Super soft and delicious vegan cinnamon rolls can be made in 1 hour! Loaded with cinnamon sugar gooey goodness and topped with heavenly cream cheese icing. You won’t believe how big and fluffy they are!
These are the BEST EVER vegan cinnamon rolls! They are so soft, fluffy and moist. No one would ever guess they’re vegan.
You can make them in about an hour from start to finish, or prep them the night before and pop them in the oven in the morning. I love overnight rolls for lazy weekend or holiday mornings.
Homemade cinnamon rolls taste 1000% better than those store bought rolls in a tube. Plus they will make your home smell incredible! In the fall, you may also enjoy these Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls. Or Strawberry Rolls in the spring!
What makes these Vegan Cinnamon Rolls so special?
- They can be ready to devour in about an hour
- Easy to follow instructions
- Big and fluffy, with only 20 minutes of dough rising!
- Super soft, with the best ooey-gooey cinnamon sugar center
- Topped with a delicious & simple cream cheese frosting OR simple glaze
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
- Plant milk – I usually use unsweetened soy, but I’ve used oat milk, almond milk and cashew milk. They all work well. Try to use unsweetened or your rolls will be too sweet.
- Granulated sugar – To ensure vegan, buy organic sugar.
- Quick rise yeast (instant yeast) – This is why we can make cinnamon rolls in no time at all! If you only have regular active yeast, it will work, but the dough will need longer to rise.
- Vegan butter – Helps the dough be rich, moist and soft + we use it in the filling. You can use coconut oil, softened, if needed. Any brand you like is fine, I love Miyoko’s but Earth Balance or Country Crock work as well.
- Salt
- All purpose flour – You can substitute a gluten free all purpose flour if needed. I like King Arthur’s Measure for Measure Flour.
- Brown sugar – For the filling.
- Cinnamon – Of course!
- Vegan cream cheese – For the simple cream cheese icing. I usually use Tofutti or Violife. If you can’t find vegan cream cheese, make the simple icing instead (recipe in card, scroll down).
- Powdered sugar – Sweetens and thickens the icing.
- Vanilla – For flavor.
If you’ve ever made cinnamon rolls before, you know it’s usually quite the long process. There is a lot of rising, usually in two steps. First, you need to let the ball of dough rise for an hour or more. Then after you roll and cut the cinnamon rolls, you have to let them rise again. That equals a very long time before you can eat a delicious cinnamon roll.
I have found a way to have way less preparation time, but still get the result of amazingly fluffy and big cinnamon rolls!
How do you make vegan cinnamon rolls?
This is an overview with photos of the process. For the complete, printable recipe, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom.
In a large bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer), add warmed milk, sugar and quick cooking yeast. Let it sit for 5 minutes, until it gets a bit foamy. This is how you know your yeast is fresh and working.
Add the melted vegan butter, salt and flour, and mix (I used a stand mixer with dough attachment).
Add 1/3 cup more flour at a time, as needed. The dough should still be slightly sticky and soft. You don’t want it to get too dry, or your rolls will be dry.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for 3-4 minutes, until a smooth ball of dough is formed (if using a stand mixer, simply mix with the dough hook for about 2 minutes).
Place the dough back in the bowl, cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes. It should nearly double in size. WHAT I DO: I preheat the oven to 170 degrees F, then once heated turn it off, place the bowl inside and leave the door cracked.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Next, roll the dough into a large rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Spread the softened vegan butter on top of the rolled dough, leaving an inch around the edges. Sprinkle with brown sugar, then cinnamon.
Starting with the long end closest to you, roll up into a tight log.
Cut off the ends with no filling, then slice into 12 rolls.
Place the rolls in a 9 by 13 inch casserole dish or (2) 9 inch pie pans.
Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the rolls are golden brown and the centers are cooked through. They will also rise more in the oven, and get really big and fluffy!
Frequently asked questions
- Can I make overnight cinnamon rolls? Yes. Simply follow the instructions up until the point where you have sliced them and placed them in a baking dish. Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, take them out of the refrigerator and let them sit for about an hour. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and bake for 20-30 minutes until done.
