in need). Would they freeze ok if frosted, do you think?
Thank you for sharing the vegan deliciousness!!!
x
Yep! They freeze well with frosting and all 🙂
These are amazing! Great call with suggesting the lemon juice for the icing! Every recipe I make of yours never disappoints, thanks for another great dish!
Aww you’re most welcome, Danielle! Thrilled you love it so much 🙂
Could I use coconut oil in place of butter for the dough?
Yes, but it won’t have that buttery taste. Make sure the coconut is cold and solid and keep everything cold so that it doesn’t get melty. Enjoy!
LOVE them. I can be a little lazy when it comes to baking but when I saw the simple list of ingredients and no yeast I knew I had to make them! It’s 11:30pm and I just ate one warm from the oven~ Delicious! My kids will love them for breakfast tomorrow! Thank you
Oh what a lovely late night treat! So thrilled you loved them so much, Kyla 🙂
I tried this but they didn’t rise at all? What did I do wrong?
Do you think you might have forgotten to add the baking powder? That’s what makes the buns rise.
Can we substitute all purpose flour for wheat flour ?
For substituting whole wheat flour I recommend you check out this article.
If we are making this in a microwave how log to do we keep it and at what temperature ?
I wouldn’t recommend making these in a microwave.
OMG!!! These are AWESOME! I made a half batch and the house smells as amazing as they taste. I did mine in my toaster oven at 375 for 20 minutes. My frosting ended up being more of a glaze, but still tasted good. I think next time I’ll just pick up a can of frosting at the store and smear it on, lol! Thanks so much for the wonderful easy recipe. 🙂
You’re most welcome, Aimee!! Thrilled you loved them so much 🙂
I’ve made these a few times. Love this recipe! They never last very long 😉
Haha, awesome! Thrilled you loved them, Chelsea 🙂
I’m not too fond of making dough, so I had been reluctant to make this recipe. Today I made it and used it to make a Mardi Gras King Cake. It turned out grand! The dough was easier than I had anticipated, the dough looked just like your picture and I’m very happy with my results! Thank you!
Wonderful! So thrilled you found it easier than expected 🙂
Could i use whole wheat flour ?
When substituting whole wheat flour the results will change and it isn’t a 1 for 1 sub. I recommend following this guide.
So I added too much non-dairy milk and then ran out of flour. Have you seen that meme “make up tutorial with 8 easy steps for smoky eyes” and the DIY result is what looks like a bruised goth? The equivalent of that happened with my cinnamon rolls but they were still yum! 😛
Haha, glad you enjoyed them!
These were fantastic – even my omni hubby loved them (and the kids wolfed them down!)
We added some mixed dried fruit, yum. Thanks for the great recipe.
Haha! Awesome!!!
As most have already said, these are delicious! I doubled the frosting and ate 2 (yes, I can be a bit of a glutton), and thoroughly enjoyed both. One of my kids came in and when I told her they were vegan, she took a tentative bite, and then dove right in, exclaiming she couldn’t believe a vegan cinnamon roll could taste that good.
We have also really been enjoying your tofu bites. Thank you for the great recipes!
Aww that’s so wonderful, Kelly!!! Delighted you loved them so much 🙂
I made these last night and they are amazing!!! I seriously wasn’t expecting it bc I’ve been trying to perfect my biscuit making lately (I have a recipe not yours and they key I guess is to not overwork the dough) so I felt like I was overworking it when I made the buns and was expecting the worse from myself haha but they turned out amazing and I love how they delicately break apart, not tough or super chewy. Even a day later we’re eating them cold from the fridge and they’re still so so good! Just wanted to thank you for all the work you put into these tried and true recipes. <3
You’re most welcome, Allison!! I’m so delighted you enjoyed them so much 🙂
I made these last night, I needed a little more milk than the recipe called for. But it came together great. These are by far the most delicious cinnamon rolls I’ve made. They’re so buttery and soft. AMAZING. vegan and non vegan approved. This is a keeper.
Wonderful! So happy you enjoyed them, Amanda!
Can these be made gluten free and what flour do you recommend for gluten free.
Thanks Penny
I’m not an expert in gluten-free baking, so I don’t really know, but I have heard good things about Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1. Enjoy!
