Author: 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 Easy Vegan Cinnamon Buns 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 buns have several steps to prepare them (that's the nature of cinnamon buns 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...
Not only are these vegan cinnamon buns easy to make, but they will keep fresh for several days. I even tested freezing them finished with icing and all, and you know what? I left them on the counter to thaw and they came back perfectly to fluffy, tender, icing glazed life. YUM! Learn how to make delicious (yet simple!) vegan cinnamon rolls with this easy recipe. My Vegan Cinnamon Buns are perfect for breakfast or any time of day!
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 plant-based 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 rolls!
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 rolls 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 plant-based 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 plant-based milk.
Spread the icing roughly over the still warm cinnamon buns. The icing will melt into the cinnamon buns a little. YUM!
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Easy Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
Servings: Cinnamon rolls
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Ingredients
For the vegan cinnamon bun dough:
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup vegan butter,, cut into small cubes
- 1 ¼ cup plant-based milk, (such as soy or almond)
For the cinnamon sugar filling:
- ¼ cup vegan butter,, melted
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
For the icing (optional):
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 teaspoons lemon juice or plant-based milk*
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F (200C). Line with parchment paper or grease a 9"x 12" baking dish. *Make sure you use a 9" x 12" pan or equivalent. For the cinnamon rolls to stay soft they need to expand into each other. If they have too much room around each roll, they can end up getting crispy. I used the one from this baking set.
- 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 plant-based 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 rolls!
- 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 rolls: 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 rolls.
- Bake: Place the cinnamon rolls 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 plant-based 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 plant-based milk. Spread the icing roughly over the still warm cinnamon rolls. The icing will melt into the cinnamon rolls a little. YUM!
Notes
Store leftover cinnamon rolls covered at room temperature for 2–3 days. For longer storage, freeze them (with or without icing) in an airtight container. If frozen with icing, let them thaw completely at room temperature before serving (no reheating or the icing will melt). Make Ahead:
You can prep the cinnamon rolls in advance by assembling and cutting them, then placing them in the baking dish. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. When ready to bake, let them sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes, then bake and frost as directed. Freezing & Reheating:
For best results, bake the cinnamon rolls, let them cool completely, and freeze them in the baking dish without icing, tightly covered. When ready to serve, thaw at room temperature, then warm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10–15 minutes until soft and heated through. Add the icing after reheating so it melts gently over the warm rolls. They stay soft, fluffy, and totally delicious!
Nutrition
⭐ Did You Make This Recipe?
I’d love if you left a rating and comment, it helps others find the recipe and makes my day! 💕Bon appetegan!
Sam.
Jess says
I have made these 4 times now, and I still can't get over just how freaking delicious they are! Everyone I've made them for loves them (and most of them aren't vegan), they even fight for the last ones! I even make a bite-sized version now, just to spread them out (which just means that I cut the dough in half length-wise before rolling them up, and they always turn out perfect!)! Thanks for sharing this recipe, it's now made it into my go-to repertoire!
P.S. And that icing is divine! Even before I went vegan I wasn't able to make icing like that, your version is just perfect!
Marcella says
Hiya! I just made these today and found the buns were quite bitter? Would that be due to the baking soda? I used nuttlex as my vegan butter. The texture and consistency is great. It just tastes bitter and a bit salty. Any ideas?
Patrick says
The recipe calls for baking powder not baking soda. I think thats why they came out salty. Hope this helps : )
Kim says
Wicked good!!! I am an amateur when it comes to a rolling pin, but was able to pull these off. Made for Father’s Day this morning and dad was impressed. I have to say he has high standards, too. I appreciated that the ingredients were simple and didn’t call for any yeast or time to rise. I doubled the frosting...because why not...and did half milk and half lemon juice and they were perfect. Can’t wait to eat another.
Kathy Bee says
So delicious! Came out great and it was really easy!
Ajeng says
Hi. Can i replace the sugar with honey or maple syrup to go sugar free in this recipe?
Lynne says
WOW!! This delicious recipe made my very first Cinnamon Buns cooking experience a TRUE success!!
In one word? Yummmmmyyyyy.
In two words? So easy.
I shall repeat this recipe again.
Thank YOU Sam!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Amazing!
Karen says
OH MY GOODNESS! We watched your video as well to make sure we made these exactly right. We too did a happy dance and said " Why are these SO GOOD??!!" 🙂 Wish we could post pics on here. Those were award winning cinnamon rolls. I am buying your book today on Amazon for a birthday gift to a friend.
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Wonderful! Thrilled you loved them so much, Karen 🙂
Andrea says
Hi should I use Room temperature or chilled butter? Thanks! Look forward to baking these!
Sam Turnbull says
Chilled 🙂
Andrea says
Should I use chilled or room temp butter? Thanks! Look forward to baking these right away!
John Fortiner says
You might want to try cutting the dough simply by sliding a piece of dental floss under it, crossing the floss on top and pulling the two ends. It will not distort the dough like a knife.