- Can I freeze them? Yes, you have a few options for freezing. You can freeze them after baking and frosting, after baking before frosting, or unbaked in the pan before rising. If freezing unbaked slices in the pan, let the rolls thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then let them come to room temperature for 30-60 minutes on the counter before baking.
- What can I use instead of cream cheese frosting? I’ve also included a recipe for a simple powdered sugar icing. Or cover them in caramel and add chopped pecans!
- Should the rolls be touching in the pan? Actually, no, not much at least. Leave some space between the rolls. This will allow them to expand and get big and fluffy in the oven.
The best way to cut cinnamon rolls
I usually just use a big sharp knife to cut the rolls. Some people like to use unflavored plain dental floss! It works well and prevents smushing the soft dough.
To use floss, grab a long piece, pull it tight and get it under the roll of dough. Pull the ends tight to cut the roll.
How to store vegan cinnamon rolls
The rolls are going to be best right after baking, when fresh and warm. Leftover rolls will keep for 2-3 days, covered at room temperature.
You can also freeze leftover rolls. I like to rewarm them in the microwave before serving.
Want more special sweet breakfast recipes?
1 Hour Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
FOR THE DOUGH
- 2 cups unsweetened soy milk*
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 packets (4 1/2 tsp) Quick Rise Yeast | I used Red Star
- 1/2 cup vegan butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more as needed
FOR THE FILLING
- 6 tablespoons softened vegan butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
CREAM CHEESE ICING
- 8 ounces vegan cream cheese | I like Trader Joe's or Kite Hill
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
MAKE THE DOUGH
- Warm the soy milk in the microwave for 1 minute and 30 seconds. Make sure it is warm, like bathwater, not too hot or it will kill the yeast.
- In a large bowl, add the warm soy milk, sugar and yeast. Let it sit for 5 minutes. The yeast should get a bit foamy on top.
- To the yeast mixture, add the melted vegan butter, salt and 4 1/2 cups of flour. Stir with a large spoon until the mixture comes together. Add additional flour, 1/3 cup at a time, as needed until the mixtures pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It should still be soft and slightly sticky.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3-4 minutes, until you have a fairly smooth ball of dough. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover with a towel and let it rise in a warm place for 20 minutes. Here's what I do: Turn the oven to 170 degrees F. Once heated, turn it off, place the covered bowl inside the oven, and leave the oven door cracked.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
ASSEMBLE THE CINNAMON ROLLS
- Sprinkle a clean counter or pastry mat with flour. Punch the dough down, and use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle more flour on top while rolling to prevent sticking.
- Spread the 6 tablespoons softened vegan butter over the rolled dough, leaving an inch around the edges. Sprinkle the brown sugar, then the cinnamon on top of the butter.
- Starting with the long end closest to you, roll the dough into a tight log. Place seam side down. Using a serrated knife, cut off the two ends. Then slice into 12 rolls. Place the rolls in a 9 by 13 inch casserole dish, or (2) 9-inch pie pans.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the rolls are lightly golden brown and the centers are cooked through.
ICING
- While the rolls are baking, make the icing. In a medium bowl, add the vegan cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla. Using a hand mixer (or stand mixer), beat until smooth and creamy.
- If you would rather have a simple icing, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons soy milk and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, until smooth and creamy.
- Allow the rolls to cool for 10 minutes before drizzling with the icing. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- May substitute oat, cashew or almond milk for the soy milk if needed. Try to use a creamy milk because this makes the dough richer.
- You may substitute coconut oil for the vegan butter if needed, but I prefer the taste of the vegan butter here.
- Gluten free: Try a quality gluten free all purpose flour, such as King Arthur’s Measure for Measure.
- FOR OVERNIGHT PREP: Follow the instructions until you have cut, uncooked cinnamon rolls in the baking dish. At this point, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, remove from the refrigerator and allow to sit for an hour. Then, simply preheat the oven to 375 degrees and bake for 20-30 minutes until done.
- Leftover rolls will keep for 2-3 days covered at room temperature.
