Easy, Classic Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

• 1.25 cup Dairy-free milk (Warm to 110°F; 1 1/4 cups is the quantity stated alongside the gram equivalent.)
• 2.25 tsp Active dry yeast (1 package equals 2 1/4 tsp.)
• 1 tsp Cane sugar
• 0.25 cup Cane sugar
• 0.25 cup Vegan butter (Melted, but not hot.)
• 2 tsp Vanilla
• 1 tsp Salt
• 3.25 cup All-purpose flour (Plus a little more for dusting and kneading as needed; amount not specified.)
• 0.5 cup Dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp Cinnamon
• 2 tbsp Vegan butter (Softened.)
• 1.5 cup Powdered sugar (Sifted.)
• 0.125 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Non-dairy milk (Use more as needed, adding 1/2 tbsp at a time until the icing reaches the desired consistency; recipe lists 2–4 tbsp total.)
• 0.5 tsp Vanilla
• Oil or vegan butter (For greasing the bowl and baking dish; amount not specified.)
• 3.25 cup Flour (A little extra for dusting the work surface and kneading; amount not specified.)

Steps

1. 1

   In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the warm dairy-free milk, active dry yeast, and 1 tsp cane sugar. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes, until bubbly and frothy.

2. 2

   Add the 1/4 cup cane sugar, melted vegan butter, 2 tsp vanilla, and 1 tsp salt to the yeast mixture. Whisk until combined.

3. 3

   Place the flour in a large bowl. Pour in the liquid mixture and use a spatula to combine; the dough will be sticky.

4. 4

   Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle a little more flour over it as needed, then knead for 3–4 minutes, until a dough ball forms.

5. 5

   Grease the same bowl with oil or additional vegan butter. Return the dough ball to the bowl, cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and leave it in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size. Check after 1 hour; depending on the surrounding temperature, rising may take up to 2 hours.

6. 6

   Punch down the doubled dough and transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Roll it with a rolling pin into an approximately 20 × 14-inch rectangle.

7. 7

   In a small bowl, combine the dark brown sugar and cinnamon.

8. 8

   Spread the softened vegan butter evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the ends.

9. 9

   Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the butter.

10. 10

    Shape the rolls using either method: for cut-first, use a pizza cutter to divide the dough along its long side into 12 strips, then roll each strip individually; or tightly roll the dough from the long side into a log, place it seam-side down, and cut it into 12 even pieces.

11. 11

    Place the cut rolls in a greased 9 × 13-inch baking dish and cover. Let rise in a warm place for 45–60 minutes, until the rolls are slightly touching. While they rise, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

12. 12

    When the oven is heated and the rolls have risen, bake for 30–35 minutes, until golden on top.

13. 13

    In a small-to-medium bowl, add the powdered sugar, 1/8 tsp salt, 2 tbsp non-dairy milk, and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Whisk together. Add more non-dairy milk 1/2 tbsp at a time until the icing reaches the desired consistency.

14. 14

    Let the cinnamon rolls cool for at least 10 minutes, then spread the icing over them.

Notes

The author also suggests bread flour as a 1:1 substitute for all-purpose flour, noting it makes chewier rolls, and says water can replace non-dairy milk. For make-ahead preparation, the dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days instead of rising on the counter, or shaped rolls can be covered and refrigerated overnight in the baking dish; the available excerpt ends before providing the next-morning directions. The structured instructions give a 30–35 minute bake, while structured cookTime lists 30 minutes; the recipe time fields above preserve the structured recipe's published times. Exact total flour for dusting and exact greasing amount are not stated.

Nutrition per serving

• breakfast
• dessert
• vegan
• dairy-free
• sweet
• baked
• yeasted dough
• holiday