Sam, these came out so good. I made them for a New Years Eve party and my family was begging for more. I have made them twice in 1 week. This is definitely a favorite!! Thank you so much.
Yay!!! That’s so amazing!!! Thrilled you and your family love them so much 🙂
Sam these look amazing and I will be making them, thanks so much for this one.
You’re most welcome, Annie 🙂
These are super freaking delicious! Much less time consuming than yeast-raised cinnamon rolls (which are, indeed, yummy) but a hundred times better than biscuit-mix cinnamon rolls. I snacked on one immediately after removing them from the oven, and my family loved (what was left of them) later on. Perfection! I’m definitely a Sam Fan.
Aww shucks, thank you so much, Meg!!! Melt my heart 🙂
Yumm! I was drooling while watching you make them. I am your new subscriber and I want to make most of your recipes. Most definitely, I will buy your cookbook. I am a vegetarian, a rookie baker and cook, still learning and will keep on learning, staying away from sugar, gluten and fried foods. For the icing, can i use monk fruit to replace the powdered sugar? Or any suggestions. I am not diabetic, but staying bit clear on sugar. Lastly, any suggestions on the flour. Kinda healthy flour. Gluten free maybe is a good option. Will get your cookbook today. Thanks for sharing your recipes. Appreciate it.
Thanks Irena! So happy you are enjoying my recipes 🙂 For the icing, you can skip it entirely or replace it with any topping you like. I’ve never had the pleasure of playing around with monk fruit sweetener, so I have no idea how that works. I’m not an expert in gluten-free baking but I have heard good things about Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1. I hope you love my book. Enjoy!
Hi Sam
I am celebrating being vegan for three years this January and one of the first bloggers i discovered when looking for inspiration was you, I use your book all the time for the fudge, tomato sauce recipe and the mozzarella and nacho cheese sauce as well as many of your online recipes, so thank you for making being vegan so much easier.
I cannot stand the taste of cinnamon so wonder if you could substitute that ingredient for cocoa powder or jam or something like that? what do you think?
thanks again and keep up the great work
Wendy
That’s awesome!! So happy you have been enjoying my recipes for so long, Wendy 🙂 For sure, you could substitute for another filling of choice. Anything you like should work fine. Enjoy!
The bread is very much like a buiscuit and not the texture that the bread that a cinnamon roll has. They are ok. I probably will not be making them again.
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe.
I’ve always made cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning and this was my first year making them vegan. I prepped them last night, baked them this morning, and they were amazing! I got so many compliments on them. I doubled the frosting (using fresh lemon juice) because we are all big frosting fans 🙂 Thanks so much for the recipe, this will be my new go to!
Oh that’s so awesome, Kate! So happy you loved them! 🙂
Another winner! Thanks so much, Sam. Made these for my family while on vacation this week; shared some with a neighbor who also asked to read a piece I had written about for work, and the combination made her say that she “gets vegan”
Oh that’s so awesome, Sam! So happy you loved them 🙂
I cannot get over your cookbook and your recipes! Honestly each and every one is absolutely amazing and easy to make! I made these and they were incredible and the easiest cinnamon buns I’ve ever made. I do have a question. I am taking these to a pot luck, can i make the dough a day before and then stick it in the fridge for the next day? Thanks!
Oh that’s so awesome, Des! So happy you are enjoying my recipes so much 🙂 Yes, I think these would work fine made the day ahead and then baked. Enjoy!
Tried to make them just now but couldn’t get the dough to not be extremely sticky. Used the ingredients exactly like mentioned above with soy milk. The dough kept being sticky even after adding another cup of flour. After rolling it up and cutting it the rolls fell apart completely. Any tips :(?
Hi Sabrina, it’s difficult to know without being in the kitchen with you, but it sounds like there must have been a measurement off somewhere along the way. The dough is actually pretty dry to start and takes a bit of work to incorporate all the flour, so it’s pretty far from sticky. Sorry, I can’t be more help! Best of luck next time!