- Freezing: You can freeze the rolls before baking or after baking. If freezing unbaked slices in the pan, let the rolls thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then let them come to room temperature for 30-60 minutes on the counter before baking.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in May 2019 and has been updated with improved photos and more helpful information.
I have not had any failures with your recipes. Thank you for your love of cooking and creating. I had a craving for cinnamon rolls, clicked on my go to (you), and volia a quick and simple recipe. Didn’t substitute anything and they turned out amazing. A dozen for the price I would pay for one at my favorite vegan bakery. Baking up another batch for my team at work.
You’re so welcome, Angela! I’m thrilled you loved the cinnamon rolls. Thank you so much for your kind words and wonderful review!
Hi Nora,
Can I substitute the granulated sugar for the dough and brown sugar for the filling with coconut sugar?
Sure, coconut sugar should be fine here. Happy baking!
Hi Nora, I absolutely adore this recipe! However I was wondering if I could substitute the AP flour with self rising? I understand I’d likely have to cut down the yeast, however I’m not sure how much..
Hi Allison. Sorry, I haven’t tried substituting the AP flour for self-rising, so I’m unable to give you accurate measurements or substitutions. You could try omitting the salt and 1 packet of yeast, but I’m not sure if it will work or not.
Hello, I have used the recipe multiple times for the dough and it is great!
Could the gram measurement be added for the vegan butter in the filling section? (Measuring a solid by the tablespoon is quite tedious and it has the gram equiv even in the dough). Thanks a lot!
Done! I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the recipe several times, thank you.
Loooove this recipe so much – it’s my go-to cinnamon roll recipe. 🙂 Today I didn’t have instant yeast so I used regular dry-active yeast and they still turned out great, in case anyone else doesn’t have instant yeast! I adjusted the recipe to 4 tsp of dry-active yeast and let the dough rise for 2 hours before shaping the rolls. Then, I let the rolls sit another 30 minutes to rise in the baking pan once they’d been cut. The rolls still were amazing, just needed a bit longer for rising due to the change in yeast. Thanks for the great recipe Nora!!
You are welcome, Shannon! Thank YOU for sharing your fabulous review and helpful tips!
Hahahah, that’s funny you say the leftovers will keep for 2 to 3 days. There is no way my household would let them sit for so long lol. I used regular yeast and so let them rise longer. I used Daiya cream cheese because that’s all I had but next time I’ll go with tofutti as I think I like that best. 10 stars!
The last time I tried to make cinnamon rolls was years ago and they didn’t turn out very well. After being intimidated by them, I decided to try again. I made these for dinner tonight….yes, we are those weirdos that love breakfast for dinner….and they were a huge hit!! They were so easy and quick to make! My kids devoured them. No more paying a small fortune for the Annie’s ones at the store. Thank you!! Every recipe I try of yours is awesome.
You are welcome, Amanda! I’m glad you tried the cinnamon rolls, and that you loved them! We sure love them at our house! Thanks for sharing your fabulous feedback and review! Happy cooking!
This is by far the best cinnamon roll recipe I have ever tried! They turn out perfectly every time. It’s my go-to recipe for Christmas morning every year.
Thanks for you wonderful feedback and review! These are great at Christmas!
These a freaking fantastic! Sooo not healthy but soooooo addictive. One would never know these are vegan. I love these things! Planned on freezing the extras… yeah right… what extras!
Hahaha I’m so glad you liked them, Sammy! Thanks so much for your amazing review!
I’ve made these numerous times and have yet to write a review! My girlfriend and I absolutely LOVE cinnamon rolls and we literally hit the jackpot finding your recipe – it’s a staple on rotation!!! These cinnamon rolls are soft, sweet, fluffy, and absolutely divine. They’re to die for. We love having this sweet treat that doesn’t take much time at all; we usually make dinner while it’s proofing! Thank you sooooo much!!!!
Hi Sophia. How fun that you gals bake these up on a regular basis! I’m thrilled you are loving them! Thanks for sharing your fun and fabulous feedback and review!
You never disappoint, Nora! My daughter chose cinnamon rolls for her 8th birthday breakfast so I obviously came to you for a recipe. Every time I make something from you, it’s one of the best of that dish that I have ever made. (Easy too.)Thank you so much!!!