MJ says
Made these several times and always all gone within a day. I've got some raspberries needing to be used. Any ideas on how to incorporate them into this...maybe same process for filling only sub cinnamon with raspberries? Thank you for all your delicious recipes!
RF says
Delicious! Mine turned out like individual rolls because I misread the instruction about putting them closer together. However they still tasted amazing and I will be making this again. My family (who are not vegans) loved them. The rolls are quite large so I might make them smaller next time.
Veronica Urreiztieta says
I was wondering if I could replace the vegan butter with oil since I don’t have vegan butter in my house (rest of family isn’t vegan)
Sam Turnbull says
Unfortunately that likely won't work. You really need vegan butter for this recipe.
Philip says
What the hell is vegan butter? I thought there was supposed to be no weird ingredients in this.
Ay says
Uhm it’s butter? Which is not weird to most....
Princessd says
Vegan butter is a staple in any vegan household. Welcome to this century.
Phidel Castroil says
I've been vegan for 5 years now and have never heard of it. Welcome to good manners.
It IS weird. No store that I've ever been in has "vegan butter". What's it made out of? Can you use oil instead?
Princessd says
Sorry to hear.
Earth balance is a great vegan butter brand.
If you google a bit you’ll find vegan butter recipes made with refined coconut oil, lemon, lecthicin, a neutral oil and plant milk. I make my own butter now that the quarantine situation has made grocery shopping tedious.
Apologies for my manners. Hope you can find a good butter sub.
Phidel Castroil says
Thank you. Ill try to make my own as it's probably too soon to go to Safeway.
It's easy to appear rude when you don't mean to be when messaging anonymously. I do it all the time.
Ashley says
It's the same as margarine which has been around forever. Although be careful, because not all margarine is vegan.
Mercedes says
A plant based margarine basically. I just used Flora dairy free in this recipe and they were delicious.
Jordan P says
Made these this morning for Easter! Thank you so much these were absolutely delicious.
Sam Turnbull says
Thrilled you enjoyed, Jordan!
Shauna AKA Only Mostly Vegan says
Could I substitute a gluten-free flour such as almond flour? I've been dying for a good cinnamon roll but I'm primarily vegan (Only Mostly Vegan) and gluten-free due to allergies....
Sam Turnbull says
I'm not an expert in gluten-free baking so I'm afraid I am unsure.
Quinn says
Like others, I’m making these during quarantine and I wanted to try this recipe because it doesn’t call for anything I don’t usually have in my pantry. I followed it exactly and I’m very surprised how good and easy these are! I recommend putting a little melted butter in the dish for those worried they will be dry or hard. Thank you for the great recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you loved them, Quinn!
Jenna says
Can I make this the day before and let sit in refrigerator overnight and then cook in the morning next day?
Lydia says
Haven't made these yet but am planning to on Friday...but am wondering if earth balance sticks will do or if it'll make it too salty?
Also, will a 9x13 Pyrex glass baking dish work...?
Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Lydia, yes both sound great 🙂
Justine says
Would love to try this. I don't have vegan butter (and doubt I'll find --> lockdown). What do you think about using coconut oil instead? I love your recipes, thank you so much for your great shares!
Sam Turnbull says
That should work but of course you won't have the buttery flavour. Enjoy!
Justine says
Thank you! Hope you bring out a recipe book one day.
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Justine! I do have a cookbook. It's actually in it's 7th printing and is currently out of stock most places, but the newest shipment should be hitting stores soon. You can learn more about it here 🙂
Justine says
Great, thank you!
Jess says
I was thinking the same - check this out, we can also make our own "vegan butter" although in my experience coconut oil is a fine replacement in baking (whereas vegan becel isn't really).
Jess says
Made these with coconut oil (in the proper sized pan) and placed them close together. Didn't turn out at all. They are crispy like biscuits (after 24 min cooking). The dough isn't very sweet, why no sugar in the dough? Cinammon buns are also supposed to be brown on the sides, these are all white, even in the demo pics. Definitely wouldn't make these again 🙁 sorry.
Caroline says
I found the same when I first made them.
When I made them again, I just added a tbsp or two of sugar to the dry ingredients...no big deal. They came out better in my humble opinion.
Doug says
Fooken awful. Melted everywhere because there was no surrounding casing and the pastry was like a cookie!
Sam Turnbull says
*Make sure you use a 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.
Yuli says
My buns are baking in the oven as I write this comment - had to comment on the icing. OMG sooooo delicious! I changed the recipe to 9 buns and used metric measurement, used 3tsp of soy milk and a dash of concentrated lemon juice and its so good!! The icing alone deserves 5 stars! It tasted very creamcheesy, not too sweet, creamy, and a gorgeous colour!
Will update on the buns when they are done, my dough did come out a bit wetter but I added about 1-2tbsp extra of flour and that seemed to have done the trick. The dough rolled very easily, can't wait to try them!