Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

These vegan cinnamon rolls are soft, pillowy sweet rolls made with a simple yeasted dough, a warmly spiced cinnamon-and-brown-sugar filling, and a glossy vanilla glaze — no eggs, no dairy, no compromise on the fluffiness. If you want a comforting bake that fills the whole kitchen with the smell of cinnamon and orange zest, this is the one to make. They come together with pantry staples and a little patience while the dough rises, and the payoff is a tray of tender rolls that pull apart in soft ribbons.

Cinnamon rolls are, for so many people, the most beloved dessert in the world, and I understand exactly why. If you want to try this amazingly simple dessert yourself, I urge you to try my vegan cinnamon rolls! What makes this version a little different is the filling — alongside the classic cinnamon and brown sugar, I fold in cardamom, nutmeg, a whisper of orange zest, and a few cranberries for little pockets of tartness against all that sweetness.

The ingredients that make these rolls work

Everything here is plant-based and easy to find. A few notes on the pieces that matter most:

• Almond milk (room temperature): It hydrates the dough and, once warmed, activates the yeast. Room temperature is important — straight-from-the-fridge milk slows the yeast right down.
• Fresh yeast and a little sugar: The yeast is what gives these rolls their rise and airy crumb. The pinch of sugar in the first step feeds it so it wakes up quickly and turns the sponge bubbly.
• Vegan butter: Melted butter goes into the dough for richness, and softened butter carries the filling. Any good plant-based block butter works.
• Flour, divided: The dough is built in stages, so keep some flour aside for later additions and dusting. Adding it gradually lets you feel your way to the right texture.
• The spice blend: Ground cinnamon does the heavy lifting, but the cardamom, nutmeg, and orange zest are what lift these above a standard roll. Cranberries add a tart contrast that keeps every bite from being one-note.
• The glaze: Just powdered sugar, almond milk, and vanilla whisked smooth — simple, but it makes the rolls look and taste finished.

How to make vegan cinnamon rolls, step by step

The full quantities and timings are in the recipe card below, but here is the shape of the process so you know what to expect. You start by whisking warm almond milk with sugar and yeast, then whisk in a cup of flour to make a loose sponge and let it sit, covered, for about 40 minutes in a warm spot. Once it is bubbly and doubled, you stir in the melted butter, remaining sugar, and salt, sieve in more flour, and give it a second rise of another 40 minutes.

From there you turn the dough onto a floured surface, knead lightly just until it stops sticking, and roll it into a large rectangle. Spread the whisked filling evenly, scatter the cranberries, then roll it into a tight log and pinch the seam closed. Cut it into 8 rolls, arrange them in a pan, and let them rise a final 20 minutes before baking at 180C (about 30 minutes, until golden). Drizzle the vanilla glaze over while they are still warm so it melts slightly into every crevice.

Why this method gives you fluffy rolls

The two separate rises are doing real work. Building a loose sponge first, then adding fat and more flour, gives the yeast an easy, sugary head start before the richer dough would otherwise slow it down — fat coats the flour and can hold back gluten development, so letting the yeast establish itself early keeps the crumb light. The knead is deliberately light: you want just enough gluten to hold structure, not a tough, over-worked dough. And rolling the log tightly, seam-side down, means the spiral holds its shape in the oven instead of unraveling as the rolls expand.

Tips for the best results

• Mind your temperatures. The milk should be warm to the touch, not hot — liquid that is too hot can kill the yeast, while cold liquid leaves it sluggish and the dough will not rise properly.
• Give the rises their time. The dough is ready for the next stage when it has roughly doubled and looks bubbly. A warm, draft-free spot (a turned-off oven with the light on works well) speeds things along.
• Add flour gradually when kneading. Stop as soon as the dough stops sticking to the surface. Too much flour makes the rolls dense rather than soft.
• Use dental floss or thread to cut. Slide it under the log, cross the ends, and pull to slice cleanly without squashing the spiral — a knife tends to flatten soft dough.
• Glaze while warm. Drizzling over warm rolls lets the glaze settle into the folds; if you want a thicker set glaze on top, wait until they have cooled a little.

Make-ahead and storage

Cinnamon rolls are at their absolute best warm from the oven, but they keep nicely too. Store cooled rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days. A quick 15 to 20 seconds in the microwave brings back that just-baked softness. You can also freeze baked rolls, well wrapped, for up to a couple of months — thaw and warm before glazing, or refresh the glaze after. If you love this kind of bake, you might also enjoy my mini apple and cinnamon rolls, and for the morning after, a warm cup from my roundup of healthy coffee drinks is the perfect pairing.

What to serve with cinnamon rolls

These are a natural fit for a slow weekend breakfast or brunch. Serve them warm with a hot drink — one of these healthy coffee drinks is my go-to alongside a fresh roll. If you are building out a whole spread, they sit happily next to something like my gluten-free vegan pancakes for a proper cozy morning table.

If you bake these, I would love to know how they turned out for you — did the cardamom and orange zest win you over the way they did for me? Please rate the recipe below and leave a comment with any tweaks you made to the spice blend or the glaze.

Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

Fluffy vegan cinnamon rolls filled with brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, orange zest and cranberries, then drizzled with a simple vanilla glaze. Made with almond milk and vegan butter, so they are completely dairy-free and egg-free.

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Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Choose Serving Size 8

Ingredients 

For the rolls:

• 1 cup almond milk room temperature
• ¼ cup vegan butter melted
• 2 Tbsp sugar organic
• ½ packet fresh yeast
• 2 ½ cups flour divided, plus ½ cup extra for dusting
• ½ tsp salt

For the filling:

• ⅓ cup vegan butter
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon ground
• ½ tsp cardamom ground
• ¼ tsp nutmeg ground
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 2 Tbsp cranberries

For the icing:

• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp almond milk
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

• In a large bowl, whisk the milk with 1 Tbsp of the sugar and the fresh yeast until the yeast has dissolved.
• Sift in 1 cup of the flour and whisk gently.
• Cover with a towel and let sit in a warm place for about 40 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
• After 40 minutes, the dough should be bubbly and doubled in size.
• In a small bowl, combine the melted butter with the rest of the sugar and the salt.
• Add the mixture to the dough and combine gently.
• Sift in the remaining 1 ½ cups of flour.
• Stir well, cover and let sit for 40 more minutes.
• Once the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a floured surface.
• Knead the dough lightly, adding a little more flour as needed, until it loses its stickiness and no longer sticks to the surface.
• Roll the dough out into a large rectangle.
• In a small bowl, prepare the filling: combine all the filling ingredients except the cranberries and whisk until smooth.
• Spread the filling evenly over the dough.
• Sprinkle evenly with the cranberries.
• Roll up the dough into a log, pinch the seam closed and place it seam-side down.
• Cut the log in half, then cut each half in half again until you have 8 rolls.
• Place the 8 cinnamon rolls in a baking pan.
• Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place to rise for 20 more minutes.
• Remove the wrap and place the pan in the oven. Bake for about 30 minutes, until golden.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting:
• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, almond milk and vanilla extract until smooth.
• While the cinnamon rolls are still warm, drizzle them evenly with the frosting.

Notes

Makes 8 rolls. Plan for about 1 hour 40 minutes of rising on top of the prep and bake times. Best served warm the day they are baked; store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days and warm them briefly before serving. Fresh yeast can be swapped for active dry yeast at roughly half the weight.

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