Your kind words are so awesome! Thank you, Jessica, for sharing your fabulous feedback and review! I appreciate you consistently using my recipes! Happy birthday to your daughter!
I normally don’t leave reviews, but these were incredible. I made them for myself and roommates and no one could believe they were actually vegan. They were supposed to be for the next morning but they were gone in an hour! I use Country Crock with all my recipes calling for vegan butter, and it works perfectly. Thanks!
I’m so glad you and your roommates enjoyed them, Marissa! Thank you for your wonderful feedback and review 🙂
Nora. STOP. These are TOO GOOD. Just made them for Easter breakfast and everyone in my family is hovering over the pan inhaling them. They are ridiculously good and were unbelievably easy!!! My-four-year old loved helping. Thanks for the super clear instructions and photos.
Hi Kate. What a fun thing to bake with your four year old! Thanks for sharing your fun and fabulous feedback and review!
I’ve made this several times. Everyone loves it! I know you can refrigerate uncooked dough overnight but will it be ok for 2 nights ? I want to mix dough on a Friday night for Sunday morning.
I think it will be okay, but I haven’t tried it myself. Let me know how it goes! I’m so glad you enjoy the recipe.
Hey I just tried something like that and I would recommend decreasing the amount of yeast by quite a lot. I left mine to proof in the fridge for an hour (formed, after the original rise) thinking I’d bake them in the morning, and they way over proofed. I had even decreased the amount of yeast by a bit but it was still way too much rise. When I baked them (they were 12) the rolls expanded out of the oven and made a mess! So just be careful w yeast amount and proofing longer 🙂
AMAZING!! my only question is in stead of soy can I use oat milk?
Yes you can! Enjoy!
Can I substitute the yeast for regular one?
Yes, regular active yeast will work, but the dough will need longer to rise.
Nora, I was wondering if there’s anything else I can use instead of cream cheese to make the icing?
I followed your recipe and it’s delicious but I would like to know what else I can use in case I’m out of cream cheese at home but I’m craving some homemade cinnamon rolls 😋
You could make the simple glaze from my Blueberry Scones instead! All you need is powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and almond milk. Hope this helps!
THANK YOU, NORA!
Your recipes saving my life! I made these yesterday giving my 3,5 yo who is severely allergic to milk and eggs chance to taste cinnamon rolls for the very first time! ❤️
They came out delicious!!
Thank you!
That is so awesome! You are welcome! Thanks for sharing this wonderful feedback and review!
Another question for you: can I bake it in aluminum tray pan?
I’d like to make it as a gift ahead go time so they can bake it themselves at home but at the same time I don’t want to use my baking dishes.
Yes, that will work just fine. What a wonderful gift. 🙂
Nora
I have made and loved SO many recipes you have given ..
Thank you so much !
I have trouble with the desserts and breads like this that have so much sugar..we are vegan because we desire to have healthier bodies and minds – as you know there is an absolute connection between body and brain health- so we are desiring foods that would be less sweet and even sugar free..we have made breads with diced dates and even used date sugar .
Would you have some healthy substitutes for granulated sugar in your recipes ?
Trust me this recipe for cinnamon rolls look SO tempting but we cannot do as sugar is poison to the body.
Again thank you so much for your gracious plethora of delicious recipes that we love ❤
Hi Jody, you can always substitute date sugar, with sometimes varied results. The dessert recipes won’t taste exactly the same, and they may be a different color. Substituting liquid sweeteners is a little trickier. People choose vegan foods for varying reasons and not always for health. Many people choose to be vegan for the animals or the earth and it’s not connected to health. Other folks are just here looking for allergy friendly desserts/recipes. So what you are saying does not apply to many folks. I don’t believe that sugar is poison, and I have no problem including sweets as a part of my life. That said, everyone should do what they feel is best! But on my site, you will find I use sugars regularly and I won’t be changing that anytime soon. I’m so glad you have enjoyed some of my recipes!