These look delicious! I am allergic to cinnamon and was thinking about using orange marmalade as the filling. Knowing that you haven’t tried this method, could you provide an educated guess as to how I would add the filling? Like would you recommend mixing the marmalade with butter or just put the marmalade on the dough? Any other suggestions? Again, I know I’m asking for a suggestion for something you probably haven’t tried but I’m willing to take the chance!
PS LOVE your cookbook. My 3yro has several protein allergies and your cookbook has given us so many delicious options. Thanks!
So happy you are enjoying my recipes so much!!! I would just spread the marmalade directly on the rolled dough then roll it up can cut. I think it will be delicious. Enjoy!
These are delicious! I used a different filling but used the dough (with wholemeal flour which worked fine) and icing recipes. So good! Thank you! My non-vegan brother also said they’re good. Yay!
Woohoo!! Thrilled you enjoyed them, Hope 🙂
Dear Sam,
I got your Cookbook and always wanted to comment on your recipes. But then I always get distracted eating the most delicious food ever! Never tried one thing I didn’t love. But now THESE happened and they are by far the BEST Treat ever in my life and I’m so happy that you created and shared this recipe! Thank you so much, lots of love :*
Hahaha love it!!! So thrilled you are enjoying all my recipes so much, Antonia 🙂
Thankyou again Sam ,another wonderful recipe .We are so lucky to have you sharing your recipes
Awww, my pleasure, Joan 🙂
Thanks for this recipe. I used to have a recipe like this I used to love to make when I wanted cinnamon buns but didn’t want to use yeast. I complete forgot about it after going plant based. Looking forward to giving it a try. I’m sure it will be fantastic, as all your recipes are. Made the gingerbread cookies from your book with my granddaughter last weekend. They were a hit.
Awesome! I hope you love it 🙂
Just made these! So easy and delicious! My icing came out more of a off white/tan, where as yours looks very white. I followed directions as they are, any thoughts?
So happy you loved them!! The vanilla extract and vegan butter are what could tint the icing. I’m guessing it was the vanilla, perhaps the brand you were using was a bit more rich in colour than the one I had. You could try buying clear vanilla extract to avoid this problem completely. Enjoy!
Do you freeze them cooked? Or can you freeze uncooked? Sorry just want to double check!
You can freeze them after they have been cooked, iced, and cooled 🙂
I think you may have forgotten to mention what state the “butter” should be, in re the frosting. Butter can be (a) melted, (b) soft (but not melted), (c) room-temperature, or (d) chilled. I am guessing that, for the frosting, it should be melted, yes?
One more question for the frosting: Could coconut oil be substituted for the vegan butter? Or would that give an unpleasant taste and/or texture? I ask b/c I rarely happen to have vegan butter, but I do have loads and loads of coconut oil…always looking for new uses for it. 🙂
Hi josh! No not melted. If I do not mention what state the butter should be in, that means just directly from the fridge is fine. If you have trouble mixing it in, you can let it soften a bit, but don’t melt it. Coconut oil can be substituted just fine. You won’t get the buttery taste, and it may be a bit thinner of icing, but should still be good. Enjoy!
Vegan becel or earth balance? Hoping for becel a its way more affordable.
Either will work fine. Enjoy!
Earth Balance is extremely salty. I’ll try coconut… :o)
Well, they are not fat free, but they do look delicious…and I AM drooling!
Haha, nope. These are for sure a treat!
Wow! These look fab!! Could I sub GF flour for the AP? And should I leave out the baking powder?
I’m not an expert in gluten-free baking, but you are welcome to try. I’ve heard good things about Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1. The baking powder is what replaces the yeast, so I wouldn’t remove that.
Minnie. I hope you post your results making these gluten free!
I have the same question as Kylieeeee above! I’d love to make these Christmas Eve and bake them Christmas morning.
Yep, that should work just fine! Just wrap tightly and store overnight in the fridge. You might need an extra minute or two of baking time if you are baking them straight from the cold fridge. Enjoy!
These sound amazing! Could I make them and assemble in baking dish the night before and just pop in oven on Christmas morning? Do U think that would work or screw up with the texture?
I think that should work just fine! Just wrap tightly and store overnight in the fridge. You might need an extra minute or two of baking time if you are baking them straight from the cold fridge. Enjoy!