This just came out of the oven and it smells divine! When I was prepping the dough, it was VERY sticky and I had to add almost another cup of flour before the dusting and kneading. I’m positive I used all the correct measurements for the ingredients as I used a kitchen scale. What do you think could’ve caused this?
Amazing recipe! As are all of your recipes. We didn’t have any alternative milk options so we were excited to experiment with making our own quick almond milk thickened with a bit of sea moss powder. It turned out perfect. Can’t wait to finish these and make some more.
I love your recipes. I was excited to try this cinnamon roll even though I have never made them. I made them gluten free and used King Arthur Flour. I am pretty sure the dough was too wet. It was very sticky and hard to roll. I wasn’t sure how sticky they should be. They definitely were not pretty. Lol. They were tasty though! I will try again and add more flour.
It doesn’t say whether or not to use parchment paper. Do you use parchment paper?
I do not use parchment paper for baking this recipe. Hope this helps!
When using gluten free flour blends, you will not need to knead the dough and it will be stickier, so it is difficult to roll it like you would with wheat flour dough. I have found it best to use a stand mixer with the dough blade, then pull it away from the sides of the bowl. It should fall out of the bowl, then you can shape it into a mound with your fingers. You also don’t want to add a bunch more flour because it often makes the dough tough and dry. I have found the most success using wax or parchment paper underneath and on top. You can then lightly roll it or flatten it by hand. Carefully remove the top piece of paper, then gently spread soft vegan butter and sprinkle on your sugar and cinnamon. You will have to handle it carefully when you roll it into the log for cutting, because it tears easily, but it should work fine. Just takes a bit of practice. Hope this is helpful to you!
I also made these Christmas morning and wow! They were easy and delicious. I couldn’t believe that they were made start to finish right around and hour. Thanks for sharing, definitely will be making them again!
So glad you enjoyed them, Sue! Thank you for your review!
These rolls were amazing! I made them for Christmas morning breakfast and they did not disappoint! Very fluffy and nice. I used organic, unsweet soy milk and the vegan butter. I was fortunate enough to find vegan cream cheese (Christmas miracle!) and it was the perfect finishing touch. Thank you!
A merry Christmas indeed, with these as the star of our Christmas breakfast! These cinnamon rolls are so incredibly fluffy, with the perfect gooey centers! My family doesn’t care for cream cheese frosting, so I made a simple icing of powdered sugar, vanilla, and cashew milk to drizzle on top. These were a hit!
I’m thrilled the cinnamon rolls were a hit for your Christmas breakfast! Thank you for sharing your fantastic feedback and review!
These are wonderful!! As expected the cinnamon rolls were incredible and always with your recipes so easy to make!!
We’ve been easing out of all things dairy the last year and your recipes are the best Nora!! My almost 4 year old LOVES your corn bread and we make it almost weekly from memory at this point!
Hi Makina. It’s so awesome that you guys are finding new recipes that you love! I appreciate you using my recipes! Thanks for sharing your wonderful feedback and review! Happy cooking!
Made these this morning for Christmas breakfast and they were a hit! I was nervous because I’ve never made cinnamon rolls before, but it was actually really easy! The dough came out so soft and perfect! Now that I know how easy they are, I’m sure I’ll be making these regularly! Thanks for such a great recipe!
Hi Nicole. I’m thrilled that the cinnamon rolls were a hit for your Christmas breakfast! I’m also happy that you found them easy to make and are encouraged to make them more often! Thank you for your terrific feedback! Wishing you happy cooking!
Hi, I’m considering making this but I live in the uk. Would other brands like violife (for the cream cheese) or for the quick rise yeast? I think that I’m always afraid of making American based recipes because I’m paranoid that I can’t find exactly the same ingredients as you’ve used and it won’t turn out as well.
Hi Eva. I’m not familiar with the brands of cream cheese available in the UK. A brand I like is Kite Hill. I imagine several different types of cream cheese would work for the frosting. If you don’t want to make cream cheese frosting you could also make a simple powdered sugar frosting. There’s also the option of topping your cinnamon rolls with caramel and nuts. You can use regular yeast but you need to let the dough rise for longer, like an hour the first time. I hope this is helpful for you!